[1] _A slightly anglicised lection of the Gaelic word_ Pàras = Paradise, _Heaven_. "Pharais," _properly, is the genitive and dative case of Pàras, as in the line from Muireadhach Albannach, quoted after the title page_. "Mithich domh triall gu tigh Pharais"--"_It is time for me to go up unto the House of Paradise_." _The_ "Urnuigh Smalaidh an Teine" (_p. 42_) _and_ "Au t Altachadh Leapa" (_p. 43_)--_respectively a prayer to be said at covering up the peat-fire at bed-time and a Rest-blessing--are relics of ancient Celtic folklore which were sent to the Rev. Dr. Alexander Stewart, of "Nether Lochaber" fame, by Mr. A. A. Carmichael, of South Uist, who took them down from the recitation of a man living at Iocar of Uist. From the same Hebridean source came the "Rann Buacbailleac," or rune to be said over cattle when led to pasture at morn, introduced at p. 49. The English versions, by Dr. Stewart, appeared first in_ "The Inverness Courier," _over twenty years ago. There are several versions current of the authentic incident of the innocent old woman held to be a witch, and of her prayer. I weave into my story the episode as I heard it many years ago, though with the rune rescued from oblivion by Dr. Stewart, rather than with the longer and commonly corrupted version still to be heard by the croft-fire in many localities, all "the far cry" from the Ord of Sutherland to the Rhinns of Islay. The_ "Laoidh Mhnathan"--_the Chant of Women, at p. 100--is not ancient in the actual form here given, which is from an unpublished volume of_ "Oràin' Spioradail." _The sweetest-voiced of the younger Irish singers of to-day has spoken of the Celtic Twilight. A twilight it is; but, if night follow gloaming, so also does dawn succeed night. Meanwhile, twilight voices are sweet, if faint and far, and linger lovingly in the ear._ _There is another Pàras than that seen of Alastair of Innisròn--the Tir-Nan-Oigh of friendship. Therein we both have seen beautiful visions and dreamed dreams. Take, then, out of my heart, this book of vision and dream._ _FIONA MACLEOD._ "_O bileag-geal, O bileag-na-Toscùil, bileag Pharais, O tha e boidheach! Tha e boidheach!_" Pharais I It was midway in the seventh month of her great joy that the child moved, while a rapture leaped to her heart, within the womb of Lora, daughter of the dead Norman Maclean, minister of Innisròn, in the Outer Isles. On the same eve the cruel sorrow came to her that had lain waiting in the dark place beyond the sunrise. Alastair, her so dearly beloved, had gone, three days earlier, by the Western Isles steamer, to the port of Greenock, thence to fare to Glasgow, to learn from a great professor of medicine concerning that which so troubled him--both by reason of what the islesmen whispered among themselves, and for what he felt of his own secret pain and apprehension.