--- title: "4 Faeries Quotes By Lewis Spence" description: "4 Faeries quotes by Lewis Spence. Plus more from Lewis Spence and more Faeries sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/lewis-spence-26565_cult_in-my-view-the-study-of-fairy-origins-as_551140.jpg" --- > [“In my view the study of fairy origins assumes a greater degree of importance than popular opinion is wont to concede to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/in-my-view-the-study-of-fairy-origins-assumes-a-greater-degree-of/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/lewis-spence-26565_cult_in-my-view-the-study-of-fairy-origins-as_551140.jpg) > [“All three of the English types I have mentioned can, I think, be accounted for as the results of the presence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/all-three-of-the-english-types-i-have-mentioned-can-i-think-be/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1c/lewis-spence-26565_different-cultures_all-three-of-the-english-types-i-have-me_716375.jpg) > [“In all likelihood fairies of larger stature were ancient gods in a state of decay, while their diminutive congeners were the swarming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/in-all-likelihood-fairies-of-larger-stature-were-ancient-gods-in-a/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d49/lewis-spence-26565_faerie_in-all-likelihood-fairies-of-larger-stat_1748968.jpg) > [“Some discussion of the nature and temperament of the fairies is necessary in view of its possible bearing on their origin. J.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/some-discussion-of-the-nature-and-temperament-of-the-fairies-is/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ee/lewis-spence-26565_faerie_some-discussion-of-the-nature-and-temper_2749345.jpg) ## Other authors on Faeries - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b014/author-julie-kagawa-54348.jpg) Julie Kagawa 16 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faeries/julie-kagawa/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b015/author-kiersten-white-57135.jpg) Kiersten White 15 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faeries/kiersten-white/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b006/author-cassandra-clare-21529.jpg) Cassandra Clare 11 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faeries/cassandra-clare/) - [Kailin Gow 10 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faeries/kailin-gow/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b013/author-jim-butcher-49689.jpg) Jim Butcher 8 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faeries/jim-butcher/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b005/author-brian-froud-19502.jpg) Brian Froud 7 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faeries/brian-froud/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b017/author-melissa-marr-66524.jpg) Melissa Marr 6 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faeries/melissa-marr/) - [Richard Due 5 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faeries/richard-due/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b006/author-j-l-sheppard-23136.jpg) J.L. Sheppard 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faeries/j-l-sheppard/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b011/author-holly-black-42183.jpg) Holly Black 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faeries/holly-black/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b001/author-amy-lane-2185.jpg) Amy Lane 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faeries/amy-lane/) ## More by Lewis Spence > [“If we turn now to such vestiges of cult as are associated otherwise than with time and season, we discover a definite recognition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/if-we-turn-now-to-such-vestiges-of-cult-as-are-associated-otherwise/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) > [“As Mr. R. U. Sayee has well said: 'It should be clear a priori that fairy lore must have developed as a result of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/as-mr-r-u-sayee-has-well-said-it-should-be-clear-a-priori-that-fairy/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) > [“But I find it necessary to repeat in this particular place that the division into classes, which is so salient a part of modern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/but-i-find-it-necessary-to-repeat-in-this-particular-place-that-the/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) > [“But this is not to say that a highly specialized body of belief such as that associated with Faerie is not capable of subsidiary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/but-this-is-not-to-say-that-a-highly-specialized-body-of-belief-such/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) > [“As regards the prohibition on the utterance of the fairy name by mortals, either that of the species as a whole, or of individuals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/as-regards-the-prohibition-on-the-utterance-of-the-fairy-name-by/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) > [“Here it is necessary briefly to consider the question of the cult of ancestors before venturing farther. The spirits of the departed are believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/here-it-is-necessary-briefly-to-consider-the-question-of-the-cult-of/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) > [“At Bealltainn, or May Day, every effort was made to scare away the fairies, who were particularly dreaded at this season. In the