300 ON THE MIDDLE OR DARK AGES. 



united and overflowing flood; the deliriums of chivalry, of romance, and 

 crusading-; the introduction of duels and ordeals ; of monkery and the inqui- 

 sition; the separation of the eastern from the western church; and the first 

 gleams of the Reformation, under the fearless and inflexible Wyckliff'. And, 

 in our own country, the descent of Hengist on the Isle of Thanet ; the esta- 

 blishment of the Saxon octarchy ; the general sovereignty of Egbert ; the 

 glorious and golden reign of Alfred ; the conquest of the Norman invader ; 

 the oloody feuds of the houses of York and Lancaster; and their termination, 

 on the union of the two families, after the memorable battle of Bosworth. 



This will lead us to the fair epoch of the revival of letters under the pa- 

 tronage of Leo X., and the still more commanding influence of the Reforma- 

 tion ; a period, however, upon which it will be impossible for us to touch in 

 the course of the present inquiry, though I shall still bear it in memory, and 

 request your attention to it on a subsequent opportunity. 



The literary taste and pursuits of Rome continued nearly the same under 

 her emperors as during her republican form of government. Athens was 

 still the alma mater of the higher ranks of her youth ; and, as she increased 

 in opulence and in luxury, she resigned herself more fully to those Grecian 

 blandishments which were despised under the commonwealth. 



On the death of Constantius, which took place in our own city of York, 

 in the year of our Lord 306, for even Britain had at this time bowed down, 

 through a large extent of her territory, before the mistress of the world; 

 Constantine, his favourite son, was, agreeably to his father's will, proclaimed 

 emperor in his stead. Galerius, however, who was co-emperor with Con- 

 stantius, opposed this regulation, and endeavoured to secure the whole of the 

 empire to himself; while various other chieftains taking advantage of the 

 public confusion, not less than four competitors assumed the imperial purple 

 at the same time. It was the good fortune of Constantine to triumph over 

 all his rivals ; and having at length securely seated himself on a throne whose 

 dominion extended over almost the whole of Europe, and a considerable part 

 of Asia and Africa, he resolved upon building a new imperial city, more im- 

 mediately in the centre of his dominions ; and for this purpose chose the spot 

 of the ancient Byzantium, than which the whole globe could not offer a more 

 auspicious situation, whether in regard to climate, commercial intercourse, 

 or defence. The walls of Byzantium rose on the Thracian coast of the 

 Propontis, or modern Sea of Marmora ; secured by the key of the Thracian 

 Bosphorus on the left, which gave an entrance to the Euxine, and the whole 

 interior of the north ; and by the key of the Hellespont, or Dardanelles, as it 

 is now called, on the right, directly opening into the Archipelago, and com- 

 municating with every other part of the world ; the whole of civilized Europe 

 lying immediately behind, and Asia and Africa immediately in front; sur- 

 irounded by all those scenes which had been richest in harvests of Grecian 

 glory, and had chiefly contributed to immortalize the Grecian name. The 

 language was Greek, the country was Greek, and the customs and manners 

 still possessed that mildness and suavity which so peculiarly characterized 

 this polished people ; and which, in no inconsiderable degree, have descended 

 to the present hour. The city thus erected the Roman emperor called, after 

 his own name, Constantinople ; he removed the court to it from the old me- 

 tropolis, and by the enormous sums he expended upon it, and the encourage- 

 ment and patronage he lavished upon settlers of every kind, and especially 

 upon men of letters and artists, he beheld it, in a few years, rivalling the 

 magnificence, and even the extent of Rome itself. He endowed it with the 

 same rights, immunities, and privileges ; and established an equal senate, 

 equal magistracies, and other authorities, and declared it to be the metropolis 

 of the East, as Rome was that of the West. Constantinople is also worthy 

 of attention on another account, as being the first city in the world that was 

 dedicated by the authority of the government to the service of the Christian 

 religion. 



The fact of Constantine's conversion is too important, and the means by 

 wnich it was accomplished too singular, to be passed by on the present occa- 



