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The Latin literature which has come down to us is of later date than
the commencement of the Second Punic War； and consists almost
exclusively of works fashioned on Greek models。 The Latin metres； heroic；
elegiac； lyric； and dramatic； are of Greek origin。 The best Latin epic poetry
is the feeble echo of the Iliad and Odyssey。 The best Latin eclogues are
imitations of Theocritus。 The plan of the most finished didactic poem in
the Latin tongue was taken from Hesiod。 The Latin tragedies are bad
copies of the masterpieces of Sophocles and Euripides。 The Latin
philosophy was borrowed； without alteration； from the Portico and the
Academy； and the great Latin orators constantly proposed to themselves as
patterns the speeches of Demosthenes and Lysias。
But there was an earlier Latin literature； a literature truly Latin； which
has wholly perished； which had； indeed almost wholly perished long
before those whom we are in the habit of regarding as the greatest Latin
writers were born。 That literature abounded with metrical romances； such
as are found in every country where there is much curiosity and
intelligence； but little reading and writing。 All human beings； not utterly
savage； long for some information about past times； and are delighted by
narratives which present pictures to the eye of the mind。 But it is only in
very enlightened communities that books are readily accessible。 Metrical
composition； therefore； which； in a highly civilized nation； is a mere
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luxury； is； in nations imperfectly civilized； almost a necessary of life； and
is valued less on account of the pleasure which it gives to the ear； than on
account of the help which it gives to the memory。 A man who can invent
or embellish an interesting story； and put it into a form which others may
easily retain in their recollection； will always be highly esteemed by a
people eager for amusement and information； but destitute of libraries。
Such is the origin of ballad…poetry； a species of composition which
scarcely ever fails to spring up and flourish in every society； at a certain
point in the progress towards refinement。 Tacitus informs us that songs
were the only memorials of the past which the ancient Germans possessed。
We learn from Lucan and from Ammianus Marcellinus that the brave
actions of the ancient Gauls were commemorated in the verses of Bards。
During many ages； and through many revolution； minstrelsy retained its
influence over both the Teutonic and the Celtic race。 The vengeance
exacted by the spouse of Attila for the murder of Siegfried was celebrated
in rhymes； of which Germany is still justly proud。 The exploits of
Athelstane were commemorated by the Anglo…Saxons and those of Canute
by the Danes； in rude poems； of which a few fragments have come down
to us。 The chants of the Welsh harpers preserved； through ages of darkness；
a faint and doubtful memory of Arthur。 In the Highlands of Scotland may
still be gleaned some relics of the old songs about Cuthullin and Fingal。
The long struggle of the Servians against the Ottoman power was recorded
in lays full of martial spirit。 We learn from Herrera that； when a Peruvian
Inca died； men of skill were appointed to celebrate him in verses； which
all the people learned by heart； and sang in public on days of festival。 The
feats of Kurroglou； the great freebooter of Turkistan； recounted in ballads
composed by himself； are known in every village of northern Persia。
Captain Beechey heard the bards of the Sandwich Islands recite the heroic
achievements of Tamehameha； the most illustrious of their kings。 Mungo
Park found in the heart of Africa a class of singing men； the only annalists
of their rude tribes； and heard them tell the story of the victory which
Damel； the negro prince of the Jaloffs； won over Abdulkader； the
Mussulman tyrant of Foota Torra。 This species of poetry attained a high
degree of excellence among the Castilians； before they began to copy
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Lays of Ancient Rome
Tuscan patterns。 It attained a still higher degree of excellence among the
English and the Lowland Scotch； during the fourteenth； fifteenth； and
sixteenth centuries。 But it reached its full perfection in ancient Greece； for
there can be no doubt that the great Homeric poems are generically ballads；
though widely distinguished from all other ballads； and indeed from
almost all other human composition； by transcendent sublimity and
beauty。
As it is agreeable to general experience that； at a certain stage in the
progress of society； ballad…poetry should flourish； so is it also agreeable to
general experience that； at a subsequent stage in the progress of society；
ballad…poetry should be undervalued and neglected。 Knowledge advances；
manners change； great foreign models of composition are studied and
imitated。 The phraseology of the old minstrels becomes obsolete。 Their
versification； which； having received its laws only from the ear； abounds
in irregularities； seems licentious and uncouth。 Their simplicity appears
beggarly when compared with the quaint forms and gaudy coloring of
such artists as Cowley and Gongora。 The ancient lays； unjustly despised
by the learned and polite； linger for a time in the memory of the vulgar；
and are at length too often irretrievably lost。 We cannot wonder that the
ballads of Rome should have altogether disappeared； when we remember
how very narrowly； in spite of the invention of printing； those of our own
country and those of Spain escaped the same fate。 There is indeed little
doubt that oblivion covers many English songs equal to any that were
published by Bishop Percy； and many Spanish songs as good as the best of
those which have been so happily translated by Mr。 Lockhart。 Eighty years
ago England possessed only one tattered copy of Childe Waters and Sir
Cauline； and Spain only one tattered copy of the noble poem of the Cid。
The snuff of a candle； or a mischievous dog； might in a moment have
deprived the world forever of any of those fine compositio