This was a society formed by those high-priests of gallantry, the early
poets, or Troubadours of Provence. It was shortly imitated by similar
establishments in Gascony, Languedoc, Poictou, and Dauphiny. Picardy,
the constant rival of Provence, had also its Plaids et Gieux sous
l’Ormel, an institution differing from the former only in name.
These establishments consisted of knights and ladies of the highest
rank, exercised and approved in courtesy, who assumed an absolute
judicial power in matters of the most delicate nature; trying, with the
most consummate ceremony, all cases in love brought before their
tribunals. Nor did their decrees receive effect from the voluntary
submission only of their members; the general courtesy of the times
stamped them with unquestionable authority, nor did the legislature
itself disdain to sanction their decisions.
Of this a remarkable instance is recorded, which took place in France in
the year 1206; when application was made to the queen to reverse a
sentence deemed unjust by the party, and which had been pronounced in
the love pleas of one of these courts, in which the Countess of
Champagne presided. It was deemed, however, that decrees of this nature
admitted of no appeal; and her majesty declared, that she did not choose
to interpose in a matter of such consequence, nor to scrutinize the
decrees of a court whose power was absolute, and whose decisions were
final; adding, “God forbid that I should presume to contradict the
sentence of the Countess of Champagne.”--So far may the manners, and
even prejudices, of an age, sometimes have a tendency to correct the
haughtiness even of despotic power!
* * * * *
* * * *
THE VICTIM OF MAGICAL DELUSION.
_OR, INTERESTING MEMOIRS OF MIGUEL, DUKE DE CA*I*A._
Unfolding Many Curious Unknown Historical Facts.
_Translated from the German of Tschink._
(Continued from page 62.)
“Who has authorised you to try me?”
“Who has authorised me to save you from the waves?”
“Why this question instead of an answer?”
“To tell you that every body is authorised to be useful to another
person, without his knowledge and permission.”
“I hope you will not make me believe that you have deceived me in order
to promote my happiness!”
“If delusions are leading to truth, then they are undoubtedly means of
promoting happiness.”
“Indeed! According to my notions, _real_ happiness never can be founded
upon delusion, as truth can never originate from error. Delusions and
errors are obstacles on the road to happiness and truth, but never will
be the means of promoting them.”
“Then you must blame nature for acting after a plan entirely opposite to
your notions. Has she not made imagination, that mother of illusion, the
source of unspeakable pleasures. It is imagination alone that can afford
what reality never can give---never satiated enjoyment. Imagination
preserves, renews and improves every pleasure of the senses--What else
but imagination is the source of the purest and most sublime raptures of
love? Or do you perhaps think, that the perceptions which we receive
through our senses are free of illusion, that we are never deceived by
the organs which nature has given us? Your ideas would be just if we
could know by means of our senses, the objects themselves and not merely
their appearances; the essential substance, and not merely the
superficies of things; however, as our senses never shew us the thing
itself, but only its exterior appearance, the reality of sensible
perceptions is always very suspicious. And since, from our sensible
perceptions, even our plainest notions are abstracted, one must either
doubt the certainly of logical arguments, or allow that illusions are
the path leading to truth. Common experience teaches us, that one
improves in knowledge by committing errors. It is as incontrovertible
that error precedes truth, as it cannot be denied that darkness precedes
light. If therefore nature herself leads a man to truth and happiness by
way of delusions and errors, then you cannot blame me for having
endeavoured to lead you to that mark by the same road.”
“But to what sort of happiness and truth? for no real happiness, and no
pure truth can exist if all our perceptions and notions are founded on
illusions.”
“You are mistaken, my Lord, they really exist; however they differ
widely from what men generally believe to be truth and happiness.”
“Then you are going to make me acquainted with a new kind of happiness
and truth, and to lead me to uncommon light by the common road of
illusion?”
“Man must be treated in a human manner, and improve by degrees. A sudden
transition from twilight to the radiant glare of the noon-tide sun, from
the land of sweet fancies to pure paradisiacal bliss, would transport
the son of dust beyond himself. For that reason, it was requisite you
should experience all the intermediate degrees of illusion, but not of
an ordinary one, in order to obtain possession of an extraordinary
treasure. That spot, where you will find the talisman which breaks the
magic charm whereby the treasure is withheld from you as yet, is the
highest pinnacle of illusion, and for that very reason the last degree
of it. He who has happily arrived at it, emerges from the mazy labyrinth
of enchantments, beholds a new heaven and a new earth, and, as if new
created, strides over into the kingdom of unadulterated truth and bliss;
where he enters the sacred porch of that eternal temple from which only
the grave separates him.”
