whole life and conversation, and gave to the most learned philosopher of his day the manner and deportment of the most perfect gentleman."

Example 14. "HE IS FALLEN!

"We may now pause before that splendid prodigy, which towered amongst us like some ancient ruin, whose frown terrified the glance its magnificence attracted.

“Grand, gloomy, and peculiar, he sat upon the throne, a sceptred hermit, wrapped in the solitude of his own originality.

"A mind bold, independent, and decisive—a will despotic in his dictates an energy that distanced expedition, and a conscience pliable to every touch of interest, marked the outline of this extraordinary character-the most extraordinary, perhaps, that, in the annals of this world, ever rose, or reigned, or fell.

"Flung into life in the midst of a Revolution that quickened every energy of a people who acknowledged no superior, he commenced his course, a stranger by birth, and a scholar by charity!

"With no friend but his sword, no fortune but his talents, he rushed into the lists where rank, and wealth, and genius had arrayed themselves, and competition fled from him as from the glance of destiny. He knew no motive but interest-he acknowledged no criterion but success-he worshipped no God but ambition, and with an Eastern devotion he knelt at the shrine of his idolatry. Subsidiary to this, there was no creed which he did not promulgate; in the hope of a dynasty, he upheld the Crescent;' for the sake of a divorce, he Dowed before the Cross; the orphan of St. Louis, he became the adopted child of the Republic; and with a parricidal ingratitude, on the ruins both of the throne and the tribune, he reared the throne of his despotism.

"A professed Catholic, he imprisoned the pope; a pretended patriot, he impoverished the country; and in the name of Brutus, he grasped without remorse, and wore without shame, the diadem of the Cæsars.

"Through this pantomime of his policy, Fortune played the clown of his caprices. At his touch, crowns crumbled, beggars reigned, systems vanished, the wildest theories took the color of his whim, and all that was novel, changed places with the rapidity of a drama. Even apparent defeat assumed the appearance of victory-his fligh', from Egypt confirmed his destiny-ruin itself only elevated him to empire.

"But, if his fortune was great, his genius was transcendent; decision flashed upon his counsels; and it was the same to decide and to perform. To inferior intellects, his combinations appeared perfectly impossible, his plans perfectly impracticable; but, in his hand, simplicity marked their development, and success vindicated their doption.

"His person partook the character of his mind; if the one never yielded in the cabinet, the other never bent in the field.

"Nature had no obstacles that he did not surmount, space no opposi tion that he did not spurn; and, whether amid Alpine rocks, Arabian sands, or polar snows, he seemed proof against peril, and empowered with ubiquity. The whole continent of Europe trembled at beholding the audacity of his designs, and the miracle of their execution. Skepticism bowed to the prodigies of his performance; romance assumed the air of history; nor was there aught too incredible for belief, or too fanciful for expectation, when the world saw a subaltern of Corsica waving his imperial flag over her most ancient capitals. All the visions of antiquity became common-places in his contemplation; kings were his people; nations were his outposts; and he disposed of courts, and crowns, and camps, and churches, and cabinets, as if they were the titular dignitaries of the chess-board."

23

HISTORICAL DISSERTATION

ON

ENGLISH STYLE.

In the selection and arrangement of the following exam ples, it is designed to present a brief and connected outline of the history of English style. To carry this design into full execution, would obviously require far more extended limits than those here prescribed.

Of English Style before the Revival of Letters

There are few remains of English prose writers prior to the revival of letters, about the middle of the fifteenth century. Of the few productions that belong to early periods in English history, most are written either in Saxon or in Latin. Indeed, the origin of the English language is dated about the commencement of the fourteenth century, Sir John Mandeville being the first prose writer in the language. It is not, then, to be expected, that selections made from writers before the middle of the fifteenth century, will be of much interest or importance, as specimens of style. In these compositions, as in the first efforts of young writers, there is no distinctly formed style,—at least, no traits so well defined, and so prevalent, as to give a character to the style of the

age. Still it will be noticed, that many of the words and phrases are idiomatic, and in common use at the present day.

To the student of the English language, however, these early writings are highly interesting. He sees, in them, as they become more and more intelligible, and bear a nearer resemblance to writings of later periods, the gradual formation of the language. He finds, also, an illustration of the remark, that the English language is a combination of different languages, or, in other words, that it is the Anglo-Saxon, with copious additions from the Norman, French, Latin, Greek, Italian, and German languages. He is further led to notice, that, during the time in which these additions and infusions were made, the language is in a transitionstate, passing from the Anglo-Saxon to the English. Several causes conspired, during the fourteenth century, to bring about this change. A few distinguished poets appeared at this time, whose writings contributed much to the improvement of the language. Chaucer and Gower are especially worthy to be mentioned, the former having been styled the "father of the English language." Many translations were also made from the French and other languages; and in this way, new words and forms of expression were introduced. Trevisa's Translation of the Poly-chronicon, and other translations, made and printed by William Caxton, the first English printer, are examples. Several romances were also, at this time, either written originally in English, or translated from other languages; and this species of writing, as it called the attention of a new class of readers to the literature of the times, led to the advancement of the language. Thus poetry, history, and romance, in their rude forms, aided by the influence of a greater familiarity with foreign languages and nations, led to the gradual formation and improvement of native English.

I have made but three extracts from writers of this period;

one from the Travels and Voyages of Sir John Mandeville, written about 1370; the second, from the Poly-chronicon of Trevisa; and the third, from a romance entitled Morte Arthur, translated and published by Caxton, about 1475.

The following extract from Mandeville, gives us some knowledge of the philosophy of his times :

"Ye have heard me say that Jerusalem is in the midst of the world, and that many men prove and shew there, by a sphere, that pighte* in to the earth, upon the hour of mid-day, when it is so equinoctial, that sheweth no shadow on no side. And that it should be in the midst of the world, David witnesseth in the Psalter, where he saith, Deus operatus est salute in medio terræ. Then they that part from the parts of the West to go towards Jerusalem, as many journies as they go upward for to go thither, in as many journies may they go from Jerusalem, unto other confines of the superficiality of the earth beyond. And when men go beyond tho† journeys, towards Ind, and to the foreign isles, all is euryronynge‡ the roundness of the earth and the sea, under our country on this half. And therefore hath it befallen many times of a thing, that I have heard counted when I was young; how a worthy man departed sometime from our countries, for to go search the world. And so he passed Ind, and the isles beyond Ind, where ben mo than 500 isles; and so long he went by sea and land, and so environed the world by many seasons, that he found an isle, where he heard speak his own language, calling on oxen in the plough such words, as men speak to beasts in nis own country; whereof he had great marvel; for he knew not how it might be. But I say, that he had gone so long by land and by sea, that he had environed all the earth, that he has come again environing, that it is to say, going about unto his own marches, if he would have passed forth, till he had found his country and his own knowledge. But he turned again from thence from whence he was come fro; and so he lost much painful labor, as himself said, a great while after, that he was come home. But how it seemeth to simple men unlearned, that men ne may go under the earth, and also that men should fall toward the heaven from under. But that may not be, unless that we may fall toward heaven from the earth, where we be. For

* fixed.

† these

passing round.