The Secret Commonwealth: Of Elves, Fauns, and Fairies (New York Review Books Classics)

This essay is written the early 1700's. The punctuation and, spelling was updated. I had a very difficult time understanding much of the text. Writers of this era seem to write "around the idea" using historic references and tangents that only confused me. I used online dictionaries often and still couldn't find some of the words. Perhaps they were Gaelic? I tried to summarize each part and perhaps the book wasn;'t meant to be used this way. If read quickly and superficially the book may be more fun. Sometimes the text tried to instruct the reader in seers; other times there were detailed biblical references; woven in here and there are attempts to define the nature and lives of fairies. For myself I was a difficult read. Perhaps and English or History student would make more sense of this. As a well-meaning objective attempt to collect folklore on fairies by a Christian minister, this work has value. I'm just not the one to totally understand and unravel the mystery of its value.

I had to wait a long time before I could get this book, and generally, it has been worth the wait! Like Ludovico Sinistrari's "Demonology," this is the rare account by a living person with those peoples of the unobstructed universe which is not condemned or circumscribed by dogma. Like Sinistrari, Kirk was a well-educated person, and no ordinary turtle-eating parson. Although Lang's introduction can be tedious, he had the sense to stay enough out of Kirk's way so as to allow the latter free say. As a person who experiences the Sidhe every day I heartily recommend this book!

The writing and spelling is "quaint" (from around 1690) and you've got to read what looks like a small "f" as an "s", but get around that and this is an honest appraisal from the time of what various "fairy tales" seem to mean. The first half is an Introduction by a more modern writer, who tries to take a more "scientific" viewpoint and is helpful as sort of a point/counterpoint for the survey by Robert Kirk which follows. For a less "scientific" guess at the phenomena, this book is helpful, as is also Cotton Mather's "Wonders of the Invisible World."

Unless you are already a pro in this stuff, you will definitely be using the reference guide and notes in the back. Although its what should be a very light read I found it a bit much, taking breaks more often than usual. If you love old victorin style this might be perfect for you though. Still a great read overall, but if I could do it again Id find the cliff notes

If your interested in faerie lore, this is a classic book filled with valuable information

The book includes interesting accounts of Scottish lore, and how it complements Christian theology, but the writing is dense, rambling, and hard to follow. Would not have read it had we not heard about the author while we were in Scotland.

My wife who is into, antiquarian book and their content, loved this book.

This is a wonderfully good read. Remember a witch can never stop learning and researching.

The Dover edition contains:two poems by Andrew Lang;a 1933 introduction by Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham;a 1893 introduction and history of the book and author by Andrew Lang, covering various elements of parapsychology;the text in modern English with inline explanations of the remaining archaic terms;letters by Lord Tarbet to Robert Boyle on the second sight;a postscript on the manuscript;illustrations by Henry Justice Ford.The book is a nice compilation of this work and its associated commentaries, in the usual Dover paperback form.

I heard about this book after moving into the area a few years ago and found an open source copy of the book online. I'm so grateful to have came across this print copy.I pass Doune Hill and the Kirkton graveyard every day on my daily run, this book has made the daily slog in all weathers much more imaginative and bearable. I really feel immersed in the landscape.

Having previously visited Aberfoyle, Doune Hill and Balqhidder it was a book that needed to be read.

This is a lovely clean reprint of an indispensable volume of accounts of faerie in the late 1600's. Definitely recommended; earlier editions are either terribly expensive or impossible to find.

A lovely book for a great price.