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treating the institution with any undue degree of favour, concludes his review of the whole subject with observing that, though the duties of knighthood could not have been always performed in perfection, they had a strong influence on public opinion, and that no doubt can be entertained of their having effected much good and prevented much evil; that we cannot but admit that it has left on the soil valuable tokens of its former existence, and that it has introduced urbanity, decency, and courtesy into the manners of Europe; but that its chief effects are to be sought for in the general feeling of respect to the female sex, in the sanctity of truth, and in the high sense of honour*.

I cannot better conclude these observations on the manners and influence of chivalry, than with the following very judicious observations from St. Palaye, in contrasting the powerful influence of the progress of letters on human society, with the unsteady and irregular effects of chivalry.

"We may be permitted," says he, "to close this long series of historical details, by some reflections on the ignorance and barbarism into which the knights sunk, after they had abandoned the glorious function of administering justice. Without appearing too partial to letters, we shall endeavour to show that it is partly to them we are indebted for the improvement of manners. Let us not scruple to affirm that the rise of literature, by implanting in the hearts of men the first seeds of that mildness and humanity, which are so necessary for leading man

* Encyc. Brit.-Supplement; conclusion of art. Chivalry.

kind to associate together in peace, was what gradually brought them to reflect and to reason; for, in fact, is what we call taste anything else but the application of the rules of right reason, to the productions of genius and works of art?

But

"Had our ancient knights, who, in all the preambles of the Cartels for their tournaments, appear to have had no other object than to escape from their inactivity,-had they known the value of leisure employed in recreation after toil, and the cultivation of the mind, they would have seen themselves as they were. They would have discovered that it is neither more necessary nor more noble, to inure the body to military exercises, than to form the mind to the virtues and talents of society. their taste was exercised on nothing but the compositions of their minstrels and troubadours, men of coarse and libertine habits, who, roaming continually about the world, most of them to earn their bread, had no time to draw the true principles of good taste and morals from the pure sources of antiquity. Under better instructors, and formed on models less defective, our knights would have learned that it is not a few random flashes of genius or force, that suffice to render a work worthy the applause of good judges, but the justness of the thoughts and the happy agreement of its parts with the whole.

"In the next step, it would have been easy to have applied that universal immutable truth to morals. It would then have been seen that a scrupulous adherence to certain duties, and occasional acts of splendid virtue, carried to the very highest

pitch, but accompanied at the same time by scandalous or criminal excesses, produce but a monstrous assemblage, and that there is no solid virtue but in the uniform and habitual practice of all the duties required by religion, morality, and the profession we have chosen. Men would have thus come to the conviction, that nothing but a life of innocence, or at least free from crime, can give any claim to the reputation of virtue.

"We may well mourn over the fate of our ancient chivalry, the laws and principles of which cannot be too much admired. And we may say, that had it, in a more fortunate age, fallen upon such a people as the Athenians, (who possessed the means of improvement,) there is no doubt that its spirit would have formed men and citizens, very far superior to those imagined by Plato. But our ancestors knew nothing, and reasoned little; and unfortunately the rank and the exploits of those who made a boast of their ignorance, ennobled it in the eyes of the people. They loved glory, but did not know real glory. I cannot do better than conclude this comparison between their times and ours, in the words of a writer, whom every age and nation might be pleased to accept for an umpire. In those rude ages the same importance was attached to bodily skill as in the days of Homer. Our age, more enlightened, gives the chief praise to mental accomplishments and to those virtues which raise a man above his condition, teach him to bridle his passions, and render him benevolent, generous, and sympathetic*.""

* ST. PALAYE; conclusion of 5th part.

161

SECTION IV.

Women in Modern Ages.

To pursue the history of women through the ages of misrule and violence that corrupted the spirit of chivalry, would be useless. It is sufficiently evident, that in proportion as the vices of barbarism renewed their dominion, the condition of women would be more or less affected by their evils. But, on the whole, society was improving: two great events were preparing to engage the attention of Europe-the struggles for religious freedom, and the revival of learning. These produced effects on the human mind, very different from those of any revolutions that had taken place during the ages of barbarism.

While the opinion reigned absolute, that war was the most important affair of life and the most honourable pursuit, the tendency of society was towards destruction. All the virtue consistent with so false a principle was, perhaps, brought forth by chivalry; but in the long run, the false principle overruled the force of the generous spirit, and chivalry sank like a meteor that owed its splendour to surrounding darkness. Its spirit gave an impulse to opinion and sentiment, but its errors and ignorance disabled it from supplying any corrective to the bad institutions and mistaken policy which fostered barbarism. It was not every mind that was capable of imbibing the generous sentiments of chivalry; but

ferocious passions could rarely fail to be stimulated by the idolatry of war, and the contempt for civil employments it produced. Among men, poor, restless, and to a great degree irresponsible, the craving for distinction excited by chivalry was a dangerous passion. No very general change over the face of society could be reasonably expected, from the attempt to engraft a spirit of gentleness and beneficence, upon a principle of war and destruction. The spirit was right, but the principle was wrong. It was just the reverse, in the next enthusiasm which seized the minds of mankind. In the struggles for religious freedom which followed, the principle was right, but it was pursued in the horrible spirit of persecution. Men, ready to die for the right of professing the truth, could not divest themselves of that persecuting spirit towards others, which was leading themselves to the stake. But there is a vigour in a right principle which gradually clears men's eyes of their prejudices. The dire and mistaken means by which successive reformers defended, each his own opinion, were abandoned, and men began to perceive that civil and religious liberty were of more use to society than martial feats, or extended conquests; and that it is still more important to learn how to reason, than how to fight.

The tendency of this principle was towards social improvement, and civilization began to make progress.

Before the extinction of chivalry, the airy throne on which women had been raised was broken down; but the effects of their elevation were never oblite

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