506 
the Twelve Peers of France, that bore the 
name of Alcuin, and was called a hiftory, 
appears alfo to have been in the hands of 
the vulgar, But there was yet another 
book on the fame fubjeét with that laft- 
mentioned, a book which is conftantly re- 
ferred to by Puici, and, in imttation of 
him, ‘by Boyardo and Ariofte, and all 
their tribe of followers ; a book in isfelf 
“© Mendaciorum monftris refertiffimus,’ ac- 
cording to Janus Doula, but whitch is in- 
volved in fucha cloud of fable and obfeu- 
rity, that it has been made a fubjeé of | 
doubt whether fuch a book ever really ex- 
ified otherwife than in the brains of thofe 
celebrated poets, Neverthelefs, its reality 
3s proved by Tritemio, who quotes it m 
his Hiftory of Ecclefiaftical Writers. 
Tritemio wrote atthe end of the 45th 
century, and, being the earliet writer 
who makes mention of it, it may reafon- 
ably be concluded that it was not of much 
earlier date than that, though it claims 
Turpin,* the archbifhop of Rheitgs in 
the days- of Charlemagne, for its au- 
thor. 
Turpin, however, was as imaginary 
an hiftorian as Johannes Abgillus, the 
king and prieft of the Frifians, who is 
likewife faid to have written a Hiftory of 
Charlemagne’s Invafion and Conqueft of 
Jerufalem and the Indies. ‘This Abgillus 
{according to the legend,) afterwards 
founded the empire of the Abyflines, or 
ef Prefter John, fo ealled after his own 
name. Yet even this is believed by a 
learned writer of much later date than the 
period of the romances I am {peaking of, 
Suffridus Petri, librarian to Cardinal 
‘Granvelle, and an author of great repu- 
tation in his time, in a grave and learned 
treatife «© De Scriptoribus Prifiz.” 
Iris faid by Hoittoman thatthe romance 
in quefticn, intitled ‘¢ Hiftoria de Vita 
Caroli Magni et Rolandi,” was written 
by a monk whoaflumed the name of Tur- 
pin, andadtribed it to the geod old Arch- 
bifhop of Rheims. 
Bat if the exiftence of the book itfelf 
be not a fubjeét of doubt, it may fairly 
be queftioned whether the obligat#ns ya- 
der which Pulci and his imitators and fol- 
lowers continually lay themfe!ves to this 
romantic original, be not altogeiher a fic- 
tion. Pulci is the fir poct whe quores 
or affedts to quote him in tae mofl mira- 
culous paffages of his pom. The firft 
jutroduction of rxomagce into italy requir- 
ed fume acologys The Northermnations 
are the paicais of wild and extravagant 
Sp gai en pe cena 
* Archbifhop Turpin died ‘in the year 789. 
f 
Critical Obfervations on the Morgante Maggiore, [May 1, 
fictions. 
inhabitants excite and cherifh them. More 
Southern climates have always been found 
more flow to encourage and adopt the {pi- 
ritof fable. Their fuperftitions, at leaft, 
come introduced and recommendéd to them 
under the protection of religion and fanc- 
tity. The gratis mairacles of romarce 
would probably have brought down deri- 
fion and contempt on an original inventor, 
while the poet who merely related the ri- 
diculous inventions of another age and 
country in an amufing and impofing ftyle, 
might be admired and applauded. Such 
was Pulci’s defien in fransferring to an 
unknown monk, or a forgotten archbithop, 
the prepofterous fictions, the ** magnanime 
menfogne,” which he was afraid of claim- 
ing as a parent. “The notion fuccéeded 
beyond all expeétation ; the multitude of 
‘his admirers begot a multitude of imita- 
tors; and they (among whom Boyardo 
and Ariofto did not dildain,to be reckon - 
ed,) ftill followed, whéther by habit or 
preference, the fuccefsful model of their 
predeceffor. 
the univerfal praftice among romanee- 
writers to quote Turpin for any thing 
vaitly improbable and abfurd ; though 
not one of them had feen or confulted their 
pretended original; and few (if any) 
knew whether {uch a book exifted as that 
from which they pretended to detive all. 
the materials of their works. 
The age in which Pulci began te write 
was peculiarly favourable to the introduc- 
tion of anew fyfem of poetry. “Fhe 
tranfient fire which Nluminated the 14th 
century had vanifned ; and though fearn- 
ing continued to make a rapid progrefs 
towards its reftoration, the etegancies of 
The native credulity of their 
Hence it is that it became | 
ftyleand of imagination appeared againito | 
have deferted the “ land of the Mufes.” 
A bad talte, full of wapcetical conceits 
and unamufing improbabilities, bad pof- 
fefled the throne of Petrarch’; and though 
Lorenzo. de’ Medici had endeavoured to 
refiore the purity and elegance of thofe 
better days, Italy was ftill inundated by 
a deluge of poets fuch as Tibaldeo, Aqui- 
lano, Comazzano, and others whofe name3 
are now forgorten, who difregarded both 
ftyle and fentiment, and gave themfelves 
up to the loweft end moft unnatural abfur- 
dities. The great reforer Lorenzo long 
looked about in vain for a poet whole 
judgment, tafte, and fprit, could enable 
him to break through this tgnobl- dark- 
nefs, He at laft fixed on Luigi Pulei, in 
‘whom he thought he pereeived all the qua- 
lities requifte forthis great purpofe 3 and 
it 18 certain that the encouragemenc and 
favours 
, 
