THE MAGIC ARTS
I CELTIC BRITAIN

PREFACE

FOR the greater part of a lifetime l have, f, wal.ed du.ppearancs of work
especially devoted to the consideration of the oeculi ato as they were pras
tised among the Celtie peoples of ritain, Lasays, artisles and olher fugitive
contributions to our lknowledge of Celtie areana have appeared in considerable
profusion from time to time, but no volume as yet purporta to examine in ita
entirety the whole range of British Calti Mag,Hare, I may say paren
thetically, I employ the term "Magie" as usefully desoribing in a more or
ess comprehensive manner all the cult artis, and oven Mystieism itself,
which has, I believe, intimate associations with it, in ths historle sense at
lleast.

Having long awaited such a book, and beholding no signs of its appear
ance, I at last resolved upon the somewhat desperate expedient of writing it
myself. I realize that to some extent my Glaims to authoritative knowledge
in certain sections of Celtie lore might not pass muster among Celtie purists
My acquaintance with the Celtic tongues is confined to a considerable
vocabulary of its modern dialects alone, But I happen to be a Celt, I can lay claim
to a fair share of the Celtic temperament, and I can truthfully aver that my
knowledge of Magic in all its forms has more than half a century of research to
recommend it. I have with care, and I hope with understanding, perused
practically every page which has been written on the subject of Celtić belief,
as it was known to these islands, which is now available in print. In short
in writing this book I have been actuated by a desire to provide my readers
with the kind of volume which I had always hoped mighi eventually appear
from more competent hands, I have set down nothing in these pages without
he sanction of superiority, and if their record is not flawless one, it is,
believe, free from anything in the shape of gross misdirection and careless
statement.

But I have by no means slavishly followed the explanatory declarations of
my superiors in Celtic lore. Indeed, in more instances than one I have ventured
to differ sharply from their conclusions. Quite a number of Celtie scholars
are by no means well versed in Anthropological science and in folk-lore, and
where I have considered them inaccurate in these respects I have said so plainly
and have ventured upon elucidations which have seemed to me more in keeping
with the canons and spirit of these twin sciences.

Perhaps this book might have been entitled Tke ldea ofthe Supernatural
British Cels. In that case, however, it would have been necessary
to include a description of that vast mass of common superstitions which are
generally believed to have had their origin in the Celtic mentality, that flotsam
and jetsam of popular lore which is to be encountered over the length and
breadth of these islands -warnings, minor domestic superstitions, proverbial
sayings and rhymes-in short, the minutiae of popular credence. But the
majority of such beliefs and customs cannot appropriately, in my view, be
associated entirely with Celtic belief, appearing as they do to have their source
in the great storehouse of a common European body of superstition,..

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