Note 172 — Chapter IV

Alexander Ross (1590-1654) was a believer in centaurs and griffins, in nations of giants and pygmies, and also, of course, in witches. In short, a pretty accurate statement of his intellectual creed might be constructed by turning into the articles of a confession of faith the list of "Vulgar Errors" controverted by Sir Thomas Browne. It is interesting to know that he was probably the last person in Scotland who heard the voice of the water-kelpie. "One day," he says, "travelling before day with some company near the river Don in Aberdeen, we heard a great noise and voices calling to us. I was going to answer, but was forbid by my company, who told me they were spirits, who never are heard there but before the death of somebody; which fell out too true, for the next day a gallant gentleman was drowned, with his horse offering to swim over" (Quoted in Lives of Eminent Men of Aberdeen, by J. Bruce).