Ye ayres and winds, ye elves of hills, of brooks, of woods, alone,
Of standing lakes, and of the night—approach ye everich one.
Golding.
Golding seems to have regarded, by chance or with knowledge, the Elves as a higher species than the Fairies. Misled by the word elves, Shakspeare makes sad confusion of classic and Gothic mythology.
[399] Take signifies here, to strike, to injure.
And there he blasts the tree and takes the cattle.
Merry Wives of Windsor, iv. 4.
Thou farest as fruit that with the frost is taken.
Surrey, Poems, p. 13, Ald. edit.
In our old poetry take also signifies, to give.
But not a word of it,—'tis fairies' treasure,
Which but revealed brings on the blabber's ruin.
Massinger, Fatal Dowry, Act iv. sc. 1.
A prince's secrets are like fairy favours,
Wholesome if kept, but poison if discovered.
Honest Man's Fortune.
[401] We do not recollect having met with any account of this prank; but Jonson is usually so correct, that we may be certain it was a part of the popular belief.