was in truth the commentary of Averroes. It was derived by him from a faulty Arabic version, and it was transmitted by his disciples to the Western races in a faulty Latin version. How could a commentary thus exposed to a twofold cycle of errors in translation continue to hold its ground against other commentaries founded on the living, the authoritative, Greek?

To conclude; there is only one other observation which I have to make. I should wish you to notice that the subject which I have chosen does not imply any knowledge of the original Arabic sources. If it did I could not have undertaken it without the most extreme presumption. But in truth the subject which I announced, and which accordingly I have now discussed, is solely the "influence" of the Arabic philosophy -its influence in medieval Europe. Now, as I have already had occasion to apprise you, that influence was exerted in every case and quite exclusively by means of Latin translations. It is therefore only with these translations. or with the testimonies to them, that my appointed subject has led me to deal, or that I have dealt, in the address which at this point I have the honour to conclude.

STANHOPE.

LEGENDS OF CHARLEMAGNE.

[Fraser's Magazine, July, 1866.]

LEGENDS and mythical stories of various kinds have often in the progress of time gathered around the memories of remarkable men. But there is one curious fact respecting them, which has only of late years been, I might, perhaps, say discovered-certainly, at least, acknowledged. They were formerly thought to have proceeded, like any other falsehoods, from a deliberate purpose to deceive. Now, on the contrary, it seems to be admitted by most persons that they spring up almost unconsciously, and in many cases with a full conviction of their truth by those who first composed them.

The explanation of this the later, and, as I should say, the sounder view, is to be found in the following train of thought which we may assume to have passed in the mind of the credulous fabulist. The thing must have been so and so; therefore the thing was so and so. Such a man was a great hero of course then he was eight feet high. Such a man was very learned—of course then he had studied the Black Art. Such a man was a Saint--of course then we cannot be wrong in ascribing to him any virtue or any marvel. A process

of reasoning like this in the darker ages has sufficed to transform Attila into a giant, Virgil into a magician, and Mahomet into what he certainly never claimed to be, a worker of miracles. Thus does wonder crowd on wonder, each succeeding writer adding a new circumstance, until at last the true historical personage is obscured, and well nigh lost to sight in a cloud of legendary lore.

On no period of history however have these legends settled more closely or in greater numbers than on the era of Charlemagne. That great Sovereign might well make a powerful impression on the popular mind. His dominion was as extensive as that of Napoleon, and indeed almost conterminous with it, while the duration of his reign was about three-fold. The excellence of his civil institutions enhanced the glory of his military exploits; and he looms high above the series both of his predecessors and of his descendants.

The life and character of Charlemagne have been described with full authority by Eginhard, an accomplished man of letters, who knew him well, and who filled an office at his Court. This is in truth the only quite accurate and trustworthy record. But on the other hand, it is rather brief and summary, and might well appear to the next age incommensurate to the extent of his conquests and the lustre of his reign. In crder to supply this popular craving, there came forth in the eleventh century a fabulous history of Charlemagne, falsely ascribed to Turpin, who in the days of the great Emperor had been Archbishop of Rheims. To the same effect, but in divers forms, and in every

variety of language, has started up a whole host of ballads and romances.

Eginhard-who by the way was not in truth Eginhard at all, for he always called himself and his contemporaries always called him Einhard or Einhardustells us that Charlemagne gave orders to put in writing "the barbaric and most ancient poems in which the deeds and wars of the old Kings were sung." The object of the great Emperor was that these poems might be safely transmitted to posterity; and the encouragement which he thus afforded to such compositions was, though unconsciously, conducive to his own renown. Other poems in celebration of himself sprung up within the next two centuries; and although the great fame of Charlemagne might fairly rest on his authentic and admitted deeds, yet, certainly, in the eyes of our forefathers, and perhaps even in our own, his figure has seemed enormously enhanced and magnified when contemplated through the haze of fiction.

On no point I think has that fiction been so rife as on the many legends relating to the twelve Peers of Charlemagne, or, as they are sometimes called, his Paladins. But Charlemagne in real fact had no Peers at all. The idea is quite imaginary. It appears to take its rise from the supposition that every man of might ought to be attended by certain followers of commensurate renown; and the Gospel History may perhaps have suggested the number twelve as especially solemn and sacred. Thus, in like manner, the Spaniards have an epic on Alexander the Great which dates from the thirteenth century, and which represents the Macedo

nian conqueror also as having around him his twelve Peers.1

As to the name of Paladin, it has been like so many others elucidated by the skill and learning of Ducange. He shows from quotations that the d in the word is a later corruption of t, and that the original term was "Palatin," not "Paladin ;" the signification being "one that belongs to the palace;" a chosen champion, or if yoù prefer it, a guardsman of the Sovereign.

Charlemagne himself in some legends is raised to the stature of a giant. His life by the pseudo-Turpin declares that he was at least eight feet high. In other legends he is exalted to the dignity of a Saint. Such at all events was the idea entertained of him by Joan of Arc. She said to Charles the Seventh, at Chinon: "I tell you, gentle Dauphin, that God has pity on you, your realm, and your people, for St. Louis and St. Charlemagne are on their knees before him, and offer supplications for you."

But the event of this reign in which all the poetry, all the legends, all the pseudo-histories, may be said to culminate, is the retreat of the French from Spain, attended by the rout of Roncesvalles and the fall of Roland. The real facts are to be gathered from two passages of Eginhard; the one in his Life of Charlemagne, and the other in his Annals, under the date 778. It appears then that Charlemagne, being invited to Spain by Ibn Araby, one of his Moorish allies, marched

This is the Alexandro of Juan | ten thousand lines. See Mr. TickLorenzo Segura, a poem of above | nor's History, vol. i. p. 54.