with the thunderbolt; or, in the havock of war, fpread defolation over the guilty lands. In the milder regions of the Eaft, thefe fictitious agents affumed a more benign afpect. The earth was fertile; the fky ferene, and the face of nature fmiled in beauty. Thefe muft be the gifts of a race of beings friendly to man the Fairies, fo celebrated in Oriental fiction, were of this kind: they paffed their time in fport and merriment; and, in general, they interfered with the affairs of men, only in order to load them with benefits. It is from the Eaft that we have derived the idea of this harmless race of beings; which united with the Northern mythology, has confiderably tempered its gloom, and divetted it of its original horror. Such is the origin of that belief, which, varied according to the different circumftances of ages and countries, has furnished the machinery of fictitious hiftory. It is not proposed to confider Fictitious Hiftory under all the various forms which it hath affumed. It is intended to confine the following remarks to that fpecies of fictitious writing which has obtained the name of Romance; and which claims our attention, from the confpicuous figure which it makes in the literary hiftory of modern times. It may be worth while to trace that peculiarity of manners to which this fpecies of writing owed its origin; and to mark the varieties which it hath undergone, till it has at length fettled in novel-writing, the tatte for which now fo univerfally prevails. The fituation of our Gothic anceftors, who founded the modern kingdoms of Europe, was peculiarly favourable to the exaggerations of fiction. After their first fettlement, it was a long time before any regular government was established. The power of the King was fo limited that he fcarce deferved that name. Every baron erected an independency for himself in his own territory: and the weak, unable to defend themfelves, had recourfe for protection to fome powerful chief in their neighbourhood. Amidft fuch jarring interefts, little harmony could fubfift. Accordingly, we find, that in this period hoftilities were perpetual. Every chief depended for fafety on his own internal ftrength; for the fovereign was too weak to afford protection to any. Thus all the kingdoms of Europe were broken down into little independencies, ever hottile to each other. Every baron fhut himself up in his caftle, and retained a numerous train of dependants, to fupport his preterfions. By thefe perpetual feuds, exercifed by neighbouring barons, all communication between different territories, and even between one family and another, was entirely cut off. All focial intercourfe was at an end; and the members of every tribe were confined within the narrow limits of theit own district. In this fituation, the barbarians of Europe became, in a short time, abfolutely unacquainted with the topography, the inhabitants, the manners, and tranfactions of foreign countries. In thofe times of anarchy and ignorance, there was no intercourfe between diftant places by travelling. Now and then, perhaps, they were vifited by a ftraggling pilgrim, who, on his return to his native land, recounted the wonders he had feen, or the dangers he had undergone. Thefe accounts, however, inftead of conveying just notions. of diftant countries and their inhabitants, ferved only to fet the imaginatien to work; every check on fancy was removed; and men were at liberty to indulge in all the wildness of a luxuriant invention. When we have become familiar with any thing, we perceive nothing in it but what is common and natural: but when our circumstances are fuch, that we can neither examine objects themfelves, nor obtain a diftinct account of them from others, active fancy affumes the reins; the rejects with difdain every thing that is natural and common, and wantons in the unlicenfed exercife of her creative powers. Thus it was among our Gothic anceftors: from the circumftances of Europe in thofe ages, their knowledge of remote countries was dark and confafed; and the manners of the inhabitants altogether unknown. Imagina tion eafily fupplied this deficiency; and peopled thofe regions with monfters of her own creation; with giants and necromancers; with winged dragons and enchanted caftles.And it must be allowed, that it is a difficult matter, at any time, to restrain the fancy in forming romantic notions of regions of which we can obtain only an imperfect and inaccurate account. It is only as countries become known, that they ceafe to be the fcene of romance. Modern difcoveries have furnifhed us with fo minute a knowledge of the face of our globe, that fcarce a mountain or a defert is now left for the habitation of a giant or a magician. Those circumstances, joined to the political state of Europe, in the dark ages, gave rife to the inftitution of chivalry; which, as it conftitutes the very foul of romance, deferves our attention on this occafion. Chivalry is an inflitution peculiar to modern times; and was for many ages the favourite Occupation of our ancestors. From the abfolute want of civil government, the kingdoms of Europe were at this period involved in anarchy. There was no regular administration of juftice; the ftrong oppreffed the weak, and committed mutual hoftilities on one another. In this fituation of affairs, a fet of men ftood forth, each of whom profeffed by his fingle arm to protect the innocent and defencelefs, to relieve the oppreffed, and to give a check to brutal violence. Such were the honourable motives that rife to gave Knight-errantry, the moft diftinguished fpecies of chivalry.