_The Manner and Style of their operations_: or, THE FAIRY WAYS. In
which we chiefly distinguish--1, The active presence of the Sprites
in a human habitation. 2, Their masquerading. 3, Their dispatch of
human victuals. 4, The liability of Elfin limbs to human casualties.
5, The personality of that saucy Puck, our tiny ambassador elf.
We are at once tempted and restrained by the richness of
illustration, which presents itself under all these heads. The
necessity of limitation is, however, imperious. This, and a wish for
simplicity, dispose us to throw all under one more comprehensive
title.
Perhaps the reader has not entirely forgotten that in the remarks
introductory to THE FAIRIES' SABBATH, having launched the
question--what is a Fairy?--we offered him in the way of answer,
_eight_ elements of the Fairy Nature. Has he quite forgotten that for
one of these--it was the third--we represented the Spirit under
examination, as ONE WHICH AT ONCE SEEKS AND SHUNS MANKIND?
The cursory treatment of this Elfin criterion will now compendiously
place before the reader, as much illustration of the two above-given
heads as we dare impose upon him.
The popular Traditions of entire Western Europe variously attest for
all the kinds of the Fairies, and for some orders of Spirits
partaking of the Fairy character, the singularly composed, and almost
self-contradictory traits of a _seeking_ implicated and attempered
with a _shunning_; of a shunning with a seeking. The inclination of
our Quest will be to evidences of the _seeking_. The shunning will,
it need not be doubted, take good care of itself.
The attraction of the Fairy Species towards our own is,
1. Recognised--in their GENERIC DESIGNATIONS.
2. Apparent--in their GOOD NEIGHBOURHOOD with us.
3. IN THEIR FREQUENTING AND ESTABLISHING THEMSELVES in the places of
our habitual occupancy and resort.
4. IN THEIR CALLING OR CARRYING US into the places of their Occupancy
and Resort; whether to return _hither_, or to remain
_there_.
5. BY THEIR ALIGHTING UPON THE PATH, worn already with some blithe or
some weary steps, OF A HUMAN DESTINY;--as friendly, or as unfriendly
Genii.