The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-10-12
cH1vAIRY, MEDIEVAL AND MODERN.

middle ages. The latter was founded in the
love of truth, of right and of humanity. It
originated in the crusades for the recovery of
the Holy Sepulchre from the hands of the SAT-
acens. Superstition" says Gibbon, mingled
in every public and private action of life; in
the holy wars, it sanctifed the profession of
arms; and the order of Chivalry was assimila-
ted in its rights and privileges to the sacred
orders of Priesthood Several Of the orders,
we may add, in imitation of the clergy, took
upon themselves the VOW of chastity, and their
members were as distinguished for the moral
purity of their lives as for generous devotion to
the high and honorable objects of their assooi-
alton. GAS the champion of God and the Ia
diesn continues the same author, he devoted
himself to speak the truth; to maintain the
right; to protect the distressed; to practice
courtesy virtue less familiar to the anoients /;
to pursue the infdels; to despise the allure
ments of ease and safety; and to vindicate, in
every perilous adventure, the honor of his
character"
We laugh at the folly or superstition which
prompted the knight-errant to issue forth IN
search of adventures clothed in coat of mail,
with helmet and grcaves, sword and buckier ];
but our laughter is turned into smile of be-
nevolent pleasure, when we reflect that they
were actuated by high sense of duty and
honor; and that the rude barbarism of the
times gave to their profession character of
practical utility, rather than one Of heroic
folly They TO q great extent supplied the in
efficiency of Government, in the protection of
the weak, the prevention of wrong, and the
punishment of crimes; and their example OF
abstemious virtue, of honor and generosity,
could not be without the happiest effects upon
the minds of men in o rude age. A true knight
must not only be without fear, but without re-
proach-not merely courageous, but honorable,
generous, humane, diSinterested, and of stain
less morals.
Such was the Chivalry of the dark ages and
we need not say that it differs in everything
from that which bears its name in this coun-
try The only affinity which modern Chivalry
can claim with the ancient, is evinced by the
practice of daelling which, in fact was the
most criminal incident of the latter, while is is
the characteristic and the sine qua non of the
former. But, even in this heritage Of barba-
risrn, there is marked degeneracy in the
modern pretenders to knightly honors. The
modern duellist is little better than an outlaw
and cut-throat and oftener than otherwise his
character corresponds to what those terms
imply.
We have said that the practice of duelling
is the only point of resemblance between the
ancient and modern orders of Chivalry but
there is still another. We have our modern
order of knights-errant, who go forth in search
of adventures; but we regret to say that they
are OF a different character from those which
fred the ambition of the barbarous lords of
Europe seven centuries ago. No Quixotic
sympathy with injured innocence, no indignant
hatred of wrong and oppression, nerves the
arm of the modern hero, as he ssllies forth in
pursuit of a "runoway Niger"
The knight of yore rode forth from his cas-
tic, on his palfrey, accompanied by his faithful
squire leading his charger, and followed by his
knight, armed with handouts and revolvers,
is followed in his adventures by complement
of bloodhounds, and by men as bloody and as
cruel His exploits have not yet become the
staple Of Southern literature, but they abound
with incidents of deep interest and some future
Scott will invest them with tho charm of ro-
nance. Unfortunately, they at present have
too much of stern reality about them to ava
ken any but emotions of disgust and horror.
At present such events are celebrated at the
carousals of the negro traders and negro catch
ers, by expressions of brutal satisfaction
which would disgrace band of savages at a
war dance The most obscene and cruel jests
are received with ringing laughter, and the
bsastly wretch who can avouch the most cruel
deed is honored and enVied as hero. Such is
the celebrity which these deeds enjoy at the
present day; but there is another side to the
picture, and we cannot doubt that the day will
come when they will make different figure in
the literature of the country.
We find recent exploit of negro. catching
in q newspaper of the Old Dominion, of
rather mild type, but which it would be un-
just to the hero to pass by unnoticed: c.
Il Desperate Negro-The Petersburg En-
press gives the following account of the doings
Of negro; who, after indulgng in propensi.
ty for hog-stealing, had betaken himself to re-
tirement and seclusion, or, in other words,
made tracks for parts unknown:
"On Sunday, Mr.. J. A. Hare and wife were
driving out in.a buggy to spend the day at
Mr.. Edward Howletts in Chesterfield, and
while trotting quietly along Mr.. Hare came
suddenly in view of Q dingy face and figure,
which he fancied he had already had cause TO
remember. 1t proved to be John, the pork
fancier. Mr.. Hare ordered the fellow to stop.
and 60 with him Immediately at this, the me-
gro demur1ed, and started to run Mr.. Hare
then jumped out of his buggy, leaving the rein
with his wife, and started off in pursuit of the
slave, who, seeing Mr.. Hare gaining ON him.
pulled out fearful, glittering spring dirk
knife, with which he seemed resolved TO do or
die. AS Mr.. Hare had no weapon. he. with
fortunate presence of mind, picked up chance
fence-stake, and dealt out the first blow to the
negro. The fellow John made a rush with
the knife, and, after little scufle, received q
second blow from the stake which tumbled
him. He soon, however, rose to renew the
attack, when Mr.. Hare fetched him such n
touch on the back of the Uranium that drove
the fellows head into the sand, face down
wards, with the dirk knife still tight in his
grasp. Before he could recover, Mr. Hare tied
him, fastened him behind his buggy and drove
on to make his visit and to spend the after
noon, according to invitation.
Towards evening they returned to Peters
burgh, with the black fellow tied behind and
trotting close up to the buggy, and when com-
ing round the turn, not far from Pocahontas
bridge, the negro managed to sever his cords,
break loose, and rushed for the river, across
which, he boldly swami Rut IL xvas no e,o Co..