yet even in the darkest periods we have been treating, periods when taste is often thought to have been lost, we shall still discover an enlightened few, who were by no means insensible to the power of these beauties. How warmly does Leland describe Guy's Cliff; Sannazarius, his villa of Mergilline; and Petrarch, his favourite Vaucluse ? Take Guy's Cliff from Leland in his own old English, mixed with Latin: "It is a place meet for the Muses; there is sylence; a praty wood; antra in vivo saxo, (grottos in the living rock ;) the river roling over the stones with a praty noyse." His Latin is more elegant: Nemusculum ibidem opacum, fontes liquidi et gemmei, prata florida, antra muscosa, rivi levis et per saxa decursus, nec non solitudo et quies Musis amicissima.* Mergilline, the villa of Sannazarius near Naples, is thus sketched in different parts of his poems. It would be difficult to translate these elegant morsels; it is sufficient to express what they mean, collectively: "that the villa of Mergillina had solitary woods; had groves of laurel and citron; had grottos in the rock, with rivulets and springs; and that, from its lofty situation, it looked down upon the sea, and commanded an extensive prospect." It is no wonder that such a villa should enamour such an owner. So strong was his affection for it, that when, during the subsequent wars in Italy, it was demolished by the imperial troops, this unfortunate event was supposed to have hastened his end." * See Leland's Itinerary, vol. iv. p. 66. So we learn from Paulus Jovius, the writer of his life, published with his poems by Grævius, in a small edition of some of the Italian poets, at Amsterdam, in the year 1695. Vaucluse (Vallis Clausa) the favourite retreat of Petrarch, was a romantic scene, not far from Avignon. "It is a valley, having on each hand, as you enter, immense cliffs, but closed up at one of its ends by a semi-circular ridge of them; from which incident it derives its name. One of the most stupendous of these cliffs stands in the front of the semicircle, and has at its foot an opening into an immense cavern. Within the most retired and gloomy part of this cavern is a large oval bason, the production of nature, filled with pellucid and unfathomable water; and from this reservoir issues a river of respectable magnitude, dividing, as it runs, the meadows beneath, and winding through the precipices that impend from above."2 This is an imperfect sketch of that spot where Petrarch spent his time with so much delight, as to say, that this alone was life to him, the rest but a state of punishment. In the two preceding narratives I seem to see an anticipation of that taste for natural beauty which now appears to flourish through Great Britain in such perfection. It is not to be doubted that the owner of Mergillina would have been charmed with Mount Edgecumb; and the owner of Vaucluse have been delighted with Piercefield. When we read in Xenophon," that the younger Cyrus had with his own hand planted trees for beauty, we are not surprised, though pleased with the story, as the age was polished, and Cyrus an accomplished prince. But when we read that in the beginning of the fourteenth century a king of France (Philip le Bell) should make it penal to cut down a tree, qui a esté gardè pour sa beaultè, "which had been preserved for its beauty;" though we praise the law, we cannot help being surprised that the prince should at such a period have been so far enlightened." See Memoires pour la Vie de François Petrarque, quarto, vol. i. p. 231. 341, 342. See also Plin. Nat. Hist. 1. xxviii. c. 22. a See the Economics of Xenophon, where this fact is related. b See a valuable work, entitled Observa tions on the Statutes, chiefly on the ancient, &c. p. 7, by the Hon. Mr. Barrington; a work concerning which it is difficult to decide, whether it be more entertaining, or more instructive. CHAPTER XIV. SUPERIOR LITERATURE AND KNOWLEDGE BOTH OF THE GREEK AND LATIN CLERGY, WHENCE-BARBARITY AND IGNORANCE OF THE LAITY, WHENCE-SAMPLES OF LAY-MANNERS, IN A STORY FROM ANNA COMNENA'S HISTORY CHURCH AUTHORITY INGENIOUSLY EMPLOYED TO CHECK BARBARITY-THE SAME AUTHORITY EMPLOYED FOR OTHER GOOD PURPOSES TO SAVE THE POOR JEWS-TO STOP TRIALS BY BATTLE-MORE SUGGESTED CONCERNING LAY-MANNERSFEROCITY OF THE NORTHERN LAYMEN, WHENCE DIFFERENT CAUSES ASSIGNED-INVENTIONS DURING THE DARK AGES GREAT, THOUGH THE INVENTORS OFTEN UNKNOWN-INFERENCE ARISING FROM THESE INVENTIONS. BEFORE I quit the Latins, I shall subjoin two or three observations on the Europeans in general. The superior characters for literature here enumerated, whether in the western or eastern Christendom, (for it is of Christendom only we are now speaking,) were by far the greater part of them ecclesiastics. In this number we have selected from among the Greeks the patriarch of Constantinople, Photius; Michael Psellus; Eustathius and Eustratius, both of episcopal dignity; Planudes; cardinal Bessario. From among the Latins, Venerable Bede; Gerbertus, afterwards pope Sylvester the Second; Ingulphus, abbot of Croyland; Hildebert, archbishop of Tours; Peter Abelard; John of Salisbury, bishop of Chartres; Roger Bacon; Francis Petrarch; many monkish historians; Æneas Sylvius, afterwards pope Pius the Second, &c. Something has been already said concerning each of these, and other ecclesiastics. At present we shall only remark, that it was necessary, from their very profession, that they should read and write; accomplishments at that time usually confined to themselves. Those of the western church were obliged to acquire some knowledge of Latin; and for Greek, to those of the eastern church it was still (with a few corruptions) their native language. If we add to these preparations their mode of life, which, being attended mostly with a decent competence, gave them immense leisure; it was not wonderful that, among such a multitude, the more meritorious should emerge, and soar, by dint of genius, above the common herd. Similar effects proceed from similar causes. e Those who wish to see more particulars may consult the third part of these