CHILDE HAROLD'S PILGRIMAGE. A ROMAUNT. L'univers est une espèce de livre, dont on n'a lu que la première page quand on n'a vu que son pays. J PREFACE. THE following poem was written, for the most part, amid the scenes which it attempts to describe. It was begun in Albania; and the parts relative to Spain and Portugal were composed from the author's observations in those countries. Thus much it may be necessary to state for the correctness of the descriptions. The scenes attempted to be sketched are in Spain, Portugal, Epirus, Acarnania, and Greece. There for the present the poem stops: its reception will determine whether the author may venture to conduct his readers to the capital of the East, through Ionia and Phrygia: these two cantos are merely experimental. The stanza of Spenser, according to one of cur most successful poets, admits of every variety. Dr. Beattie makes the following observation: "Not long ago I began a poem in the style and stanza of Spenser, in which I propose to give full scope to my inclination, and be either droll or pathetic, descriptive or sentimental, tender or satirical, as the humour strikes me; for, if I mistake not, the measure which I have adopted admits equally of all these kinds of composition."*-Strengthened in my opinion by such authority, and by the example of some in the highest order of Italian poets, I shall make no apology for attempts at similar variations in the following composition; satisfied that, if they are unsuccessful, their failure must be in the execution, rather than in the A fictitious character is introduced for the sake of design sanctioned by the practice of Ariosto, Thomson, giving some connexion to the piece; which, however, and Beattie. makes no pretension to regularity. It has been suggested to me by friends, on whose opinions I set a high value, that in this fictitious character, "Childe Harold," I may incur the suspicion of having intended some real personage: this I beg leave, once for all, to disclaim-Harold is the child of imagination, for the purpose I have stated. In some very trivial particulars, and those merely local, there might be grounds for such a notion; but in the main points, I should hope, none whatever. ADDITION TO THE PREFACE. I HAVE now waited till almost all our periodical jour. nals have distributed their usual portion of criticism. To It is almost superfluous to mention that the appellation the justice of the generality of their criticisms I have "Childe," as "Childe Waters," "Childe Childers," nothing to object; it would ill become me to quarrel with &c. is used as more consonant with the old structure of their very slight degree of censure, when, perhaps, it versification which I have adopted. The "Good Night," they had been less kind they had been more candid. in the beginning of the first canto, was suggested by their liberality, on one point alone shall I venture an Returning, therefore, to all and each my best thanks for "Lord Maxwell's Good Night," in the Border Minstrelsy, observation. Among the many objections justly urged edited by Mr. Scott. (whom, notwithstanding many hints to the contrary, I to the very indifferent character of the "vagrant Childe," still maintain to be a fictitious personage,) it has been stated, that, besides the anachronism, he is very un With the different poems which have been published on Spanish subjects, there may be found some slight coincidence in the first part, which treats of the Peninsula, but it can only be casual; as, with the exception of a few concluding stanzas, the whole of this poem was written in the Levant. A • Beattie's Letters knightly, as the times of the Knignts were times of love, nonour, and so forth. Now it so happens that the good old times, when "l'amour du bon vieux tems, l'amour antique" flourished, were the most profligate of all possible centuries. Those who have any doubts on this subject may consult St. Palaye, passim, and more particularly vol. ii. page 69. The vows of chivalry were no better kept than any other vows whatsoever; and the songs of the Troubadours were not more decent, and certainly were much less refined, than those of Ovid. The "Cours d'amour, parlemens d'amour ou de courtesie et de gentilesse" had much more of love than o courtesy or gentleness. See Rolland on the same subject with St. Palaye. Whatever other objection may be arged to that most unamiable personage Childe Harold, he was so far perfectly knightly in his attributes-"No waiter, but a knight templar." 19* By the by, I fear that Sir Tristram and Sir Lancelot were no better than they should be, although very poetical personages and true knights "sans peur," though not "sans reproche." I the story of the institution of the "Garter" be not a fable, the knights of that order have for several centuries •The Rovers. Antijacobin. borne the badge of a Countess of Salisbury, of indifferent memory. So much for chivalry. Burke need not have regretted that its days are over, though Maria Antoinette was quite as chaste as most of those in whose honours lances were shivered, and knights unhorsed. Before the days of Bayard, and down to those of Sir Joseph Banks, (the most chaste and celebrated of ancien and modern times,) few exceptions will be found to this statement, and I fear a little investigation will teach us not to regret these monstrous mummeries of the middle ages. I now leave "Childe Harold" to live his day, such as he is; it had been more agreeable, and certainly more easy, to have drawn an amiable character. It had beer. easy to varnish over his faults, to make him do more and express less, but he never was intended as an example, further than to show that early perversion of mind and morals leads to satiety of past pleasures and disappointment in new ones, and that even the beautics of nature, and the stimulus of travel (except ambition, the most powerful of all excitements) are lost on a soul so constituted, or rather misdirected. Had I proceeded with the poem, this character would have deepened as he drew to the close; for the outline which I once meant to fill up for him was, with some exceptions, the sketch of a modern Timon, perhaps a poctical Zeluco. |