West…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/at-bealltainn-or-may-day-every-effort-was-made-to-scare-away-the/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) > [“In my view the study of fairy origins assumes a greater degree of importance than popular opinion is wont to concede to it. Indeed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/in-my-view-the-study-of-fairy-origins-assumes-a-greater-degree-of/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) > [“It must be understood that in some cases the process by which a god or goddess degenerates into a fairy may occupy centuries, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/it-must-be-understood-that-in-some-cases-the-process-by-which-a-god/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) > [“All three of the English types I have mentioned can, I think, be accounted for as the results of the presence of different cultures,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/all-three-of-the-english-types-i-have-mentioned-can-i-think-be/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) > [“Robert Kirk believed the fairies to be the doubles or, as he called them, the 'co-walkers' of men, which accompanied them through life, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/robert-kirk-believed-the-fairies-to-be-the-doubles-or-as-he-called/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) > [“I should add, however, that, particularly on the occasion of Samhain, bonfires were lit with the express intention of scaring away the demonic forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/i-should-add-however-that-particularly-on-the-occasion-of-samhain/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) > [“It must not be thought, however, that in pagan Ireland Fairyland was altogether conceived as a Hades or place of the dead. We have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/it-must-not-be-thought-however-that-in-pagan-ireland-fairyland-was/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) > [“To sum up: all nature-spirits are not the same as fairies; nor are all fairies nature-spirits. The same applies to the relationship of nature-spirits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/to-sum-up-all-nature-spirits-are-not-the-same-as-fairies-nor-are-all/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) > [“In all likelihood fairies of larger stature were ancient gods in a state of decay, while their diminutive congeners were the swarming spirits of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/in-all-likelihood-fairies-of-larger-stature-were-ancient-gods-in-a/) [Lewis Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-spence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faeries/lewis-spence/#itemlist", "name": "4 Faeries Quotes By Lewis Spence", "numberOfItems": 4, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In my view the study of fairy origins assumes a greater degree of importance than popular opinion is wont to concede to it. Indeed, the ideas associated with it strike at the very roots of human belief and primitive methods of reasoning. It is scarcely to be questioned that the explanation of fairy origins is of the utmost value to the better comprehension of primitive religion. Later it will be made clear that, for the writer at least, the whole tradition of Faerie reveals quite numerous and excellent proofs of its former existence as a primitive and separate cult and faith, more particularly as regards its appearance and tradition in these islands.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lewis Spence" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-spence/in-my-view-the-study-of-fairy-origins-assumes-a-greater-degree-of/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/lewis-spence-26565_cult_in-my-view-the-study-of-fairy-origins-as_551140.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/lewis-spence-26565_cult_in-my-view-the-study-of-fairy-origins-as_551140.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/lewis-spence-26565_cult_in-my-view-the-study-of-fairy-origins-as_551140.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In my view the study of fairy origins assumes a greater degree of importance than popular opinion is wont to…” — Lewis Spence", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“All three of the English types I have mentioned can, I think, be accounted for as the results of the presence of different cultures, existing side by side in the country, and who were the creation of the folk in ages distantly removed one from another. In a word, they represent specific \" strata\" of folk-imagination. The most diminutive of all are very probably to be associated with a New Stone Age conception of spirits which haunted burial-mounds and rude stone monuments. We find such tiny spirits haunting the great stone circles of Brittany. The \"Small People,\" or diminutive fairies of Cornwall, says Hunt, are believed to be \"the spirits of people who inhabited Cornwall many thousands of years ago. \"The spriggans, of the same area, are a minute and hirsute family of fairies\" found only about the cairns, cromlechs, barrows, or detached stones, with which it is unlucky to meddle.\" Of these, the tiny fairies of Shakespeare, Drayton, and the Elizabethans appear to me to be the later representatives. 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J. G. Campbell tells us that in the Highlands of Scotland they were regarded as \"the counterparts of mankind, but substantial and unreal, outwardly invisible.\" They differ from mortals in the possession of magical power, but are strangely dependent in many ways on man. 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