The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-15 00:00:00

This inspires with a profound jealousy to-
wards Harold, insomuch that when he approaches
Dover, and saes the port swarming with Norman
counts, Norman;hosts, and Norman citiZens„'he speaks
thus to his companion Lanfranc:—
" Is not England pare of Normandy already?"
And the Lombard answered:— _

" The fruit is well nigh rile, and the first breeze will
shake it to thy feet. Put not out thy hand too soon.
Let the wind do its work."
And the Duke made reply,
"As thou thinkest, so think I. And there is but one
wind in the halls of heaven that can waft the fruit to
the feet of another."
" And that?" asked the Lombard.
"Is the wind that blows from the shores of Ireland,
when it fills the sails of Harold, son of Godwin."
" Thou fearest that man, and why?" asked the Lom-
bard with interest.
And the Doke answered-
.
Because in the breast of Harold beats the heart of
England."

Here it is that among other places we conceive the
author to have distorted history. He represents
William as yearning for the Crown of England, at
the period of his visit to Westminster, when accord-
ing to Ingulf (Ing. 65) he did not then dream of
his succession, and Ingulf was then in his retinue,
and continued to act for many years as his confidential
secretary. In corroboration of Ingulf, see also Flo-
rence (627), and Hernmingford (456). Book 111.,
entitled " The House of Godwin," depicts the power
and the pomp of that famous Earl, " and elder king-
maker,"—describing also his family, Gith his wife,
Edith his eldest daughter (wife to Edward the Con-
fessor), his youngest daughter Thyra, and his
six sons, Sweyn, Harold, Tostig, Gurth, Leofwine,
and Wolnoth. Sweyn, the eldest born, is tried be-
fore the Witenagemote for divers high crimes, and
the description of the trial is one of the noblest pas-
sages in this noble Saxon work. Here is the closing
paragraph, after the outlawry of Sweyn, when he
avers his guilt and his repentance before the Witan,
and announces his resolve to go bare-footed to the
Holy Sepulchre

gathered his robe of state over his breast as a
monk his gown, and looking neither to right nor left,
passed slowly down the ball, through the crowd, which
made way for him in awe and silence ; and it seemed
to the assembly as if a cloud had gone from the lace of

And Godwin still stood with his face covered by his
robe.

" And Harold anxiously watched the faces of the as-
sembly, and saw no relenting!
" And Gurth crept to Harold's side,
" And the gay Leofwine looked sad.
" And the young Wolnoth turned pale and trembled.
" And the fierce Tostig played with his golden chain.
" And one low sob was heard, and it came from the
breast of Alred the meek accuser—God's true but gentle
priest."

It is scarcely possible to imagine the effect of this
passage—inexpressibly touching in its strange and
beautiful simplicity—when perused with the context.
Book IV., " The Heathen Altar and the Saxon
Church," tells of the restoration of the family of
Godwin to the favour of King Edward. Book V
"Death and Love," is descriptive of the death of
Godwin, and the betrothal of Edith and Harold. In
the account of Godwin's demise, the author assumes
as authentic the doubtful fables of the chroniclers.
Book VI., " Ambition," depicts the rise of Harold till
" he was of that height in himself that he needed no
pedestal to stand on," and when at last he was " deafened
to all but the voice of a grand ambition, and the
awakening joy of a noble heart." Book VII., "The
Welch King," is a vivid description of the Great Earl's
expedition into Wales, and his victory over Gryffyth,
the son of Pendragon. Book VIII., "Fate," is full
of the witcheries and incantations of Hilda, the Scan-
dinavian Vala. Book IX., " The Bones of the Dead,"
carries the story down to the journey of Harold to
Normandy, and his oath of allegiance sworn upon
the reliquary. Book X., " The Sacrifice on
the Altar," explains the apparent faithlessness
of Harold to Edith, when he marries Editha (or as
Sir Bulwer Lytton calls her by way of distinction,
Aldyth), the widow of Gryffyth, and daughter of
Alfgar (Algar according to our author), the son of
Leofric, better known as the husband of Godiva.
Book XI. " The Norman Schemer and the Norwegian
Sea King," is principally descriptive of the treasonous
intrigues of Tostig and the buccaneering expedition
of Harold Hardrada to the kingdom of Northumbria.
Book XII., " The Field of Hastings," completes the
romance with a splendid delineation of the great
battle on the acclivity of Sanguelac. In a work so
remarkable as a purely historical production, such as
" Harold," perhaps the most interesting feature is the
power displayed by the author in his portraiture of
renowned characters. We will enable the reader to
conjecture how far Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton has
succeeded in this particular by transcribing nine of
his most inimitable portraitures. They are as
follows :