Pan ibi dum teneris jactat sua carmina nymphis.
Ov. Ib. xi. 153.
There Pan among the Fairie-elves, that daunced round togither.
Golding.
Solaque Naïadum celeri non nota Dianæ.—Ov. Ib. iv. 304.
Of all the water-fayries, she alonely was unknowne
To swift Diana.—Golding.
Nymphis latura coronas.—Ov. Ib. ix. 337.
Was to the fairies of the lake fresh garlands for to bear.
Golding.
Thus we have endeavoured to trace out the origin, and mark the progress of the word Fairy, through its varying significations, and trust that the subject will now appear placed in a clear and intelligible light.
After the appearance of the Faerie Queene, all distinctions were confounded, the name and attributes of the real Fays or Fairies of romance were completely transferred to the little beings who, according to the popular belief, made 'the green sour ringlets whereof the ewe not bites.' The change thus operated by the poets established itself firmly among the people; a strong proof, if this idea be correct, of the power of the poetry of a nation in altering the phraseology of even the lowest classes[20] of its society.
Shakspeare must be regarded as a principal agent in this revolution; yet even he uses Fairy once in the proper sense of Fay; a sense it seems to have nearly lost, till it was again brought into use by the translators of the French Contes des Fées in the last century.