^4 



fucceeding compofitions in the new tongue were called Romance, a name by 

 •which thofe of a particular call are (till diftinguiflied. In this ftate flood 

 xhc language with little improvement, till the eleventh century opened 

 at the Court of Conftance,* a frefh theatre for the difplay of genius, 

 when thefe Troubadours new (Irung their lyres to notes .of gallantry and 

 valorous deeds, rehearCng, as the poet fays, 



-" High-wrought (lories 



■" Of ladies' charms, and heroes' glories." 



The Popes too, whofe court was become highly poliftied and fplendid, 

 had made Avignon their refidence, where the holy fee confecrated thefc 

 paflimes, well knowing its throne was of this world. And indeed fuch 

 influence had thefe fports, that artfully caufing the women to become a party 

 in them, combined all the graces of mirthful mufic and novel poetry, 

 on the ages immediately following, that it was faid, Charlemagne, in the 

 divifion of his dominions, had affigned Provence as a property to the 

 merry poets and men of the court, Homini de corte. At this pcriodf too, 

 the Arabians had confiderably fpread themfelves in Europe, and fo ac- 

 knowledged was their language, that over the King's chapel at Palermo, 

 we have an infcription in Latin, Greek, and Arabic, fetting forth, that 

 in the year 1142, a Time-piece had been made by the order of Roger. J 



Though 



* Surnamed Blanche, daughter to William Compte of Provence, on occafion of her 

 ■nuptials with Robert King of France, in the year looi. 



f The author has never feen Mrs. Dobfon's hiflory of the Troubadours, nor can he 

 now procure it. He may therefore be found to differ from that lady, writing from memory 

 of what he may formerly have read in other authors ; a memory not always correifl, and 

 fometimes unconnefted. It is fo many years fince he read the Biihops of Avranche and 

 Worcefter, on the fubjeift of romance, that he is at a lofs to fay whether he may not be 

 indebted to one or both of .thpfe diftin^uilhed authprities for fome of the obfervations he 

 has made. And the celebrated hiftory of the Troubadours by Noftradamus, it is not af 

 this time in his power to command. 



X Hence it feems, that not only the language and poetry of the Arabians had univer&lly 

 influenced the verfe of Europe, but we ftand indebted to tliefe ingenious people for our 



knowledge 



