Did it write for fellows' sake,
When thai willed solace make.

He appears to have occupied a somewhat conspicuous station among the writers of his age, and Hearne observes, that it is probable he assumed the appellation of De Brunne, choosing to let his proper surname fall into forgetfulness, in imitation of Robert of Gloucester. It was not, however, only in this respect that he followed the example of that author. His principal work is a metrical history, or chronicle of England. But, according to the testimony of the most ingenious antiquaries, the former part of this poem is a mere translation of a French romance, entitled Roman de Rois d'Angleterre,' 6 or Brut d'Angleterre;' and it is a circumstance not unworthy of attention, that the version is made in the exact measure of the original. The prologue also is in perfect accordance with the style of similar addresses, as they are found in the Orlando Innamorato of Boiardo, and other Italian romantic poets.—

Lordynges that be now here,

If ye wille listene and lere,

All the story of Inglande,

Als Robert Mannyng wryten it fand,

And on Inglysh has it schewed,

Not for the lered but for the lewed;

For tho that on this lond wonn
That the Latin ne Franky's conn,

For to half solace and gamen

In felauschip when tha sitt samen,
And it is wisdom forto wytten

The state of the land, and hef it wrytten,

What manere of folk first it wan,

And of what kind it first began.

6

The Chronicler then proceeds to relate, with great seriousness, all the events which happened in this country from the time of Sir Noe,' unto Eneas; from Eneas unto Brutus; and from Brutus to Cadweladres. In doing which, he professes to show in respect to these kings

Whilk were foles, and whilk were wyse,
And whilk of them couth most quantyse;
And whilk did wrong, and whilk ryght,
And whilk mayntaned pes and fyght.

On completing that portion of the poem of which the divisions are thus laid down, the author leaves the Brut d'Angleterre, and draws his materials from another French work, which, it is remarkable enough, had been written a few years before by a canon of the monastery of Bridlington in Yorkshire. The name of this author was Peter Langtoft, and his chronicle, which consists of five books, is written in Alexandrines, a measure which was long one of the most admired species of verse both in France and England. Robert de Brunne, who was a most faithful translator, imitated his style as closely as he did that of Wace, the author of the Brut d'Angleterre, and the second part of his poem accordingly is in Alexandrines. Warton, has observed that he had little more poetry in him than Robert of Gloucester; but has added, as some apology for him, that he has acquainted his readers that he avoided high description and the usual phraseology of the minstrels 3 к

I.

and harpers of his time.

His lines on the subject give a good idea of

the state of the language at the period:

I mad noght for no disours,
Ne for seggers no harpcurs,
Bot for the luf of symple men,
That strange Inglis cannot ken,
For many it ere that strange Inglis
In ryme wate never what it is.
I made it not for to be praysed,
Bot at the lewed men were aysed.

But Robert de Brunne did not confine his labours to these historical subjects: he also translated the treatise written in French by the celebrated Grosthead, bishop of Lincoln, entitled 'Manuel de Peche,' or 'Manual of Sins; a work which throws some singular light on the religious notions of the age and on the modes in which they were disseminated. Robert himself tells us that he translated it to furnish men with amusement, " for gamys and festys at the ale," when they love to listen to tales and rhymes. The most serious moral injunctions are, therefore, accompanied in this work, with numerous romantic legends, and Bishop Grosthead himself is represented as having his harper lodged in a chamber next his own, as employing his skill by night and day, and answering a person who inquired 'Why he held the harper so dear?' that,

The virtu of the harpe, thurgh skyle and ryght,

Wyll destrye the fendys myght;
And to the cros by gode skylle

Ys the harpe lykened weyl.

The other work of Robert de Brunne was a translation of the treatise of Cardinal Bonaventura, the title of which, in the version of our author, isMedytaciuns of the Soper of our Lorde Jhesu, and also of hys Passyun, and eke of the Peynes of hys swete Modyr mayden Marye, the whyche made yn Latyn Bonaventure Cardynall.'

