fabulous history, the son of Glaucus king of Epirus, happening accidentally to kill his brother fled to Proetus king of Aegros, who gave him a hospitable reception: but Sthenocea, his queen, falling in love with the beautiful stranger, and finding that nothing could induce him to injure his benefactor, she accused him to her husband of an attempt to violate her honour. Proetus, however, not being willing to act contrary to the laws of hospitality, sent him to Iobates, king of Lydia, and the father of Sthenocea, with letters dehiring him to put him to death: whence the proverb Bellerophontis liber as afferet, equivalent to Litere Uria. That prince, at the receipt of these letters, was celebrating a festival of nine days, which prevented Bellerophon's destruction. Iobates, however, sent him in the meantime to subdue the Solyni, the Amazons, and Lydians, and thought to get rid of him by exposing him to the greatest dangers; but by his prudence and courage he came off victorious. Iobates next employed him to destroy the Chimera; when Minerva, or, according to others, Neptune, in consideration of his innocence, furnished him with the horse Pegasus, by whose affiance he killed the Chimera. Iobates, on his return, being convinced of his truth and integrity, and charmed with his heroic virtues, gave him his daughter Philonoe in marriage, and declared him his successor; which when Sthenocea heard, she killed herself. Bellerophon at length growing vain with his prosperity, resolved, by the affiance of Pegasus, to ascend the skies; when Jupiter checked his presumption, by striking him blind in his flight; on which he fell down to the earth, and wandered till his death in contempt and misery: but Pegasus mounting into heaven, Jupiter placed him among the constellations.

Belles lettres. Whether we consult the voluminous dictionaries of the French language, or those treatises that profess to point out the method of studying and teaching the belles lettres, we find not, in the one or the other, either a clear definition, or a succinct explication of the words belles lettres, nor any summary of those sciences which are comprehended under that general and collective denomination. It appears to be a vague term, under which every one may include whatever he thinks proper. Sometimes we are told that by the belles lettres is meant, the knowledge of the arts of poetry and oratory; sometimes that the true belles lettres are natural philosophy, geometry, and other essential parts of learning; and sometimes, that they comprehend the art of war, by land and sea: in short, they are made to include all that we know, and whatever we please; so that, in treating on the belles lettres, they talk of the use of the sacraments, &c. Some comprehend under the term, all... those instructive and pleasing sciences which occupy the memory and the judgment, and do not make part either of the superior sciences, of the polite arts, or of mechanic professions; hence they make history, chronology, geography, genealogy, blazonry, philology, &c., the belles lettres. In a word, it were an endless task to attempt to enumerate all the parts of literature which different learned men have comprehended under this title. Nor would it be of any use to the reader for us to pretend to fix the true import of the term. Whatever arts or sciences it may be supposed to include, they are severally explained in the course of this work.

Belle-ville, a town of the Beaujolois in France, seated near the river Saone, in E. Long. 4° 46'. N. Lat. 45° 5'.