The Progress of Romance: And the History of Charoba, Queen of Aegypt 9780231896597

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THE

FACSIMILE

SERIES I:

TEXT

L I T E R A T U R E AND

SOCIETY LANGUAGE

VOLUME 4 CLARA REEVE THE PROCRESS OF ROMANCE 1785

CLARA

THE

REEVE

PROGRESS ROMANCE

OF

AND T H E H I S T O R Y OF C H A R O B A , QUEEN OF A E G Y P T Reproduced from the Colchester Edition of 1785 With a Bibliographical Note by E S T H E R M. M c G I L L

T H E FACSIMILE T E X T NEW I

YORK 9 3 0

SOCIETY

Printed in the United States ot America by T h e National Process Company» N e w

York

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL

NOTE

Two editions of The Progress of Romance appeared in 1 7 8 5 — o n e published in Colchester, 8vo, the other in Dublin, i2mo. There are no later editions. The present one is reprinted from the copy of the Colchester edition now in the Library of Congress. The History of Charoba, Queen of Egypt, an oriental tale which also appears in this volume, was printed with both editions of The Progress of Romance. This is Clara Reeve's adaptation of a story in the history of ancient Egypt by Murtadha ibn al-Khafif. It had been published in 1672 as The Egyptian History, treating of the Pyramids, the inundation of the Nile and other prodigies, according to the opinions and traditions of the Arabians: written ... in the A rabian tongue by Murtadi . . . rendered into French [with a Preface] by Mons. Vattier . . . and thence faithfully done into English by J. Davies. Mrs. Reeve not only modernized the language of the tale as it appeared in Davies' translation, but she altered the story itself. The tale assumes an added interest, as the immediate source of Landor's Gebir. E. M. McG. Columbia University July, 1930

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VOLUMES.

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IT hatli bene through all ages ever fcene, That with the praife of armes and chcvalrie The prize of beautie ftill hath ioyned beene, And that for regions fpeciall privitee, Tor either doth on other much relie : For he me f'ecmes moft fit the faire to ferve, That can her bell detend from villenie, And (he moft fit his fervice doth defer ve, That faired is, and from her faith will never fwtrve. S r i n s i n't Faery Queene. Book 4. Canto 5. Staniai. P R I N T E D BY

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may not improperly be called the polite literature of early ages, and they have been the favourite amufements of later times. In rude and barbarous ages, they refided in the breath of oral tradition, in civilized nations they were of courfe committed to writing : and in ftill more poliihed periods, they have varied their forms, and have appeared either in profe or verfe, according to the genius of the writers, or the tafte of the times. A z In U

OMANCES

iv

PREFACE.

In the following pages, I have e n deavoured to trace the progrefs of this fpecies of compofition, through all its fucceiTive itages and variations, to point out its moft ftriking effe&s and influence upon the manners, and to aflift according to my beft j u d g m e n t , the reader's choicej amidft the almoft infinite variety it affords, in a fcleition of fuch as are moft worthy of a place in the libraries of readers of every clafs, who feek either for information or entertainment. H o w far I have fucceeded in this att e m p t , muft now be left to the dccifion of that tribunal which I have ever approached with the moft refpettful diffidence ; and whofe indulgence, I ani perhaps in the prefent inftancc concerned more than ever to implore. W h i l e many eminent writers have (if I may be permitted the allufion) ildmmed over the fur face of this fubjedl, it ieemed

PREFACE.

V

Teemed to me that none of them had founded the depths of i t . — O f metrical Romances they have treated largely, but with refpeét to thofe in profe, their informations have been fcanty and împerfeft. When they approach that period of obfcurity, which began with the fpreading - of Chriftianity over the weftern world, they drop entirely the latter and equally effential branch of the fubjedt ; nor do they refume it, till the fixteenth Century, when Calprenede, the Scudcries, D'XJrfe, and other French writers, revived the tafte for profe Romances, by their productions. T o fill up this chafm in the hiftory of Romance, to re&ify the miftakes that have been made by indifcriminate praife or blame, to methodife and arrange the works themfelves, and to afcertain as many of the Authors, and the dates of A 3 them

vi

PREFACE.

them as I could get information of, to mark the diftinguiihing characters of the Romance and the Novel, to point out the boundaries of both : and tartly to prefent to the reader's eye a feleition of the beft writings of both kinds. Thefe objeCts would I thought, have a fair claim to the attention of the public ; and if executed with fidelity and judgment, would I hoped merit its approbation and encouragement. While I was collecting materials for this work, I held many converfati&ns with fome ingenious friends upon the various fubjedts, which it offered to be inveiligated and explained. This circumftance naturally fuggefted to me the Idea of the dialogue f o r m ; in which oppofite fentiments would admit of a more full and accurate examination, arguments and objections might be more clearly itated and difcufled, than in a regular

PREFACE.

vii

regular feries of E flays, or even letters, not to mention, that the variety and contrail which naturally arife out of the Dialogue, might enliven a work of rather dry deduction, and render it more entertaining to the reader, and not the lefs ufeful or initruétive.—In this Idea I was confirmed by the great fuccefs of fome late writers in this way, particularly of Madame de Gen/is, in her excellent work called the Theatre of Education. It was not till I had compleated my delign, that I read either Dr. Beattie's Diflertation on Fable and Romance, or Mr. Warton's Hijlory of Eng/ijh Poetry. — T o the perufal of thefe books, I was moft ftrongly recommended by two friends, to whom I had (hewn my own work, and to whofe judgment I owe all poflible refpeét and deference.—I obeyed their injunctions, and have additional A 4 obligations

viii

PREFACE.

