Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 27, 1916.djvu/351

Rh unwritten chapter in Irish history." And the fact that it has been so is not without a definite influence upon the country. Propagation of the witch mania was curtailed, was, in fact, largely non-existent (p. 10) owing to the "total absence of literature on the subject," until the last century, with the exception of a pamphlet in 1699 (p. 11). In this small volume the author has collected the records of Irish cases, and proved that Ireland, while still enjoying "comparative freedom" (p. 6), was not exempt from the universal witch-cult, though it affected the island only partially. The reason it was partial is the crux of all the troubles that have ever been termed "the Irish question"—"the country has been divided into two opposing elements, the Celtic and the English" (p. 3), since the Norman "conquest." "The Celtic element had its own superstitious beliefs, but these never developed in this direction" (p. 4)—witchcraft. To the divergence of race was added that isolation from the centres of civilised activities which resulted in a semi-independence of ecclesiastical organisation and literature (p. 7). "Ireland a nation" maybe a good political catchword, but is to the scientist an absolute mis-statement. Politics have been identified with and embittered racial and religious antagonisms, and the rift has affected the folklore as well as the social life of the people. After a chronological survey of "cases," from Dame Alice Kyteler, the Sorceress of Kilkenny in 1324 (chap, ii.), the final chapter touches on twentieth-century "witches," cattle-and-milk magic, and modern "white witchcraft"—much of this is quoted from Folk-lore. Though, the author concludes, "the witch of history is gone, and can never be rehabilitated … Scattered throughout the length and breadth of the land there are to be found persons whom the country-folk credit with the power of performing various extraordinary actions. From what source they derive this power is not clear—probably neither they themselves nor their devotees have ever set themselves the task of unravelling that psychological problem" (page 243). One may not entirely agree with all the conclusions reached, but the book is a welcome and carefully compiled addition to the too scanty literature that deals with Irish folklore apart from fairy lore and folk-tales.