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The first edition of this tale was put forth without explaining the old fable on which it was founded--a fable recurring again and again in fairy h not traceable in the classic world till a very late period, when it appeared a the tales of Apuleius, of the province of Africa, soments of the same story in the popular tales of all countries, so that it is probable that Apuleius availed himself of an early form of one of these They are to be found from India to Scandinavia, adapted to the manners and fancy of every country in turn, Beauty and the Beast and the Black Bull of Norroway are the most faends of such universal property that it was quite fair to put it into 18th century English costume

Some have seen in it a remnant of the custom of some barbarous tribes, that the wife should not behold her husband for a year after e, and to this the Indian versions lend themselves; but Apuleius himself either found it, or adapted it to the idea of the Soul (the Life) awakened by Love, grasping too soon and i on through severe toils and labours till her hopes are crowned even at the gates of death Psyche, the soul or life, whose emblem is the butterfly, thus even in heathen philosophy strained towards the higher Love, just gli to the fable, and saw in it the Soul, or the Church, to who after Hi through Death The Spanish poet Calderon made it the theht, was taught, with special reference to the Holy Eucharist

English poetry has, however, only taken up its simple classical aspect In the early part of the century, Mrs Tighe wrote a poem in Spenserian stanza, called Psyche, which wasthe story in his Earthly Paradise Thisthe outline of the tale to be familiar to most readers

The fable is briefly thus:-Venus was jealous of the beauty of aShe sent misery on the land and family, and caused an oracle to declare that the only rehter as a bride, and leave her in a lonely place to become the prey of a monster Cupid was commissioned by his mother to destroy her He is here represented not as a child, but as a youth, who on seeing Psyche's charms, became enamoured of her, and resolved to save her from his mother and make her his own He therefore caused Zephyr to transport her to a palace where everything delightful and valuable was at her service, feasts spread, , all her wishes fulfilled, but all by invisible hands At night in the dark, she was conscious of a presence who called himself her husband, showed the fondest affection for her, and prolory and bliss, if she would be patient and obedient for a time