Fantastic and Horrific Stories is a collection of short fiction by Arthur Machen. Condemned as decadent and obscene upon publication Machens writing earned praise from Oscar Wilde and H. P. Lovecraft. Throughout the years Machenamp8217s work has been referenced and adapted by such figures as Stephen King Guillermo del Toro and Josh Malerman for its masterfully unsettling blend of science myth and magic. The Great God Pan perhaps Machenamp8217s most celebrated work is the story of an occult experiment gone horribly wrong. Clarke has always taken an interest in occult matters so when a friend offers him a chance to witness an experimental procedure intended to access the spirit realm he cannot refuse. When the young patient Mary awakens she shows signs of terror and soon falls into a catatonic state. Convinced of their success in discovering the world of the great god Pan Clarke and Raymond agree to keep their discovery a secret. Years later a nearby town begins reporting the mysterious disappearances of young children all of whom have been seen in the forest with a young woman named Helen Vaughn.In amp8220The White Peopleamp8221 originally published in Horlickamp8217s Magazine in 1904 a Welshman receives the diary of a young girl introduced to witchcraft. Surprisingly wellkept for its age the green book accompanies Cotgrave on a journey through the lush countryside. Its pages contain the diary of a young girl who encouraged by her nurse immerses herself in the world of magic. As she grows adept in the ways of witchcraft the girl begins referring to strange beings and unknown places all while doing her best to conceal her secret life from friends and family.The Hill of Dreams is a semiautobiographical novel about a young man who begins having strange visions after visiting an ancient Roman fort near his rural Welsh home. Published alongside amp8220The Inmost Lightamp8221 amp8220The Shining Pyramidamp8221 The Terror amp8220Out of the Earthamp8221 and Ornaments in Jade