PROLEGOMENA. XCIX. 



period vulgarly the " Dark Ages" ought to be 

 called ? with what brand the catastrophe of the 

 *' Reformation" should be marked as an object 

 of execration to posterity ? 



We have not, however, quite done with 

 plants yet. When we first see the Snowdrops 

 in spring", let us recollect that they, blowing 

 about Candlemas, were called Fair Maids of 

 February, in honour of virgin purity, when 

 first, as Schlegel observes, the doctrine of a 

 Virgin Mother of God introduced a respect for 

 chastity, instead of the sensuality worshipped by 

 the Greeks and Romans of old- And here I 

 cannot help observing, that with heresy came 

 into vogue some very detestable customs : when 

 canonical penances went out of fashion, which 

 kept the manners more pure than any thing else, 

 then adultery got to be punished only by mer- 

 cenary actions at civil law for damages, instead 

 of heavy punishments, for both parties, inflicted 

 by religion ; a practice indeed more worthy the 

 worshippers of the Golden Calf, than thefollowers 

 of the Son of God, born of a Virgin, — practices 

 indeed which are as revolting to the feelings of 

 any good French, Italian, or Spanish Catholic, 

 as they are disgusting to every one whose mind 

 has not been corrupted by habit ; and yet in 

 protestant countries there is no other mode of 

 redress left ! Tliis is another of the pretended 



