On Popular Illufions. 77 



with great confidence to the homines metallici, . 

 or demons of the mine; which is a good illuftra- 

 tion of our principle(p). Whether the diminu- 

 tive fize of the fairies was inferred from the 

 minute fcale of the operations attributed to them, 

 or was derived from the Platonic philofophy, 

 (for opinions, as they become obfolete with the 

 learned, frequently defcend to the crowd) their 

 exiltence was plainly aflumed as an hypothefis, 

 to account for fome appearances, the natural 

 caufes of which were unknown. Our poet is 

 good authority here; 



Ye elves of hills, brooks, ftanding lakes and groves. 

 And ye, that on the fands with printlefs foot. 

 Do chafe the ebbing Neptune, and do fly him 

 When he comes back : you demy-puppets, that 

 By moon-fhine do the green-fower ringlets make. 

 Whereof the ewe not bites : and yoa whofe paftime 

 Is to make midnight muflirooms 



Philofophy has not yet explained the produftion 

 of the green-fower ringlets in a fatisfaftory man- 

 ner. 



The proof of fpedoral phsenomena is refted by 

 all their defenders on evidence, and according 

 to them, it is impofiTible to deny thofe phseno- 

 mena without deftroying the foundation of all 

 hiftory. The apparition of Ficinus to Michael 

 Mercato is a famous ftory, and of great credit 

 among fpeftral philofophers ; unluckily it -came 



only 



