2 . Fairy Stones. [July 



the glen where they are found, and its neighbourhood, so 

 well, that no apology is necessary for introducing the 

 following extract: Opposite to Melrose " might be seen 

 the remains of ancient enclosures, surrounded by sycamores 

 and ash trees of considerable size. These had once formed 

 the crofts or arable ground of a village, now reduced to a 

 single hut, the abode of a fisherman, who also manages a 

 ferry. The cottages, even the church which once existed 

 there, have sunk into vestiges hardly to be traced without 

 visiting the spot, the inhabitants having gradually with- 

 drawn to the more prosperous town of Galashiels, which 

 has risen into consideration within two miles of their 

 neighbourhood. Superstitious eld, however, has tenanted 

 the deserted graves with aerial beings, to supply the want 

 of the mortal tenants who have deserted it. 



'* The ruined and abandoned churchyard of Boldside has 

 been long believed to be haunted by the fairies, and the 

 deep broad current of the Tweed, wheeling in moonlight 

 round the foot of the steep bank, with the number of trees 

 originally planted for shelter round the fields of the 

 cottagers, but now presenting the effect of scattered and 

 detached groves, form a scene which Oberon and Queen 

 Mab might love to rev^l in." 



" Another and more familiar refuge of the elfin race (if 

 tradition is to be trusted) is the glen of the river or rather 

 brook named the Allen which falls into the Tweed, from 

 the northward about a quarter of a mile above the present 

 bridge. As the streamlet finds its way behind Lord 

 Somerville's hunting seat, called the Pavilion, its valley has 

 been popularly termed the Fairy Dean, or rather the Name- 

 less Dean, because of the supposed ill luck attached by the 

 popular faith of ancient times, to any one who might name 

 or allude to the race, whom our fathers distinguished as the 

 Good Neighbours, and the Highlanders called Daoine Shie, 

 or Men of Peace ; rather by way of compliment than on 

 account of any particular idea of friendship. 



" In evidence of the actual operations of the fairy people, 

 even at this time, little pieces of calcareous matter are found 

 in the glen after a flood, which either the labours of these 

 tiny artists, or the eddies of the brook among the stones, 

 have formed into a fantastic resemblance of cups, saucers, 



