fountain of the PAST, draw up water thence, with which they bedew the Ash, to prevent its branches from growing withered and decayed. Of fo purifying a nature is that water, that whatever it touches becomes as white as the film withinside an egg. There are upon this subject very ancient verses, to this effect, "The great " and facred Ash is besprinkled with a "white water, whence comes the dew " which falls into the valleys, and which

springs from the fountain of PAST"TIME." Men call this the Honey-dew, and it is the food of bees. There are also in this fountain two fwans, which have produced all the birds of that species.

REMARKS ON THE EIGHTH FABLE..

(A) " Adminifter ju"stice."] We see in the preceeding fable, that the Gods affemble together in the open air, in a valley : Here is their principal refidence, under an AfhTree. In this, as in other things, the Gods are made to conform themselves to the manners of men. The ancient Gothic and Celtic nations for a long time had no other place of rendezvous, than some

tree remarkable for its size and age. The states of East Friezeland, even so late as the thirteenth century, assembled under three large oaks which grew near Aurich; and it is not more than three centuries ago, that moft of the German princes held their conferences under trees +. The averfion these people had for inclosed places; the fear of putting themselves into the power of a perfidious

+ Vid. Keyfl. Antiq. Sept. p. 78, 79, 85. т.

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Parca, and which is in itself not badly imagined. 'The Romans, who enlarged their heaven, and increased the number of their Gods, in proportion as they extended their empire; having adopted these northern *" divinities, confecrated to them

divers monuments, some of which have been recovered. These monuments agree very well with the EDDA §. They almost always present to view three females: the oracles these pronounced had rendered them famous. They were especially resorted to at the birth of a child. In many places there were caverns, where the people fancied they might enjoy the pleasure of their presence, and hear them speak. Some places in France retain still the name of the FAIRIES OVEN, the FAIRIES WELL, &C. Saxo, the Grammarian, speaks of a chapel, where king Fridleif went to confult them about the fate of his son Olaus, and he adds, that he saw three

young women fitting
there. Sax. 1. 6. This
superstition, so general
throughout Europe, hath
prevailed almost as long
as that relating to witches
and forcerers. We fee,
in the process or trial of
the famous MAID OF
ORLEANS, that she was
accused of going often to
a certain oak in a folitary
place, to confult the
FAIRIES (Fr. Fees.)
These Fairies were, I be-
lieve, as to their origin,
deified prophetesses. The
Celtic and Teutonic'
women had a peculiar ta-
lent for improving all forts
of fuperftition; and turn-
ing every thing into
omens. Those who had
most distinguished them-
selves in this art, were
deified, and became God-
desses after their decease;
and as they had predicted
the fate of men on earth,
were believed still to do
it in heaven.

This error is very an-
cient. In the time of
Vefpafian, there was, ac-
cording to Tacitus, a fe-
male named Velleda, half
a Prophetess, and half a
Fairy, who, from the top

* Fr. Cehiques. § Vid. Keyfl. Ant. p. 33. 270. 396. 446. E

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of a tower where she liv-
ed recluse, exercised far
and near, a power equal
to that of kings. Latè
imperitabat are the words
of the historian. The
most illustrious warriors
undertook nothing with
out her advice, and al-
ways confecrated to her a
part of the booty. V.
Tacit. Hift. 1. 4 & 5. In
general, one may observe,
that the worship paid to
women, hath always had
here in Europe great ad-

vantage over that which was directed to men. The religious, respect which was here paid to the Fairies or Destinies, is of all the doctrines of the ancient religion *, that which hath longest prevailed. These fabulous divinities have survived all the Gods and Genii, both of the Celts and Romans, and though at last banished every where else, have found a kind of afylum in our romances.

* Fr. La Religion Celtique.

*** To the instances given by our Author (in Note A) of the Gothic nations assembling under Trees, may be added the following in our own country, viz.

The Wapentake of SKIRE-AKE in the West-riding of Yorkshire, is thought to have taken its name from a remarkable Oak, to which the inhabitants repaired upon public occafions, as at a general Convention of the District, &c. See Thoresby's Ducat. Leod. p. 84. 150.- So Berkshire is thought to have been denominated from BEROKE, a bare, or disbarked Oak, to which, upon particular emergencies, the inhabitants were wont in ancient times to resort and consult about public matters. Camd. Brit. (by Gibson, I Ed. p. 137.) - The Tranflator of this Book knows a Manor in Shropshire, where the ManorCourt is held to this day under a very aged Ash-tree: there the Steward calls over the Copy-holders, and forms a Jury; and then adjourns the Court to a neighbouring inn, for the dispatch of business,

T

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THE NINTH FABLE.

Of the Cities which are in Heaven.

G

ANGLER says to Har, You tell me very wonderful things; but what are the other holy cities to be seen in heaven? Har replies, There are many other very fine cities to be seen there. In one of them, called Alfheim (A), dwell the luminous Genii, but the black Genii live under the earth, and differ from the others still more in their actions than in their appearance. The luminous Genii are more splendid than the Sun; but the black Genii are darker than pitch. In these parts there is also a city called Breidablik, which is not inferior to any other in beauty; and another named Glitner, the walls, columns and inside of which are gold, and the roof of filver *. There also is to be seen the city Himinborg, or the Celestial Mount, fituated upon the frontiers, at the place

* The Edda of Goranson says Afgulli, of gold. T. where

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