This fiction of the Fairies, is supposed to have been brought, with other fantastic extravagancies of the like nature from the eastern nations, while the European Christians were engaged in the Holy War; those expeditions being the first subjects of the elder romance. These are the words of one who has shewn his masterly skill and penetration in every part of literature." Nor were the monstrous embellishments of enchantments, &c. the invention of the romancers; but formed upon eastern tales, brought thence by travellers from their crusades and pilgrimages, which indeed have a cast peculiar to the wild imagination of the eastern people*." That the fairies in particular came from the east, the testimony of M. Herbelot will more fully confirm, who tells us, that the Persians call the fairies Peri, * Supplement to the Transl. Pref. ad Jarvis's Don Quixotte. and the Arabs Ginn; that they feign there is a certain country inhabited by them, called Ginnistian, which answers to our Fairy-land; and that the ancient romances of Persia are full of Peri or fairies*. See also Ginn, or Gian, in Heberlot, under the latter of which that learned orientalist further informs us, that there is an Arabian book entitled, "Pieces de corail amassées sur ce qui regarde le Ginnes, ou Genies." The notions, however, so essential to books of chivalry, of giants, necromancers, * Littleness is not always implied in Fairy. Thus we have Morgan le Fay, Morgan the Fairy, one of the queens in Morte Arthur, an Elfin Lady. She is called Morgan la Fee in the French romance, "La Table Ronde, autrement dit Launcelot du Lake," in two folio volumes: the first of which was printed at Rouen, 1428, by John le Bourgeois. The second at Paris in the same year, by John de Pre. They are said [fol. ult. vol. ii.] to be extracted from many true histories, by Gaultier de Map. There is a French romance of the atchievement of the Sangraal, by Robert de Borron. enchantments, &c. were perhaps established, although not universally, in Europe before the time of the crusades. All the Sagas, or ancient islandic histories, are full of them. The fairies in particular held a very important rank in the old Celtic Mythology*. The northern nations call them Duergar, or Dwarfs. Thus the sword Tirfing, in the Scaldic dialogue between Hervor and Angantyr, is called Duerga Smidi, the work of the Dwarfst. This strengthens the hypothesis of the northern part of Europe, particularly Scandinavia, being peopled by colonies from the east, under the command of their general, or god, Odin. It is well known how strongly the superstitious belief of spirits, or invisible agents, assigned to * See Hervarer Saga of Olaus Verelius, fol. pag. 44, 45. And Hickes's Thesaur. tom. ii. pag. 311, et seq. [per H. Wanley.] See also what is said above, concerning Elfe. + Hickes's Thesaur. vol. i. pag. 193. cap. 23. differents parts of nature, prevails even in Scotland at this day. Our old romantic history supposes, that Arthur still reigns in Fairy-land, from which he will one day return to Britain, and reestablished the round table in its original splendour. He is a king ycrownid in Fairie, With scepter, and sword: and with his regally Out of Fairie, and reigne in Britaine; And repair again the old round table. The same tradition is mentioned by Cervantes in Don Quixotet. Many other examples might be alleged, from which it would be more abundantly * Lydgate, Fall of Princes. b. 8. ch. xxv. Part 1. ch. v. manifested, that our author's imagination was entirely possessed with that species of reading, which was the fashion and the delight of his age. The lovers of Spenser, I hope, will not! think I have been too tedious in a disquisition, which has contributed not only to illustrate many particular passages in their favourite poet, but to display the general cast and colour of his poem. Some there are who will censure what I have collected on this subject, as both trifling and uninteresting; but such readers can have no taste for Spenser. 1 REESE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY CALIFORNIAS |