69 



in which the rhime is plainly vifiblc. And this, furely, while it proves 

 the wide univerfality of rhime, will take precedence of the Runic ode, 

 unlefs the Ranfom of Elgdl fhall be " anterior" to the age of Cara- 

 calla. 



The fortunes of Spain took a turn very diiFcrent from thofe of Italy 

 and France ; for, notwithftanding the arms of Rome had fpread the 

 Latin language over this province, it was received there with great 

 reluftance, and entirely rejefted by the lower people, who adhered to 

 their primitive tongue and ancient poetry. The Cantabrians or Bif- 

 cayans had made a long and glorious flruggle for their liberty : and if 

 it required the Roman legions, with Auguftus at their head, to fubdue 

 their arms, what human ftrength could fubdue their language? Accordingly 

 we find the old Bafque or Celtic to prevail at the prefent day, rude 

 as the mountains that guard it, and facred for the antiquity of its 

 poetry. The Phoenicians indeed being the firll: that civilized Spain, their 

 language became general, and all orders adopted the oriental poetry. But 

 while the Roman yoke was reluftantly borne, their predilection for the old 

 rhimes of the country, rendered the Latin flill more intolerable : infomuch, 

 that no fooner had the weftern empire declined, and the Vifigoths poffeffed the 

 kingdom, than we find the Latin defpifed and ncglefted by this impatient peo- 

 ple ; for though neceffity obliged them to retain many Latin words, they yet 

 returned to their old tongue, which in faft they had never wholly quitted. 

 And in the year 570, when the Romans were totally expelled, the political 

 Leuvigiidus lofes not a moment to reduce the influence of the Roman 

 poetry, by reinftating the Afiatic and African in all their original forms. 



The people of Spain were naturally grave and folemn ; and the Ro- 

 mans being now expelled, leifure and contemplation gave every man, 

 who was not engaged in arms, an opportunity of cultivating the mufes, 

 in whofe harmony they foon excelled : and, in lefs than two centuries 

 and an half, the fettlement of the Moors in this country, inftead of 

 deftroying the national verfe, rather improved it in thofe forms and 

 graces that are the true ornaments of poetry. What Leuvigiidus and 



his 



