[1] Sir Francis Palgrave's "Dissertation on Caedmon," in the
Archaeologia.
In another work this erudite antiquary explains the marvellous part
of Caedmon's history by "natural causes;" and such a principle of
investigation is truly philosophical; but we must not look over
imposture in the search for "natural causes." "Caedmon's inability to
perform his task," observes our learned expositor, "appears to have
arisen rather from the want of musical knowledge than from his
dulness, and therefore it is quite possible that, _allowing for some
little exaggeration_, his poetical talents may have been _suddenly
developed in the manner described_."--"Hist. of England," i. 162.
Thus the Saxon Milton rose in one memorable night after a whole life
passed without the poet once surmising himself to be poetical; and
thus, for we consent not to yield up a single point in the narrative
of "the Dream," appeared the patronising apparition and the
exhilarating dialogue. A lingering lover of the Mediaeval genius can
perceive nothing more in a _circumstantial legend_ than "a little
exaggeration." I seem to hear the shrill attenuated tones of Ritson,
in his usual idiomatic diction, screaming, "It is a _Lie_ and an
_Imposture_ of the stinking _Monks_!"
The Viscount de Chateaubriand is infinitely more amusing than the
plodders in the "weary ways of antiquity." The mystical tale of the
Saxon monk is dashed into a glittering foam of enigmatical brevity.
"_Caedmon revait en vers et composait des poemes en dormant; Poesie
est Songe._" And thus dreams may be expounded by dreams!--"Essai sur
la Literature Anglaise," i. 55.
[2] "The Six Days of the Creation" offered a subject for an heroic
poem to Dracontius, a Spanish monk, in the fifth century, and who was
censured for neglecting to honour the seventh by a description of the
Sabbath of the Divine repose. It is preserved in "Bib. Patrum," vol.
viii., and has been published with notes. Genesis and Exodus--the
fall of Adam--the Deluge--and the passage of the Red Sea, were themes
which invited the sacred effusions of Avitus, the Archbishop of
Vienne, who flourished in the sixth century. His writings were
collected by Pere Sirmond. This Archbishop attacked the Arians, but
we have only fragments of these polemical pamphlets; as these were
highly orthodox, what is wanting occasioned regrets in a former day.
Other histories in Latin verse drawn from the Old Testament are
recorded.
[3] Among our ancestors all proper names were significant; and when
they are not, we have the strongest presumptive reasons for
suspecting that the name has been borrowed from some other tongue.
The piety of many monks in their pilgrimages in the Holy Land would
induce them to acquire some knowledge of the Hebrew or even the
Chaldee--Bede read Hebrew. A scholar who has justly observed this,
somewhat cabalistically has discovered that "the initial word of
Genesis in Chaldee," and printed in Hebraic characters [Hebrew:
behadsin], exhibits the presumed name of the Saxon monk.
[4] This sort of cento seems to have been a favourite fancy with this
masterly versifier; for of another Anglo-Saxon bard who composed on
warlike subjects, this critic says--"If the names of Patroclus and
Menelaus were substituted for Byrthnoth and Godric, some of the
scenes might be almost literally translated into a cento of lines
from Homer." Homer's claim to originality, however, is secure from
any critical collation with the old Saxon monk.
[5] Notwithstanding the information with which I was favoured, I
cannot divest myself of the notion that "the rebellion of the angels"
must be more explicitly described among the Jewish traditions than
yet appears; because we find allusions to it in two of the
apostolical writings. In the epistle of Jude, ver. 6: "_The angels
which kept not their first estate_, but left their own habitation, He
hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment
of the great day." And in Peter, ii. 4: "_God spared not the angels
that sinned, but cast them down to Hell_, and delivered them unto
chains of darkness to be reserved unto judgment." These texts have
admitted of some dispute; but it seems, however, probable that the
apostles, just released from their Jewish bondage, had not
emancipated themselves from the received Hebraical doctrines.
[6] Paradise Lost, ii. 594.
[7] Inferno, Canto iii. 5.
[8] Caedmon, p. 29.
[9] Paradise Lost, i. 221.
[10] Paradise Lost, i. 592.
[11] Paradise Lost, v. 798.
[12] Guest's "History of English Rhythms," ii. 23.
[13] This curious literary information has been disclosed by ROGER
WILLIAMS, the founder of the State of Rhode Island, who was
despatched to England in 1651, to obtain the repeal of a charter
granted to Mr. Coddington. I give this remarkable passage in the
words of this Anglo-American:--"It pleased the Lord to call me for
some time and with some persons to practise the Hebrew, the Greek,
Latin, French and Dutch. _The secretary of the council, Mr. Milton,
for my Dutch I read him, read me many more languages._ Grammar rules
begin to be esteemed a tyranny. I taught two young gentlemen, a
parliament-man's sons, as we teach our children English--by words,
phrases, and constant talk, &c." This vague &c. stands so in the
original, and leaves his "wondrous tale half-told." "Memoirs of Roger
Williams, the Founder of the State of Rhode Island, by James D.
Knowles, Professor of Pastoral Duties in the Newton Theological
Institution," 1834, p. 264.
I am indebted for this curious notice to the prompt kindness of my
most excellent friend ROBERT SOUTHEY; a name long dear to the public
as it will be to posterity; an author, the accuracy of whose
knowledge does not yield to its extent.
[14] Mr. SOUTHEY observes, in a letter now before me, that "VONDEL'S
'Lucifer' was published in 1654. His 'Samson,' the same subject as
the 'Agonistes,' 1661. His 'Adam,' 1664. CAEDMON, ANDREINI, and
VONDEL, each or all, may have led Milton to consider the subject of
his 'Paradise Lost.' But Vondel is the one who is most likely to have
impressed him. Neither the Dutch nor the language were regarded with
disrespect in those days. Vondel was the greatest writer of that
language, and the _Lucifer_ is esteemed the best of his tragedies.
Milton alone excepted, he was probably the greatest poet then
living."
This critical note furnishes curious dates. Milton was blind when the
_Lucifer_ was published; and there is so much of the personal
feelings and condition of the poet himself in his "Samson Agonistes,"
that it is probable little or no resemblance could be traced in the
Hollander. The "Adam" of Milton, and the whole "Paradise" itself, was
completed in 1661. As for Caedmon, I submit the present chapter to Mr.
Southey's decision.
No great genius appears to have made such free and wise use of his
reading as Milton has done, and which has led in several instances to
an accusation of what some might term plagiarism. We are not certain
that Milton, when not yet blind, may not have read some of those
obscure modern Latin poets whom Lauder scented out.
[15] Guest's "History of English Rhythms."
[16] This speech, in which Satan appeals to and characterises his
Infernals, may be read in Parfait's analysis of the Mystery.--_Hist.
du Theatre Francois_, i. 79.
[17] _L'Angeleida_ of VALVASONE, the _Adamo_ of ANDREINI, and
others.--Hayley's Conjectures on the Origin of "Paradise Lost." See
also Tiraboschi, and Ginguene.
[18] These singular attempts at art may be inspected in above fifty
plates, in the Archaeologia, vol. xx. We may rejoice at their
preservation, for art, even in the attempts of its children, may
excite ideas which might not else have occurred to us.