christned by king Arthur's fabler.' Again, of LAUNCELOT he speaks, Some think it to be no auncient name, but forged by the writer of king Arthur's history, for one of his douty knights.' And of GAWEN, ' A name devised by the author of king Arthur's table.' To this we may add, that Milton manifestly hints at it in the following lines, Par. Reg. B. ii. 359. Damsels met in forests wide By knights of Logris, or of Lyones, These are Sir Lancelot (or Sir Meliot) of Logris ; Sir Tristram of Lyones, and king Pellenore, who are often mentioned in La Morte d'Arthur, and represented as meeting beautiful damsels in desolate forests and probably he might have it in his eye when he wrote the following, as the Round Table is expressly hinted at, Mansus, v. Siquando indigenas revocabo in carmina reges, Arturumque etiam sub terris bella moventem, 'Aut dicam INVICTE Sociali fædera MENSÆ 'Magnanimos Heroas.' To which we may subjoin, Par. L. B. i. 579. - What resounds "In fable, or romance, of Uther's son, Before I leave this romance, I must observe, that Ariosto has been indebted to it; I do not mean to the old translation, which Spenser made use of. He has drawn his enchanter Merlin from it, and in these verses refers to a particular story concerning him quoted above. Brada. mante is supposed to visit the tomb of Merlin, C. iii. 10. • Questa è l'antica e memorabil grotta, This description of Merlin's tomb, says Harington, the translator of Ariosto, in a marginal note, is out of the book of king Arthur. Ariosto has transferred the tomb from Wales into France. He afterwards feigns, that the prophetical sculpture in Maligigi's cave was performed by Merlin's enchantment, C. xxvi. 39. • Merlino, il savio incantator Britanno, Ile also mentions some of the names of the knights of our romance. When Renaldo arrives in Great Britain, the poet takes occasion to celebrate that island for its singular achievements in chivalry, and for having produced many magnanimous champions; these are, Tristano, Lancillotto, Galasso, Artu, e Galuano.' C. iv. 52. Afterwards, Tristram makes a great figure, in C. xxxii. which, in 'By the From this romance is also borrowed Ariosto's tale of the enchanted cup, C. ii. 34; Caxton's old translation, is as follows: way they met with a knight, that was sent from Morgan le Faye to king Arthur; and this knight had a faire horne all garnished with gold; and the horne had such a virtue, that there might no ladie or gentlewoman drink of that horne, but if shee were true to her husband; and if she were false, shee should spill all the drinke; and shee were true unto her lord, shee might drinke peaceably, &c.' C. xlii. 98. Afterwards many trials are made with this cup. Ariosto's copy begins with the following verses: Ecco un Donzello, a chi l'ufficio tocca, • Pon fu la mensa un bel napo d' or fino. 'Di fuor di gemme, e dentro pien di vino.' The inimitable Fontaine has new moulded this story from Ariosto, under the title of La coupe enchantee. As it is manifest, from a comparison of passages, that Ariosto was intimately conversant in this romance; so I think we may fairly suppose that he drew from it the idea of his Orlando running mad with jealousy. In La Morte d'Arthur, Sir Lancelot, smitten with a jealous fit, is driven to madness, in which state he continues for the space of two years, performing a thousand different pranks, no less extravagant than those of Orlando; and, like him, at last he recovers his senses. A popular and ridiculous romance was a sufficient hint for what we think a fine effort of poetry. I had forgot to remark before, that our author has borrowed the name of Materasta's [Malecasta's] castle from that of Lancelot in La Morte d'Arthur: The goodly frame And stately port of Castle Joyeous,' F. Q. iii. i. 31. Lancelot's Castle is styled, by Caxton, Joyous gard, or castle*. This romance, or at least the stories formed So Skelton, in the Crowne of Laurell, p. 53, ed. ut supr. Of the paiants[pageants] that were played in Joyous Garde, T. WARTON. from it, sometimes furnished matter for theatrical exhibitions, as we learn from Shakspeare, II. Part Hen. IV. A. iii. S. iv. SHALLOW. " I re'member at Mile-end Green, when I lay at Clements-inn, I was Sir Dagonet in Arthur's Show.' Where Theobald remarks, The only intelli gence I have gleaned of this worthy Wight [Sir Dagonet] is from Beaumont and Fletcher, in their Knight of the Burning Pestle.' Sir Dagonet is an important character in La Morte d'Arthur. The magnificent Arthur bore a considerable part in the old pageants. Thus, relating the marriage of prince Arthur, son of Henry VII. says Bacon, In the devices and conceits of the triumphs of this marriage-you may be sure 'that king Arthur the Briton, &c. was not forgotten.' In our author's age, we find him introduced among the entertainments exhibited at the splendid reception of lord Leicester. Over the entrance of the court-gate was placed aloft upon a scaffold, as 'it had been in a cloud or skie, Arthur of Bri'taine, whom they compared to the earl.' Holing. Hist. Engl. vol. iii. p. 1426. Sidney, as appears from a curious conversation between B. Jonson and Drummond of Hawthornden, recorded by the latter, intended to turn all the stories of the Arcadia into the admired legend of Arthur and his Knights. In his Defence of Poesie he plainly hints at Caxton's romance. I dare say, ⚫ that Orlando Furioso, or honest king Arthur |