i$6 THE BEE. Feb. J 6, 



•Wild tranfaftions of knight-errantry which they relate ; 

 and the ghofls, the witches and the fairies of Sliake- 

 fpear, were no doubt alfo the fubjeft of his own be- 

 lief. It is not indeed natural to fuppofe that thefe 

 Writers were fo refined, as firft coldly to fit down, and 

 tonfider what adions they ihould relate that would be 

 tnoft acceptable to the multitude ; but that rather, 

 themfelves fired with the generous love of poetry, they 

 fung of thofe great and fplendid fcents which molt 

 flattered their imagination, or were moll congenial witll 

 their belief. Keeping entirely out of fight the inter- 

 efted idea of writing for approbation or gain, they al- 

 lowed themfelves, according to the bias of their genius, 

 to be hurried along among thofe objefts that were great 

 and intcrefting, ot detained among thofe that were 

 calm and beautiful. They thofe a ftory which the cb- 

 fcurity of tradition had rendered venerable, afliimilat- 

 ing the aftor's, and the fcenes, to their ufual pitch of 

 conception, and adorning the whole with thofe fenti- 

 iiients, and that colouring, which is at the fame time 

 ftatural and grand ; and as long as the probability of 

 thefe wonderful actions and fcenes could not be called 

 in (^ueftion, fo long did they remain the fame as if na- 

 tural and true. But in an after age, when the light 

 of philcfophy had difpelled the vifionary phantoms of 

 ftcpular credulity, he would act a very injudicious part 

 indeed, who would continue to addvefs men as if pof- 

 feflfed with thefe prejudices. A ftory, however won- 

 derful, founded on the religious notions of the ancients, 

 ■with all the appendages of Fauns, of Satyrs, and of 

 Nymphs, would ha\e now few readers. On the fame 

 principles, the giants, the dragons, and enchanted caf- 

 tles, which amufed the dark ages, are at prefent nc- 

 glefted for the more natural adventures of a Crufoe, or 

 a Jones, 



It is not therefore what is new, what is wonderful, 

 or whut is fidlitious, which is the fubjecl of poetical 



