Darknefs and Light. 89

ftances—namely, when he went down into a dark
red bank of clouds, or when there was a lurid
crimfon hue over the fky juft above the horizon.
Then occafionally you might fee the dim hazy out-
line as of a beautiful mountainous ifland againft
the clouds, or the deep-coloured fky. There is
an ifland fometimes feen from our weftern coaft,
under fimilar circumftances, but which you ftrain
your eyes in vain to difcern by the brighter light
of day.*

It is a very ticklith thing to live on the borders
of Fairy Land; for though you cannot get to the
Fairies, they can get to you, and it is not alto-
gether a pleafant thing to have your private affairs
overfeen and interfered with by fuch beings as they
are, though fometimes it may be moft ufeful and
agreeable. Befides which, there was a Fairy-fe-
cret connected with the family that lived at the
Sea Caftle. An Anceftrefs of the prefent Miftrefs
had been a Fairy herfelf, and though fhe had ac-
commodated herfelf to mortal manners, and lived
with her hufband quite quietly as well as happily,
and fo her origin had been in a great meafure' for-
gotten, it was not unknown to her defcendant;
the Lady Madeline, who now lived in the place.
And, in faé, foon after Lady Madeline firft came
there, a Fairy named Eudora had appeared to her,
declaring herfelf to be a fort of diftant coufin, and
offering and promifing friendfhip and affiftance,

 

* Tfle of Man from Blackpool,