bodied in live flesh. Does not, indeed, a pious scholarship in footnote furnish us with the auspicative example of a practising Companionship from a certain late contemporary of Tacitus, one Ammianus Marcellinus, who relates how, when Chief Chochiliacus of the Alamanni had been taken by the Romans, his whole following, unfortunately absent at the earlier time, came after him to share the chances of captivity?

And now we pass from Chochiliacus and his Companions whose reputation might have been much wider-spread had he possessed a pensionary bard or people not been naturally bashful about naming him to some whose names and deeds and spirits also have been splendidly enshrined for us by the first craft of English song.

4. POETICAL

History has certified to us through several of her lofty functionaries that the settlement in Britain of her continental conquerors was nothing less than a transfer thither in its fullest form of Anglo-Saxon society. Natural enough, then, that the early English should find nothing alien in the poetical transplantations from whose slips and shoots in time sprang up their epic lay of Beowulf. For such, a cloud of commentators has assured us, were the origins and was the growth of that most ancient modern song. Many other things concerning the said Beowulf they do also

at great length assure us; but concerning any present helpfulness or every-day unliterary value to be got thence they have nothing to say; and we shall therefore in re-visiting the region travel as if on new ground.

With Beowulf on friendly errand to the aid of Hrothgar against Grendel, giant fen-fiend, came his twelve Companions, heartened for whatever fate their chief should find.

And when at evening the hero, having boasted duly as became one in those days and disarmed himself to meet the monster on fair terms, had bedded him in the great Hall of Hart, "there bowed themselves to rest about him many a brave sea-fighter,"- the full number, our magniloquent word-smith would say, of that somewhat meagre band. He might slumber, feeling safe in the prowess of his several horse-power hand-grip; not so securely they. For they had heard how "slaughterous death within the wine-hall had snatched away ere now by much too many of the Danish folk, and not one of them thought that he should thereafter see his own dear land, his tribe, or noble city, where he had been reared." nonetheless they slept upon the premonition, allowing Grendel, who came scritheing down into the hall toward midnight "livid flame was standing from his eyes "- to seize upon one of the watch, "rend him unawares, bite his bonelocker, drink his blood, and swallow him in bits." By which time, however, Beowulf is ready to re

But

ceive the visitor with a most gladsome hand of welcome, and his friends awake to find themselves once more in occupancy of the back-ground to his battle-play. And in background they must keep both during that impenetrable mix-up out of which the unbidden guest emerges minus arm and appetite, and while the fight is fought again with speeches and potations. Not until the splendor of their leader's presence disappears in Grendel's pool and stays under nine full days, do they shine again with unreflected light.

To this spot the hero had been brought by Hrothgar's retinue to pay return-call upon Grendel's dam, who had visited the hall in dire vengeance of his death. And when the neighboring bands of water-snakes and consanguineal seamonsters were for the time being dispossessed by his Companions' spears, Beowulf had gone down into the submarine home of the Grendel family. And become, so thought his poor Companions, almost a member, by incorporation, of the same. So, too, did not doubt the white-haired old men natives, and, having said as much, departed homewards. But "the strangers sat there still upon the ness and, sick in spirit, stared upon the pool. They hoped, but not expected, ever to behold their own dear lord again." Somewhat suggestive, truly, of a certain other ancient twelve- then lacking one left likewise lonesome and disconsolate. " did at length

But when the "helm of seamen

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get back on land, they hastened to him; "God they thanked," interpolates a later piety, "and took joy of their lord, that they might behold him safe once more. And now begins again their own eclipse, which they enter with no specified repinings. His the glory and the torchlight ; theirs as great a joy in shadow. Did these simple spirits never guess the high advantages and strong delights of Individualism? Evidently not; perhaps, indeed, they could not have appreciated them.

Nor was Beowulf himself, so far as one can well discover, such an overweening individualist. Contrarily, one can discover him, when, gifted with large treasure by the grateful Hrothgar, he has returned to Hygelac his overlord and duly told his tale and ably boasted, for the times becomingly, both of his prowess and the prizes it had won, making some remarks in quite another mood. For he ends with: "These (said prizes) I would gladly bring thee and bestow them joyfully on thee, O king of men. Still doth every good thing begin with thee. Take thou full joy of all." Whereafter the famed hero did not hesitate to enter his own position of eclipse, and contrived to occupy it, says his poet, lawfully — without, when drunken, slaying any of his comrades, which was something, for those days.

Nor, when Hygelac had gone a-warring once too often, and remained to feed the ravens and the wolves of Friesland, did Beowulf, who, having

cleared the field of Frisians, had come thence by swimming, accept the chance of kingship proffered him by dowager queen Hygd, who feared for her son's strength against his foes, and probably hoped, too, for Beowulf as second husband; but upheld young Heardred with kindly counsel till he grew of age to rule the land.

Finally, however, when young Heardred had followed the paternal path, "departed otherwhither," who but warrior Beowulf should hold the kingdom, have the queen? So, indeed, he did; and ruled both well for fifty years.

But then it chanced unfortunately that a dragon, previously well-behaved enough, "began to be unruly on dark nights." Such beasts, it seems, were at that time accustomed to seek out some treasure-hoard deep-buried by a "lonesome, kinless, joy-forsaken man,” and keep a life-long watch of it. And this one, fallen carelessly asleep in conduct of his chosen business, had been deceived and robbed by a certain banished man, who bore away a precious drinking-cup, hoping therewith to appease his wrathful lord. But the greedy dragon, grudging any of his gold for whatsoever worthy purposes, flamed forth spewing sparks and gledes and taking payment for his precious cup in conflagration of fair homesteads. Thus it came about that Beowulf must in his old age go against the "loathsome stranger-one "; and up against him went he, one of twelve.

Having thus fared forth to beard, full literally,