224 REMINISCENCES OF THE LEWS. 



"Why should I bribe myself?" — as said a 

 celebrated English Prime Minister to a friend 

 who asked him why, at least, he did not give 

 himself the Garter. 



Therefore the result of my lucubrations is, 

 that being conscious of being no hero in the 

 dark myself, I have a fellow-feeling for those 

 who dislike it too. But, then, there is a limit 

 to all things, and I don't think that generally 

 ghosts walk till past ten at any rate ; so you 

 surely need not mind them, however much you 

 may other bipeds, who are more dangerous in 

 the early than in the late hours. But, then, if 

 you fear the swell-mob in the early, and the 

 ghosts in the dark hours of the night, you 

 won't have a cheery time of it anywhere, par- 

 ticularly in the Lews, when your dusk certainly 

 begins about four in the afternoon, and it is not 

 light at eight in the morning. Now, I have met 

 with a good deal of fear of the fairies in the far 

 west of Ireland, and consequently imbibed a 

 great respect for their reign ; for the Irish 

 fairies, like some other inhabitants of the land 

 they are said to frequent, are mighty pugna- 

 cious, and often administer a hearty drubbing 

 to those who interfere or go out to dance with 

 them by the light of the moon — at least, so I 

 have been credibly informed by the fairy 



