Of the same kind also, most probably, are those small luminous appearances which sometimes appear in houses, or near them, called, in Scotland, _Elf-candles_, and which are supposed to portend the death of some person about the house. In general these lights are harmless, though not always; for some of them have encompassed stacks of hay and corn, and set them on fire; so that they became objects of great terror to the country people. Of these, it was observed, that they would avoid a drawn sword, or sharp-pointed iron instrument; and that they would be driven away by a great noise.

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