538 BELLES-LETTRES 



one stops to consider the matter, one is surprised to see that a fine 

 literary work has very seldom made history, as is sometimes said, 

 except indirectly, and not at the period of its composition. Litera- 

 ture may reflect history, echo it, explain it; it may be the mirror 

 of prevailing sentiment, the sounding-board of contemporary ideas, 

 the key of extant emotion; but it is not the foundation of the feelings 

 it exhibits. Is it, then, without influence on history? Certainly not. 

 If it does not move the present, it establishes it, to move the future. 

 Thus, itself the outgrowth of conditions that were effected by pre- 

 vious Avriting, it becomes a force for new conditions destined to 

 develop another product, and start it again on a career of influence. 

 While history gradually unfolds itself, literature unifies its evolution. 

 Literature is a mighty power to conserve and perfect a nation's 

 experience. It contributes solidarity to public sentiments and ideals. 

 It procreates patriotism. Through it a people takes cognizance of 

 itself. 



Consider, for example, the influence of a notable history of the 

 fourteenth century, a biography that falls within our domain 

 because the author, we perceive, was not scrupulous to convey 

 fact so much as his peculiar sense of fact: I refer to Barbour's Bruce. 

 John Barbour in writing his story of Bruce had clearly before him 

 the lives of the illustrious "Xine Worthies" of the world. He knew 

 in full the romantic tales of Julius Caesar, Hector, and Alexander, 

 of Joshua, David, and Judas Maccaboeus, of Charlemagne. Arthur, 

 and Godefroy de Bouillon; and he deliberately distorted history to 

 fashion for his hero a career that would make him a suitable associate 

 of these ancient warriors. He represented Bruce as constantly 

 mindful of their exploits, as prompted, encouraged, and kept from 

 mistake by their example, as delivering addresses and exhortations 

 t o his troops in their manner, as displaying principles of honor, 

 courtesy, heroic courage, and perseverance in their similitude. He 

 made him the exponent of all the finest qualities of character that 

 his prototypes had displayed. In the tales of the Nine Worthies. - 

 imaginative history for the most part, almost entirely fable. men 

 of all stations in the Middle Ages found examples of virtue which 

 'lefermined their actual conduct in daily life; arid the influence of 

 these medieval narratives is not dead yet. Barbour took advantage 

 of the emotions of his time to ennoble the standards of his country- 

 men. Magnifying their experience by bringing it into the light of 

 celebrated comparison, he perpetuated as ideals of the Scottish nation 

 those principles of conduct that many generations of literary men 

 had agreed upon as the most worthy of applause. 



Somewhat similar is the way in which the fame of William Wallace 

 was established by the minstrel Blind Harry, or by whoever it was 

 that wrote the poem in which he is eloquently exalted. And the 



