"It is very remarkable that this story, translated by Dr. Grahame from
popular Gaelic tradition, is to be found in the Otia Imperialia of
Gervase of Tilbury. [FN #10] A work of great interest might be compiled
upon the original of popular fiction, and the transmission of similar
tales from age to age, and from country to country. The mythology of one
period would then appear to pass into the romance of the next century,
and that into the nursery tale of the subsequent ages. Such an
investigation, while it went greatly to diminish our ideas of the
richness of human invention, would also show that these fictions,
however wild and childish, possess such charms for the populace as
enable them to penetrate into countries unconnected by manners and
language, and having no apparent intercourse to afford the means
of transmission. It would carry me far beyond my bounds to produce
instances of fable among nations who never borrowed from each other any
thing intrinsically worth learning. Indeed the wide diffusion of popular
factions may be compared to the facility with which straws and feathers
are dispersed abroad by the wind, while valuable metals cannot be
transported without trouble and labour. There lives, I believe, only one
gentleman whose unlimited acquaintance with this subject might enable
him to do it justice,--I mean my friend Mr. Francis Douce, of the
British Museum, whose usual kindness will, I hope, pardon my mentioning
his name while on a subject so closely connected with his extensive and
curious researches" (Scott).

355. Snatched away, etc. "The subjects of Fairy-land were recruited from
the regions of humanity by a sort of crimping system, which extended
to adults as well as to infants. Many of those who were in this world
supposed to have discharged the debt of nature, had only become denizens
of the 'Londe of Faery'" (Scott).

357. But wist I, etc. But if I knew, etc. Wist is the past tense of wit
(Matzner). See on i. 596 above.

371. Dunfermline. A town in Fifeshire, 17 miles northwest of Edinburgh.
It was long the residence of the Scottish kings, and the old abbey,
which succeeded Iona as the place of royal sepulture, has been called
"the Westminster of Scotland." Robert Bruce was the last sovereign
buried here.

374. Steepy. Cf. iii. 304 above.

376. Lincoln green. See on i. 464 above.

386. Morning-tide. Cf. iii. 478 above.

387. Bourne. Bound, limit. Cf. the quotation from Milt