the virtues of their famous ancestors, and as Christian gentlemen, to whom Christendom was a common country, to follow the example of those ancient worthies who were the defenders of the church, the patrons of the poor, and the glory of their times. It would be idle and presumptuous to remind men that they already possess for their instruction in gentleness and chivalry the deeds of King Arthur and of his knights of the round table; of Sir Bevys of Southampton, and Guy of Warwick; the histories of Sir Tristram (no longer the only good knight out of Cornwall), of Charlemagne and Godefroy of Bouillon; and many other similar volumes in French and English. High stories these; yet, sooth to say, no longer calculated fully to answer the purpose for which they were designed: though the delight of our ancestors, and deemed by them favourable to the increase of virtue, they are but little read by the present race of men, seeing that the language is often hard to be understood-for what they said, Thai sayd it in so quaint Inglis, That many wote not what it is; and that in some respects chivalry has adopted a different form and imposed new obligations; and that, at all events, the truth of these renowned stories is questioned, albeit that most ingenious printer, who lived in the reign of King Henry the Seventh, was convinced, by many evidences, that "there was a kyng of thys lande named Arthur, that in all places, Crysten and Hethen, he was reputed and taken for one of the ix worthy and fyrst and chyef of the Cristen men whose deeds may be found in the book1 which treats upon that noble fellowship;" and Holinshed testifies that " surely such one there was of that name, hardie, and valiaunt in arms, who slew in syngular combats certayne gyaunts that were of passyng force and hugeness of stature." But this will not content men, even though they could see "his sepulture in the Monasterye of Glastyngburye," or "the prynte of his seal at Saynt Edwardes shryne at Westmestre," or even "the round table at Wynchester," or "Sir Gaywayn's sckull in the Castel of Dover." And therefore it might seem a great 1 Les neuf Preux: Paris, 1507. pity, that, for want of some person to collect what was credible and suitable to the good in the present age, and worthy of acceptance, out of these and other noble histories, and to collect in like manner ensamples and doctrines out of later history, the gentle and heroic deeds of honourable men should be forgotten, their memories sink into the depth and darkness of the earth, and the precious advantage of learning to admire and to emulate such glory, that rich inheritance of a virtuous example, should be lost to ourselves and to our posterity. Wherefore, under the favour and correction of all ingenuous persons, these four books of ensamples and doctrines, forming, as it were, a moral history of the heroic age of Christendom, have been undertaken; and it seemed, that in accordance with the symbolic character which should distinguish all works connected with chivalry, the whole collection might be named "The Broadstone of Honour," seeing that it would be a fortress like that rock upon the Rhine which appears to represent, as it were, knightly perfection, being lofty and free from the infection of a base world. This, indeed, would be lofty, not to represent the height of an arrogant mind, but what St. Bernard calls "the holy and humble elevation of the heart:" it would be broad, not in regard to the way that leadeth to it, which, like that of all divine virtue, is known to be so narrow that few can go in thereat, being the narrow way of those who are called to suffering; it is not the broad road of the world, nor the wide gate that leadeth to its false enchantments; this is strait and narrow, rough and craggy, and hard to climb; they who entered it in times past gave but one counsel, "intrate per angustam portam," but it is broad in respect to its principles and to its law, "latum mandatum tuum nimis;" broad in acknowledging distinctly and broadly the eternal truths of religion, that all men are equal before God; broad in its words, those of plain and holy innocence, and in its sentiments Whole as the marble, founded as the rock, 1 Ps. 118. velut rupes, vastum quæ prodit in æquor, Obvia ventorum furiis, expostaque ponto, Vim cunctam atque minas perfert cœlique marisque, Have we not reason, then, to compare it to a majestic and impregnable fortress? In league with God and with the universe, must it not be for ever triumphant? Strong it is in the force of those who protect it; for even the Greek had learned to say, δεινὸς ὃς Θεοὺς σέβει: but a nobler voice proclaims it in a higher strain-" If God be for us, who is against us?" God sends his blessed angels to encamp about them that fear him; and how secure are they who are under the conduct and protection of these mighty spirits! They may sit down in peace and sing, "Qui habitat in abscondito." Nor is it upon a narrow and barren rock, without means of delight and refreshment, that we are invited to take our stand, to resist the arms of the world. When the wide fields of literature are made the domains of religion, there can be no feeling of confinement; for religion can sanctify all pursuits, and appropriate all beauty to itself. "O quam magna est domus Dei, et ingens locus possessionis ejus! magnus est, et non habet finem, excelsus et immensus."l Here are scenes of sylvan beauty, of loveliness and grandeur, The gleam, the shadow, and the peace supreme, the coolness of the grove, the fragrance of the violet-bed, the purity of the limpid wave, the divine excellence of all the innocent creatures of God. Hic ver purpureum, varios hic flumina circum the There are, indeed, two ways marked out in lifeone dark and rugged, in which the wretched Ulysses walked, the other more inviting, which Nestor followed-and Pythagoras was right in saying, that "both may be allotted for virtue."2 Yet they who enter through this gate will 1 Office for Holy Saturday. 