“I do not entirely comprehend your emblematical language; will you
explain yourself more at large?” So saying, I offered him a chair; we
sat down, and he began:
“The history of all ages and nations convinces us that all men strive to
be happy: but only the better and nobler part of mankind are in pursuit
of truth; not as if the latter sort did not also contend for happiness,
but because they find it in the contemplation of truth, and do not
believe that happiness can exist, without being founded on the base of
truth. The former class pursue happiness on different and opposite
roads, and when they fancy they have found it, embrace an airy phantom;
the latter class also go in pursuit of truth on different and opposite
roads, and when they fancy they have discovered it, are enraptured at an
_ignis fatuus_. Some of them perceive at last that they are deceived by
illusions, and others do not. The former continue their pursuit by the
road which they have once fallen in with, and finding nothing but new
phantoms and new illusions, spread at length the rumour, that no real
happiness and truth could be met with here below. But suppose a man of
an extraordinary genius, who had been firmly convinced that this
treasure can be found here below, should have attempted to go in search
of it through uncommon and never trodden paths, and at length, after
enormous deviations, which on the unbeaten paths he pursued could not be
avoided, should have found truth and happiness in their natural purity
and sisterly union, and entrusted the secret to his friends under the
condition to communicate it only to a few, and not even to them till
they should have been tried by uncommon delusions of different kinds,
like himself; would you then forgive me, my Lord, if I had deceived you
with that view?”
“Then I should not owe you forgiveness, but gratitude. But as the time
of probation (according to your own declaration) is past, will you not
be so good as to let me see only a few rays of that light, the full
splendor of which I am going to behold.”
“I have orders not to disclose the secret to you before the liberation
of your country should be accomplished.”
“Then my probationary time is not yet finished?”
“The time of delusion is past, and you are now to begin the epocha of
acting for which the former was designed to prepare you. Strain every
nerve to deliver your country, and the last trial will be finished.”
“How can I save my country?”
“At M***d you shall be informed of it.”
“I am going to depart for that town to-morrow morning.”
“At ****, twelve miles from hence, you may stop for a short time--but
mark well, only for a short time. You will meet Amelia there”--
“Amelia?”
“And will find her differently disposed from what she would have been
without my interference.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“The Countess has vowed to be faithful unto death to the man of her
heart. She has frequently renewed this rigorous vow at the tomb which
she has devoted to his memory, and thus promised to the dear departed
object of her love a sacrifice, which has driven to despair all those
whom her uncommon charms have enchanted. You would have shared the same
fate, my Lord, if my power had not dissolved the dreadful covenant which
Amelia has made with the departed spirit of her Lord.”
I started up like a maniac--“_That_ you have done? _You_ have done
that?”
The Irishman rose coolly from his seat: “Moderate your joy,” said he,
“for you don’t know whether I have not deceived the Countess!”
“O forget what I have said in the heat of passion. Beings like you are
above slander. Forgive what I have said!”
“When you come to **** stop at the inn of St. James’s, and then you
shall be convinced by my actions that I have forgiven you.” So saying,
he shook hands with me and left my apartment.
“Who is that incomprehensible man?” said I to myself, “Have I not been
his mortal enemy half an hour ago, and now am again become his friend
and admirer, am again enchained with fetters of which I fancied I had
rid myself entirely? Is my weakness the source of this unaccountable
change, or is he in possession of a magic charm by which he rules with
secret power every heart?” O thou who once shall read this history,
whoever thou art, do not look scornfully upon my relapse. Thou hast not
seen the countenance of that man, hast not heard him speak: I have been
less enthralled by what he said, than by the manner in which he spoke.
The magic power which his looks, his mien, his accent, and every gesture
gave to his words, rendered credible even what was improbable, and
raised the latter to certainty. While he was speaking I little thought
to interrupt him, dwelling with secret pleasure upon the contemplation
of the seducing pictures which he placed before me, and only when in
cooler blood, I began to anatomize and to scan the train of his
arguments. I discovered defects, gaps, and improbabilities which shook
the very base of my belief, and overclouded the charming prospects which
he displayed before my enraptured eyes. How ever, there was one idea on
which I dwelled with joyful confidence. ‘It will be accomplished,’
I exclaimed, ‘although every other promise of the Irishman should prove
airy phantoms. I shall see Amelia, and be happy!’
But this hope too began to dwindle away, after I had waited the next day
at the inn to which I had been directed by the Irishman, from eight
o’clock in the morning till seven o’clock at night without having
received tidings from Amelia. I was just going to take up my guitar in
order to give vent to my melancholy sensations, when my servant came to
tell me that a girl wanted to speak to me. I ordered him to shew her to
my apartment. After many courtisies and circumlocutions, the unknown
fair one begged me at length to have the kindness to honour her lady
with a wish. Asking her who her lady was, she replied that she durst not
tell me her name, but would shew me the way to the castle. “Then _your
lady_ has sent you to me?” “God forbid,” she replied, “my lady knows not
a syllable of my errand; and your Lordship must tell the servant to
announce you by the name of the Marchese Albertini.” “Who was it then
that gave you that order?” “An officer in a blue uniform,” she replied,
“who has paid a visit to my lady some time ago. He told me where I
should find your Lordship; but, for heaven’s sake do not tell my lady of
it; for he has given me a louis d’or to conceal that circumstance from
her!” Now I knew what to think of the matter. I could have kissed the
little garrulous messenger. “There, take this;” said I, emptying my
purse in her apron, “shew me instantly to the house of your lady!” The
girl was enraptured with joy, hurried down stairs, and I followed her
with impatient steps.
(_To be continued._)
* * * * *