Warton's opinion that Robert was nothing more than a translator, has been controverted by the learned editor of the History of English Poetry, who observes that he generally enlarges the moral precepts of the original, introduces occasional illustrations of his own, and sometimes avails himself of other authorities than those employed by this writer whom he chiefly follows. The same remark may also be made in respect to this writer, which was made in the notice of Robert of Gloucester. Notwithstanding his want of fancy, he was instrumental in improving the poetical literature of the country, by introducing a more regular species of metrical narrative than has hitherto been known; to which may be added, that he deserves very high praise for having discernment enough to adapt his productions to that class of persons whom it was most beneficial and necessary to inspire with a taste for literature.

Adam Davie, who is commonly mentioned as the next of our poets, appears to have been nearly contemporary with De Brunne, and may perhaps be considered as rather his superior both in elegance and spirit. Laurence Minot, whose works had been entirely forgotten till they were accidentally discovered by the late Mr Tyrrwhitt, while

collecting materials for his admirable edition of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, wrote about half a century afterwards a series of poems on the principal events of the reign of Edward III., which have been very vehemently lauded by the learned but eccentric Mr Ritson, to whom the world is indebted for their first appearance from the press. He writes with very considerable vigour and animation, and has upon the whole a good deal more about him of the true poet than any of his predecessors.

John Duns Scotus.

BORN A. D. 1266.-DIED A. D. 1308.

THIS famous scholastic doctor was born towards the close of the thirteenth century, in the north of England, or, as some are of opinion, in Scotland. At this time, the Aristotelian logic enjoyed very great popularity and authority. It was also the age in which the several recently established orders of mendicant friars were in the very height of their reputation. These were four in number, the Dominicans, or Black friars, called also Friars preachers; the Carmelites or White friars; the Augustins, or Grey friars, as they were called, from the colour of their principal robe; and the Franciscans, also called Grey friars, for the same reasons, or Cordeliers, in allusion to the cord which they wore as a belt, or Minorites, that is inferiors, a title they were fond of giving themselves, in affectation of extreme humility. Of the four orders, the Franciscans and Dominicans were by far the most celebrated. The different associations of mendicant friars took their rise about the beginning of the thirteenth century, when the establishments of the regular monks, in consequence of the large revenues of which they had become possessed, having generally fallen into a state of extreme disorder, dissoluteness, and inefficiency, the church felt the necessity of endeavouring to keep alive the attachment of the people, by means of a new description of religious labourers, constituted upon principles which would insure in them at least an extraordinary activity, and all that show of zeal, by which the popular applause is most apt to be gained. The mendicant orders were accordingly established, and the experiment was attended with even more than the expected success. The new ascetics neglected nothing by which they might draw to themselves the favour and reverence of the multitude; and among the means to which they resorted for this purpose, none produced a more remarkable effect than the ardour with which they devoted themselves to literature, and the celebrity which, in consequence, they speedily acquired, for their skill in the frivolous pursuits then known by the name of learning. They had begun, in particular, even before the time of Duns Scotus, to apply themselves with great eagerness to the study of that disputatious philosophy which had been raised on the basis of the logical and metaphysical writings of Aristotle; and an active rivalry had already arisen, in regard to their respective pretensions in this department of erudition, between the Franciscans and the Dominicans,— the former counting among their number the seraphic Doctor Bonaventura, and the irrefragable Alexander Hales,—while the latter boasted

