Sydney Smith's distinction, if not as to the greater care necessary, at least as to the greater care usually taken in what is written to be read than in what is written to be spoken. Mr. Reed wrote, not carelessly, but very rapidly. In one of his private letters (to many of which, by-the-by, I have referred in the notes to this volume) he thus describes not only his mode of composition, with its attendant embarrassments, but the feeling almost of enthusiasm which his theme often excited:-"Since you were here," he writes, " a very busy man have I been—perpetually haunted by the writing of one lecture a week, and usually not being able to finish it till about an hour before it was wanted. This has been a severity on one who likes to compose with a leisurely thoughtfulness. I have just got through the Shakspeare part of my course, with a lecture on Hamlet yesterday evening. I could scarcely have conceived how much my reverential admiration-wonder at the genius of the myriad-minded one has deepened by this kind of study of his dramasin the lowest deep, a lower deep.' John Milton is before me in awful majesty for Monday next." Thus he wrote and felt when poetical study occupied his mind; and, though this letter does not refer to these courses of lectures, but to one other more extended on the British Poets, which I yet hope to give to the public, I have quoted it in some measure to account for slight inaccuracies-the fruit of haste, and also as a revelation of the earnest and thoughtful spirit that influenced him throughout. His was the heart of a most devout poetical student. Of the first course of lectures on English History as illustrated by Shakspeare, I need only say, in addition to the explanations of the Introductory Lecture, that this mode of historical writing is entirely new. With the exception of some fugitive essays in English magazines-the object of which was to show how wrong Shakspeare was-I am awars of nothing of the kind in the language. How the idea of using Shakspeare's plays, in Lord Bacon's phrase, as "Historia spectabilis," is developed, the indulgent reader must determine, bearing in mind throughout, that the drama is not used merely as a mode of illustrating historical records or lightening their gravity, not as a means of entertainment and relief, but as an instrument of deep philosophy in combining two great departments of human thought and knowledge too often dissociated. "I seek," to use Mr. Reed's words, "this combination, not so much as a means of relieving the severity of historical study and making it more attractive, as because I have a deep conviction that poetry has a precious power of its own for the preservation of historical truth; that it can so revivify the past-can put such life into it, as to make it imperishable." The attempt is now before the reading public. In editing this volume I have added a few notes, and in them have, in several instances, availed myself of my brother's private correspondence. It is of so interest ing a nature—so varied, and, as with every thing he wrote, so characteristic, and transparent to his pure tastes and gentle nature, that I am inclined to promise, at no very distant day, a memoir of his life and correspondence. I speak doubtfully; for, though among his family and intimate friends every hour of desolate separation, with its sad thoughts and memories, is less tolerable, (and I write these words at the distance of more than a year from the day of the sacrifice of the Arctic,) such a step must very much depend on the favour with which these volumes are received by the public. Down to this point of time, as I have said, the publication of Mr. Reed's works has been eminently successful; the Lectures on English Literature having passed through several editions-three in this country, and at least one in a cheap form in Great Britain. Rarely has an unheralded book been more kindly received both at home and abroad. I have not seen the English edition, which I understand to be in the form of what is known as "Railway reading." It nas, of course, been printed without regard to the American copyright, affording in a small but very striking way (for here, those who are wronged are the widow and orphan) an illustration of the discreditable condition of the law between the two countries, the responsibility for which, I am sorry to say, rests on my own countrymen. I am the more free to express this opinion, recollecting, as I do most distinctly, how strong were my brother's feelings-how intensely he felt, as a matter of American self-reproach, the want or the denial of international copyright. In preparing this volume for the press, I am glad to make my acknowledgements for great assistance rendered to me by Professor George Allen-one of my brother's colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania. OCTOBER 9, 1855. W. B. R. CONTENTS. Shakspeare's Chronicle-Plays-Legendary history: King Lear- Roman and Saxon: Cymbeline and Macbeth-Nature of the subject generally-Imaginative history defined-Not historical romance-Power of Imagination in historical painting-Arch- bishop Whateley's analysis-Lord Bacon's idea of dramatic poetry-Milton's Vision of Greece, in Paradise Regained- Sense of reality-Famines as described in history and poetry -Genoa in 1799-Ghent in the fourteenth century-Philip Van Artavelde-Archdeacon Hare-Remote and obscure le- gends-Reality too distinct-Images and memories of the dead -Effect of travel in the Holy Land-Volney-Written histo- rical painting-Charles Lamb-Belshazzar's Feast-Washing- ton Allston-Poetical history of the Bible-The reputed philo- sophy of history-Lingard and Hume-Arnold-Tragic poetry -Sir Walter Scott-Funerals actual and picturesque-Ho- garth-Hume's accidental theory-Outline of Shakspeare's histories-Novelty of the subject of this lecture.............. Page 13 THE LEGENDARY PERIOD OF BRITAIN: KING LEAR. Legendary period prior to the Roman invasion-Julius Cæsar -Malone's comment-Fabulous antiquity of British kings- Brutus of Troy-Authentic ancient history limited to Southern Europe-Britain out of the path of the ancient world-Faber's idea of the Mediterranean-Milton's History of England- Faith in ancient legends-Claim of Edward the First to the sovereignty of Scotland-The Papal reference-Difference of British and classical legends-Grote on Greek legends-Min- strelsy and romance-Washington, in our sense, a legendary idea in America-Lives of the saints-Symbolical legends- Popular faith in legends-Identified with reverence for an- cestry-Sir Robert Walpole's false idea of history-Niebuhr- Modern colonies-King Lear a dramatic legend-Filial rela- tion-Illustrations appropriate to paganism-Lear's invocation of heathen gods-Charles Lamb's criticism on Lear........ Page 46 THE ROMAN AND SAXON PERIODS: CYMBELINE AND MACBETH. Legendary history continued-Artegal and Elidure-The North- ern and Southern nations-Geographical divisions of Europe -Attempts of invasion frustrated-Rome sacked by the Gauls -Greece invaded and rescued-Defeat of Varus in the forest of Teutoburg-The memory of Arminius-Hermann-His un- finished monument-Decisive battles of the world-Professor Creasy's volumes-The fall of the Roman Empire-Effect of Roman subjugation of Britain-British kings--Cymbeline a British king-Imogen-Roman remains in Britain-Sir Walter Scott and Ritson-Diocletian's persecution-Arthur and Mer- lin-Ethelred-Paulinus-Alfred-Coleridge's estimate of his character-Difficulty of discussing historical questions-Po- lemics-Dunstan, an illustration-Sir Roger de Coverley- Saint Dunstan-Want of a poetic view of his character-The Danes-Canute the Great-Ballads-Edward the Confessor- |