2 Stobæi Florileg. i. 38. 66 assuredly arrive in the end at the most beautiful regions: generally they pass at once into a life of paradisiacal innocence, and playfulness, and freedom, and joy. The rock is so perfect that it will suffer no one to enter upon it who is not in perfect belief-it breathes an air like that sweetness which awakened Sir Launcelot, when he was fulfylled with all thynges that he thought on or desyred, and said, 'I wote not in what joye I am, for this joye passeth all erthely joyes that ever I was in.'"1 They who ascend with persevering ardour, and who mount the summit of this rocky nest, after toiling up the steep and narrow way through which all who have won the prize of excellency and honour have passed in times of old, will at length find themselves in security; they will be received into habitations, which will lead to the accomplishment of all the wishes of the human heart, and to something more: that name which belonged to the Castle of Montiel in the Sierra Morena, which was called the Tower of Stars, might be engraven also over the portal here with a high symbolic meaning; for there will be found within this fortress an assembly corresponding with the brightness of those stars which seem to crown its lofty battlements-a procession of angelic spirits, of which an exquisite and perfect emblem may be found in "that host of white-robed pilgrims which travel along the vault of the nightly sky, than whom," as an admirable writer says, "the imagination is unable to conceive any thing more quiet, and calm, and unassuming."2 Moreover, like the enchanted palace of a chivalrous tale, we have only to seek this fortress with purity and faith, and we shall not fail to achieve the high adventure. How must Stephen of Colonna, whom Petrarch loved and reverenced for his heroic spirit, ex cineribus veterum renatus phoenix," have struck dumb with astonishment the base and impotent assailants who thought indeed that he was at length in their power, and so demanded, with an air of triumph, "Where is now your fortress?” when he laid his hand on his heart and answered, "Here ; and one whose strength will laugh a siege to scorn." Similar was the reply of Bias to those who asked him why he did not, like others of his countrymen, load himself with 1 Mort d'Arthur, ii. 297. 66 2 J. C. Hare. part of his property when all were obliged to fly : "Your wonder is without reason; I am carrying all my treasures with me." The security and excellence which are found here arise from the possession being unconnected with all that is subject to the rapid course of time: death only translates its guardians, as it were, to that higher capital, upon which this is an humble dependant. Even the ancients felt the need of such an asylum. When Crates the Theban saw men busily employed in rebuilding Thebes, he said, "For my part, from this time forth, I want a city which no future Alexander can overthrow." "Vanitas est diligere quod cum omni celeritate transit; et illuc non festinare, ubi sempiternum gaudium manet."2 But no doubt all this is fanciful and romantic extravagance, or, at best, but yevvaíav εvýÕɛιav, smelling of the age of Saturn, to infidel philosophists and men of the new wisdom, who know of nothing Beyond the senses and their little reign; and who despise the ancient sentences, That virtue and the faculties within Are vital, and that riches are akin - To fear, to change, to cowardice, and death! Yet assuredly the object of these books will not be to induce men to follow the mere visions of a romantic imagination, and to desire a strange and enchanted world which exists but in a dream of fancy. No; as Malebranche declares,3 ,3 "It is not into a strange country that such guides conduct you; but it is into your own, in which, very possibly, you may be a stranger." To you perhaps the words of the divine Scripture are addressed- "Inveterasti in terra aliena, coinquinatus es cum mortuis, deputatus es cum descendentibus in infernum. Dereliquisti fontem sapientiæ. Nam si in via Dei ambulasses, habitasses utique in pace super terram. Disce ubi sit sapientia, ubi sit virtus, ubi sit intellectus: ut scias simul ubi sit longiturnitas vitæ et victus, ubi sit lumen oculorum et pax.' These images as symbols have a real existence, and are the only objects substantial and unchangeable; whereas, respecting De Imitat. Christi, i. 4 Baruch iii. 9. 1 Elian. Var. Hist. lib. iii. c. 6. |