obligations to them for the entertainment afforded me by thefe excellent writers —I i'oon found that they neither interfered with my plan, nor had anticipated my i'ubjeit» yet I own I was well pleafed, that neither of thefe books had fallen in my way before I had finiihed my own work ; as otherwife it might have been fuppofed that I had borrowed my lights from them, where ever there happened to be a concurrence of opinion, or of reprefentation. Dr. Beattie has walked over the ground, aud marked out its boundaries, but he has paid little attention to its various produce, whether of flowers, herbs, or weeds ; except a very few works of capital merit, (fome of which lie confefles he had not read through) he configns all the reft to oblivion. Thus Genius thinks it enough to itrike out the outline, and leaves to induilry and inferior

PREFACE.

IX

inferior talents, the minuter parts, and more laborious tailc of detail and arrangement. From Mr. War ton s Htjiory of Eng/i/b Poetry, I might indeed have derived coniiderable advantages, had I met with it fooner. I was happy however to find, that in many inftances, my opinions were confirmed, and my arguments ftrengthened by this learned and judicious writer. It had long been a received opinionf that Romances were communicated to the Weilern world by the Crufades.— Mr. Warton allows that they were introduced at a much earlier period, viz. by the Saracens; who came from Africa, and fettled in Spain, about the beginning of the eighth Century.—From Spain he imagines, they found an eafy pafilige into France and Italy.—He farther examines the HypotheJcs of Dr. Percy and Mr. Mallet;

X

PREFACE.

Mallet; who derive thefe fi¿lions from the ancient fongs of the Gothic Bards and Scalds : this Idea he allows to be well founded, fo far at leaft as it does not exclude his own Syftem.—Theie fictions ^he fays) had taken deep root in Europe, and prepared the way for the Arabian fables which were introduced in the ninth Century, by which they were in a great meafure fuperfeded. That Chivalry, which was the fubitance of Romance, exifted among the Goths he allows, but adds, that under the Feudal eftabliihment, it received new ilrength and vigour: and was inverted with the formalities of a regular inftitution —Which Dr. Percy likewife acknowledges in his remarks on Chivalry; the paflage is quoted in the body of this work.—Mr. Warton next proceeds to the Minftrels, Troubadours, and early poets of this country, which is his proper

PREFACE.

Xi

per fubjeft; it was entirely beiide his plan to enter further into the fubje are mentioned as very ancient. The Romance of Leucippe and Clitopbon, written by Achilles Tatius, a Greek, he was afterwards a Biihop, and his works are ftill extant. The Ephefian Hiftory by Xeaopbon, might be reckoned in this clafs; alio the four books of incredible things, written by Damajius.— Under the fame clafs may be ranked the fables of Partbonius Nicenus,—of Atbenagoras,— Tbeodorus Prodromus,~EuJlatbius,~a.mA Longus>—and many others doubtlefs, whofe names are loft. Hort. From whence, and to what purpofe have you conjured up fuch a lift of uncouth names—to frighten us ? Euph. Only to Ihew you that the Ancients had their Romances, as well as later times,— of thefe works many are loft, and perhaps you would not be much pleafed with thofe that remain. Hort•

PROGRESS

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31

Hort. I am a ftranger to them all, except the Ephefian Hiftory of Xenopbon. Eupb. I will be more particular in the next I fhall mention.—One of the moft ancient and famous profe Romances is, T h e ^ t h i o pic Hiftory of Heliodoriisy Biihop of Tricca in Thefialia, in the fourth century. It is related, that a Synod confidering the danger that might happen to youth, from reading a Romance (though there is nothing in it, in the leaft degree offenfive to morals or modefty,) authorized by the dignity of its author; propofed to him either to burn his book, or refign his Bilhopric, and that he chofe the latter. There are many teftknonies of the merits of this book, both from ancient, and modern writers; but there needs no other evidence, than the circumftance of its having been fuccefsively tianflated into all the known languages. Hort. H a s it ever been tranilated into Englilh. Eupb. Yes certainly, I cannot fay how early; I do not know of any tranflation before

PROGRESS

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fore that of 1687. About the year 1 7 1 0 , there was a new and pompous Edition, publiihed under the fecond Title of Vbeagettes and Cbariclta, which I have feen likewife, but I have fome reafon to believe it was never a popular book here. Hort. Pray give us your opinion of it? F.uph. It is indifputably a work of Genius, and as fuch will always be refpeftable; and moreover, it is one of thole Romances that are immediately derived from Homer.—The manners of it are evidently imitative of him, and I defire you to refpeft it on this account. Hort. Suppofe 1 were difpofcd to read it, where is it to be found ? Eupb. In my own library, at your fervice. There are doubtlefs many more of the fame kind that are now funk into oblivion: but this may ferve as fpecimen of the Ancient Romance. Scpb. You are got fo far beyond my depth, that I have little to fay; but I flatter myfelf you will come within my reach in due time. I thought myfelf well read in Romance, but I

