Y, 
522° 
some equally able antiquarian, would 
draw out the family trees of these two 
at roots. Such a pedigree would 
greatly elucidate the history of romance. 
In the course of the fourteenth and 
fifteenth centuries, the metrical French 
romances were turned into prose. This 
would probably take place upon the in- 
troduction of printing: when it was no 
longer necessary to commit them to me- 
mory, the technical aid of rhyme was 
neglected. Mr. Ritson is inclined to be- 
lieve the assertion of D’Herberay and 
Tressan, that what he calls the “ fur- 
famed and exquisite story of Amadis de 
Gaul,” was originally written in the 
Picardlanguage. This question has now 
been decided. ‘There is no doubt what- 
ever, that Vasco Lobeira was the author, 
though that a Picard translation, ante- 
rior to the Spanish version, may have 
existéd, is by no means improbable. 
Romance did not appear in Italy be- 
fore the time of Dante and Boccacio; it 
arrived still later in Spain. 
The second section is concerning the 
Saxon and English language. 
No satisfactory information can be ob. 
tained respecting the original alphabet 
of the Saxons. That the Britons had 
writings is certain; and itis perhaps to 
be regretted, that the bardic characters 
were not used in the Archaiology, and 
in Mr. Owen’s Dictionary. Saint Patrick 
is said, by Nennius, to have written three 
hundred and sixty-five alphabets, “ one 
for every day in the year, and upward ; 
in order, it is presumed, to teach the 
Irish to read.” Mr. Ritson has no mer- 
cy upon the Saxons, if we are to believe 
his character of our Gothic forefathers, 
and Mr. Pinkerton’s of our Celtic; a 
true-born Englishman must be a miser- 
able mongrel indeed. 
«© Though these treacherous strangers are 
not known to have brought over with them 
books or letters, or, in short, any kind of li- 
terary stock, while they continue’d pagans, 
they were unquestionably a brave and war- 
Jike nation, but upon their conyersicn to 
christianity, their kings became monks, the 
people cowards and slaves, unable to defend 
themselves, and a prey to every invadeér. 
The same effects had, not long before, been 
allready produce’d upon the Romans, as they 
have, in modern times, upon the Mohawks, 
who, in consequence of a certain change, 
hate lost all that was valuable in their national 
character, and are become the most despica- 
ble tribe that is left unexterminateéd. It wil 
be in vain to expect any proofs of genius from 
POETRY. 
such a savage and degradeéd people, sf, a» - 
Warton pretends, ‘ the tales of the Scandina- — 
vian sealds,’ flourish’d among the Saxons, 
who succeeded to the Britons, and became — 
possess'd of Engleand in the sixth century, it, 
may be justly presume'd, they had been soon 
lost, as neither vestige, nor notice, is presery- 
e'd of them in any ancient writeér. Th 
had a sort of poetry, indeed, a kind of bom- 
bast, or insane, prose, from which it is very 
difficult to be distinguish’d. Alfred, it must 
be confess"d, a great prince, but a wretched 
bigot, upon the testimony of his chaplain, or 
confessour, who wrote his life, though he 
allows him to have remain‘d illiterate, through 
the unworthy neglect, for shame! of his pa- 
rents and nurseés, until twelve years of age 
or upward ; says that the Saxcn poems, be- 
ing by day and night an attentive anditor, 
very often hearing from therelation of others, 
being docile, he retain’d by heart.’ Ile bad 
even form'’d a manuel, or common-place- 
book, call'd, in Saxon, his hondbec, in which 
were several pieceés of poetry by St. Aldhelm, 
who (dye'd in 709, and) successfully cultivat-’ 
ecd that study, and particularlya song he had 
made, which in the time of Asser was stil 
sung by the vulgar.” : 
It is evident, that in the days of Bede 
the Saxons possessed at least as much 
literature as any nation then existing, ex- 
cept the Greeks. The singular fancy 
of their kings for the Greek language, is 
not noticed by Mr. Ritson. Whatever 
relates to theliterary history of this period, 
will doubtless be collected by the indefa- 
tigable historian of the Anglo-Saxons. 
Edward the Confessor, who never did 
but one good thing, and that in conse- 
quence of seeing the devil in the trea- 
sury, began to introduce Norman cus- 
toms, romance language, and Norman 
characters. 
«« The Saxon natives, a spiritless and cow- 
ardly race, who had been long accustom’d to 
the conquest and ascendency of every neigh- 
bouring nation which hoage: proper to in- 
vade them, as the Scots, for mstance, the - 
Picts, and the Danes, the last of which had 
actually taken possession of the crown and 
kingdom of Engleand, and held it for several © 
reiens, were, afier the Norman conquest, re= 
duce’d to a,state of baseness and servility. 
They had been deprive’d of their native land-. | 
lords, who were forfeited, banish’d, and put 
to death; and their estates confiscateéd, by. 
the rapacious Normans; they had been de- 
prive’d of their laws, and a final attempt was. - 
now made to abolish their language. This, . 
however, though great pains were takeén to. 
enforce it, did not entirely succeed, oweing, 
chiefly, it may be, to the stupidity of the ~ 
Saxon peasants.*"* . t's, oe 
It would have been well if Mr. Rit-.” 
« * Tt would, no doubt, have been 2 glorious matter for a conquer'd and enslaye’d people - 
