sional men of letters were already pretty numerous, it is certainly one of the first examples of a book of general literature, written in prose which is indisputably English in the full modern sense. That it was originally written in French, which had not yet ceased to be, as it was to Brunetto Latini a century earlier, the common dialect of Europe for the lighter purposes of literature, was suspected long ago, and may be said to have been established by Mr. Nicholson. And there can be hardly more doubt that translation into English was speedy if not immediate. If it was really a literary hoax, then, no doubt, the hoaxer shot his bolt almost simultaneously at three different sets of game, by issuing it in French and Latin and English. It is a very unlucky thing that the one common edition in which it is accessible to English readers, that of Bohn's Library, is manipulated after a fashion which would be surprising from any one, but which is doubly surprising from so good a scholar and so sound a medievalist as the late Thomas Wright. But even in that version the charm of the book-that singular charm which distinguishes medieval work, and is alike absent from classical, Oriental, and modern literature-must be apparent. This is the charm of the romanticmarvellous. Sometimes, of course, the good Sir John indulges in marvels which are very marvellous, which are not at all romantic, and which have not quite unjustly earned him the reputation of being a descendant of Lucian or Lucian's originals and an ancestor of Baron Munchausen. To this day it is difficult to imagine what made him say gravely, that he had often tried the experiment of keeping diamonds wetted with May dew, and had found them increase in size. Yet it requires no great critical expertness to see that this unhesitating precision of statement lends much of their charm to such stories as those of the Castle of the Sparrowhawk and the Lady of the Land. It is more difficult to explain the difference between this precision and the often excessive and sometimes disgusting minuteness of Oriental wonder-tales.

If, however, Mandeville is interesting when modernised, he is far more interesting in the 1727 text, though it is by no means certain that the spelling of this represents the oldest MS. authority, and it is certain that it is not in the modern sense critical. This text is, in point of orthography and vocabulary, rather more modern than the received text of Chaucer, and presents a minimum of difficulty to any educated person. Its style, as is often the case with

examples of that period of a language which coincides with the current literary use of other languages, is simple, clear, and by no means awkward or inelegant. [The sentences are of moderate length, and the clauses are connected and arranged with an orderliness evidently dictated by practice in Latin composition. Nor is there lacking a certain effort at cadence and harmony: indeed there is more of this than in the commoner examples of prose even two centuries later. But the real charm of the book lies in a combination of simplicity and colour which is eminently picturesque. In this it has no equal, the best passages of Malory excepted, among English prose books before the Renaissance, and there can be no doubt that its wide diffusion had a great influence in the romantic direction on the minds of its readers. The somewhat idle and disputable title of Father of English Prose has been taken from Mandeville of late and given to Wycliffe. But Mandeville, or the person who took his name, is certainly, as his date, his subject, and his great popularity show, the father of all such as use modern English prose for purposes of profane delight, and his book is as full of that delight now as when it was first written.

G. SAINTSBURY.

THE LADY OF THE LAND

AND some men say that in the Isle of Lango is yet the daughter of Hippocrates, in form and likeness of a great dragon, that is a hundred fathom of length, as men say: for I have not seen her. And they of the Isles call her, Lady of the Land. And she lieth in an old castle, in a cave, and sheweth twice or thrice in the year. And she doth no harm to no man, but if men do her harm. And she was thus changed and transformed, from a fair damsel, into likeness of a dragon, by a goddess, that was cleped Diana. And men say, that she shall so endure in that form of a dragon, unto the time that a knight come, that is so hardy, that dare come to her and kiss her on the mouth and then shall she turn again to her own kind, and be a woman again. But after that she shall not live long. And it is not long since, that a knight of the Rhodes, that was hardy and doughty in arms, said that he would kiss her. And when he was upon his courser, and went to the castle, and entered into the cave, the dragon lift up her head against him. And when the knight saw her in that form so hideous and so horrible, he fled away. And the dragon bare the knight upon a rock, maugre his head; and from that rock she cast him into the sea and so was lost both horse and man. And also a young man, that wist not of the dragon, went out of a ship, and went through the Isle, till that he came to the castle, and came in to the cave, and went so long till that he found a chamber, and there he saw a damsel that combed her head, and looked in a mirror; and she had much treasure about her, and he trowed, that she had been a common woman, that dwelled there to receive men to folly. And he abode, till the damsel saw the shadow of him in the mirror. And she turned her toward him, and asked him, what he would. And he said, he would be her leman or paramour. And she asked him if that he were a knight. And he said, nay. And then she said that he might not be her leman : but she bade him go again unto his fellows, and make him knight,

