PREFACE. 



xliii 



speaking of the poets of ancient times, " on earth, 

 or elsewhere ; for when Anchises was setting forth 

 the felicity of the other life to his son, the most 

 lively description he could make of it was to tell 

 him 



— — Lucis habitamus opacis." 



Virgil, ^ii. vi. 



" We dweU in shady groves." 



And when Eneas had travelled far to find those 

 happy abodes — 



" Devenere locos laetos, et amoena vireta 

 Fortunatum nemorum, sedesque beatas." 



Virgil, ^n. vi. 



" They came to groves, of happy souls the rest. 

 To evergreens, the dwellings of the blest." 



The ancients would frequently sleep upon the 

 leaves of some particular trees, which they supposed 

 to have powers of inspiration ; the Agnus-Castus 

 was thought to compose the mind, and to bring 

 true visions to the sleeper ; and the Laurel was 

 particularly efficacious in inspiring poetic fury. 

 It might be well for some of our modern writers to 



