ARTHUR, the most celebrated name in Cambro British story, and one of the Nine Worthies of the world. From the peculiar darkness of the period in which this personage flourished, and from the excessive eulogies lavished on him by bards and fablers, his real history is involved in much uncertainty. In the tradi tions and later histories of his life, he became a being of mere romance ; and as such, was long famous, not only in the legends of Britain, but also in the popular tales of France, Spain, and Italy. The unrivalled splendour. however, or Arthur's fame, was destined at length to decline, on the revival of learning. As the light of history increased, many of his atchievements, inconsistent with ancient documents, began to be questioned ; in cidents of his life, in themselves probable, but not suffi ciently attested, were next discarded ; till at last Poly dore Virgil and others openly denied his existence.
We cannot indeed wonder, that learned antiquaries should have been out of all temper with the grave puerilities of Geoffrey of Monmouth, a miserable com pounder of truth and fable. But, we own, it appears unjust to the memory of the incomparable chief, that his very existence should be called in question, because he had the misfortune to be chosen, at a great distance of time, as the subject of fiction. It is the fate of all popular heroes, to be gradually converted, by the gross imaginations of the vulgar, into giants and magicians. The Scottish liberties were unquestionably defended by Wallace, notwithstanding all the marvellous stories of his strength and prowess ; and if the monks and min strels of the dark ages made Arthur the theme of their barbarous fancy, it by no means follows, on that account, that he never existed.
The amazing extent and duration of his fame are no contemptible monument of king Arthur. Through the whole of Wales at this day, not only are there songs and traditions respecting his exploits, but his name is indelibly inscribed on several hundred places. As in this country we have, in every district, a Wallace's leap, and a Wallace's stone ; so in Wales we continually meet with an Arthur's hill, an Arthur's rock, and an Arthur's seat. In Scotland, too, the hero is not unknown. His
name was familiar to the Gaelic poets. Tradition as serts, that he once assisted the Gael ; and that, to avoid disputes of precedency, he and Fingal sat together at a round table ! Several places are still named after him ; as Glen Allen or Artur, in Perthshire ; Sui Artur, in the wilds of Glencro ; and Arthur Seat, near Edinburgh. Arthur is, besides, the apparent founder of a numerous clan, whose antiquity is proverbial among the High landers.
These, however, and other circumstances that might be mentioned, serve only to excite curiosity, not to pro duce conviction. Fortunately for the warrior's memory, there are documents of unquestionable antiquity, in which his name is recorded ; and though neither numerous nor full, they have the recommendation of being ac counted genuine. In the Triads, a most ancient collec tion of British compositions, frequent mention is made of king Arthur. Llomarch, a celebrated bard of that very period, who indeed resided for some time at his court, calls him the " honourable father of the British heroes." And the prince of poets, Taliessin, who also lived in the same age, adverts incidentally to the valour of king Arthur in the battle of Mount Badon. " 0 wretched men," says the bard, " when, at the foot of Mount Badon, their blood stained the sword ?irthur bean haelion, of Arthur the head of kings." But besides these authori ties, we have the decisive testimony of Nennius. who not only lived in those times, but made it his business, as a historian, to collect and record the atchievements of Arthur; and his fragment of British history, the most an cient in existence, is entitled, with all its corruptions and defects, to very considerable confidence. The reader will not be displeased with the uncouth. yet simple and circumstantial, narrative of this primitive writer. We prefer the reading of Price, as being more ancient, and less manufactured by criticism, to that of Gale.