The Secret Commonwealth: Of Elves, Fauns And Fairies

The Secret Commonwealth: Of Elves, Fauns And Fairies

by Robert Kirk and Andrew Lang


This is the first comprehensive modern translation of the classic 1691 text; The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns and Fairies by The Reverend Robert Kirk. For more than three centuries, The Secret Commonwealth has endured as the definitive textbook on fairies and their interaction with human beings. It was written by a protestant minister, Robert Kirk, who was surprisingly neutral in his treatment of the subject. In 1893 the acclaimed writer Andrew Lang reprinted The Secret Commonwealth adding his own introduction which far surpassed the length of Kirk’s original. The present edition includes both. In this edition, Kenneth Brennan has modernized Kirk’s archaic language without detracting from its original charm. His extensive notes illuminate both texts with respect to advancements in our understanding of history over the past century. Cover art has been provided by Selina Fenich.