I marvel much that none of your contributors in this line have touched upon
a very interesting branch of legendary family folk lore, namely, the
supernatural appearances, and other circumstances of a ghostly nature, that
are said to invariably precede a death in many time-honoured families of
the united kingdoms.
We have all heard of the mysterious "White Ladye," that heralds the
approach of death, or dire calamity, to the royal house of Hohenzollern. In
like manner, the apparition of two gigantic owls upon the battlements of
Wardour is said to give sad warning to the noble race of Arundel. The
ancient Catholic family of Middleton have the same fatal announcement made
to them by the spectral visitation of a Benedictine nun; while a Cheshire
house of note, I believe, that of Brereton, are prepared for the last sad
hour by the appearance of large trunks of trees floating in a lake in the
immediate vicinity of their family mansion. To two families of venerable
antiquity, and both, if I remember right, of the county of Lancashire, the
approaching death of a relative is made known in one case by loud and
continued knockings at the hall door at the solemn hour of midnight; and in
the other, by strains of wild and unearthly music floating in the air.
The "Banshee," well known in Ireland, and in the highlands of Scotland, is,
I believe, attached exclusively to families of Celtic origin, and is never
heard of below the Grampian range; although the ancient border house of
Kirkpatrick of Closeburn (of Celtic blood by the way) is said to be
attended by a familiar of this kind.
Again, many old manor-houses are known to have been haunted by a friendly,
good-natured sprite, ycelpt a "Brownie," whose constant care it was to save
the household domestics as much trouble as possible, by doing all their
drudgery for them during the silent hours of repose. Who has not heard, for
instance, of the "Boy of Hilton?" Of this kindly race, I have no doubt,
many interesting anecdotes might be rescued from the dust of time and
oblivion, and preserved for us in the pages of "N. & Q."
I hope that the hints I have ventured to throw out may induce some of your
talented contributors to follow up the subject.