($8 "^Hi! BEE, OR Jan. rt. 



Let me give a few inftances in proof of this ; they 

 are the firft that occur to my memory. ** The me- 

 moirs of a Cavalier" was twenty years ago an efteemed 

 book of authentic hiftory : that it was a forgery, fome 

 nnknown writer demonflrated in an Edinburgh ma- 

 gazine ; neverthekfs it would have maintained its re- 

 putnt'on, had not a fudden zeal for the glory of Daniel 

 Defle lately announced him as the ingenious forger. 



There are many who (liil believe Hardiknute to be 

 an ancient balb^d, though the language, manners, every 

 thing, fliew it to be a modern compofition, and tliough 

 the author be perfectly well known. 



" 'he travels of Mr. Marfliail" had their reign, 

 though fliort, over popular credulity. Genelli and Kot- 

 hen (till keep their ground. 



" The letters of Pope Ganganelli" were read with 

 much admiration, even by proteftants : but Voltaire 

 detecled the impofture, and juftly ; for he owed that 

 to the public. 



It is but the other day that " the letters of the 

 Dutchefs of Orleans" came out with a new aflbrtment 

 of characters and anecdotes. The impofture hardly 

 lived to fee a tranflation from the r'rench. 



To this refpe£lable group I add " the flowers of the 

 forefti" but with a material difference: moftof the others 

 aimed to miflead in matters of hiftory ; but tliis was 

 merely a /V« d'efprit, and its value is not lefTened when 

 we confider it as a modern compofition. 



Fhdden-field happened near the beginning of the i6th 

 century. The fong is in the language of the i8th. 

 An acute critic obferved thirty years ago, that in the 

 reign of James IV. there were no preachings to wiiich 

 lads and lafles rcforted as to a fair. In the reign of 

 Charles II. and James II., fuch preachings were veiy 

 ferious things, and tlie appearing at them was ha;iard- 

 ous. This fiugle word brings down the dr.te of the 

 ballad to the revolution. 



