The theories therefore of Warton and other writers who would assert that the romantic fiction of Western Europe derived all its supernatural machinery, and consequently all its peculiar character, from extraneous sources, may be considered to be altogether overthrown by later research The Abbé de la Rue, Michel, Roquefort, Ellis, and even Ritson, have incontrovertibly shewn that the mythology of the earlier periods, gradually altering and assuming a totally novel aspect on the introduction of Christianity, (though be it remembered far from being altogether eradicated,) has produced all those marvellous tales of dragons, giants, and fairies, which delighted the old knight and the gentle damosel, and which yet afford delight even in this most matter-of-fact æra. Moreover, the actual Breton originals of certain Lays of Marie de France have recently been published, thus adding certainty to what was already certain. A new and most important element, however, in the formation of romance demands our consideration, in adverting to which I shall commence a fresh chapter. CHAPTER IV. ORIENTAL INFLUENCE ON ROMANCE. 66 "Fair shone the sun upon their proud array, White turbans, glittering armour, shields engrail'd With gold, and scimitars of Syrian steel; And gently did the breezes, as in sport, Curl their long flags outrolling, and display Roderick, the Last of the Goths. "A NEW land," wrote Musa to the Caliph Walid Almanzor, a new land spreads itself out before our delighted eyes, and invites our conquest; a land too that equals Syria in the fertility of its soil, and the serenity of its sky-Yemen, or Arabia the happy, in its delightful temperature-India, in its flowers and spices-Hegias, in its fruits-Cathay, in its precious minerals-and Aden in the excellence of its ports and harbours! It is populous also and wealthy; having many splendid cities, and majestic monuments of ancient art. What is to prevent this glorious land from becoming the inheritance of the faithful? Already have we overcome the tribes of Berbery or Zab, of Derar, of Zaara, Mazamuda, and Sus; and the victorious standard of Islam floats on the towers of Tangier. But four leagues of sea separate us from the opposite coast. One word from my sovereign, and the conquerors of Africa will pour their legions into Andalusia, rescue it from the domination of the unbeliever, and subdue it to the Law of the Koran!" "Allah Akbar! God is great!" exclaimed the Caliph, "and Mohammed is his prophet—yea! it is the will of Allah!” so messengers were sent to Musa, and the armies of the faithful landed beneath the Rock of Tarik. And here, Mr. President, I must request this learned Society to pause; and having imagined themselves for once possessed of "that hors of brasse Whereon the Tartar king did ride," that they will proceed to mount thereon, without delay, and float over sea, and river, and moor, and mountain, until we look down between the lofty ridges of the Sierra Nevada on the glorious old city of Granada, with all its towers and minarets, so gorgeous with their arabesque ornaments of purple and gold; and as we have annihilated space, so let us proceed to treat the more formidable enemy, time, and roll back the mist of years, until the whole wondrous scene lies before us as in the days of Mousa and Tarik. It is indeed a scene such as may scarcely be looked upon in these twilight times, and such as but seldom spread out in all its beauty before the wandering knights of old. There are the red towers of the Alhambra rising high on their lofty ridge above the wild barranca, and enclosing innumerable courts where the perfumed air is heavy with the scent of the roses of Damascus, and musical with the dashing of the fountain into its silver basin. Its halls too with their long arcaded fronts, hung with tapestries of the eastern loom, and decorated with sentences from the Koran; where the blazing gem and the good red gold are alternated with strange and unknown woods of wondrous beauty and inestimable value-and the gentle stream of the Darro, with its citrons and its vines, its bright flowers and its olive trees, gliding like a silver thread through the Vega or plain-where the waving corn field spreads in all its beauty, and round which the wild hills raise their snowy crests till it lies enfolded amongst them as some bright and dazzling gem—such is indeed a fit scene for the noble figures which ever and anon sweep forth in glittering procession from beneath the lofty gates of the city— "They pass the Elvira gate, with banners all displayed, What proud and pawing horses! what comely cavaliers ! What caftans blue and scarlet! what turbans pleached of green! To enumerate one half of the novel science-the stream of Oriental imagery and poetry, which, acting more immediately on the professors of the Langue d'oc, or Troubadours of Provence, Gascony, and the South of France, was also diffused throughout the chivalric literature of Europe, would most effectually exhaust the patience of the Society, already sufficiently tried: yet there are certain points which can hardly be passed over even in such a rapid view as the present. A communication with Spain seems to have been kept up by the British Druids from a very early period; for Taliesin asserts that he had been there, in the same remarkable poem in which he mentions his having composed an ode in Hebrew: and the later bards exhibit a very extraordinary mixture of rabbinical traditions with the ancient Celtic mythology. The chief mode indeed by e Lockhart-" The Vow of the Moor Reduan." which these oriental ideas were diffused, would appear to be the trading character of the Spanish Jews, who were the great merchants and physicians of the period, and great numbers of whom were constantly to be found in Britain. Petrus Alphonsus, a converted Jew, who flourished in the twelfth century, avowedly compiled his singular book entitled "Castoiement d'un Père à son Fils," from the Arabian fabulists: it consists of tales and legends intended to divert the sick, the compiler being a physician. But by far the most remarkable composition where Eastern ideas are conspicuous, is the famous book of the Sangreal- the most celebrated of the romances of Arthur. 66 The Sangreal or Holy Vessel was the cup used by our Saviour at his last supper, and subsequently employed by Joseph of Arimathea to collect the blood which flowed from his side. No one might see this cup or goblet unless he were of pure life and uncontaminated by sin. King Evelake once nighed too nigh," and became "blasted with excess of light," insomuch that he remained almost blind the rest of his life. The most solemn instance of its agency occurs on the day that Syr Galahad, that "veray parfit gentil knicht" assumed the seat perilous. "Then anon they heard crakyng and cryeing of thunder, that hem thought the place should al to rive. In the midst of the blast entered a sunbeam, more clear by seven times than ever they sawe daye; and all they were alighted of the grace of the Holy Ghost. Then there entred into the hall the Holy Grale covered with white samite; but there was none that might see it nor who bare it; and then was all the hall full filled with good odours, and every knight had such meat and drink as he best loved in thys worlde; and when the Holy Grale had been borne through the halle, then the Holy Vessel departed sodainlie, that they wist not where it became." The wonderful light which streamed from the Sangreal is well worthy of notice, although I can here only allude to its apparent |