New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-21
ROMANCE.
A STUDY OF IT'S FOUNDATIONS IN EU-
ROPEAN LITERATURE.

a
Literature which ought to prove Invaluable II
the authors associated with him in the enterprise
emulate successfully his learning and his skill.
We hone they will discard his style That is one
of the worst In contemporary letters. But we can
forgive Professor Saintsbury his style MS uhoig-
nifed filings at those with whose criticism Oh
methods he is dissatisfied, even his irritating hap-
II OF reminding the reader on every other page
that the Professor of Rhetoric and Englsh Li'er-
AZURE in the University Of Edinburgh is one Oh the
most industrious and omniscient writers WHO
ever lived. With all his faults he is al an! ra'o
Instructive and readable. The latter qualifica-
ton is peculiarly important in such WORK as inc
present Professor Saintsbury admits hmseI
that the "obansons de geste" of the twelfth and
thirteenth centuries are hardly among the peren-
NAL relics OF literature. but he has read them
with such sympathy and surveys the whoie He'u
Of medieval letters With so much insiSn' anu
enthusiasm shat ne Galvanizcs into ire 'hihss
that 10 the average student are dead lie cou'u
not within the limits of his space put the rea"e.
in possession OF much Of the SUBSTANCE OIL o'u
French romance, but he gives clear ana suc-
cinct account Of Il, sketches In the most sus-
cestive manner the development; CT the CarioVih-
gian chansons, OF the Arthurian legend IN frehch'
English and Celtic literature, Of the saga IN ,'er
MANY and Iceland. and of all that broad stream
lied" the "Poena del Ga" "Renard the Fox.
the "Ronaaunt Of the Rose. ana the Hi'os vi
wather Won der Voeelweide.
The bulk Of this book IS an ingenious digest OF
the specialized literature already existing IN
mountains on the subject. but there is one CHAP
ter IN which Professor Saintsbury exploits WIN
much address and some audacity few loeas ol
his own. They arc among the best IN the Voiuine
ana they are the more interesting Tor coming
more or less on tho heels Of dogmatic utterahces
By such experts as Professor Rhys and Mr.. Nutt
The latter especially has been prepared to dereho
against all Corners the sanctity or the Arthurlah
leEend as a work Of Celtic origin. He, with FRO
lessor Rhys IN England, with Herr thinner IN
Germany and with NJ. CASTOR Paris In France
holds that passages In Welsh literature throw
revealing Hight on the life OF Arthur and the cee-
bration OF his career In literature; and he makes
much Of the point which has latterly been in
great favor among adherents of the Celtic ny
pothesis the existence in the legend OF place
names which can be identified with actual locaIl-
ties in England. The tendency OF critics VINO
have established these facts to their own satis-
faction is 70 fling Celtic mantle over the whoie
romance, to have II not only Celtic in origin put
in development Here Professor Saintsbury parts
company with his predecessors and with his eye
on Walter Map in whom he Justly sees one OF tne
most winning and interesting figures OF that re-
mote period In British literature, he oololy as
cribes the Arthurian legend as we know II 10
English sources IT is n bold stroke ana plausi-
bic one We think 1t is the more piausioie De-
cause Professor saintsbury risks 1t less on the
mint and cumnlin Of what might be called ny
potheaes Of puro fact than on hypothesis OF
.n,ritua, IN other words romantic, development.
His own best trait as a critic is preference for
,aste over pedantry, and he shows plainly that
chstev.r may be said for the Celtic side Of the
story of Arthur, the English SIDE Is far more
tangible and what is more, far more persistent
II 1t Is just In considering the claims OF inc
French TO the inspiration of this romance 10 say
that "tbc further the story goes from England
and the English Continental possessions the more
does It lose Of that peculiar blended character
that mixture OF the purely mystical and purely
romantic. of sacred and profane, which has been
noted as characteristic of its perfect oioon' II
&c equally iust and apposit. to say 1t in discussing
the Celtic claims. Professor Saintsbury points
out that in the Arthurian legend as it was finally
crystalzed "1ust at the time when we should
expect It, we that strange faculty for exhibit
ing a blend a union a cross of characteristics d.
verse In themselves and giving when BLENDED
result different from any Of the parts. which Is
more than anything else the characteristic OF the
English language. Of English literature. OF Eng
Itch nolitcs of everything that is English. CLASH
cal rhetoric, French galantry. Saxon religiosity
and Intense realization Of the other world. ORR
entail extravaganza 10 some extent, the Celtic
vague'-an these things are there. But they are
all co-ordnated. dominated, fashioned anew by
something which is none OF them-out which Is
the English genius. that curious anomalous
many-sided genius"
II Is. on the whole. engaging hypothesis. TO
,,b,ch MANY students will doubtless be ready TO
s,bscrlbe when they have followed Professor
Saintsbury step by step through his reputation OF
the claims Of his opponents and through his
demonstration Of his own scheme. That scheme
has however two enemies as ii were; frst, the
absence of positive proof--end no matter how
u-,l,nr one may be 10 DO without that there is a
fondness for 1t at the bottom OF every true
scholar's heart-and second, the curious adapta-
bn,tv Of the same hypothesis 10 practically ell
the rornances of the Middle Ages. That Is 10
say the entire romance literature OF that time Is
a blend such as Professor Ssintsbury describes.
with d,fYerences according to the nationality OF
the romance in question. The union or diverse
characteristics which he finds lis more than any
thing else the characteristic OF the English IAN
guage OF English literature. of everything that
is English" is really more often encountered all
through the literary countries Of the Middle Ages
than he imagnes. 1t sprang, indeed, not so
much from national impulses. national needs, as
from a state Of spiritual and intellectual being
common TO all Europe. II sprang from the
gradual onergence Of mankind out of the condi-
ton in which 1t had been satisfied to confine Its
literature to q rigid ob1ectfvity. Tho magma
ton Of the world was waking from the sleep OF
the Dark Ages. II had had It's share more than
its share, Of a cropping mysticism; but 1t had ad-
hered pretty generally to Us confidence in what
II could see and to this confidence 1t went ad-
herring for several centuriea In the twelfth and
thirteenth. however. II felt the STRINGS OF new
inspiration: II struggled UP 10 the dawning Of
romance and thus see 1t tndulgtng in the
Celtic vague" at the same time that II fastens