INTRODUCTION
King Arthur is said to have disappeared after the
battle of Camlan, and to have never been seen again;
which gave rise to a tradition, that he had been carried
away by Merlin, a famous prophet and magician of
his time, and would return to his kingdom at some
future period.—The Welch continued to expect him
for many hundred years; and it is by no means certain
that they have entirely given him up. He is here
represented as inhabiting a solitary island, under the
influence of the prophet Merlin; by whose magic
power he is shown all the kings and queens who have
sat on his throne since his death, and giving to them a
grand feast, at his old established round table, attended
by their principal secretaries, dukes, lords, admirals,
generals, poets, and a long train of courtiers. The
kings are of course mentioned in the order of succession.
The allegory is illustrated as concisely as possible
in the notes. So many histories of England being
published for the use of young persons, we have only
attached the names of the kings, and to such instances
as might not be considered sufficiently explanatory.
