LECTURE III.*

The Roman and Saxon Periods: Cymbeline and Macbeth. Legendary history continued-Artegal and Elidure-The Northern and Southern nations-Geographical divisions of Europe-Attempts of invasion frustrated-Rome sacked by the GaulsGreece invaded and rescued-Defeat of Varus in the forest of Teutoburg-The memory of Arminius-Hermann-His unfinished 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 Merlin -Ethelred-Paulinus-Alfred-Coleridge's estimate of his character-Difficulty of discussing historical questions-PolemicsDunstan, 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-Touching for the "king's evil"-Reference in Macbeth-The palace and the tombs of English kings.

In my last lecture I was engaged in considering that remote and uncertain period, during which the people of Britain dwelt apart from the rest of the known world— the purely legendary period of British history. In the fabulous chronicles of those ages there may, perhaps, be germs of truth; and, hereafter, historical science may bring to light more than our philosophy now dreams of.

*January 4th, 1847.

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Before I turn away from the antiquity, in which Britain was morally and intellectually, as well as physically, an island in a northern sea, let me briefly notice one legend which, like that of King Lear, illustrates the simplicity of feeling belonging to such periods, when the social and family relations have the same kind of importance, as the great political combinations have in ages more advanced. Having to find whatever of good there is amid the fables of the simple annals of the very olden time, I would fain persuade you that they have at least this merit-they show us human beings, it may be only fabulous men and women, but still beings with human hearts, actuated by the passions and motives of humanity; whereas, in many a stately history of more authentic times, you find names of real personages indeed, but only names, without a principle of life in them; so that they do, in truth, become utterly unreal to us, and might be, for all the sympathy we can have; another order of created beings, and history might be the story of another planet. This is one grievous want in all histories, except those of a rare and high order—the want of that one touch of nature that "makes the whole world kin." National society is made to appear, not as if it were a community of thinking, sentient human beings, but like some vast and insensate machine swayed by the craft of courts, or urged by martial prowess. The chief part of what we know of the past is aggregate war; so that it has been said with lively truth, that "Many histories give you little else than a narrative of military affairs, marches and countermarches, skirmishes and battles; which, except during some great crisis of a truly national war, affords about as complete a picture of a nation's life as an account of the doses of physic a man

may have taken, and the surgical operations he may have undergone, would of the life of an individual.”*

In the tragedy of King Lear we saw that the national history was identified with a simple story of parental anguish and filial ingratitude, alleviated by the blessed influences of the filial piety of one virtuous daughter. Another portion of that early history is a simple story of fraternal affection, which gave to one of the ancient kings of Britain the title of the "pious Elidure." It is told how the good king Gorbonian reigned wisely and well-building temples to the gods, and giving to every man his due, and the people prospered; until, this just king dying, a son, unworthy of him, came to the throne -the tyrant Artegal. The impatient nobles and the vexed people drove him from his kingdom; and, while he was wandering in foreign lands, his brother Elidure is placed on the throne. After many wanderings, the exile came across the seas to live a hidden life in his native land, seeking there no more than water from the spring and the chance food an outlaw finds. The king, hunting in the forest of Calater, by chance meets his deposed and now humbled brother; and, in an instant, the prevailing power of fraternal love leaves no room for any lingering pride of royalty. The forlorn outcast is recognised by this gentle barbarian as not only his brother but his king; and, abased as he is by memory of his former years, and chastened by poverty and grief, he is bidden to take the sceptre again. Elidure intercedes for him with an offended nation; and, by such heroic affection, he puts away from himself a kingdom to reinstate a repentant

*Hare's Guesses at Truth. First Series, p. 358.

brother. A modern poet has given the legend in language appropriately unadorned, and thus it closes:

"The story tells what courses were pursued,
Until King Elidure, with full consent

Of all his peers, before the multitude,

Rose,

and, to consummate this just intent,
Did place upon his brother's head the crown,
Relinquished by his own;

Then to his people cried, 'Receive your lord,
Gorbonian's first-born son, your rightful king restored!'
The people answered with a loud acclaim:

Yet more;-heart-smitten by the heroic deed,
The reinstated Artegal became

Earth's noblest penitent; from bondage freed
Of vice, thenceforth unable to subvert

Or shake his high desert.

Long did he reign; and when he died, the tear
Of universal grief bedewed his honoured bier.--
Thus was a brother by a brother saved
With whom a crown (temptation that hath set
Discord in hearts of men, till they have braved
Their nearest kin with deadly purpose met)
'Gainst duty weighed, and faithful love, did seem
A thing of no esteem;

And, from this triumph of affection pure,

He bore the lasting name of 'pious Elidure.'”*

The legend of Artegal and Elidure, like that of King Lear, belongs to those times in which Britain was, at least as far as authentic history informs us, in its insular solitude. I proceed now to a period when there was intercourse between Britain and the South. It is in the early part of those times that Shakspeare has laid the scene of the play of "Cymbeline," in which we find him

* Wordsworth's Artegal and Elidure. Works, p. 93

transporting his characters from London to Rome, with a violation of one of the dramatic unities that shocks the French critics, and with a speed that outstrips even modern locomotion. The play affords very little historical illustration; which, indeed, we can hardly expect to find until, as I have said, we come to the period of the proper "Chronicle-Plays."

.I have had occasion to direct your attention to a fact which, though quite obvious, is apt, I think, to escape reflection unless especially noticed, I mean the fact that our ancient history is confined, almost entirely, to the region of the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. I wish now to proceed with the further consideration of the breaking down of those limits, and the expansion of history which is consequent on the intercommunion of the Mediterranean people with the nations of the North. They were kept apart until the time came when God's purposes in the providential government of the earth were to be fulfilled by blending them together. I say they were kept apart; and I mean, of course, by something more than human power. No theory of mere secondary historic causes is adequate to explain the longcontinued separation of the Northern and Southern nations of Europe; and that there was a providence in it appears, too, from this, that it is that very separation which has influenced the whole course of modern history, taking as it does so much of its character from the infusion of the fresh life of the people of the North.

In the reading of history, our minds do not look upon the nations of Northern and Southern Europe relatively to each other. In the history of Greece or of Rome, the occasional introduction of some Northern race is an epi