and come again upon the morrow, and she should come out of the cave before him, and then come and kiss her on the mouth, and have no dread; "for I shall do thee no manner of harm, albeit that thou see me in likeness of a dragon. For though thou see me hideous and horrible to look on, I do thee to witness, that it is made by enchantment. For without doubt, I am none other than thou seest now, a woman; and therefore dread thee nought. And if thou kiss me, thou shalt have all this treasure, and be my lord, and lord also of all that isle." And he departed from her and went to his fellows to ship, and let make him knight, and came again upon the morrow, for to kiss this damsel. And when he saw her come out of the cave, in form of a dragon, so hideous and so horrible, he had so great dread, that he fled again to the ship; and she followed him. And when she saw that he turned not again, she began to cry, as a thing that had much sorrow: and then she turned again, into her cave; and anon the knight died. And since then, hitherwards, might no knight see her, but that he died anon. But when a knight cometh, that is so hardy to kiss her, he shall not die; but he shall turn the damsel into her right form and kindly shape, and he shall be lord of all the countries and isles abovesaid.

OF THE QUALITIES OF THE RIGHT BALM

AND wyte ye well that, that a man ought to take good kepe for to buy balm, but if he can know it right well: for he may right lightly be deceived. For men sell a gum, that men clepen turpentine, instead of balm: and they put thereto a little balm for to give good odour. And some put wax in oil of the wood of the fruit of balm, and say that it is balm and some distil cloves of gillyflower and of spikenard of Spain and of other spices, that be well smelling; and the liquor that goeth out thereof they clepe it balm and they wean that they have balm; and they have For the Saracens counterfeit it by subtilty of craft, for to deceive the Christian men, as I have see full many a time. And after them, the merchants and the apothecaries counterfeit it eftsoons, and then it is less worth, and a great deal worse. But if it like you, I shall show, how ye shall know and prove, to the end that ye shall not be deceived. First ye shall well know, that

none.

the natural balm is full clear, and of citron colour, and strong smelling. And if it be thick, or red or black, it is sophisticate, that is to say counterfeited and made like it, for deceit.

THE CASTLE OF THE SPARROWHAWK

AND from thence, men go through little Ermonye. And in that country is an old castle, that stands upon a rock, the which is cleped the Castle of the Sparrowhawk, that is beyond the city of Layays, beside the town of Pharsipee, that belongeth to the lordship of Cruk; that is a rich lord and a good Christian man; where men find a sparrowhawk upon a perch right fair, and right well made; and a fair Lady of Fayrye, that keepeth it. And who that will wake that Sparrowhawk, 7 days and 7 nights, and as some men say, 3 days and 3 nights, without company and without sleep, that fair lady shall give him, when he hath done, the first wish, that he will wish, of earthly things: and that hath been proved often times. And o time befel, that a king of Ermonye, that was a worthy knight and a doughty man and a noble prince, woke that hawk some time; and at the end of 7 days and 7 nights, the lady came to him and bade him wish; for he had well deserved it. And he answered that he was great lord the now, and well in peace, and had enough of worldly riches; and therefore he would wish none other thing, but the body of that fair lady, to have it at his will. And she answered him, that he knew not what he asked; and said, that he was a fool, to desire that he might not have: for she said, that he should not ask, but earthly thing for she was no earthly thing, but a ghostly thing. And the king said, that he would ask none other thing. And the lady answered, "Sith that I may not withdraw you from your lewd courage, I shall give you without wishing, and to all them that shall come of you. Sire King, ye shall have war without peace, and always to the 9 degree, ye shall be in subjection of your enemies; and ye shall be needy of all goods." And never since, neither the King of Ermonye, nor the country, were never in peace, nor they had never since plenty of goods; and they have been since always under tribute of the Saracens. Also the son of a poor man woke that hawk, and wished that he might cheve well, and to be happy to merchandise, And the lady granted.