PROGRESS

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I know nothing of any work you have yet mentioned. Eupb. I ihall foon come to your lift, but not juft at prefent.—I Ihall fpeak firft of the Romances of the middle ages; but before I begin I ihall read you fome extra&s from Dr. Percy, which will be of great fervice in our progrefs through the Regions of Romance. " That our old Romances of Chivalry " may be derived in a lineal defcent from the " ancient Hiftorical fongs of the Gothic " bards and fcalds will be ihown :—and in" deed appears the more evident as many " of thefe fongs are ftiU preferved in the " North, which exhibit all the feeds of Chi" valry before it became a iolemn inftitution. " Chivalry, as a diftinft military order, con" ferred in the way of inveftiture, and ac" companied with the folemnity of an oath ( " and other ceremonies, was of later date, " and fprung out of the feudal conftitution.—-But the ideas of Chivalry prevailu ed long before in all the Gothic nation, V O L . i. D and

J4 " " " " " " " " " " " " " " "

PROGRESS or ROMANCE.

and may be difcovered as in embrio, in the cuftomsj manners, and opinions, of every branch of that people.—That fondnefs of going in queft of adventures, that Ipirit of challenging to fingle. combat, and that refpeitful complaifance to the fair fex, (fo different from the manners of the Greeks and Romans.), are all of Gothic origin, and may be traced up to the earlieft times among all the Northern nations. T h t f e cxifted long before the feudal ages» though they were called forth and ftrcngthened in a peculiar manner under ritat conftitution, and at length arrived at their full maturity in the time of the Crufades, fo replete with

" Romantic adventures." This extraft will I hope anfwer all your doubts and fcruples

Hortenfius.

Hort. I confefs it confirms your affertions. and anfwers your intentions. Enpb, I will tell you my intention,—it si not to take the honour of making you a convert to myfelf, but to abler hands. Ho tt.

PROGRESS

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35

Hort. Then you muft think me prejudiced indeed.—No Madam, I will owe 'my Conviction to nobody, if not to you. Sopb. That is handfomely faid, and I dare fay will be made good.—I beg you my dear friend to proceed. Eupb. It is a general received opinion, that the firft Romances of Chivalry were written in France.—I think it very doubtful-—I fuppofe them to have been current in Spain long before : for the Moors were converfant in them, and many of the old Spanilh Romances were of Moorilh derivation; as ap pears from the ftories themfelves. Sopb. I have heard that the name is derived from the French, and it feems to me that the Provencals called their works Romaunts. Eupb. That is very true.—Dr. Percy will confirm this truth alfo.—" The Latin tongue, " ceaied to be fpoken in France about the ninth " Century, and was fucceeded by a mixture " of the language of the Franks and bad La" tin, which was called the Romaunce tongue. " As the fongs of Chivalry, became the moft D 2 " popular

36

" ** " " " '* "

PROGRESS

OF

ROMANCE*

popular compofitions in that language, they were emphatically called RomansY Romants, or Romanic, ind though this name was at firft given to either profe, or poetry, it came by degrees to be appropriated to profe only, and is now in general fo ufed." Hirt. I have long waited to hear the Etymology of this word, and I expefted a different derivation of it. Eupb. Will you favour us with your own fentimenrs on this head ? Hort. I always thought it was derived from the Romans, but in wlat manner I was ignorant. I conjectured tha: it arofe from aiv imitation of their manners. Eupb. I have been deiirois to inform myfelf in this particular, and I give you the beft account I can meet with.—I have read fomewhere, that the inhabitants of Normandy, were formerly called Romandi,or Romandui, which feems to me the moc properEtymology.—The French or Frank language came at length to be called the Fomaunt tongue, as often as the proper name. Sopb.

PROGRESS

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37

Sopb. I am of the fame opinion, and am Cold that Romances may be traced in France as high as the eleventh Century. Eupb. Unlefs I am miftaken they may be traced much higher.—I mud read you fome more extra&s before I give you a lift of them. Hort. Your extracts lay heavy upon me. Pray give us your own fentiments and your own obfervations? Eupb. You will have much more reafon to complain when I lay them afide; which I Hull do ihortly, and turn into another road. I fhall make no farther mention of the metrical Romances, than is neceflary to carry us forward to the profe ones. When they were become popular in France, Spain, Italy, and fome part of Germany, Britain was. not unacquainted with them ; as witnefs—another extraft from Dr. Percy—" The ftories " of King Arthur and his round table, may " reafonably be fuppofed to be the growth «• of this Ifland. The ftories of Guy of War" wick, and Bevis of Southampton, and " others of the fame kind, were probably H D 3 the

38

" " " " "

PROCRESS

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ROMANCE.

the invention of the Engliih minftrek.— The Welch have ioinc very old Romances on the fubjeft of King Arthur, but as thefe are in profe, they are not (probably) the firft picces compofed on thh fubjeft." Hort. I am extremely glad, for the honour of Britain, that Ihc had early a knowledge of this polite literature. Eupb. When you thought you were jelling, you uttered a ferious truth; this was indeed the polite literature of thofe early ages. Thefe old Hiftorical fongs, infpircd the enthufiafm of glory, however they may now be ridiculed.—It is recorded, that at the famous battle of Haftings, the Normans animated their courage, by finging the old Romance, or fong of Rollo.—Dr. Percy fays, it was the fongof Rolandbut the former feems moft likely, becaufe Rollo was their ancient chief, and their Prince traced his defcent from him. —It is indifputable that thefe longs, had a ftrong effett upon the hearers;—but I lhall have occafion to enlarge upon this fubjeft hereafter. I have faid more thin I intended on

PROGRZSS OF ROMANCE.

