ascribe the origin of almost every thing, to a 
fable. 
" Tereus, King of Thrape/having ravished 
Philomela, the sister of his wife frggne, the 
latter, in revenge, killed her son by him, and 
'Ifery-ed up the flesh at her husband's table. On 
0ie discovery of this horrid repast, Progne was 
transformed into a swallow, Philomela into a 
riii^htingale, and Tereus into a Hoopoe; and 
:c latter, still bemoaning his loss, screams 
TT^ ! — or, where, where ! where is mv 
.on!" * ■ 
In those dark ages, as thcv may we'll be 
called, when supernatural charms andspells were 
supposed to have wonderful power over ani- 
.lals which had no rational faculties, as well as 
those who appear to have been in this respedl 
but little superior, the Hoopoe was considere.i 
as prodigiously skilful in defeating the machi- 
nations of witches, wizards, and hobgoblins. 
The female, in consequence of this art, could 
preserve licr olFspring from these dreaded in- 
juries. She "knew all the plants which defeat 
faiciuations ; those \vhich give sight to the 
blind ; 
