Page:Cornish feasts and folk-lore.djvu/7

 PREFACE. Few Cornish people are probably aware how wide-spread still with us is the belief in charms and charmers, ghosts, and all other superstitions ; nor that there are witches in our county, shunned and dreaded by some who fear their supposed power to ill-wish those who offend them, and sought out by others who want by their aid to avert the evil eye, or by their incantations to remove the spells already cast on them and their cattle by an ill-wisher who has " overlooked " them. Folk-lore is an almost inexhaustible subject. There must be many charms in use here that have not come under my notice ; a few are too coarse to record, as are some of the tales. A book on folk-lore cannot in this century contain original matter; it must be compiled from various sources. I have when quoting from other writers given my authority, and to communi- cations from friends generally appended their names. To " One and All" I beg leave to tender my sincere thanks. M. A. Courtney.