39

on this head, in order to convince Hortenfius of the intimate connexion between the Epic poetry, and the old Romance.—Pray obferve, that I am now fpeaking of the OLD Romance, and not of the imitations of h that fprung up many ages afterwards. They are frequently confounded together, and from thence have arifen the erroneous opinions that have been formed of them. I am now fpeaking of the old Romances of Religion and Chivalry, in which there was a ftrange mixture of Paganifm and Chriftianity; which was farther promoted by two Monkiih writers of thofe times; one of which under the fictitious name of Turptrtus Archbilhop of Rheims, wrote a kind of Hiftory of Charlemagne, and his twelve peers or Paladins, who drove the Saracens out of France;—the other our Geoffery of Monmouth. From the firft of thefe Ariofto compofed, or rather compiled his Orlando Furiojo, and tajfo took the hint of his Jerufalem.— Dr. Percy fays on this head—" Should the «' public encourage the revival of the an" cient fongs of Chivalry, they would freD 4 quently

40

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" quently fee the rich ore of an Ariofto or " Tajfoy though buried under the rubbiih and " drofs of thole barbarous times." Hort. I confefs that you have open'd to me a new vein of learning, which I never before thought worth the trouble of enquiring after. Eupb. The confeflion is ingenuous.—I ftill refer you to Dr. Percy, though I ihall read no more extratts from him. I prefume you are by this time convinced, that the Romance and Epic poem are nearly related.—Dr. Percy has given us a lift of the remains of the metrical Romances;—at our next meeting I will give you mine of profe ones. For this time 1 take my leave of you, I (hall expeft you at my houfe next Thurfday. Hort. & Sopbren. W e will not fail you.

EVENING

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E V E N I N G

4*

IV.

Sopbronia, Hortenfius, Eupbrafia.

Hurt. T AM impatient to hear the further X progrefs of Romance. W e have paiTed through one department, which has afforded me both information and entertain ment, and I expett ftill more from the fucceeding part. Eupb. I am obliged to your candour and attention, and ihall endeavour to merit your indulgence, and the patience with which you have liftened to the dryeft part of our progrefs ; I hope we ihall find more entertainment as we go forward. I ihall now give you my lift of the moll eminent Romances of the middle ages, with as

4*

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KOIIAMCU

as many of the dates of the publication, as I have been able to procure. I do not pretend to give a regular lift of them, but only to note fome of the moft celebrated ones, and to mark the diftinttion between the Old Romance, thofe of the middle ages, and thofe of the laft divifion neareft our own times j when the paflion for thefe kind of writings was revived in France, in the feventeenth Century. Our own country has produced many, and as early as any in Europe, the Spaniards excepted, who received them from the Moors and Arabians, long before they were known in France or England.—I am now fpeaking of the Romances of Chivalry properly fo called. Geoffery of Monmouth's Hiftory gave birth to moft of thofe Romances, which arc founded on Engliih ftories. The Romance of Hornecbild or King Home, is one of the oldeft, and is of the metrical kind.—I know not the date. Sir LanceUt du Lake. Sir Guy of Warwick. The

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43

The Hiftory of King Arthur and. his Knights of the round table. Sir Bevys of Hampton—Bevis of Southampton. Sir Degorye.—Sir frijiraw—Sir Perctvtl. All thcfc are extant in metre, and many of them in Profc. Guy Earl of Warwick» Profe, 1094 Richard Cmr de Lyon, — 124.7 Hijlaria Alexandria Regis, — 1245 DeJtruStion«/ Trey, — 1380 There is good reaibn to believe that Romances were written in Normandy, long before the time of the Troubadours in Provence. You will obferve that many of the French Romances are founded upon Englifh ftories, —for inftance, Le Mort d'Autbure, Triftan Chevalier de la table Rtnde, 1150 Le Brut d'Angleterre, —— 1155 Richard Caur de Lyon, — 1360 Sir Beuves de Harnton, Hort. It feems to me that you frequently mention Hiftories of real perfons, among the heroes of Romance. Euph.

44

PROGRESS OF KOMANCZ.

Eufb. You are right,—the early Romances were often taken from profe Hiftories ; moft of thofe lift mentioned were, and it is worthy your obfervation, that they have been tranflated and tranfcribed from profe to verfe, and vice verfa : fo that the fame ftories have appeared, and are ftill extant in both forms.— I will mention a few more French Romances, before I take notice of thofe of Spain. Hiftoire de QuatreJils d'Aymon, 1156 •< 1160 Le Roman de Rois y Sir Eglamour d'Artois. Hiftoire d'Ippomedon. Triftan Prince de Lyonnais, 1445 Lovesj of the Greek Princes, 1360 Le Chevalier de la Cigne, — 1435 Roman de Rou. Hiftoire de Sangraal. Le Romaunt de la Roft, • 1409 Hort. I have heard fomething of the lait mentioned, but all the others arc ftrangers to to me. Euph W e will fpeak further of it hereafter,—at prefent we will take notice of fome of the

