The feeble remnants of the colossal empire, with all its miserable corruptions, were swept away by the tremendous incursion of the northern savages. This awful deluge, while it destroyed the tottering abodes of luxurious indulgence, mellowed and fertilised the soil which had been so long neglected. Besides, the fierce characters of the barbarians-their restless spirit of enterprise and adventure—and the dark and powerful emotions which their exploits incited, served to give a new and deep tone to the literature they were disposed to cherish. To these energies were now added the delights and terrors of religion, excited by external ceremonies which, though they afterwards lost the spirit which first breathed within them, were pregnant with the materials of deep feelingand formed together a new æra of poetry, on which the reflected splendor of classical greatness shed an air of venerable sanctity. In Italy all these dark and solemn impressions were blended with the sweet luxuriance of the gentler graces, and harmonised by a ravishing and delicious melody. The country itself seemed every where full of tenderness and enchantment-its bright and verdant fields were hallowed by the sacred vestiges of Roman virtue-the mountainous regions of its Alps abounded with the romantic remains of savage grandeur-its cities were filled with cathedrals breathing unearthly awe, the scenes of majestic rites, in the midst of whose august ceremonials the soul was wrapped in devotional ecstasy-and her warm unclouded skies seemed the native abode of graces, loves, and harmonies. Here too the tenderness and elegance of Petrarch, the alternate horror and sweetness of Dante, the nervous yet fine strength of Ariosto, and the deep searching magic of Tasso, florished in the maturity of excellence. At the same time, the pomp of worship called forth the inimitable monuments of the sister arts, sculpture, painting, and music, and inspired the genius of artists, of whose exquisite productions the world was scarcely worthy. And thus, while the great mass of the community were sinking into a deplorable ignorance and mental degradation, the arts florished on the luxury and pomp of the church, and poetry seemed to combine the vigor of her youth with the softened graces of the most refined periods of her history.

This glory which thus dawned in Italy, the age of chivalry which was now arrived, diffused, with important modification, through a large portion of Southern Europe. The continent seemed, on a sudden, enkindled by a divine impulse-a fine ennobling frenzy which impelled all nations to great enterprises, and developed their slumbering energies. A generous courtesy began to mingle with a savage barbarism-self interest seemed annihilated even in tyrants by a loftier emotion-personal bravery and heroic con

tempt of death, were regarded as the only virtues worthy of admi-, ration-honor became as sacred a name, as valor and patriotism had been esteemed among the ancients-and in the midst of bloody contentions, rather for glory than aggrandizement and revenge, the bright consummate flower of delicate generosity put forth its sweets, in the freshest loveliness. The female character which had hitherto been obscure and degraded, now formed the delightful attraction of life-presented a boon alone worth living or dying for-ennobled contention, and carried gentleness into the bosom of warfare. Excited by these causes, the robust and manly virtues were displayed in the most daring attitudes. There was indeed little of calm and calculating reason, of desire for the general welfare, or of calm and all-enduring goodness; but there was the shining phantom of honor which almost supplied their place, an uuutterable contempt of meanness, a warm openness of heart, a romantic and elevated friendship, a nice perception of fame, which supplied among independent princes the place of laws, and among soldiers the desire of equity, and which sheltered all the softer and more tender affections, which florished plenteously. beneath their shadow. The torrent of human affections turned into the broad channel of love and glory, the mind was little disposed to question the marvellous legends with which religion was confounded. Disposed to submit to the venerable dictates of all established orders, it only demanded that their precepts should accord with its sentiments of honor. So while the wildest superstitions were received without inquiry, the sanctuaries of religion were covered with a thrilling mystery, society was gradually advancing, its charities multiplied, its manners became elegant and refined, and the capital of its majestic column was carved and embellished by the sword.

But let us leave for a while this enchanting æra, and glance for a moment on Asia, where a new species of poetry had made rapid advances to its meridian. Its vast regions had long been destitute of the glory with which they were irradiated in the infancy of science. Chaldæa, and Egypt, which bordered on the oriental continent, had not only fallen from the eminence they once occupied, but had left very slight traces of the genius on which their intellectual greatness had been founded. Under the Persian, which succeeded to the Assyrian dynasty, the mind endured a series of progressive degradation, its fire and enthusiasm were repressed, and even bodily powers seemed to partake in the mental imbecillity. Nor did the conquests of Alexander, and the reign of his profligate successors materially improve its condition. So inveterate and so deadly were its vices, and so seductive its pleasures, that instead of emulating the virtues of its new masters, it