Inconcerning these learned men, may recur to quiries, in chapters iv. ix. x. xi. xiv. their names in the Index; or, if he please, The learning of Egypt was possessed by their priests; who were likewise left from their institution to a life of leisure." For the laity, on the other side, who, from their mean education, wanted all these requisites, they were in fact no better than what Dryden calls them, "a tribe of Issachar;" a race from their cradle bred in barbarity and ignorance. A sample of these illustrious laymen may be found in Anna Comnena's History of her father Alexius, who was Grecian emperor in the eleventh century, when the first crusade arrived at Constantinople. So promiscuous a rout of rude adventurers could not fail of giving umbrage to the Byzantine court, which was stately and ceremonious, and conscious withal of its internal debility. After some altercation, the court permitted them to pass into Asia through the imperial territories, upon their leaders taking an oath of fealty to the emperor. What happened at the performance of this ceremonial, is thus related by the fair historian above mentioned. "All the commanders being assembled, and Godfrey of Bulloign himself among the rest, as soon as the oath was finished, one of the counts had the audaciousness to seat himself beside the emperor upon his throne. Earl Baldwin, one of their own people, approaching, took the count by the hand, made him rise from the throne, and rebuked him for his insolence. "The count rose, but made no reply, except it was in his own unknown jargon to mutter abuse upon the emperor. "When all things were despatched, the emperor sent for this man, and demanded, who he was, whence he came, and of what lineage? His answer was as follows: 'I am a genuine Frank, and in the number of their nobility. One thing I know, which is, that in a certain part of the country I came from, and in a place where three ways meet, there stands an ancient church, where every one who has a desire to engage in single combat, having put himself into fighting order, comes, and there implores the assistance of the Deity, and then waits in expectation of some one that will dare attack him. On this spot I myself waited a long time, expecting and seeking some one that would arrive and fight me. But the man that would dare this was no where to be found.'" Aristotle, speaking of Egypt, informs us, Ἐκεῖ γὰρ ἠφείθη σχολάζειν τὸ τῶν ἱερέων Ovos, "For there (meaning in Egypt) the tribe of priests were left to lead a life of leisure." Arist. Metaph. 1. i. c. 1. e Those who attend to this story, and who have perused any of the histories of chivalry, in particular an ingenious French treatise upon the subject, in two small volumes, 8vo. published at Paris in the year 1759, entitled, Mémoires sur l'ancienne Chevalerie, will perceive that the much-admired Don Quixote is not an imaginary character, but a character drawn after the real manners of the times. It is true, indeed, the character is somewhat heightened; but even here the witty author has contrived to make it probable, by ingeniously adding a certain mixture of insanity. These romantic heroes were not wholly extinct even in periods far later than the crusades. The Chevalier Bayard flourished "The emperor, having heard this strange narrative, replied pleasantly, 'If at the time when you sought war, you could not find it, a season is now coming in which you will find wars enough. I therefore give you this advice: not to place yourself either in the rear of the army, or in the front, but to keep among those who support the centre; for I have long had knowledge of the Turkish method in their wars.' This was one of those counts, or barons, the petty tyrants of western Europe; men, who, when they were not engaged in general wars, (such as the ravaging of a neighbouring kingdom, the massacring of infidels, heretics, &c.) had no other method of filling up their leisure, than, through help of their vassals, by waging war upon one another. And here the humanity and wisdom of the church cannot enough be admired, when by her authority (which was then mighty) she endeavoured to shorten that scene of bloodshed, which she could not totally prohibit. The truce of God (a name given it purposely to render the measure more solemn) enjoined these ferocious beings, under the terrors of excommunication, not to fight from Wednesday evening to Monday morning, out of reverence to the mysteries accomplished on the other four days; the ascension on Thursday, the crucifixion on Friday, the descent to hell on Saturday, and the resurrection on Sunday." I hope a further observation will be pardoned, when I add, that the same humanity prevailed during the fourteenth century, and that the terrors of church power were then held forth with an intent equally laudable. A dreadful plague at that period desolated all Europe. The Germans, with no better reason than their own senseless superstition, imputed this calamity to the Jews, who then lived among them in great opulence and splendour. Many thousands of these unhappy people were inhumanly massacred, till the pope benevolently interfered, and prohibited by the severest bulls so mad and sanguinary a proceeding.h I could not omit two such salutary exertions of church power, as they both occur within the period of this inquiry. I might add a third, I mean the opposing and endeavouring to check that absurdest of all practices, the trial by battle, which Spelman expressly tells us that the church in all ages condemned. It must be confessed, that the fact just related concerning the unmannered count, at the court of Constantinople, is rather under Francis the First of France, and lord Herbert of Cherbury under James and Charles the First of England. See Anna Comnena's History of her Father, fol. Gr. Lat. p. 300. See any of the church histories of the time, in particular an ingenious French book, entitled Histoire Ecclesiastique, in two volumes, 12mo. digested into annals, and having the several years marked in the Truculentum morem in omni ævo acriter insectarunt theologi, &c. See before, p. 455. |