propriety attempt to trace to the forests of Germany all the
subtleties of the scholastic philosophy (and which arose in the
same age as the courts of Love), as to claim for their inhabitants
that reverence and adoration of the female sex which has
descended to our own times. This deference to female rights
and the establishment of an equality between the sexes have
in their origin been wholly independent of love as a passion,
(whose language in all ages and among all nations has been
the same,) and are manifestly the offspring of that dispensa-
tion, which has purified religion of every sensual rite, and
which, by spiritualizing all our hopes and wishes of a future
existence, has shed the same refining influence on our present
institutions : “ L'amour de Dieu et des dames” was not a
mere form.

CONTENT S.

VOL. I.

Author's Preface ...

EDITOR'S Preface

Page.

(3)

(11)

DISSERTATION I.

Of the Origin of Romantic Fiction in Europe

i

Note by the Editor on the Lais of Marie de France Ixxiv

Note by the Editor on the Saxon Ode on the Victory of

Athelstan....

lxxxyii

DISSERTATION II.

On the Introduction of Learning into England......

сііі

DISSERTATION III.

On the Gesta Romanorum

clxxvii

THE HISTORY OF ENGLISH POETRY.

Section 1.

State of Language. Prevalence of the French language before

and after the Norman conquest. Specimens of Norman-Saxon

poems. Legends in verse. Earliest love-song. Alexandrine

Satirical pieces. First English metrical romance ..

verses.

Section II.

Satirical ballad in the thirteenth century. The king's poet. Ro-

bert of Gloucester. Antient political ballads. Robert of
Brunne. The Brut of England. Le Roman le Rou. Gests

Page.

and jestours. Erceldoune and Kendale. Bishop Grosthead.

Monks write for the Minstrels. Monastic libraries full of ro-

mances. Minstrels admitted into the monasteries. Regnorum

Chronica and Mirabilia Mundi., Early European travellers

into the East. Elegy on Edward the First

47

Section III.

Effects of the increase of tales of chivalry. Rise of chivalry.

Crusades. Rise and improvements of Romance. View of the

rise of metrical romances. Their currency about the end of

the thirteenth century. French minstrels in England. Pro-

vencial poets. Popular romances. Dares Phrygius. Guido

de Colonna. Fabulous histories of Alexander. Pilpay's Fables.

Roman d'Alexandre. Alexandrines. Communications between

the French and English minstrels. Use of the Provencial

writers. Two sorts of troubadours

111

Section IV.

Examination and specimens of the metrical romance of Richard

the First. Greek fire. Military machines used in the cru-

sades. Musical instruments of the Saracen armies. Ignorance

of geography in the dark ages

Note by the Editor on the Romance of Sir Tristram. (see

p. 78.]....

162

181