sunk them to its own miserable level. For a short time, indeed, the mild lustre of Christianity overspread the favored lands which had listened to the first chorus of its heavenly and peace-breathing messengers. But the sacred brightness was soon overclouded, for the mind was not sufficiently exalted to endure the dominion of the noble and self-denying virtues, and to sustain the artillery of persecution; and, thus, while the European nations were rejoicing in the morning of truth, and of new born elevation of their spirits, the East was again encompassed with a thick and starless darkness. A wonderful revolution, however, was soon to rouse it from its apathy, and to awaken its slumbering energies. The Prophet of Mecca burst forth into day from the caves where his visions had been invented, with the suddenness and the power of lightening. Animated with the fury of a daring and ambitious genius, he overwhelmed the pigmy minds of the effeminate Asiatics with the thunders of his military prowess, more than with the grandeur of his speculations. The imposition adapted with consummate skill to the weakness and the passions of its votaries, built on the fragments of the Pagan, the Jewish, and the Christian doctrines, and sup ported with the irresistible arguments of artillery and death, was diffused with unprecedented rapidity. A new order of superstitions, and a new dynasty of heaven-descended princes, afforded each other a mutual and vigorous support, and established their authority on the surest foundations. With these new and splendid institutions, arose a dazzling species of composition:-for the illusions of Mahomet had awakened the imagination, while they effectually confined the more active faculties. Corresponding with its origin, it abounded in fancy and in richness to the exclusion of almost all other qualities. In proportion as the reasoning powers of the mind were enfeebled by despotism, the imagination seemed to expand and vivify, and enjoyed its peculiar freedom in strange and fantastic vagaries. A new world of imaginary beings sprung forth at its invocation, from the chaos of Mahometan doctrines. The warm passions of the new converts expatiated among the bright Houries of Paradise, and the gorgeous realms of the genii, compared to which, the chaste splendors of Olympus seemed dim, and the sublime visions of the Grecian Muses cold and feeble. The mind was absolutely bewildered by the profusion of the magnificence with which it was surrounded-pure marble fountains refreshed the loveliest bowers-groves breathed forth spicy and aromatic odors, and a ravishing and celestial melody-palaces arose of entire sapphire, blazmg with unutterable light graces fluctuated on every odoriferous breeze, in azure and shadowy varieties—every sense was awakened into ecstasy, and the soul led on from one scene of enchanted delight to another, till it was oppress

ed with excess of radiance. And these effulgent scenes were peopled with unearthly inhabitants, the chief of whom were the genii, sometimes malignant, and at others beneficent, who watched over the fates of mortals. Nor were the human beings who were introduced into these beatitudes scarcely less ideal-perfect princes-princesses more beautiful than the morning, and purer than the breath of summer-and gay generous warriors prepared to combat the horrors of invisible worlds, and to contend with legions of guilty spirits. Yet in these glittering imaginations, we find nothing of human interest, nothing of natural feeling, and scarcely a trace of any real and human affection. The laws of probability and of nature were wholly disregarded-they seemed indeed to melt and vanish before the warmth of oriental genius. Still there was something so wild and so original in these fancies-so inspiring in the strange superstitions with which they abounded, and so seductive in the lustre of their airy vistas, that the mind welcomed the brilliant enchantment, and was won from itself into a thousand regions of increasing beauty. In order to suit these bewitching tales of wonder, extravagant metaphors, dazzling tropes, and venturous similes, were employed in rich profusion. All however was not mere imagery and luxurious splendor, for in the very midst of the perverseness of its fancy, the dissolving luxury, and the full blaze of magnificent figures, the mind was exalted, before it was aware, with the rigid and awful sublimities of moral wisdom. In this wonderful course of oriental literature, we discern the mighty effort of a spirit, cramped and impeded in its natural exertions by an overwhelming and destructive despotism, and which with all the elasticity resulting from long compression, burst forth into a wild and daring path, which those who dared scarcely to approve, were reluctantly compelled to admire.

Very different was the progress of taste in the Northern parts of Europe, among whose deep glens and misty hills, the glory of chivalry shone with a pale and reflected brightness. But they found in the eventful course of their own history, ample materials for impassioned song, which was chanted by rude and wandering minstrels, in the Gothic Halls of the feudal sovereigns. As these effusions were seldom committed to writing, very few specimens of their excellence have reached us-but we may well imagine that the most celebrated of these itinerant bards and musicians, as they necessarily conversed deeply with nature, drank largely of her sweet influences, and prepared the way for that lofty and reflective poetry, which was in a future age to arise, and to take a firm root in Britain. Of Anglo-Saxon verse, we have very few monuments remaining, and those are chiefly war-songs and celebrations of hunting and of victory. The invasion and settlement of the

Normans, introduced the metrical romances of old France-which abounded in tales of chivalrous adventures, and were richly embellished with the elegances of Faery superstition. But it was not until the reign of Edward the Third that the English language was generally used as a medium of composition-when it was first rendered classical, and adorned by Chaucer, the venerable father of its poetry.

But a new era was now approaching most favorable to the literature of England, but very unpropitious to the visionary foundations on which the cumbrous majesty of chivalry had so long been supported. The noble discovery of Printing disseminated knowledge among those classes which ignorance had hitherto kept in a state of patient submission; the impassioned charms of a pompous worship could no longer detain the mind in willing credulity; a new channel was opened for inquiry and thought; the middle orders began to feel that they possessed some traces of moral dignity as well as their superiors; and the charm of chivalrous feeling, which depended on implicit belief and obedience, began to be insensibly weakened. Hitherto the world had been as an immeuse theatre on which a few ruling spirits were destined to display their energies, while the crowd was contented to remain in silent admiration of the august spectacle. Some of them now felt themselves qualified to take a leading part in the great drama-an order of talent arose distinct from that of birth, and greatly discomposed that gorgeous arrangement which had subsisted for ages. This intrusion was naturally resisted by those who claimed a prescriptive right to a monopoly of honor and distinction, and who as their possession had been undisturbed while they alone enjoyed the means of intellectual superiority were unwilling to allow others to partake in it now that the progress of time had rendered them capable of its distinctions. Indignant at repulse and scorn, and conscious of their own faculties, the new aspirants who were excluded from the ordinary paths of preferment, resolved to attempt their elevation by the disturbance of the established institutions. They heard, therefore, with delight, that the brave and virtuous Luther had begun to protest against the abuses of the Church and gathered with eagerness round the standard of reformation. Persecution and controversy resounded throughout Europé-from persecution and controversy Truth rose triumphant; and in the mist of their vehemence the national poetry declined. While some states were awakened into new life and energy by embracing the reformed religion the rest proceeded in their old tract which was now become unsuited to the progress of reason: the charm of their romance was weakened by the controversy with which it was defended: chivalry dwindled into empty parade and formal civility; religion sunk from a noble