The Gaelic Otherworld: John Gregorson Campbell's Superstitions of the Highlands and the Islands of Scotland and Witchcraft and Second Sight in the ... Islands

by John Gregorson Campbell, Ronald Black (Editor)

John Gregorson Campbell (1834-91) was one of the most outstanding folklorists working in Scotland during the nineteenth century. Based on materials which he had gathered in the 1850s and 1860s, his Superstitions of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland and Witchcraft and Second Sight in the Highlands and Islands were published posthumously in 1900 and 1902. Engagingly written in an anecdotal style, they introduce us to a galaxy of fairies, witches, ghosts and supernatural creatures, as well as general superstitions and the beliefs and rituals of the traditional calendar. Having been written as a single work, they are now reunited as one volume.In a lively introduction, Ronald Black illuminates Campbell's work with extensive explanatory notes and a radically revised biography of the collector, supported by bibliography, maps and index.

Genres: Scotland, Witchcraft, Spirituality, Folklore, Nonfiction, History, Paganism

864 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2004

About the author

John Gregorson Campbell (1836 - 1891) was a Scottish folklorist and Free Church minister at the Tiree and Coll parishes in Argyll, Scotland. An avid collector of traditional stories, he became Secretary to the Ossianic Society of Glasgow University in the mid-1850s. Ill health had prevented him taking up employment as a Minister when he was initially approved to preach by the Presbytery of Glasgow in 1858 and later after he was appointed to Tiree by the Duke of Argyll in 1861, parishioners objected to his manner of preaching.

Several of the anecdotes he amassed were published in magazines and, just before his death, work began on collating the first of four compendiums of the tales; three were published a few years after his death. He was fluent in several languages, including Scottish Gaelic, and transcribed the legends precisely as dictated by the narrators.

Reviews

[Megan Reilly Koepsell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scotland is a country full of oral traditions and folklore passed down through the generations, recounting mystical tales and encounters with the Otherworld. I loved reading this book in which oral historical experiences collected in the 1850s were retold in written form as it gives a glimpse into a time in history where mystical experiences were commonplace and the belief in those experiences was an accepted way of life. Because it was written in the 19th Century, the syntax can be a bit difficult at times to follow along, but the stories themselves are well worth reading.

[Jody A · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read but a bit dry at times. Still a great reference book for those interested in Celtic Studies.