4 
beheld any thing similar, nor could I form any opinion respecting 
them. 
Whilst we were thus engaged, our landlady made her appearance ; 
and from her we learnt, that this was her collection of curiosities, 
made in the neighbouring parts of the country. On our requesting 
some information respecting them, she very readily proceeded to 
communicate to us, all the knowledge of them which she possessed. 
Taking up a stone, resembling those which we had seen in the road, 
but much smaller, “ This,” said she, “ is a petrified snake, with 
which this part of the country abounds. These were,” continued 
she, “ fairies, and once the inhabitants of these parts, who for their 
crimes were changed, first into snakes, and then into stones. Here,” 
said she, showing us a stone of a conical form, “ is one of fairy’s 
night-caps, now also become stone. Do madam,” said she, address- 
ing Emma, pray observe; is it possible that lace-work, so beau- 
tiful as this, should ever be worked by human hands ? Tliis,” said 
she, “ and this, are pieces of the hones of giants ; who came to live 
here, when the race of fairies was destroyed.” These bones, she 
informed us, were frequently dug up in several parts of the county ; 
as well as innumerable thunderbolts ; some of which she also showed 
us ; stating, that these were the very thunderbolts, with which these 
people were, in their turn, also exterminated. 
We all listened attentively to our hostess’s discourse ; but on my 
smiling, when she withdrew, at the romantic account we had re- 
ceived, Wilton strenuously defended our good lady’s narration; 
and declared, that, in his opinion, it was not without a moderate 
share of probability. On our landlady again entering the room, I 
did not indeed venture to offer any doubt of the history she had 
delivered ; I only requested to know, whether she knew of any larger 
collection of the same kind? “ To be sure,” said she; “ our 
University has a Museum well stocked with these curiosities : 
