he would be but laughed at for his Folly. No Conclusions can exceed the Evidence of their Principles; you may as well build a Castle in the Air, as raise a Demonstration upon a Bottom of Uncertainty. And is any Man so vain as to pretend to know the Extent of Nature, and the Stretch of Possibility, and the Force of the Powers Invisible? So that notwithstanding the Boldness of this _Opera_, there may be such a Place as Hell; And if so, a Discourse about Devils, will be no _Fairy way of Writing_. For a _Fairy way of Writing_, is nothing but a _History of Fiction_; A subject of Imaginary Beings; such as never had any existence in Time, or Nature. And if as Monsieur _Rapin_ observes, _Poetry_ requires a mixture of Truth and _Fable_; Mr. _Dryden_ may make his advantage, for his _Play_ is much better founded on Reality than He was aware of. It may not be improper to consider in a word or two, what a frightfull Idea the _Holy Scriptures_ give us of Hell. 'Tis describ'd by all the Circumstances of Terror, by every Thing dreadful to Sense, and amazing to Thought. The Place, the Company, the Duration, are all Considerations of Astonishment. And why has God given us this solemn warning? Is it not to awaken our Fears, and guard our Happiness; To restrain the Disorders of Appetite, and to keep us within Reason, and Duty? And as for the _Apostate Angels_, the _Scriptures_ inform us of their lost Condition, of their Malice and Power, of their active Industry and Experience; and all these Qualities Correspondent to the Bulk of their Nature, the Antiquity of their Being, and the Misery of their State. In short, They are painted in all the formidable Appearances imaginable, to alarm our Caution, and put us upon the utmost Defence. Let us see now how Mr. _Dryden_ represents these unhappy Spirits, and their Place of Abode. Why very entertainingly! Those that have a true Tast for Atheism were never better regaled. One would think by this _Play_ the Devils were meer Mormo's and Bugbears, fit only to fright Children and Fools. They rally upon Hell and Damnation, with a great deal of Air and Pleasantry; and appear like _Robin Good-fellow_, only to make the Company laugh. _Philidel_: Is call'd a _Puling Sprite_. And why so? For this pious reason, because _He trembles at the yawning Gulph of Hell, Nor dares approach the Flames least he should Singe His gaudy silken Wings. He sighs when he should plunge a Soul in Sulphur, As with Compassion touch'd of Foolish Man_.[370] The answer is, _What a half Devil's he_.