of their Albert the great, and the angelical St Thomas Aquinas; these strange epithets being titles which had been solemnly conferred in some cases by the universities, along with their degrees, upon the individuals in question. It was destined for Duns, however, to become eventually the greatest glory of the Franciscans, among whom he was first introduced, if we may believe the story that is told by two brethren of the order, who found him tending his father's cows, and were so much struck with his intelligence, that they requested his father to allow them to take him along with them to their monastery in the neighbourhood, that so promising a genius might be duly reared up to the service of the church. The proof, indeed, which the legend informs us he gave of his capacity, was no mean one; for the good friars, it seems, finding the boy quite destitute of religious knowledge, and having thereupon resolved to attempt teaching him the Lord's Prayer, were confounded by his repeating the whole to them, without a blunder, after only once hearing it. We are not sure, however, that this anecdote is quite reconcileable with another still more marvellous, which is also told respecting the youth of this great doctor: namely, that he was originally very stupid and slow of apprehension, a circumstance which gave him great distress, till, having one day taken it into his head to address himself very earnestly in prayer, upon the subject, to the Virgin Mary, she condescended to appear, and enter into conversation with him, promising that she would wonderfully illuminate his understanding, if he would only engage to devote his powers to her service; upon consenting to which condition, he found himself accordingly endowed, on the instant, with the rare talents of which his future career gave such splendid proof. Such of the biographers of Scotus as are for our believing both of these stories, hold that the adventure of the interview with the Virgin must have happened previously to that with the friars; while those who are willing to give up one of them, to save the credit of the other, pass over in silence the proof young Duns is said to have afforded of his extraordinary memory; the anecdote of his obligations to, and compact with, the Virgin, being one they will by no means part with. Indeed this notion of his having enjoyed the peculiar favour of Mary colours nearly the whole narrative of his life, as commonly told. After remaining for some time in the Franciscan monastery-the locality of which, we may remark, by the by, is not very clearly settled, it being doubtful whether it was in England, Scotland, or Ireland—he was removed to the university of Oxford. Here he soon distinguished himself by his ardour and proficiency in all the studies of the place, but particularly by so unrivalled a skill in logical and metaphysical quibbling, that he gained for himself the name of the Sophist, and was by many, we are told, already esteemed a greater philosopher than Aristotle himself. After a time he commenced the public teaching of his favourite sciences, and speedily attained such extraordinary celebrity, that pupils absolutely flocked to him in mobs. We are assured by various authorities, that his lectures used to be attended by thirty thousand auditors! But in regard to this matter, there is probably a great deal of truth in Anthony Wood's explanation, who tells us, that of this immense multitude many were merely "varlets, who, pretending to be scholars,

An anecdote very similar to this, we may just remark, is also told of Albertus Magnus, who flourished a short time before Duns Scotus.

shuffled themselves in, and did act much villany in the university, by thieving," and other irregularities which he names; adding, "they lived under no discipline, neither had any tutors, but only for fashion's sake, would sometimes thrust themselves into the schools at ordinary lectures, and, when they went to perform any mischief, then would be accounted scholars, that so they might free themselves from the jurisdiction of the burghers." The number of students at this time at the university of Bologna, is stated to have been ten thousand; and, in 1453, a contem porary writer relates that there were twenty-five thousand at that of Paris.

The most memorable event in the life of Duns, took place on occasion of a visit he made to Paris, during the period of his residence at Oxford. Remembering, we may suppose, his promise to the Virgin, in whose honour he had already written doughtily and largely, he determined to make his appearance in the French capital, to defend against all oppugners the celebrated article of faith touching her alleged freedom from original sin, of which he has sometimes even been accounted the first deviser and promulgator. A day having been accordingly appointed, for a public disputation on the subject, before the university, Duns presented himself; and never was known any thing more admirable than the skill with which he encountered alone a host of opponents, or more splendid than his triumph. He allowed the adverse party, in the first place, to state their case without interruption; and it may give the reader some idea of the fertility of the scholastic logic, when he is informed that, upon this occasion, the single point which had to be made out was supported, on the part of these ingenious reasoners, by just two hundred arguments! At last, when they had confessed themselves, as well they might, after such an expenditure, fairly exhausted, the redoubtable Duns, nothing dismayed, rose in his turn; and, wonderful as it may seem, is said to have actually gone over, without ever hesitating for a moment, the whole two hundred arguments, in the order in which they had been stated, and, when he had completely demolished them, one after another, to have concluded with such a cloud of altogether irrefutable ones, in favour of his own side of the question, that all present were converted to his opinion, and he was unanimously declared to have placed the matter for ever beyond the reach of controversy. He is described by an eye-witness, Pelbartus a Temeswar, to have, on this occasion, " snapped the knottiest syllogisms, as Sampson did the bonds of Delilah." He was immediately graduated by the title of the subtle doctor;' and an order of the university was passed, that no one should in future be admitted to any degree whatever, without previously swearing to defend the doctrine which had thus been so triumphantly established. Such, at least, is the story told by the different writers, who, in more recent times, have attempted to collect the particulars of the life of Scotus. But it is not a little curious that in the subtle doctor's own commentary on the Sentences of Peter the Lombard, we find him delivering his opinion upon the subject in ques tion, in terms very different from what this statement would lead us to expect. Instead of any decisive assertion of the doctrine which he has the credit of having so victoriously vindicated, his language here is that of ignorance and doubt. "The probability," he says, "is rather in favour of the Virgin having been conceived without original sin, but the