-This profeffion poffeffed, befides, many peculiar charms. To vifit diftant countries to fearch after fingular adventures; to carry off the palm of victory; and to be celebrated in the legendary tale, were incitements fufficient to overcome the love of eafe, or the apprehenfion of danger.-This inftitution, from a variety of circumftances, prevailed in Europe for many centuries; and its influence was fo univerfal as to give a peculiar caft to the manners of the times. Gallantry was the offspring of Chivalry: whoever afpired to the honours of knighthood, devoted himself to the fervice of fome fair dame, whofe favour he hoped to gain by the splendour of his achievements; it was only after going through a long probation, and meeting with a variety of adventures, that he could pretend to obtain her graces. Thus a fet of manners was formed, peculiarly favourable to fictitious hiftory. Every minftrel found a hero for the fubject of his legend; and adventures abounded to embellish the pages of romance. In the eleventh century an event took place, which contributed above every thing elfe to enlarge the fphere The event to which I reof romance. fer is the expeditions of the princes of Europe into the Eaft, for the recovery of Palestine from the Saracens., The Crufades opened a new feene to Europe. When the barbarians of the Weft beheld the fuperb ftructures of Conftantinople, they imagined that they were raifed by beings fuperior to man: they were aftonished at the dif plays of Oriental magnificence; and could not help fancying that they flood on magic ground. Hitherto confined to a narrow territory, and unaccustomed to obferve the illuftrious productions of human art, their minds were filled with enthufiafm by the scenes and objects which they beheld. The object of their expedition, and the ftage on which they acted, were fuch as must have affected the imaginations of Chriftians in a very peculiar manner; the battles which they fought; the ftrange people with whom they encountered, were all circumftances well calculated to heat the imagination, and to hinder the mind from regarding thofe events in the light of common occurrences. When the adventurers returned to Europe, they would naturally defcribe their expeditions in all the exaggerated colours of an over-heated fancy: and if ever traveller had a right to embellith his narration "With antres vaft, and deferts idle; To ipeak of Cannibals, that each other eat, The Anthropophagi, and men whofe heads Do grow beneath their thoulders"furely this was an occafion to excufe fuch fables. Every circumstance favoured the licence of fancy; the diftance of the fcene of action, the dif3 D 2 ference not the bards whofe memory was fo dear to the tuneful Offian*: they were not the bards who erewhile defcended from their airy halls, to confole him fpirits of Offian, and Carril, and Ullin had fled; they heard not the invocations of this fpurious race; nor infpired them with the fimple beauties of fong: they were left to the monsters of their own irregular imagination; and they are easily diftinguished from the bards of better times, by their wild conceits, and unnatural fictions. ference of manners, and cuftoms, and arts, and even of the face of nature; what imagination is fo cold as not to be inflamed in contemplating a field fo rich in materials for fiction? Perhaps," in the grey years of his age." The fince the world began, there has not been a period fo fertile in fubjects for romance as the few centuries during which thefe expeditions continued. The Crufades not only furnished subjects for fiction, but also increased the machinery of romance. The Genii and Fairies of the Eaft were introduced into Europe, and incorporated with the gloomy mythology of the Scandina vians. The flowery and ornamented manner of the Orientals came to be imitated; and from this period, we may recognife in our compofitions fomething of the tafte and ftyle of the Arabian romancers. Before the Crufades, the fubjects of romance were few; but thefe compofitions were not entirely unknown. Long before this period, Charlemagne and his peers furnished the subject of the legend in France; and the achievements of Arthur and his knights formed the favourite fubject of fable among our British ancestors. But after the Crufades the field was widely enlarged: the heroes of the Crufades, after these expeditions had ceafed, found themfelves incapable of applying themselves to the gentle arts of peace; arms were their fole delight; and they indulged