h
court looked solemn and melancholy. At length an expedient presented
itself to the king; and one it must be confessed worthy of the
naturalist. Observing a cluster of bees hovering about a window, he
commanded that it should be opened: it was opened; the bees rushed into
the court, and alighted immediately on one of the wreaths, while not a
single one fixed on the other. The baffled Sheba had one more reason to
be astonished at the wisdom of Solomon.

This would make a pretty poetical tale. It would yield an elegant
description, and a pleasing moral; that _the bee_ only _rests_ on the
natural beauties, and never _fixes_ on the _painted flowers_, however
inimitably the colours may be laid on. Applied to the _ladies_, this
would give it pungency. In the "Practical Education" of the Edgeworths,
the reader will find a very ingenious conversation founded on this
story.

HELL.

Oldham, in his "Satires upon the Jesuits," a work which would admit of a
curious commentary, alludes to their "lying legends," and the
innumerable impositions they practised on the credulous. I quote a few
lines in which he has collected some of those legendary miracles, which
I have noticed in the article LEGENDS, and the amours of the Virgin Mary
are detailed in that on RELIGIOUS NOUVELLETTES.

Tell, how _blessed Virgin_ to come down was seen,
Like play-house punk descending in machine,
How she writ _billet-doux_ and _love-discourse_,
Made _assignations_, _visits_, and _amours_;
How hosts distrest, her _smock_ for _banner_ wore,
Which vanquished foes!
---- how _fish_ in conventicles met,
And _mackerel_ were with _bait of doctrine_ caught:
How cattle have judicious hearers been!--
How _consecrated hives_ with bells were hung,
And _bees_ kept mass, and holy _anthems sung_!
How _pigs_ to th' _rosary_ kneel'd, and _sheep_ were taught
To bleat _Te Deum_ and _Magnificat_;
How _fly-flap_, of church-censure houses rid
Of insects, which at _curse of fryar_ died.
How _ferrying cowls_ religious pilgrims bore
O'er waves, without the help of sail or oar;
How _zealous crab_ the _sacred image_ bore,
And swam a catholic to the distant shore.
With shams like these the giddy rout mislead,
Their folly and their superstition feed.

All these are allusions to the extravagant fictions in the "Golden
Legend." Among other gross impositions to deceive the mob, Oldham
li