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the moil celebrated of the Spaniih Romances. Amad'ts de Gaul in 24 parts written in the thirteenth Century, From this famous Romance fprung many imitations. Such as Amadis of Greece,—' Palmerin d'Oltva,—Palmer in of England,— Belianis of Greece,—and many others, for which I refer you to Don Quixete's library, as we are not likely to meet with them anywhere elfe.—I lhall only obferve that when the art of printing became eftabliihed in England, moft of the old Romances were re-publiihed that had fiept many years.—For inilance, Recuyel d'HiJioire de Troy, by Caxton, 1470,—Mori Art bure by the fame,—and many others that I need not mention a fecond time. There were alfo fome modern Greek Romances,—as Cbareas 6? Callirboe,—and Chariton,—in the 14th Century. Hort. Upon my word, and a formidable collection! are any of them now extant ? Euph. I believe all, but moft of them certainly are.—I will read you an article or two, from aBookfcller'sCatalogue, 1777. Trijlm,

46

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Triftan Cbevalitr de la table Ronde—belle exemp.—avec figures & vignette*—eleg. rel.—• 1548.—Price il. u s . 6d. Le Romaunt de la Roje, ou tout l'Art £Amore et tnclofe:—M/s.—ecrire Jur velin, en lettres Gothique, avec la Capitals illumine, en déplus belle pre/trvatioH.—fur le dernier futile efi cette remarque. " Joban Anquetin, " Bailif, aprejent Count de Harcourt, fait " devifé et ecrire cette Romaunt de La Rofe, " par Jtban Selles, Clerc."—Accomplir en l'Anm de Incarnation, 1409—Price il. 1 is. 6d. Hort. Very curious indeed,—and the price (hews its eftimation. Eupb. Another Edition of the fame work printed • — 1541 Another, at Amfterdam,

1735

Sopb. I have heard much of the Romance of the Rofe, and I with to kbow more particulars of it. Hort. Eupbrafia fmiles, I fancy fhe could give us fome. Eupb. I believe I can but it will interrupt our progrefs ; when I have finilhed my lift, I will tell you all that I know of it. Sopb.

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Soph. You cannot oblige us more. Eupb. I find myfelf obliged to mention many of thefe works, which were of early invention; according to the date of their tr¿inflation —as, Romaunt de la Cbtvalieres d* Gloire,—Parity 1611.—The Caftell of Love, a Spaniih Romance.—Tranflated intoEngliih by John Bourchier (Lord Berners)-, who alfo tranilated many other Romances from the French, Spaniih, and Italian, particularly, The Hiftory of the noble and valyant Knight, Sir Arthur of Lytell Britain, (Armorica).— The famous exploits of Sir Hugh of Bourdeaux.—This nobleman died in the year 1532. Soph. A proof that Romances were early known here:—but you feem to have finillied your lift. Eupb. I underftand you, and will now fulfil my promife.—The Romance of the Rofe, is, properly lpeaking, a courfe of Love-philofophy,—it was begun by William de Lcrris, who undertook it to pleafe a Lady with whom he was enamour'd,—he died in 1260, leaving it unfiniihed.—Forty years after; one Job» de Mtun

48

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Meun, who was alio called It Clofinell, wrote a continuation of it; he was a Dominican, and a Do&or of Divinity. Sofb. H e was not like the Greek Biihop, ordered to burn his work ? Eupb. Times and manners were changed j Priefts wrote Romances, and Princes read them.—This John de Meun dedicated another Romance of his, to King Philip le Bel, in which he mentions his former work, as a recommendation of his new one. " I John de Meun, who formerly upon jea" loufy, putting Belacoil into prifon, taught " how to take the Caftell, and gather the Rofe, & c . " — M a n y of the French writers extol this Romance very highly, and prefer it to all the works of the Italian Poets; but it is cuftomary with them, to depreciate the writers of other countries, and to magnify their own. A s another proof of the affinity of metrical and profe Romances, this famous one was tranllated into Profe, in the year 1480, by Johan de Moulinet, who is faidto have enriched it with many Allegories of his own

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own invention. It atterwards underwent feveral further alterations, from the different hands it parted through; but ftill the ground work was the fame, and it ftill preferved its eftimation. Hort. Pray was it ever tranilated into Engliih?

Eupb. It was begun by Chaucer, but left unfinilhed at his death. I can give you a fpecimen of this work, if you wiih to hear it. Soph. By all means:—Let us hear it ?

Extraä from

CHAUCER.

Menne faine that in fwevenings+, There nis but fables and lefing*, But menne may know, fome fwevens fent, And afterwards been appaurent; This I (hall draw unto w a m u n t . Within my twenty year of age When that love taketh his courage Of youngc folke, I wente foone T o bedde as I was wonte to doone, And faß I fiepte, and in fleeping Me raette with f u j h a fwevening, T h a t l i k e d me wondrous wele, And in this fweven is never adele, t Dreinu.

VOL.

I.

