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We think , then , that Washington Irving has judged rightly in collecting , instead of rejecting , all the marvellous arid
romantic stories about the conquest of Spain , and in presenting them to us under the form of " legends / ' Out of these
apparently fabulous tales , the genius of the two nations concerned , and the morality of their thnos , may be gathered , and both of those are very likely to be misunderstood or overlooked in the philosophy of modern historians . But let the author plead his own
cause—• ' To discard , however , everything wild and marvellous in this portion of Spanish history , is to discard some of its most beautiful , instructive , and national features ; it is to judire of Spain by the standard of probability suited to tamer and more passive countries . Spain is virtually a land of poetry and romance , where every day life
partakes or adventure , and where the least agitation or excitement carries everything up into extravagant enterprise and daring exploit . The Spaniards in all ages have been of swelling and braggart spirit , soaring in thought , pompous in word , and valiant , though vainglorious , in deed . Their heroic aims have transcended the cooler conceptions of their neighbours , and their reckless daring has borne them on to achievements which prudent enterprise could never have accomplished . Since the time , too , of the conquest and occupation of their country b y the Arabs , a strong infusion of oriental magnificence has entered into the national character , and rendered the
Spaniard distinct from every other nation of Europe . * In the following pages , therefore , the author has ventured to dip more deeply into the enchanted fountains of old Spanish chronicle , than has usually been done by those who , in modern times , have treated of the eventful period of the conquest ; but , in so doing , he trusts he will illustrate more fully the character of the people and the times . "—Preface , p . 8 . The fault of the book is the too frequent detail of war and fighting . We read to weariness of battles , sieges , pikes , lances , crossbows , scimitars , and drums ; and we regret the more that so much of the volume is occupied by mutter of this description , since all the rest of it—that is , all the stories of prodigies , heroism , and love , and all the legends of the fortunes and fate of the actors in those stormy scenes , are given with the author ' s accustomed lightness and elegance . The following is a good
specimen—* ' Now so it happened , according to the legend , * that ubout this time , as king Roderick was seated one day on his throne , surrounded by his nobles , in the ancient city of Toledo , two men of venerable appearance entered the hull of audience . Their fciiowy beards descended to their breasts , and their grey hairs were hound with ivy . They were arrayed in white garments of foreign antiquated fashion , which swept
* Pwrdida do Esparto , por Abuicasim Tarof Abeiilnri < juo , lib . i . c . 6 . Cronic . i (\* i \ May Don llodrigo vox el inoro Ka » ia , lib . i . c . 1 . Uleda , Crou . cup . 7 .
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Legends of ike Conquest of Spain , 83
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 2, 1836, page 83, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2654/page/19/
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