1791' LITERARY INTELLIGENCER. 255, 



nion operations, that he may create beings which 

 have not exifted, or which, according to the known 

 analogy of nature, cannot exift. Bdt this is furely 

 founded upon a miftake ; for without nature and 

 truth, nothing can pleafe. In the infancy of hu^ 

 man reafon indeed, it is not to be expected, that men 

 fliould be fo much enlightened with regard to the laws 

 of God, refpecling this earth, as to eftiraate with es- 

 aftnefs all the poflibilities of things. In rude ages, the 

 propenfity to believe whatever exceeds the common 

 courfe of events, feems to know no bounds. Moun- 

 tains, and rivers, and trees, have been fuppofed acting 

 in concert with human perfonages ; and it is no way 

 furprifing that the abftracled idea of fixed and immu- 

 table laws, fliould have fmall place in that mind whofe 

 ouly gratification is wonder and admiration. As long 

 therefore, as the boimds of nature's operations were 

 not determined, he could not be faid to tranfgrefs them, 

 who aflerted extravagancies, which long experience, 

 with the hiftory of the world, and philofophical reafon- 

 jngs could alone countervail. Homer, I make no doubt, 

 believed, with the reft of his countrymen, the fuperna- 

 tural events which he relates ; and what we fome- 

 times afcribe to his invention, was perhaps oftea 

 the confequence of credulity only. Virgil, whofe 

 more enlightened age, and philofophical piinuples^ 

 rendered lefs credulous of the theological fjdem of Ho- 

 mer, evidently enters with lefs fpirit, and with lefs na- 

 ture, into the aftions of fiipernatural beings. The ad- 

 ventures of Tineas, with the principal events, were 

 however traditionary flories commonly believed, and 

 which he probably alfo believed himfeif, and the em- 

 bellifliing circumfl^nces were what happened to Ho- 

 mer's heroes in fimilar fituations, and might alfo hap- 

 pen to his. The romantic imagination of TaU'o and 

 Arioflo, might very naturally delude them into the 

 common belief qi the times, with regard to the many 