E

That

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That it nit afterward» befal. Like as this dieme will tell as all. Now this dreme will I Hume aright T o make your herts both gay and light, For Love he praieth, aad alfo Commaundcth me that it be Co. Now if there be any aike of me Whether it be he or (he. How this bode that I read yon here Shall hight? that I will now declare. It is T H E ROMAUNT OF T H E ROSE, In which all the art of Lore I clofe. The matter fair is of to make, God grannt me in grei that (he it take For whom that in begonnen is. And tlpt is (he that hath I wis Such mokell prifc, and thereto (he So worthy is beloved to be, That (he well ought of prife and right, Be 'ckped Rofe of every wight.

Eupb. I reckon that by this time, I have tired you fufEciently* Sopb. Not me I am furc, you have fatisfied my curiofity. Hort. Nor me.—I find this account both curious and entertaining, and we are obliged for the communication. Eupb.

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Eupb. I hope by this time Hortenfius is convinced, that Romances, have been written, both in profe and verfe; and further that a Romance, is nothing but an Epic in profe. Hort. I give up the point,—but I refervc the liberty of making the proper diftinttion between the daflic Poets, and Romance writers. Eupb. W e will fpcak further on that head hereafter,—at prefent, I have ftill a more arduous undertaking to fupport, namely, that theie writings were by no means fo contemptible, as they have been reprefented by later writers:—by thofe who never faw them, nor knew any particulars of them •, but have condemned them indiscriminately, through blind prejudice; or what is worfe, total ignorance of them. Hort. I take ihame to myfclf, and ihall remain filent on this head. Eupb. In early times, in the dawning of literature, thefe fubjefls exercifed the pens of the ingenious—they were the favourite ftudie» of the young nobility and gentry of thofe E a tiuiej

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times, and their manners were, in a great meafure formed upon the models of thofe adventurers, whofe exploits they continually heard recited. T h e cffefts they produced were indeed of fo mixed a nature, that it is difficult to feparate the good from the bad. Religion and virtue, were fo blended with fanaticifm and abfurdity, that the luftre of the former principles, concealed the blemiihes of the latter.—At this diftance of time we need not be afraid to give our judgment of them, neither ought we to be aihamed to do juftice to works of Genius, by whatever name they are called» Hert. Certainly.—I fliall pay them due refpeft for your fake. Eupb. Not fo, Hsrtevfius, I will not accept fuch refpett for them.—You ihall pay it for the fake of thofe illuftrious men, who imbibed their enthufiafm, and carried it into practice. Thefe were the books that caufed fuch a fpirit of Chivalry in the youth of much later times, particularly in Spain; fuch as raifed up

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up a Cervantes to attack them; and you will find a curious lift of them, in the fixth chapter of the firft book of D o n Quixote, in the converfation between the Prieft anH fhe Barber; in which the Author condemns mod of them to the flames. Hort. Is it poifible to reipeft that incomparable work, and yet refpeft the books it condemns and ridicule?? Eupb. Y e s it i s ; though it may feem at firft view a p a r a d o x . — T h i s infatuation was was fo general, that the brighteft geni ufes, and the wifeft men were not exempt from it. — O u r Poetry owes more to it, than you imagine; it was calculated to elevate and warm a poetic imagination, of this I lhall bring proofs. Cbaucer, and all our old writers, abound with it,—Spencer owes perhaps his immortality to it, it is the Gothic imagery, that gives the principal graces to his work, and without them we ihould foon grow tired of his A l l e gories,—but we have a yet ftronger inftance in our divine Milton, whole mind was fo deeply impreflfcd bjT them, and his imagination fo E j

warmed

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Warmed, that he frequently recurs to them» of which I (hall only give you a few fpecimers. Fairer than feigfted of old, or fabled fidoe Of Fairy damfels met in foreft wide By knights of Logrcs, or of Lyon«, Lancelot, or Ptlleat,or Pellenort. PA«, KEG. b. 2,

And again in the following book. When Agrican with all his northern powers Beiieged Atbracca, as Romances tell, The city of GaHiphrone;-—from thcncetowin The faireft of her fex Angelica Hit daughter; fought by many proweft knighti, Both Paynim, and the peer» of Charltmagne.

There are continual allufions of this kind, fprinkled through all his works; but thefe may ferve as proofs of what I have advanced. Hort. You find means to authenticate what ever you advance. Soph. Give me leave to furniih you with another paffage, from memory, it is in the Penferofo. Or call up him that left half told T i e ftory of Cambufcan bold. Of Camball, and of Algarfije, And who who had Canacc to wife, That

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$$

That own'd the virtuous ring and glafs ; — And of the wondrous horfe of brafi On which the Tartar king did ride:— And if ought elic great bards befidfc In fage and foletan tuba hire fu&g Of tvroeyi tod of trophic» hoag, Of forefb and enrhantmrnts drear Where more is meant than meets the ear.

