ing from youth this opinion concerning the gods, that they are not, persevered unto old age in holding the same; but the other two diseases, namely, that there are gods, but that they care not for men, or that they care for men, but are to be bribed by gifts of wicked men, have indeed continued with a few men through their whole life. Be persuaded then by me, to wait before you determine on such subjects, and in the mean time do not dare to think impiously of the gods."1 Friedrich Schlegel even ascribes to the circumstance of men of a chivalrous and noble spirit having taken a part in the ancient literature, the characteristic greatness of thought and expression which belonged to it, when men learned to treat of everything and to judge of everything as if they were all animated with the dignified spirit of nobility. It was the possession of such a philosophy which rendered Pericles so powerful and renowned; for Thucydides says, that "in consequence of the opinion of his superior integrity, he restrained the multitude, and rather led the multitude than was led by it, not being involved in the necessity of always speaking to please the people, but having power, from this moral dignity, to oppose them."2 Those who are familiar with the writings of men who were remarkable for their spirit of chivalry, will likewise observe what Cicero describes as characteristic of the eloquence of Scaurus, a certain natural authority entitled to much greater faith than any learning or ability whatsoever. But we must not remain longer in this academic grove. There remain, however, two important remarks to offer, and when these are stated we may depart. In the first place, when it is affirmed that a certain 'Plato de Legibus, X. * Brutus, 29. 2 Lib. II, 65. philosophy belongs to the chivalrous part of mankind in all ages, it is not meant to imply that every man possessing this spirit is a philosopher in the ordinary acceptation of the term, or that he has a clear idea of the theories which characterize the school to which he belongs; it is not to be supposed that every man who adopts this philosophy is conscious of having so done, or that he can express to others the principles which govern his own mind; on the contrary, the generality of such men are incapable of forming any such ideas. Achilles could no more explain the principles of chivalry than Thersites could understand from what cause he had derived the qualities of a base and scornful churl. But of far less importance is the ability to establish noble principles in argument than the sentiment which gives them existence and action in life: it is this sentiment and this action which are ascribed to the spirit of chivalry. I have only endeavoured to shew, in the language of philosophy, what are the movements of that heart which is obedient to what may be considered both as the light of a primal revelation and the uncorrupted propensity of the original nature of man's soul, upheld and guided by a greater or less degree of divine power; for of the nature and extent of these high principles, of the language in which they may be expressed, and even of their very existence, men of heroic souls may have known nothing; but, as Cicero says of the resemblance between the Roman Catos and Scipios and the Lycurguses and Solons of Greece, our chivalrous youth and the great doctors of the Christian philosophy may yet be fellow disciples, "non tam fortasse docti, sed impetu mentis simili et voluntate."1 Heroic men may be obnoxious, therefore, in some respects to the charge 'De Oratore, III, 15. which Sophocles brought against Eschylus, when he accused him of writing as if under the influence of drunkenness; for if he did what was right, he did it without knowing what he did: καὶ γὰρ εἰ τὰ δέοντα ποιεῖ, φησὶν, ἀλλ' οὐκ εἰδώς γε. The second of these concluding remarks may be still more worthy of attention, and will yield a crowning evidence to confirm the justice of the whole position, that there is a philosophy belonging to the chivalrous spirit. Socrates says that "from early youth one can discern whether the mind be formed for philosophy or not" and in almost the last page of the Phædrus he speaks of the youth Isocrates as having a certain philosophy in the nature of his mind; of whom he therefore predicts great things. It would appear, according to these views, that there is a certain disposition and tone of mind, independent of all opinions and all abstract principles, required for the reception of true philosophy. On the other hand, it is easy to shew that where a contrary system of opinions and principles to those which have been proved to be congenial to the generous part of human nature is instilled into the mind, the result is always more or less a premature decay of the qualities and virtues which belong to youth; that is, of the spirit which belongs to chivalry, which we have before seen is in a manner identical with youth. When I see any of these sophisms," says a hero of the old poet, "I depart more than a year older than I was before": ὅταν τι τούτων τῶν σοφισμάτων ἴδω, It is not a poetical fancy, but an actual fact, which may be verified by daily observation, that the phi Stobaei Florileg. I, 367. 3 De Repub. lib. VI, 278. Aristoph. Ranæ. losophy which now so generally prevails has a tendency to blast all intellectual and moral youth, and to make young men old; old in selfishness, in avarice old, in love of censure old, in suspicion old, in the general disbelief of all virtue old, and in the loss of all imagination, all sense of beauty, all reverence, aud in the contempt of everything but money and power, like old men who have not escaped the degrading influence of a decayed and world-worn nature. Accordingly we may observe, that even in the ordinary language of life the period of youth is shortened: formerly men were in the age of poetry when now they are only fitted for the renovating inspiration of Bacchus, which Plato said was designed to support the last and decrepit stage of man's life; nay, they were in that age which could furnish Fra Angelico with countenances of such angelic grace, that Michael Angelo used to say he must have been in paradise to borrow them; when now they are only characterized by features which seem to denote a total degradation of nature, and a long-protracted slavery to the vilest passions that can assault the human breast. A time there was when it did seem a token of the angry gods to see children calculate, and now to behold them is evidence of an enlightened age! Pythagoras divided man's life inte four twenties; a boy twenty, a youth twenty, a man twenty, an old man twenty.1 When to the conservative principles which were enjoyed by the ancients were added those belonging to that living philosophy which was imparted in the Christian revelation, the continuance of intellectual and moral youth may have been still farther extended; the mind was constantly refreshed with the dews of heaven; no error or passion destructive of beauty and innocence was suffered to gain strength; age Laert. in Pythag. made no wrinkles in the heart; death's pale flag was not advanced there. But woe the while! our fathers' minds are dead, and now the hearts of men grow old before their limbs are well formed, and the principles of a false philosophy, leading to the abandonment of moral restraints, and destroying the sentiments of chivalry, have, beyond a doubt, abridged the period of youth, not merely in a moral and intellectual sense, but even with regard to the physical constitution of our nature. XVIII. It is a common opinion with unlearned and superficial minds, that from whatever period chivalry may be traced, and how wide soever its pale extended, it must always be regarded as belonging to nobility, and exclusively attached to civil or aristocratical institutions. The view which has been already taken of the chivalrous spirit will probably have shewn the error of such a supposition; but it may be right to dwell in a more particular manner upon this point, before we proceed to speak of nobility and of the institutions to which it gave birth. It has been shewn that chivalry is but a term to express the spirit and general disposition of mind. which belong to the generous and heroic part of mankind in all ages of the world; consequently, no rank of society can be incompetent to possess it, though there may be occupations and modes of life in the higher as well as in the lower classes which would render its preservation extremely difficult. It is not to be denied, that when this generous spirit is accompanied with the outward splendour of nobility, it gives rise to an image of great majesty; but it is essential to remember that the grand distinction, which alone merits love and admiration, is wholly independent of that adventitious splendour, which, however it may adorn and assist, can never of itself constitute chivalry. Even the ancients |