After making these observations, it maybe reckoned almost unnecessary to enquire, whether the satire of our author be directed against a proper object ; whether the ridicule. be will founded. Should the question be enter tained at all, it might be answered, that chivalry and knight-errantry ought to be distinguished from the abuse to which, in common with every thing of a similar na ture, they are undoubtedly liable. When the power of the feudal aristocracy was at its height. when every ba ron was the enemy of every other baron, and murders and rapine were frequent, the institutions of chivalry must be regarded as of the highest benefit. Though the neighbouring lord was his hereditary, and perhaps his implacable foe, yet the knight who had imbibed the true spirit of the character, disdained to attack or to injure him by dishonourable means. IIe was too valiant, and too confident in his valour, to have recourse to strata gem. Ile challenged his antagonist to combat in open 'day, either alone or attended by a specified number of followers. All the little arts of cunning men and of po lished times were despised; and an elevation of soul, and an erect and open demeanour, were cultivated and ac quired. As every man bore arms, and as the inferior persons attached to the great families were much ad dicted to plunder, the traveller could not pursue his path with safety, and the feeble were always at the mercy of the strong. Hence the true knight declared himself bound to protect the weak, and to succour the distress ed ; and hence bravery, open and witnessed, and com passion frequently exercised, gave the tone and aspect to this best period of the feudal times.
In the progress of society, however, the dominion of laws was gradually established ; justice was obtained by other means than those of arms; and the blessings of peace came at length to be better known and duly esti mated. It was no longer necessary that individuals should proclaim themselves the guardians of innocence and the protectors of the feeble : the law bore rule over the con duct of men, and the haughty baron himself was con strained to submit to its power. Chivalry, therefore, and knight-errantry, were no longer wanted ; and to have continued the profession and the labours of knighthood, when the circumstances of society were changed, would have been to contrive the remedy after the disease had disappeared. Before Cervantes wrote, knighthood was become little more than a distinction ; the young lord bore indeed the name or title, but was seldom or never required to discharge the duties which it formerly im plied. The ancient building had for many years been decaying, some of its parts were already in ruins, and by the efforts of Cervantes, its last towers were shaken and fell to the ground.
When Cervantes was engaged in writing Don Quixote, he is said to have been under restraint from his fears of the Inquisition. In support of this assertion, there is an
anecdote related in the second volume of the Curiosities of Literature. " M. du Boulay," says the author of that work, " accompanied the French ambassa dor to Spain, when Cervantes was yet alive. He has told me that the ambassador one day complimented Cer vantes on the great reputation which he had acquired by his Don Quixote, and that Cervantes whispered in his ear, Had it not been for the Inquisition, I should have made my book much more entertaining." But if this was actually the case, it may he questioned whether the restraint alluded to was not, upon the whole, of a salu tary nature ; for had Cervantes felt himself at perfect liberty when writing his Don Quixote, we might per haps have been disgusted with profanity and blasphemy in the perusal of that inimitable work.
Besides Don Quixote, Cervantes also several novels and comedies, and a satirical poem7entitled, "../1 Voyage to Parnassus." The novels have been read, but the comedies were not very favourably received. Per haps the talents of our author were not fitted for drama tieal writing, or perhaps the reputation of Cervantes was marred by the successful attempts of Lopez de Vega. And with regard to the satire, it had no other effect than that of procuring for its author very many and powerful enemies. The last work of Cervantes bears the title of, The Troubles of Persiles and Sigismunda. While em ployed in the composition of this worts., he perceived the approaches of the disease which terminated his ex istence. lie appears to have contemplated his dissolu tion with serenity, and even with gaiety ; though an an gry or perhaps a just critic would say, with a blameable, hardihood or indifference. There is some proof of the insinuation now made, in the letter which he addressed to the Count de Leinos a short time before his death. And in his last performance, The Troubles of Persiles and .Sigismunda, he mentions, that being on a journey to Toledo, a scholar, on learning who he was, sprung in rapture from his mule, and communicated to him a re gimen for the dropsy, under which he laboured. But Cervantes declined complying with the advice, adding these words, not remarkable for their seriousness : life is drawing to a period ; and by the daily journal of my purse, which I find will have finished its course by next Sunday at farthest, I shall also have finished my career ; so that you are come in the very nick of time to be acquainted with me." See the Life of Cervantes prefixed to the Edition of Dun Quixote, by the Spanish 4cadeiny ; Life by Smollet ; Oeuvres de Florian, Vol. ii. ; Aikin's Biographical Dic tionary, article Cervantes; and Curiosities of Literature, vol. ii. See also BUTLER, Samuel. (h)