in ancient traditions and romances, signifies a sort of deity, or imaginary genius, conversant on earth, and distinguished by a variety of fantastic actions, either good or bad.

The fairies are a peculiar species of divinities, that have but little relation to any of those of the ancient Greeks or Romans, unless perhaps to the larvae; tho' others, with great reason, will not have them ranked among gods, but suppose them an intermediate kind of beings, neither gods, angels, men, nor devils. They are of oriental extraction, and seem to have been invented by the Persians and Arabs, whose religion and history abound with relations concerning them: these have a particular country which they suppose the fairies to inhabit, called Fairy-land.

Spencer's Fairy Queen is an epic poem, under the persons and characters of fairies. In this sort of writing the poet loses sight of nature, and entertains the reader's imagination with the characters of fairies, witches, magicians, demons, and departed spirits. It requires an odd turn of thought, and a peculiar cast of fancy, with an imagination naturally fruitful and superstitious.

This sort of poetry raises a pleasing kind of horror in the mind of the reader, and amuses his imagination with the strangeness and novelty of the persons who are represented in it; but the judicious object to it, as not having probability enough to affect the imagination.