Romance has been elegantly defined as the offspring of FICTION and LOVE.
Men of learning have amused themselves with tracing the epocha of
romances; but the erudition is desperate which would fix on the inventor
of the first romance: for what originates in nature, who shall hope to
detect the shadowy outlines of its beginnings? The Theagenes and
Chariclea of Heliodorus appeared in the fourth century; and this elegant
prelate was the Grecian Fenelon. It has been prettily said, that
posterior romances seem to be the children of the marriage of Theagenes
and Chariclea. The Romance of "The Golden Ass," by Apuleius, which
contains the beautiful tale of "Cupid and Psyche," remains unrivalled;
while the "Däphne and Chloe" of Longus, in the old version of Amyot, is
inexpressibly delicate, simple, and inartificial, but sometimes offends
us, for nature there "plays her virgin fancies."
Beautiful as these compositions are, when the imagination of the writer
is sufficiently stored with accurate observations on human nature, in
their birth, like many of the fine arts, the zealots of an ascetic
religion opposed their progress. However Heliodorus may have delighted
those who were not insensible to the felicities of a fine imagination,
and to the enchanting elegancies of style, he raised himself, among his
brother ecclesiastics, enemies, who at length so far prevailed, that, in
a synod, it was declared that his performance was dangerous to young
persons, and that if the author did not suppress it, he must resign his
bishopric. We are told he preferred his romance to his bishopric. Even
so late as in Racine's time it was held a crime to peruse these
unhallowed pages. He informs us that the first effusions of his muse
were in consequence of studying that ancient romance, which, his tutor
observing him to devour with the keenness of a famished man, snatched
from his hands and flung it in the fire. A second copy experienced the
same fate. What could Racine do? He bought a third, and took the
precaution of devouring it secretly till he got it by heart: after which
he offered it to the pedagogue with a smile, to burn like the others.
The decision of these ascetic bigots was founded in their opinion of the
immorality of such works. They alleged that the writers paint too warmly
to the imagination, address themselves too forcibly to the passions, and
in general, by the freedom of their representations, hover on the
borders of indecency. Let it be sufficient, however, to observe, that
those who condemned the liberties which these writers take with the
imagination could indulge themselves with the Anacreontic voluptuousness
of the wise _Solomon_, when sanctioned by the authority of the church.
The marvellous power of romance over the human mind is exemplified in
this curious anecdote of oriental literature.
Mahomet found they had such an influence over the imaginations of his
followers, that he has expressly forbidden them in his Koran; and the
reason is given in the following anecdote:--An Arabian merchant having
long resided in Persia, returned to his own country while the prophet
was publishing his Koran. The merchant, among his other riches, had a
treasure of romances concerning the Persian heroes. These he related to
his delighted countrymen, who considered them to be so excellent, that
the legends of the Koran were neglected, and they plainly told the
prophet that the "Persian Tales" were superior to his. Alarmed, he
immediately had a visitation from the angel Gabriel, declaring them
impious and pernicious, hateful to God and Mahomet. This checked their
currency; and all true believers yielded up the exquisite delight of
poetic fictions for the insipidity of religious ones. Yet these romances
may be said to have outlived the Koran itself; for they have spread into
regions which the Koran could never penetrate. Even to this day Colonel
Capper, in his travels across the Desert, saw "Arabians sitting round a
fire, listening to their tales with such attention and pleasure, as
totally to forget the fatigue and hardship with which an instant before
they were entirely overcome." And Wood, in his journey to Palmyra:--"At
night the Arabs sat in a circle drinking coffee, while one of the
company diverted the rest by relating a piece of history on the subject
of love or war, or with an extempore tale."
Mr. Ellis has given us "Specimens of the Early English Metrical
Romances," and Ritson and Weber have printed two collections of them
entire, valued by the poetical antiquary. Learned inquirers have traced
the origin of romantic fiction to various sources.[117] From Scandinavia
issued forth the giants, dragons, witches, and enchanters. The curious
reader will be gratified by "Illustrations of Northern Antiquities," a
volume in quarto; where he will find extracts from "The Book of Heroes"
and "The Nibelungen Lay,"[118] with many other metrical tales from the
old German, Danish, Swedish, and Icelandic languages. In the East,
Arabian fancy bent her iris of many softened hues over a delightful land
of fiction: while the Welsh, in their emigration to Britanny, are
believed to have brought with them their national fables. That
subsequent race of minstrels, known by the name of _Troubadours_ in the
South of France, composed their erotic or sentimental poems; and those
romancers called _Troveurs_, or finders, in the North of France, culled
and compiled their domestic tales or _Fabliaux_, _Dits_, _Conte_, or
_Lai_. Millot, Sainte Palaye, and Le Grand, have preserved, in their
"Histories of the Troubadours," their literary compositions. They were a
romantic race of ambulatory poets, military and religious subjects their
favourite themes, yet bold and satirical on princes, and even on
priests; severe moralisers, though libertines in their verse; so refined
and chaste in their manners, that few husbands were alarmed at the
enthusiastic language they addressed to their wives. The most romantic
incidents are told of their loves. But love and its grosser passion were
clearly distinguished from each other in their singular intercourse with
their "Dames." The object of their mind was separated from the object of
their senses; the virtuous lady to whom they vowed their hearts was in
their language styled "_la dame de ses pensées_," a very distinct being
from their other mistress! Such was the Platonic chimera that charmed in
the age of chivalry; the Laura of Petrarch might have been no other than
"the lady of his thoughts."
From such productions in their improved state poets of all nations have
drawn their richest inventions. The agreeable wildness of that fancy
which characterised the Eastern nations was often caught by the
crusaders. When they returned home, they mingled in their own the
customs of each country. The Saracens, being of another religion, brave,
desperate, and fighting for their fatherland, were enlarged to their
fears, under the tremendous form of _Paynim Giants_, while the reader of
that day followed with trembling sympathy the _Redcross Knight_. Thus
fiction embellished religion, and religion invigorated fiction; and such
incidents have enlivened the cantos of Ariosto, and adorned the epic of
Tasso. Spenser is the child of their creation; and it is certain that we
are indebted to them for some of the bold and strong touches of Milton.
Our great poet marks his affection for "these lofty Fables and Romances,
among which his young feet wandered." Collins was bewildered among their
magical seductions; and Dr. Johnson was enthusiastically delighted by
the old Spanish folio romance of "Felixmarte of Hircania," and similar
works. The most ancient romances were originally composed in verse
before they were converted into prose: no wonder that the lacerated
members of the poet have been cherished by the sympathy of poetical
souls. Don Quixote's was a very agreeable insanity.
The most voluminous of these ancient romances is "Le Roman de
Perceforest." I have seen an edition in six small folio volumes, and its
author has been called the French Homer by the writers of his age. In
the class of romances of chivalry, we have several translations in the
black letter. These books are very rare, and their price is as
voluminous. It is extraordinary that these writers were so unconscious
of their future fame, that not one of their names has travelled down to
us. There were eager readers in their days, but not a solitary
bibliographer! All these romances now require some indulgence for their
prolixity, and their Platonic amours; but they have not been surpassed
in the wildness of their inventions, the ingenuity of their incidents,
the simplicity of their style, and their curious manners. Many a Homer
lies hid among them; but a celebrated Italian critic suggested to me
that many of the fables of Homer are only disguised and degraded in the
romances of chivalry. Those who vilify them as only barbarous imitations
of classical fancy condemn them as some do Gothic architecture, as mere
corruptions of a purer style: such critics form their decision by
preconceived notions; they are but indifferent philosophers, and to us
seem to be deficient in imagination.