[Footnote LE: The same editor of Toland's book on the Druids, whose comment on Taranis is given in the previous note, writes thus of Adraste, or Andate, p. 359:--"Respecting this goddess there has been some difference of opinion. The Greeks seem to have considered her as _Nemesis_, or the goddess of revenge.... There can be little doubt that the goddess here meant is the Phœnician _Ashtaroth_, or _Astarte_, _i.e._ 'the moon.'" See Dio Cassius, i. 64.--ED.]
[Footnote LG: Compare _Paradise Lost_, book v. 1. 202--
Witness if I be silent, morn or even. ED. ]
[Footnote LI: See the Fenwick note, p. 15.--ED.]
The following are the notes which Wordsworth added to _The Excursion_ in the edition of 1814. In the case of the second, it will be observed that a new note was substituted in 1827 for that of 1814 and 1820. In other respects these "notes" remained unaltered throughout the editions, from 1814 to 1850. I have not thought it necessary to indicate the few, and very slight, changes in the phraseology of separate sentences. The text of the passages, on which the notes are based, is taken from the edition of 1850.--ED.
_Descend, prophetic Spirit! that inspir'st_ _The human Soul_, etc.
Not mine own fears, nor the prophetic Soul Of the wide world dreaming on things to come. _Shakspeare's Sonnets._--W.W. (1814).
In Heron's Tour in Scotland is given an intelligent account of the qualities by which this class of men used to be, and still are in some degree, distinguished, and of the benefits which society derives from their labours. Among their characteristics, he does not omit to mention that, from being obliged to pass so much of their time in solitary wandering among rural objects, they frequently acquire meditative habits of mind, and are strongly disposed to enthusiasm poetical and religious. I regret that I have not the book at hand to quote the passage, as it is interesting on many accounts. (1814.)
At the risk of giving a shock to the prejudices of artificial society, I have ever been ready to pay homage to the aristocracy of nature; under a conviction that vigorous human-heartedness is the constituent principle of true taste. It may still, however, be satisfactory to have prose testimony how far a Character, employed for purposes of imagination, is founded upon general fact. I, therefore, subjoin an extract from an author who had opportunities of being well acquainted with a class of men, from whom my own personal knowledge emboldened me to draw this portrait.