The Sun.
London, England, 1830-07-26 00:00:00

ORIGIN SF CHIVALRY.

In the beginning of the twelfth century the
only powerful body of laymen in Europe inha-
bited small fortresses scattered over the country,
from which they rushed forth in quest of plunder,
and were they returned to shelter themselves and
their spoils. Never before were so many dwel-
ling-houses called " little camps." Access to
these dwellings was not easy. Intercourse be-
tween them, except for short orgies, was little
known. Young women in that unsafe time
were almost as confined by the care of
fathers, as in the East by the jealousy of bus.
bands. The young warrior could but rarely
steal a glimpse of damsels of his own age and
condition. Hence it naturally happened that
these ladies were sometimes regarded, at least for
a time, with warmth of passion and depth of ad.
miration unknown to happier times. When men
were engaged in the constant exercise of national
or private war, superiority and valour was' the
virtue which most commanded esteem and ap-
plause. The timid female valued it as highly
from awe as the sturdy warrior from fellow-
feeling. The excellent virtue of veracity was
held in the same honour, and an offence against
it was followed with the like shame; for it was
then rather admired as a proof of courage than
esteemed as a part of integrity. They despised
falsehood, as flowing from the fear of speaking
truth. They imposed on women, under pain of
ignominy, the inflexible practice of those severe
virtues, which they themselves least observed
and least understood, partly to quiet their own
jealousy, partly, also, because where love was a
worship it required a more perfect purity in its
objects.

In so turbulent and insecure a state of society
a few of a more generous nature were led, by
their temper or their circumstances, to testa
the delight of employing valour for the protec-
tion of the feeble against the spoiler. Women,
or rather young and beautiful damsels, were
admired for their attractions, pitied and defended
for their weakness. The ministers of religion
were protected because they were venerable, and
because they were unwarlike. Religion itself,
guarded only by unseen powers- and remote
poniilnents, claimed from the generous warrior
the' use of his sword against her human enemies.
In time all the weak became objects of defei)e.s.
The pupils of the school of chivalry were te4glit.
to take up arms against wrong, however they
might often be deceived in their judgeeont as to
what constituted it. The grand dorect of this
system, in its best state, was, that it was Confined
to a small portion of mankind. In its purest
form it never prevailed among the majority of
the class who exclusively pretended to it. The
writers who soon supplanted the biographers of
saints, and became for their day the delight of
Europe, represented in their romances a picture
of chivalry, in which the heroes were purified
from their defects, and invested with powers to
cope with preternatural heiogs, or to subdue the
most tremendous monsters. These imaginary
pictures were applied by admiring posterity , to
the favourite heroes of a past lige. Each genera-,
lion
Vol. VIII
and at length it came to be thought that the,
fatherpsi.acetile)teiroirei"wacisliveaolirlyfojill'iuti tivilt4'tertuhtticir;
roads of Europe were really.eovered with wallaer-
ing redressers of wrong in some former age,
better mad happier then that in which the be.
Hovers and admirers had the misfortune to live.
Dr. lardner's Cabinet ajkloptedia
.

His MAJESTY will rtnrtatti at St. James's
mitll the beginning of August, when he will re-
move to 'Windsor Castle, and oontinue to retitle there ittilit
October, unless, all has been contemplated, be should pay
a short visit to Scotland and to Ireland*
his suite will occupy the Pavilion The KING awl
at litiriatto from tho
month of October until January.
There are now residing in oyiehotly,a Mide-
water, in this county, a who)s,/triniip urk ""
silting of three sisters oil flair niece, 'who is tft'a(i)
Yea" (.1 ligr•-•••tilit pitingebt ullotit 60. And the 01414 n When 411 fuer are seated together at work, their oe4t,
clean, and matron!, appearance., milts* much atteut'io,
Bath Benda.