ON 



THE RISE AND PROGRESS 



LITERATURE. 



PART II. 



ABOUT four hundred and fifty years, from the 

 middle of the sixth century after Christ to the 

 commencement of the eleventh, may be marked 

 out as the period intervening between ancient , 

 and modern literature. At the first of these j 

 epochs, classical genius was already extinct ; j 

 and purity of expression, in the classical tongues, 

 was rapidly yielding to provincial corruptions j 

 and the influx of new elements of speech. At 

 the second epoch, man; causes conspired to 

 work a great change on the face and fabric of | 

 society, and on the manifestations of human in- 

 tellect. The ages that li between, though con- 

 nected by some evident links with those which 

 follow them, have likewise some strong features 

 peculiar to themselves. Throughout their course, 

 the treasures of Greek and Latin composition, 

 exposed to constant danger of perishing, and 

 impaired by much actual loss, exerted no quick- 

 ening influence even upon the minds of those 

 who still used the tongues to which they belong. 

 Indeed, although the ki jwledge of these rich 

 remains was, in lapse of ,ime, revived with pro- 

 digious effect, yet in the classic dialects them- 

 selves, no valuable addition was ever again 

 made to the stores of polite learning. The 

 history of Greek letters becomes now mixed up 

 with that of the ByzantineTower ; and the fate 

 of both was the same. N >ither fell at once by a 

 sudden stroke : but there was a gradual decline 

 of mental as of political .strength. In vain, at 

 one period, did the as jiring Bardas,* whose 

 encouragement of intelle< tual merit made some 

 atonement for his ambition and his crimes, call 

 to his aid the industry of Fhotius and the philo- 

 sophy of Leo, in an' attempt to reproduce the 

 spirit of former days. Science, by these endea- 

 vours, was partially restored ; but there was no 



corresponding restoration of literary vigour 

 or elegance. In vain, under the sway of the 

 Comnenian family, f did the erudition of Psellus 

 and Eustathius, the female enthusiasm of princess 

 Anna, essay to fan, upon the altar of the muses, 

 an expiring flame. Occasional, desultory efforts 

 could not stay the death of arts and empire in 

 the east of Europe. In each the vital principle 

 had disappeared long before the sword of the 

 Turkish conqueror inflicted a final blow. 



Latin literature experienced a destiny not less 

 deplorable. When province after province of 

 the Roman dominions was overrun by the 

 northern hordes ; when the imperial schools were 

 suppressed ; when the monuments of ancient 

 genius were eagerly destroyed ; minds already 

 enfeebled, and a language already debased, 

 could not be expected to contend successfully 

 against so many adverse circumstances. Aban- 

 doned, for the most part, to those of the priestly 

 profession, Latin composition was thenceforth 

 no longer cultivated in a refined and liberal 

 spirit. During the seventh and eighth centuries 

 it degenerated into the rudeness of the monkish 

 style, full of barbarous words and grammatical 

 errors. It is true, that in the ninth century the 

 care bestowed by Charlemagne upon the details 

 of education produced some purifying effect 

 upon the writings of the cloister ; that the tenth 

 century was distinguished by increased zeal in 

 the task of transcribing the classical authors, 

 which was not unattended by good results ; ami 

 that, in the eleventh, the Latin works of tho 

 Normans display traces, if not of high polish, at 

 least of masculine force and freedom. But 

 neither then, nor at any subsequent date, did 

 there appear a specimen of prose or poetry, in 

 the Roman tongue, eminent enough to be noticed 



* Assassinated A. D. 866. 

 d 



t A.D. 10571180. 