Eupb. I am much obliged to you, this paffage helps to illuftrate our fubjeft.—I will only juft obferve that the ftory of Canace is iiniihed by Spencer in the Fairy Queen, Book 4th, where he begins the ftory with a fine Apoftrophe to Chaucer's memory. Hort. There is a kind of enthufiafm, that is infpired by thefe Poets, which feizes the head, and engages the heart* in their favour. — I have heard it obferved that Spencer has made more poets than any other writer of our country. Sopb. I know one inftance of it myfelf, in & lady, who never before dreamed of writing Poetry, ihe was not young at the time when ihe firft tnet with Spencer-t end reading fome of the fineft Cantos in it, the impreflion was E 4 So

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fo ftrong, that flic could not fleep all the night after, and before the morning, fhe compofed a very pretty piece of Poetry in honour of Spencer.—and from that time forward, (he continued to write whenever a fubjeil fell in her way, and all her writings are above mediocrity. Eupb. I can confirm this truth, and that fhe wrote verles when Ihe was turned of feventy years of age. Hort. My dear Ladies, you are enough to frighten one, I ihall be afraid to take up one of thefe books, left it ihould work fuch a miracle upon me.:—but are we not wandering from our fubjeft ? Sopb. I beg your pardon, it is I that have led you aftrav. Eupb. Not fo far as Hortenftus feems to think, for Spencer's poem may be called of the Romance kind.—He will allow that there muft have been fomething engaging and fafcinating in thofe books that captivated the hearts of men, who were in other refpetts of found minds and regular conduft:—for ought we

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we to think that all who read and admired thofe books were fools or madmen ? Hort. According to your account, we muft reckon all the moil accompliihed men of thofe times in the number if we do. Eufb. In the days of Gothic ignorance, thefe Romances might perhaps, be read by many young perfons as true Hiftories, and might therefore more eafily affeft their manners.—As in die Heathen Mythology, the example of a mortal exalted into a demi-god, was an incitement to the imitation of actions fo glorioufly rewarded;—fo the examples of the Heroes of Romance and Epic poetry, might have excited the youth of thofe times, to copy exploits univerfally rewarded bypraife and admiration. Hort. It is neither incredible, nor improbable that they might do foj and you have well explained the Paradox, I took notice of. Euph. This infatuation fpread through France, Italy, Germany, and England; but more remarkably in Spain, where the young nobility were fo deeply infefted by it, that it called

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tailed forth the pen of a Cervantes-,who by ridiculing Romance and Knight Errantry in his Don Quixote, in fome degree checked this frenzy: but the effeft of his ridicule was not fo univerfal as is generally believed. Hbrt. Are you going to maintain another Paradox ? Eufb. Not at all—I am only fpeaking a well known truth, and I ihall only appeal to Dr. Percy.—" The Satire of Cervantes, or, ** rather the increafe of knowledge and *' literature, drove thefe books off thellage." Hort. Now you are coming upon us, with your extra&s again. Eufb. Not fo.—I ihall endeavour for once to ftand my ground alone.—The paifion for thefe books was in fome degree checked} but it was not eradicated.—There is good reafon to believe, that even Cervantes himfelf, was not cured of it. Hart. Nay, if you animadvert upon Cervantes, I know not what to fay:—but I ihall

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Eupb. Your apology is generous and liberal, and you have given us, probably, the true reafon.—I join with you, in admiring and deploring the fate of that incomparable man, and in him, of negletted Genius.—I am now going, as you will think, to maintain another Paradox; to affirm that the paflion for the Old Romance, ftill exifts in fome countries: —particularly, in Spain and Italy. Hort. How will you bring proofs of this point? Eupb. By appealing to the veracity of our friend Horatio, whom you knew a man to be believed. Horatio refided twenty years in Italy, and was a clofe obferver of the manners of the place where he refided.—He told me that in the city of Naples, (and many other places) there are a fct of people who earn their bread by reciting old ftories, that they are furrounded by a fet of auditors who give them fmall money.—They put one in mind of the old bards, except that they recite fometimes in profe, as well as in verfe,— they recite in a kind of tone between fpeaking

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ing and finging, fomething like the Opera recitative,—they are frequently fent for to attend the fick, whom they lull to fleep by their chantings,—fometimes they recite from their invention, but oftener from their memory,— fometimes ftanzas of Ariojio and Tajfo j— fometimes from the old Romances;—at others the legendary ftories of the faints of the Romiih church, but they are much followed, and moft people are pleafed with their recitals, and they are very popular. Soph. I have heard that there arc ftill itinerant bards in Italy and Spain. Eupb. You are not mifinformed. Horatio has heard two of them contend in alternate verfe, and with all the warmth and enthufiafm of the ancient Poets.—Neither the fpirit of Poetry or Romance, is totally extinft, in many parts of Italy and Spain. Hort. Whenever I think to catch you tripping, you glide away from me, and in your place I find another perfon, whom I am to contend with. Eupb, I only fortify my opinions, by others more refpeftablc. Hort.

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Hort. You fight flying like a Parthian, but I will confefs freely that you have given me a much higher opinion of thefe old Romances, and of thofe who read them. But what then are thofc of which I had formed fo contemptible an opinion ? Eupb. Ah Hortenftus!—have

I not caught

you tripping ?—Have you fuffered yourfelf to form a contemptible opinion of books you never knew, nor enquired after? Hort. If I have taken up an opinion upon truft, it was from the character that has been given me of thofe books, by perfons of acknowledged abilities and judgment. Eupb. Then do not part with it till you fee good reafon for it, perhaps your friends may have given you a true reprefentation: there are many paltry Romances, and but few capital ones.—But I fliall come nearer to you at our next meeting, when I am to fpeak of yet a third clafs, which I Jhall call modern Romances, and indeed they are fo comparatively; I mean thofe of the fixteenth and ffeventcenth Centuries, we will now take our leave of the OLD Romances. Hort.

