CHEVY CHASE; A POEM-IDEM LATINE REDDITUM. MR EDITOR, BEING of Sir Philip Sidney's opinion, that the ballad of Chevy Chase stirs the heart like the sound of a trumpet, and being moreover willing that other nations should have at least some idea of that magnificent poem, I have translated it into the universal language of Europe-Latin; and I send you my translation of the first fitte ;- you will perceive that I have retained the measure and structure of the verse most religiously-I wish I could say that I have preserved also the fire and spirit of the original. Bold, at the desire of Bishop Compton, translated into Latin the more modern ballad of Chevy Chase-as also did Anketeil, a Presbyterian clergyman (I believe) in the north of Ireland. Lord Woodhouselee, in his excellent Essay on Translation, has quoted the first verse of Anketeil's translation apparently without knowing the author. But to say nothing of the inferiority of the poem they translated, I flatter myself that I outtop them by the head and broad shoulders, in the superior richness and melody of my double rhymes. Print this, then, by all means--so no more from your servant at command. 1. PERSEUS ex Northumbria In montibus Cheviatis, O. P. "Optimos cervos ibi," ait, 3. Ex Bamboro Persæus it, 4. Ad Cheviatos graditur, In Lunæ die mane; Viri, qui cervos agerent, Per nemora pergebant ; 7. * I have modernized the spelling of the old ballad. + Percy's translation of sheer. So Ennius. At tuba terribili sonitu taratantara dixit. 9. Dicens, "Promisit Douglasus Sed scivi quod non faceret." 10. Tandem armiger Northumbria Aspexit venientem Prope ad manum Douglasum, Et agmina ducentem. 11. Cum hastis, pilis, ensibus, Hastati bonæ notæ, 13. "Mittite cervos, sumite, Sagittas nullâ morâ ; Nunquam tam opus fuit, ex Nostrâ natali horâ." 14. In primo fortis Douglasus Et, "Quinam estis, cedo," ait, Persæus autem Douglaso Respondit longe primus, "Qui sumus haud narrabimus, Aut cujus viri simus ; Sed hic, invitis omnibus, Venatum statim imus. 17. "Cervorum hic pinguissimos Et dixit fortis Douglasus Sed tu, Persæë, princeps es, Persæus inquit, "Pereat is Nunquam, Douglàse dire, • Consult the Edinburgh Reviewer of Falconer's Strabo for this construction of scio quod-the "paltry" dog will remember something about it, as sure as my name is not Copplestone. P. S.-I am aware that "Douglassius" is consecrated; but I am not without authority for Douglasus.I have also translated this into Greek, and I send you the first verse as a specimen. Περσαῖος ἐκ Νορθάμβριας Εὔχετο τοῖς θεοῖσι, Don't say a word of this, however, to Hallam-" classic Hallam, much renowned for Greek," as Lord Byron justly styles him-lest he should mistake my verses for Pindar's, and consequently declare them not Greek. A propos, is it not a good joke to see Hallam putting a Greek motto to his book on the Middle Ages after all? I was thinking of translating old Chevy into Hebrew-for I am a Masorite; but as Professor Leslie has declared Hebrew to be a "rude and poor dialect," in his book on Arithmetic, I was afraid to come under the censure of that learned gentleman. To be sure he does not know (as I can prove from his writings) even the alphabet of the language he abuses, but still I am afraid he would freeze me if I had any thing to do with it. DE FOE ON APPARITIONS. WE have often congratulated ourselves on having flourished after the extinction of chivalry, the decline and fall of the empire of ghosts, and the introduction of potatoes into this island. We never could have endured a shirt of mailand we shudder at the thought of having been obliged to scale one of those immeasurable horses that used to carry the knights of old. The luxury of being negligently dressed, of lying diffused all day over a sofa, was then unknown-and gentlemen sat down to rest themselves, in those days, under about two cwt. of iron. We suspect, too, that good eating and drinking were then in their infancy. Short were the strides which cookery had made. Gentlemen assailed beeves that came out of the kitchen just as they went in, with the slight alteration of roasting; and we may judge of their skill in liquids from this fact, that "They drank the red wine through the helmet barred." That satisfactory and satisfying smack. of the lips, which now ratifies a rummer, was then smothered in metaland there was no room for that sympathetic communication between mind and mind, which good cheer now-a * In Bishop Percy-" And stand myself and look on." But correct it, meo periculo. VOL. VI. 2 periculo. days spreads over a party assembled at a rump and dozen. Such, we conceive, were the chief drawbacks from human happiness during the age of chivalry. To these, no doubt, might be added that eternal skirmishing so incompatible with the possession of a sound skin, and the annual rape, murder, and arson of our wives, children, and houses. All this must have been uncomfortable enough; but, in our apprehension, a trifle in comparison to that constant state of fear in which, we frankly confess, we should have dragged out our miserable existence, had we lived during the administration of witches, ghosts, and the devil. We are sufficiently afraid of such gentlefolks, even now when we no longer believe in their mundane existence; but what would have become of people with weak nerves like us, when every church-yard was in the habit of nocturnally sending out its quota of spectres when hobgoblins were prowling about in all directions-when you could not turn a corner but an evilspirit came bouncing against youwhen you were on no occasion sure of your man, who would frequently take his leave of you, without finishing a sentence, in a blaze of fire-and when, with all civility be it spoken, the devil himself placed his amusement, to an extent not altogether compatible with a due sense of his personal dignity, in rambling, without any very definite object, over both town and country, and keeping a great majority of our forefathers in continual hot water. Neither were there potatoes in those days-and, without that vegetable, say, what were a dinner? "A world without a sun." From the very bottom of our souls do