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andwerethenlosttosightforthirteencenturieserebeingvisited
again.
Theglamourofenchantmentwasnaturallyfirstattached
byEuropeanstoislandswithinsightoftheirownshores–Irish,Welsh,
Breton,orSpanish,–andthen,astheseislandsbecamebetterknown,
men'simaginationscarriedthemysteryfurtheroutovertheunknown
westernsea.Thelineoflegendgraduallyextendeditselftillitformed
animaginarychartforColumbus;theagedastronomer,Toscanelli,for
instance,suggestingtohimtheadvantageofmakingthesupposed
islandofAntilliaahalf-waystation;justasitwasproposed,long
centuriesafter,tofindastationfortheoceantelegraphintheequally
imaginaryislandofJacquet,whichhasonlylatelydisappearedfrom
thecharts.Witheverystepinknowledgethelineoffanciedstopping-
placesrearrangeditself,thefictitiousnamesflittingfromplacetoplace
onthemaps,andsometimesduplicatingthemselves.Wherethe
traditionitselfhasvanishedwefindthatthenameswithwhich
itassociateditselfarestillassigned,asincaseofBrazilandthe
Antilles,towhollydifferentlocalities.
Theorderofthetalesinthepresentworkfollowsroughlytheorder
ofdevelopment,givingfirstthelegendswhichkeptneartheEuropean
shore,andthenthosewhich,likeSt.Brandan'sorAntillia,were
assignedtotheopenseaor,likeNorumbegaortheIsleofDemons,
totheverycoastofAmerica.Everytaleinthisbookbearsreference
tosomeactuallegend,followedmoreorlessclosely,andthe
authoritiesforeachwillbefoundcarefullygivenintheappendixfor
suchreadersasmaycaretofollowthesubjectfarther.Itmust
berememberedthatsomeoftheseimaginaryislandsactuallyremained
onthechartsoftheBritishadmiraltyuntilwithinacentury.Ifeventhe
exactscienceofgeographersretainedthemthuslong,surelyromance
shouldembalmthemforever.
Cambridge,Mass.
