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SECT. III.

Of Spenser's Use and Abuse of Ancient History and Mythology.

As

Spenser sought to produce surprise by extravagant incidents and fantastic descriptions, great part of classical history and mythology afforded ample materials for such a design, and properly coincided with the general aim of his romantic plan. He has accordingly adopted some of their most extraordinary fictions, in many of which he has departed from the received tradition, as his purpose and subject occasionally required or permitted. But with regard to our author's misrepresentation of ancient fable, it may be justly urged, that from those arguments which are produced against his fidelity, new proofs arise in favour of his fancy. Spenser's native force of invention

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would not suffer him to pursue the letter of prescribed fiction, with scrupulous observation and servile regularity. In many particulars he varies from antiquity, only to substitute new beauties, and from a slight mention of one or two leading circumstances in ancient fable, takes an opportunity to display some new fiction of his own coinage. He sometimes, in the fervour of composition, misrepresents these matters through haste and inattention. His allusions to ancient history are likewise very frequent, which he has not scrupled to violate, with equal freedom, and for the same reasons.

B. i. c. i. s. xxxvii.

A bold bad man, that dar'd to call by name
Great Gorgon.

*

Dr. Jortin has multiplied instances by

* See Remarks on Spenser's Poems.

which it appears, that the ancients were superstitiously fearful of uttering the name of Gorgon or Dæmogorgon. I shall add, that they were no less afraid of calling the Furies by their names.

Electra, in Euripides, says of the Furies, that tormented her brother

ΟΝΟΜΑΖΕΙΝ γαρ αιδέμαι θεας

Ευμενίδας, αι τονο εξαμιλλώνται φοβω

· Vereor enim nominare

Deas Eumenidas, quæ eum certatim perterrent.

And in another scene, Orestes says

Εδοξ' είδειν τρεις νυκτι προςφερεις κόρας.

Visus sum mihi videre tres puellas nocti similes.

Whom Menelaus answers

Οιδ' άς έλεξας, ΟΝΟΜΑΣΑΙ δ' 8 βέλομαι.

* Orestes, v. 37.

+ Ibid. 430.

Novi quas dixisti; nominare autem nolo.

Below, we have the same superstition concerning Hecate

And threatned unto him the dreaded name
Of Hecate.

st. 3.

But it would perhaps be difficult to produce any ancient evidence, either that Hecate's name was feared in general, or that Morpheus particularly, was afraid of uttering or hearing it. Our author, with great force of fancy, feigns such another circumstance as this concerning Merlin.

The fiends do quake, when any him to them does name.

3. 3. 11.

Though perhaps this is not more expressive of Merlin's diabolical power, than what some of the runic historians mention of a

Swedish enchanter, viz. That he could blunt the edge of the weapons of his enemies only by looking at them, and that he could make hell a light place.

B. i. c. iv. s. xxx.

He is describing Envy.

Still did chaw,

Between his cankred teeth a venomous toad,
That all the poison ran about his jaw.

Ovid feigns that Envy was found eating the flesh of vipers, a fiction not much unlike Spenser's picture. But our author has heightened this circumstance to a most disgusting decree; for he adds, that the poison ran about his jaw. This is perhaps one of the most loathsome images which Spenser has given us; though he paints very strongly, 1. 1. 20.

* Met. ii. v. 76.

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