Again : TROBA CCLXXXI. "Lesol. Un Milort Ingles ab gent de acaball Perque no tingau nenguna querella." "An English lord came among the cavalry to the siege of Burriana. His shield was a splendid sun in a field of purple or gules. He undertook to beat down the walls with a battering ram, and when he had made the attack the place was delivered up by the Sarracen; and when the king entered he demanded, "Where is he who bears the sun for his arms?" and he was introduced to the king, who ordered him to place a fair moon above the sun, that he might not have cause to complain." TROBA CCXCI. "Loro. Feu lo rey mercet de part de Albalat A Perot de Loro, un Milort Ingles, Los Moros de Pego dino de un olivar." but "The king conferred a part of Albalat on Peter of Loro, an English noble. He came to the conquest for no hope of reward, to obtain the fame of a valiant soldier. He was at the attack of the mountain and of Valencia, and at his own cost. He was valiant, and his achievements deserved praise. On a field of gold he bore an azure lion, and about it a red fleur-de-lis. For his destruction of the Moors of Pego he merited an olive branch. TROBA CCCXXV. "Merchant. Jordi Mercader de la gran Bretanya Dels Milorts antichs noble descendent, Ab Christia Valor pera la Campanya rey vostrou paré dos beixells apanya "George Merchant, the noble descendant of the ancient lords of Great Britain, out of Christian valor prepared, at his own expense, two vessels to assist your king in his campaigns. His son commanded them. Marks of gold, such as merchants employ, were on his shield, on a red ground, and this elegant motto, nothing wanting, and certain it is, that succour was most acceptable, as well you know. The grateful king armed him a knight." TROBA CCCCLXXV. "Sisternes. Quant a lo Rey Artus de la gran Bretanya Ab los seus Milorts en taula redona, Donantlos tramuzos, els obligà ab manya Contra els enemichs, que estan en Campanya, Tants Caps li han de dar, quants tramuzos dona; Dihuit ne cabaren á un Milort valent, E els pinta en lo escut, dins de sis daliuets, de or en colorat sobre camp de argent, que es conten sis ternes; de est es descendent Té hui en Consentayna premi per sos fets." "When King Arthur assembled his knights at his round table, he distributed lupins to each of them, and in his humour compelled them to promise, that for every lupin he gave they would bring him the head of an enemy. Eighteen fell to the portion of a valiant lord, who painted them in gold on his arms in six red dice, upon a silver field, which make six-très (Sisternes.) From him descended Peter de Sisternes, to whom and to his two children, Consentayna was given for his deeds of valor." Ausias March is the prime glory of the Spanish Trobadors. He died in 1460. He is more known and quoted than any of the rest, and we shall therefore dwell less upon his compositions. His verses are harmonious, natural, and pleasing, pregnant with interesting truths and moral reflections. They are generally pervaded by that soft spirit of melancholy which is so often the favorite companion of the lyre. "Qui no es trist de mos dictats no cur." His poetry is the poetry of truth and wisdom. It has the condensation of proverbs, and the force of philosophy. His subjects are few-love, death, and duty; and they are treated with a sort of didactic solemnity. One listens to him as to an inspired prophet; his sanctions are brought, alike from old mythology, from the Jewish and Christian codes, and from the books of legends, and all introduced in the tone of one having authority, though for himself he constantly claims the title of a Chrestio molt devot." 66 Mossen Jaume Roig is a poet of another order. His "Libre de les Dones" is a bitter and humourous satire upon women. He was physician to Maria, the Queen of Alonso the Fifth, and wrote his book, as appears by his own statement, in 1460. Notwithstanding the credit which is given him by the Catholic Ximeno, for the solid doctrine, sacred learning, and piety of this volume, it appears to be written rather in ridicule than admiration of high orthodox faith. It is dedicated to "the miraculous conception," of which he professes himself a most decided votary. The versification is singularly artificial and laconic, and is known by the title of Cudolada. His motto is "As the lily among thorns, so is my love among daughters." Two translations have been made into Spanish. As a specimen of the original we will give part of the concluding chapter, in which he turns the schools into ridicule. Works prepar'd "Peyta recens mit quatrecens vint set complits anys son finits sens trenta tres anys les primes mentres vixque." p. 187, Edit. 1735. Of thought or speech, The subtilties, Is faith's temptation. Then hear Pertuse, Of wealth to count To hear and see As e'er could be. Another claims, &c. &c.* The bright amount We perceive it is necessary to bring the present article to a conclusion, and with it we close this part of our subject. In the succeeding number, we shall commence our review of the Castillian era of Spanish poetry. "Grans questions en los sermons imperceptibles no aprensibles subtilitats alietats de Trinitat si en pecat Dits Den Pertusa (a) Coses molt primes plau à les gens Profit no gens ne sol restar. es tal plaer lo scotar com lo contar ni recontar bè han sonat bè han precat à mon plaer, &c. (a) Pertusa--A Valencian nobleman. He wrote a book on the Trinity, Incarnation, and other misteries of faith. (b) Raymond Lully. (c) William Occham or Occam. (d) Duns Scotus. ART. III. Of Dramatic Poesie, an Essay, by John Dryden, Esq. London, 1688. Fungar vice cotis, acutum Reddere quæ ferrum valet, exors ipsa secandi. Horat. De Arte Poet. Select Essays on the Belles Lettres, by Mr. Dryden. Glasgow, 1750. The Critical and Miscellaneous Prose Works of John Dryden, now first collected; with Notes and Illustrations; an Account of the Life and Writings of the Author, grounded on Original and Authentic Documents; and a Collection of his Letters, the greater part of which has never before been published, by Edmond Malone, Esq. 4 vols. 8vo. 1800. It has sometimes struck us with a feeling of regret, when fresh from the perusal of Dryden's prose, and under the recent impression of its unrivalled strength and freedom, that prescription should have confined the student of our language so exclusively to the period when it had assumed a more correct and regular character. We are far from meaning to deny the generally admitted supremacy of the writers of the succeeding age, and are orthodox enough in our opinions to agree, that the prose of Addison is the purest well of English at which we can possibly drink-still, however, vixere fortes ante Agamemnona multi-we must be allowed to exclaim against the monopoly which he exercises to the exclusion of some, who deserve an almost equal share of our attention. Besides, we cannot help thinking, on a comparison of the style of Dryden with that of the wits of Queen Anne, that the refinement to which our language attained in the writings of the latter, tended not a little to impair its vigour; and that, in being trained to a more "measured mood," and confined within stricter rules of courtly elegance, it has lost some of the free graces and lively expression of its earlier and less cultivated state. Correctness and propriety are doubtless necessary to the perfection of style, but they are too often the concomitants of languor and imbecility; and are seldom obtained without the sacrifice of those occasional felicities, which, like flowers in the clefts of a barren rock, are often found in the inequalities of a more rugged and careless composition. The style of Addison we would liken to a clear and transparent stream, whose motion is too gentle to ruffle the surface. or sully the purity of its waters; whilst that of Dryden has the impetuosity of a torrent, which often tears the weeds from its |