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[Illustration: HEREWARD RESISTING THE GREEK ASSASSIN.]
COUNT ROBERT OF PARIS—CASTLE DANGEROUS—MY AUNT MARGARET'S MIRROR, &c.&c.
Tales of my Landlord.
The European with the Asian shore—
Sophia's cupola with golden gleam
The cypress groves—Olympus high and hoar—
The twelve isles, and the more than I could dream,
Far less describe, present the very view
That charm'd the charming Mary Montagu.
DON JUAN.
Sir Walter Scott transmitted from Naples, in February, 1832, anIntroduction for CASTLE DANGEROUS; but if he ever wrote one for asecond Edition of ROBERT OF PARIS, it has not been discovered among hispapers. Some notes, chiefly extracts from the books which he had beenobserved to consult while dictating this novel, are now appended toits pages; and in addition to what the author had given in the shape ofhistorical information respecting the principal real personsintroduced, the reader is here presented with what may probably amusehim, the passage of the Alexiad, in which Anna Comnena describes theincident which originally, no doubt, determined Sir Walter's choice ofa hero.
May, A.D. 1097.—"As for the multitude of those who advanced towardsTHE GREAT CITY, let it be enough to say that they were as the stars inthe heaven, or as the sand upon the sea-shore. They were, in the wordsof Homer, as many as the leaves and flowers of spring. But for thenames of the leaders, though they are present in my memory, I will notrelate them. The numbers of these would alone deter me, even if mylanguage furnished the means of expressing their barbarous sounds; andfor what purpose should I afflict my readers with a long enumeration ofthe names of those, whose visible presence gave so much horror to allthat beheld them?
"As soon, therefore, as they approached the Great City, they occupiedthe station appointed for them by the Emperor, near to the monastery ofCosmidius. But this multitude were not, like the Hellenic one of old,to be restrained and governed by the loud voices of nine heralds; theyrequired the constant superintendence of chosen and valiant soldiers,to keep them from violating the commands of the Emperor.
"He, meantime, laboured to obtain from the other leaders thatacknowledgment of his supreme authority, which had already been drawnfrom Godfrey [Greek: Gontophre] himself. But, notwithstanding thewillingness of some to accede to this proposal, and their assistance inworking on the minds of their associates, the Emperor's endeavours hadlittle success, as the majority were looking for the arrival ofBohemund [Greek: Baimontos], in whom they placed their chiefconfidence, and resorted to every art with the view of gaining time.The Emperor, whom it was not easy to deceive, penetrated their motives;and by granting to one powerful person demands which had been supposedout of all bounds of expectation, and by resorting to a variety ofother devices, he at length prevailed, and won general assent to thefollowing of the example of Godfrey