their paffion in the adventures of Knight-errantry. These were circumftances favourable to fiction; nor did the wits of those times fail to take advantage of them. It is well known, that in the feudal countries every baron retained a poet or hiftorian, at the fame time, to record the warlike achievements of the family, and to amufe him with the romantic legend in the intervals of war, or of hunting. In England thefe were called Minftrek; and it is to them that we owe fome of the earliest productions of romance. The inftitution was general: Scotland alfo had its minArels, who introduced the tafte for fiction; and they affumed the venerable name of Bards. But, alas! they were This appears to me to have been the origin and firft ftage of romantic fiction. It will be an easy matter to trace it through its fubfequent changes. When nations begin to emerge from barbarity and ignorance, in the first dawn of polite literature, and before it has reached its higheft luftre, we may diftinguish a period in the literary hiftory of every people, which is characterised by a falfe and unnatural tafte in the fine arts. In the hiftory of all nations who have arrived at any degree of refinement, we may trace this era of vitiated tafte; it is fufficiently marked by forced conceit, affected humour, and a relish of beauties entirely contrary to nature and common-fenfe. This period, in England, may be fixed about the time of Charles II. and in France it immediately preceded that glorious blaze of fcience that fhone forth under Lewis XIV. It was about this period that Romance-writing affumed a new afpect. The machinery and fable of the ancient romances were indeed laid afide; but though dragons, and giants, and necromancers, and enchanted castles were no more, the deviation from nature and truth was no lefs wide than formerly. Our good ancestors of Gothic origin were fupplanted by the heroes and conquerors of Greece and Rome. Instead of Rinaldo, and Britomart, and Amadis de Gaul, encountering fome monftrous giant, or delivering fome fair captive from an enchanted caftle; it was now Cyrus, or Alexander the Great, who, ftruck with the peerlefs charms of fome cruel fhepherdefs, had laid afide their regal state, Vid. Temora, B. VII. near the end. and and wandered difconfolate through woods and wilds, complaining to rocks and trees of the indifference of the haughty fair. After roaming about for years, in this piteous ftyle, bending the rugged oak with his forrows, and fwelling the river with his tears, our hero at length meets his miftrefs on the margin of fome chrystal ftream: her heart relents at the recital of his woes; and the condefcends to approve his Aame. In these notable productions, nature and probability are wholly difregarded; and fortune and accident produce events no lefs ftrange than the enchanters of former times. No regard is paid to character or defign. We are aftonished to find the Great Triumvirate, who divided the fpoils of Rome, converted into whining lovers, whofe highest ambition it is, to gain a place in the affections of the fair Cleopatra. The ftern virtue of Brutus gives way to the unmanly fighs of a lover; he forgets his country-and her wrongs and Cæfar's ambition, and is only emulous to obtain a gracious regard from the lovely Parthenia. Such were the heroic romances of the laft age: they have had their day; and now let the memory of the Cleopatra, and the Cel a, and the Grand Cyrus remain for ever in undisturbed oblivion. To thefe has fucceeded a new fpecies of fictitious writing, called Novels, in which this fort of compofition feems to have been carried to the greatest perfection of which it will admit. After tafte had been refined, and jufter ideas of compofition established, the unnatural descriptions, characters, THE and ftory of the heroic romances no longer pleased. But ftill, to a people corrupted by luxury, and diffipated in their manners, fome fentimental amusement was neceffary to fill up the va cancy of action; and to beguile the tedious hours of idlenefs. Luxury enervates the foul, and renders it incapable of active exertion. To the gay and the diffipated, the exercise of the underftanding is accompanied with intolerable fatigue. The fancy muft be addreffed, and the imagination_pleased, by variety of amufement. The tafte of the age is now too refined to admit of the monstrous fictions of the ancient legend, or the abfurd extravagancies of the heroic romance. A fpecies of fiction has been introduced, which profeffes to copy after nature, to delineate the manners of real life, and to defcribe characters as they are actually found to exift among mankind. A midft the almost endless variety of compofitions of this kind which have ap peared within this century, though the greatest number are juftly reckoned the nuifance of literature; yet it must be acknowledged that there are many which poffefs high merit in laying open all the windings of the human heart, and in delineating the real manners of mankind. Whether this fpecies of writing, which now fo much