Volume 2, Chapter 2, Footnote 2:

Richard Chasten 1620-95:
Chasten wrote that men and fairies both contain within them a faculty of reason and a faculty of magic. In men, reason is strong and magic is weak. With fairies, it is the other way around; magic comes very naturally to them, but by human standards they are barely sane.

The above footnote comes from the Susanna Clarke’s massive novel, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. It’s so, so good.

Tags:fairiesjonathan strange and mr. norrellmagicsusanna clarke