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Iiort. Thus far you have gone forward fuccefsfully, and I am much obliged for your communications. Eupb. And I to you for your patience, which I fhall put to further trial. Sapb. Pray baniih that Idea, left it ihould lead you to fupprefs or abridge any thing.— Next Thurfday we meet at my houfe. Hort. I ihall attend you with increafed fatisfa&ion. Eupb. Good night to my kind and partial friends.

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E

V

E

N

I

N

Hortenftus, Sopbrcnia,

G

i

Euphrafia.

Eupb. \ \ T e are now to procced to the V V modern Romances, which have been fo often miltaken for the old ones. — after thefe had been exploded in a great meai'ure, the tafte for them was revived in France, by Calprenede,—D'Ur/e,—the Scudery's, and many others j who wrote new Romances upon a different plan : which in fome kinds of refinement were fuperior to the old ones, but in the greater merits fell very ihort of them. They were written with more regularity, and brought nearer to probability; but on the other hand by taking for their foundation fome obfeure parts of true hiftory, and building

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ing fi&itious ftoriesupon them, truth and fiction were fo blended together, that a common reader could not diftinguilh them, young people elpecially imbibed iuch abfurd ideas of hiftorical fads and perfons, as were very difficult to be rettified.—Why does Sopbronia fmile at my remark ? Sopb. Becaufe it reminds me of a circumftance, that confirms the truth of your obfervation.—A fitter of mine was upon a vifit in the country.—She flept with a lady who was a vifitor at the fame houfe.—The room was hung with fine old Tapeftry, reprefenting the hiftory of Alexander the Great.—The ftranger lady aiked the ftory, and my fitter pointed out the tent of Darius as the capital piece.—Pray faid the ftranger, which of chofe ladies is CafJandra ?—my fitter was furprized arid at a lofs for an anfwer.—I don't know faid Ihe, that any perfon of that name is there.—Oh, faid the lady, I mean Statira -, ihe is fometimes called by that name, and fometimes by the other.—My fitter was con founded to difcover how ignorant Ihe was of Statira's hiftory, and VOL. 1. F faid

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faid no more.—At her return home Ihe told me of this incident, I was at no lofs to underftand it.—I told her that Statira many Centuries after her death, had been revived by a certain Frcnch writer, and made the fubj e d of a long Romance, under the name of Cajfandra. Eupb. Your ftory illuftrates myobfervation, and proves the impropriety of putting thefe books into the hands of young people, though in other refpetts they are a very harmlefs kind of reading. Sopb. 1 have heard that thefe books produced a particular kind of affe&ation in fpeaking and writing, which is ftill called the Romantic. Eupb. That is very probable,—but as fafliion has too great a ihare in regulating the language of the times, that could not lail very.long. Soph. I beg your pardon.—Falhion did not then change fo often as now. Eupb. I believe there has always been nearly the fame proportion of faihionable folly in civilized countries the only difference

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ence is, that within the prefent Century it has made a much quicker rotation.

T o trace the

caufes o f this would lead us too far from our prefent fubjeft.-—When people talk in an affctted manner, and ftill more when they utter improbabilities, it may without impropriety be called Romantic, at any time. Hort. Y o u , ladies, may fettle this point at any other t i m e . — I beg you, M a d a m , to proceed to your modern Romances. Eupb.

T h e ancient and modern Romancc,

had each their peculiar ton, their affetlation, their abjurdities:—at

the fame time it muft

be confefled by thofe who defpife them, that the enthufiafm they infpired was that of virtue and honour. Soph. T h a t is indifputable.—I have read many o f thefe you are now fpeaking of, and I can bear my teftimony that they inculcated no principles contrary to any of the moral or focial virtues. Eupb.

Y o u fay t r u e . — I f it taught young

women to deport themfelves too much like Queens and Princeffes, it taught them at the F 2

fame

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fame time that virtue only could give luftrcto every rank and degree.—It taught the young men to look upon themfelves as the champions and proteftors of the weaker fex;—to treat tke objeft of their pafiion with the utmoft r e l p e f t j — t o avoid al) improper familiarities, and, in ihort, to expert from her the reward of their virtue». Hort. Upon my word, ladies, you have laid more in behalf of thefe books, than you have againft them; and with every appearance of reafon. Eupb. I am glad you think fo, and begin to hope we (hall agree in opinion ftill better, as we advance farther. Such as I have defcribed them, are the French R o m a n c e s . — T h e Ajirea of

D'UrJe,—

Cyrus and Clel'ta by Mejdemoijelles Snidery, —CaJJandra and Cleopatra by

Calprenede,—

Aria»ey—Aimabide,—Polexander,

—Ibrahim y

—Franciort,—and

many others of the fame

kind.—Thefe were the books that pleafcd our grandmothers, whofe patience in wading thro' fuch tremendous volumes, may rajfe our furprize:

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prize: for to us they appear dull,—heavy,— and uninterefting. Sopb. You remind me of what my good Aunts have often told me, that they, my Mother, and a feleft party of relations and friends, ufed to meet once a week at each others houfes, to hear thcfe ftoriesone ufed to read, while the reft ply'd their needles. Hort. Such an aflembly would excite a fmile in the ladies of this enlightened age, who know how to employ their time lb much better. Sopb. Spare your reflexions Hortenfms.— I prefume to think thcfe meetings were quite as innocent, though perhaps in foine refpe