 most glorious Poet, as he certainly was, had an Intent to
burlesque the superstitious Faith of his own Age and Country.
    But I have rested too long on a Doctrine which can be of no Use to a
Christian Writer: For as he cannot introduce into his Works any of that heavenly
Host which make a Part of his Creed; so is it horrid Puerility to search the
Heathen Theology for any of those Deities who have been long since dethroned
from their Immortality. Lord Shaftesbury observes, that nothing is more cold
than the Invocation of a Muse by a Modern; he might have added that nothing can
be more absurd. A modern may with much more Elegance invoke a Ballad, as some
have thought Homer did, or a Mug of Ale with the Author of Hudibras; which
latter may perhaps have inspired much more Poetry as well as Prose, than all the
Liquors of Hippocrene or Helicon.
    The only supernatural Agents which can in any Manner be allowed to us
Moderns are Ghosts; but of these I would advise an Author to be extremely
sparing. These are indeed like Arsenic, and other dangerous Drugs in Physic, to
be used with the utmost Caution; nor would I advise the Introduction of them at
all in those Works, or by those Authors to which, or to whom a Horse-Laugh in
the Reader, would be any great Prejudice or Mortification.
    As for Elves and Fairies, and other such Mummery, I purposely omit the
Mention of them, as I should be very unwilling to confine within any Bounds
those surprizing Imaginations, for whose vast Capacity the Limits of human
Nature are too narrow; whose Works are to be considered as a new Creation; and
who have consequently just Right to do what they will with their own.
    Man therefore is the highest Subject (unless on very extraordinary Occasions
indeed) which presents itself to the Pen of our Historian, or of our Poet; and
in relating his Actions, great Care is to be taken, that we do not exceed the
Capacity of the Agent we describe.
    Nor is Possibility alone sufficient to justify us, we must keep likewise
within the Rules of Probability. It is, I think, the Opinion of Aristotle; or if
not, it is the Opinion of some wise Man, whose Authority will be as weighty,
when it is as old; »that it is no Excuse for a Poet who relates what is
incredible, that the thing related is really Matter of Fact.« This may perhaps
be allowed true with regard to Poetry, but it may be thought impracticable to
extend it to the Historian: For he is
