the epitomizers was, to select those stories only which suited the taste of the age; and thus furnished their co-temporaries with abundance of marvellous and delectable histories, designed less to give information, than to gratify that passion of wonderment, which characterises an uncultivated state of society. These histories, which were totally devoid of taste and appropriate phraseology, contributed greatly to retard the improvement of the anquare, and particularly by precluding attention classical literature, which furnishes Teamurtens models of refined taste, and of wret ad v gant composition. Stil, hos, 1 1. admitted, that they had her

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book is remarkable for containing the story of the Three Casketts, in Shakespear's Merchants of Venice. The facts it records are true and partly fabulous; but the compiler is partly unknown.

As I have extracted so largely from the "English Chronicle," I shall give from this merely the short account of Pope Joan, which is found near the end of the fifth part.

Johannes Anglicus, of the nation of Majuntin, about this time was pope. And she was a woman, arrayed in man's garments; but she profitted so in holy scripture, that there was found none like her. Then she was chosen pope; but afterwards she was with child. And when she should have gone openly in procession, she travailed and deceased. And this is the sixth popė, the which to this time had the name of holiness, and were vicious. And this person, as other popes were, was punished of God, ne she was not numbered in the book of popes.

These comprehensive Chronicles, were so multiplied in the middle ages, as to supersede the classics, and other established authors, whose materials they abridged. The plan of

the epitomizers was, to select those stories only which suited the taste of the age; and thus furnished their co-temporaries with abundance of marvellous and delectable histories, designed less to give information, than to gratify that passion of wonderment, which characterises an uncultivated state of society. These histories, which were totally devoid of taste and appropriate phraseology, contributed greatly to retard the improvement of the language; and particularly by precluding attention to classical literature, which furnishes the exactest models of refined taste, and of correct and elegant composition. Still, however, it must be admitted, that they had their uses in those rude periods. They had the effect of weaning men's minds from the perusal of legends, the dullness of which is only surpassed by their absurdity; and of alluring them by degrees to the study of real and rational history. length was awakened the curiosity to obtain an accurate knowledge of historic transactions, which led to the examination of original authors, the genuine sources of authentic history. There are some reasons too, why the compositions in question ought not to be overlooked even by more polished ages. They

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contain curious pictures of the ignorance and credulity of our ancestors; and what is of still greater consequence, they often preserve facts derived from books which have perished. It is conjectured with reason, that their plan of deducing a perpetual history from the creation to the writer's time, was borrowed partly from Ovid, and partly from the Bible.

THE GOLDEN LEGEND.

Legenda Aurea.

"WHEREIN been contained all the high and great feasts of our Lord; the feasts of our blessed Lady; the lives, passions, and miracles of many other saints; and other histories and acts. Finished at Westminster, by William Caxton, 1483."-This is the first edition of the Golden Legend, in' English. It was taken (as Caxton himself informs us) from three several books-one in French, called La Legend d'oree; another in Latin; and a third in English. Hence it appears, that his was not the first English version. These different copies varied in divers places. In particular, the Latin and French copies, contained many histories not to be found in the English one. On this account Caxton says, "I have written one out of the said three books, which I have