prevails, has a tendency to corrupt or improve the tafte and morals of the nation, is an enquiry of a different kind; and might admit of a very minute difcuffion.This is a fubject, however, on which I do not at prefent find myself difpofed to enter. ACCOUNT OF BETHLEM HOSPITAL. HE Hofpital of Bethlem owes its name, and original establishment, to the piety of a citizen of London. In the year 1247, in the 39th of Henry the Third, Simon Fitz Mary, who had been sheriff, influenced by the prevailing fuperftition of the age, was defirous to found a religious houfe. Accordingly, he appropriated by a deed M. of gift, which is ftill extant, all his lands in the parish of St. Botolph without Bishopfgate, being the fpot now known by the name of Old Bethlem, to the foundation of a priory. The prior, canons, brethren, and fifters, for whofe maintenance he provided, were diftinguished by a ftar upon their man tles, and were especially directed to receive receive and entertain the Bishop of St. Mary of Bethlehem, and the canons, brothers, and meffengers of that their mother church, as often as they might come to England. Such was the original defign of this foundation; a defign as far fhort of the ufes to which it has been fince converted, as the contracted views of monkish hofpitality are exceeded by the more enlarged fpitit of Proteftant benevolence. We hear but little more of this house for the space of two hundred years. When the vaft fabric of papal fuperftition in England began to totter, and the votaries of Rome were expelled from their ancient retirements, it was feifed by Henry the Eighth, who, in the year 1547, granted the Hofpital of Bethlem, with all its revenues, to the mayor, commonalty, and citizens of London, from which time it became an Hofpital for the cure of lunatics. It is moft probable that the city of London had felt great inconvenience from the want of a proper receptacle for thofe unhappy objects, who were afflicted by the moft deplorable malady incident to human nature. The retired fituation of the Hofpital of Bethlem, and its contiguity to the city, pointed it out as a fit place for the defired purpofe. Accordingly, we find from authentic documents, that, in the year 1523, Stephen Gennings, merchant-tailor, gave forty pounds by will towards the purchase of this hofpital, and that the mayor and commonalty had taken fome fteps to procure it, a very fhort time before they derived their right to it from royal munificence. What were the revenues which it then enjoyed does not now appear: it is certain, they were inadequate to the neceffities which they were intended to remedy; for, five years after the royal grant had paffed, letters patent were iffued to John Whitehead, proctor to the Hofpital of Bethlem, to folicit donations within the counties of Lincoln and Cambridge, the city of London, and the ifle of Ely. In the infant flate of this charity, no other provifion was made for the unfortunate patient, befides confine ment and medical relief. His friends, if they had ability, or the parish of which the wretched lunatic was an inhabitant, were obliged to contribute to his fupport. It remained for the judicious benevolence of fucceeding times to improve the good work, and to fupply that comfortable fubfistence, and tender care, which, through the bleffing of the Divine Providence, have reftored fo many diftracted objects to their families, and to fociety. There is no account of donations received before the year 1632. They were not, for fome time, confiderable, but the manifeft utility of the inftitution, and perhaps the detriment which the public fuffered, foon induced them to attend to the fecurity of those memhers who were become dangerous to the community. Accordingly, the growing charity was cherished not only by citizens, upon whofe notice it more immediately preffed, but by others who had judgement to felect proper objects for their attention, and ability to affift them. About the year 1644, it was under confideration to enlarge the Old Hofpital; but the fituation was too close and confined to allow of its being rendered a commodious afylum for the numerous distracted perfons of both fexes that claimed its protection, and probably the dreadful commotions of that period checked the idea of improvement. When peace and legal government were reftored, and England had reft from the violence with which it had been convulfed, the concerns of civil fociety were again attended to, and it became a matter of serious deliberation to build a New Hofpital. In April 1675 this great work was begun, The lord-mayor, aldermen, and common-council of the city of London allotted to the governors a large piece of ground near London-Wall, on the fouth fide of the lower quarter of Moorfields, where the Hofpital of Bethlem now ftands. The expedition with which this ftately fabric was completed challenges our admiration. For, from an infcription over the arch facing the entrance into the hofpital, it appears that it was finifhed in July, in the following year: fo active was the zeal that |