we pity our ancestors. There is no philosophy in saying, that the universal love of the potato, did the potato itself create. That love must have pre-existed in the elements of our nature, just as the desire for Eve preexisted in Adam, and was only called forth into action by that accomplished female. There must, therefore, have been, ever since the arrival of the Saxons in this island, unknown, at least not understood, by our forefathers, "A craving void left aching at their hearts." A void which, within these last hun dred years, has been filled up, so that little seems now to be wanting, under our free government, to the perfection of our social and domestic happiness. It would be a curious enquiry, to shew the effects of this vegetable on the moral, intellectual, and physical character of the people of a sister kingdom; and on some future occasion we hope to sift this subject to the bottom. There can be no doubt, that the sudden extinction of the potato in Ireland would be as fine a subject for a poem from the pen of Lord Byron, as the sudden extinction of light, some of the evils of which imaginary event his Lordship has, with his usual vigour, delineated in that composition entitled, “ Darkness." Not to go too much into particulars, we may just remark, that bulls are in Ireland fed chiefly on potatoes, and that those fine animals would be in danger of becoming extinct with the root on which they now grow to such prodigious size. Our readers will pardon these speculations of ours, which would, perhaps, be more in place in the Edinburgh Review, or some such sober and philosophical journal, and are not altogether compatible with the plan of our Magazine, which aims chiefly at lighter and more amusing matter. But, after all, we suspect that mere fun and jocularity may be carried a little too far, and therefore it is that we occasionally seek, as at present, to address ourselves to the gravity of our very gravest readers. Come, then, most grave and gracious friend, and turn over with us a few pages of old Daniel De Foe's Essay on Apparitions. Mayhap, thou hast never, in spite of all thine erudition, had this volume in thine handbut even if it be familiar to thee, all Daniel's things can bear re-perusal—if thou thinkest otherwise, wait for Odoherty's campaigns, and be thankful. And first, let us see what were De Foe's ideas of the devil. Some people, says he, speak" as if nothing but seeing the devil could satisfy them there was such a person, and nothing is more wonderful to me, in the whole system of spirits, than that Satan does not think fit to justify the reality of his being, by appearing to such in some of his worst figures, and tell them in full grimace who he is, when, I doubt not, they would be as full of panic as other people." The great mistake ap into which De Foe accuses his contem ferable to a long set speech. Indeed, poraries of falling on this subject is, we have observed, in all accounts of that people will either allow no appa- the devil's appearances, that he is very rition at all, or "will have every ap- lame at a reply, and that if you take parition to be the devil, as if none of up strong ground at first-ground on the inhabitants of the world above were which you can depend-it is the easiest able to shew themselves here, or had thing in the world to give him a setany business among us but the devil, down-a complete squabash. We suswho, I am of opinion, has really less pect that the devil is wont to a very imbusiness here than any of them all." politic degree to prepare his speeches, Holding this opinion, De Foe gives us There is an air of too much study but a very short chapter on the about most of them. They smell too pearance of the devil in human shape." much of the shop; and he is a terrible It begins in a very soothing and mannerist. Were a collection of his encouraging tone, which must, no speeches to be made, he would be doubt, have been beyond measure found to repeat himself even more delightful in those days to the timid than Counsellor Phillips. At the same reader. 66 Pray observe," says Daniel, time, it is but justice to him to ad"that when I am speaking of the ap- mit, that there is a deal of fire in much pearance of the devil, it is not to tell that he says, and that he often suits you that he can and does appear among the action to the words. The worst of us at this time-so you need not look it, according to De Foe, is, that he does over your shoulders to see for him, or not in general appear "in all his forat the candles to see if they burn malities and frightfuls," " but to-day blue, at least not yet-'tis time enough in one disguise, to-morrow in another for that by and by." Our author ex- -you see him, and you don't see him poses the extreme absurdity of suppos--you know him, and you don't know ing every spirit that confabulates with mankind on earth "the devil." Many of these come on good errands, and to prevent mischief" all of which things are very much out of the devil's way, remote from his practice, and much more remote from his design." Should, however, the devil appear to any of his readers, De Foe advises them not to be flurried-not to shun him and fly from him, but to speak to him. "If,” says he, " you would ask me what you should say to it, 'tis an unfair question in some respects-'tis not possible for any one to dictate, without the proper circumstances be described. The old way you all know :-in the name of, &c. as above, is the common road. I will not cry down the custom, because 'tis the usual way, and the words are good;" but, on the whole, he recommends a short ejaculatory prayer, and " then a plain what are you? is, I think, compliment enough to the devil." Waving, therefore, all particular instructions, our judicious author observes, that each particular occasion will certainly administer the substance of what you should say, and that it is almost impossible to go wrong, if you only keep up a good heart, and put a good face upon it. We perfect ly agree with De Foe in thinking, that an extempore address of a few pithy words is, in such cases, infinitely pre him-and how then can any one tell "for |