ion," a fragment of one in "Hyperion," and
a reproduction of one of the old romances in "Isabella, or a Pot of
Basil."

Shelley, Keats' contemporary, wrote poems abounding in epic
passages,--"Alastor, or the Spirit of Solitude," "The Revolt of
Islam," "Adonais," and "Prometheus Unbound"; while Byron's epical
poems are "Manfred," "The Corsair," and "Don Juan"; and Scott's, "The
Lay of the Last Minstrel," "Marmion," "The Lady of the Lake," and "The
Bridal of Triermain."

The greatest of Coleridge's poems, "The Ancient Mariner," is sometimes
called a visionary epic, while his "Christabel" conforms more closely
to the old _roman d'adventure._

As the translator of the epical romances of "Amadis de Gaule" and
"Palmerin," Southey won considerable renown; he also wrote the
oriental epics "Thalaba" and "The Curse of Kehama," as well as epical
poems on "Madoc," "Joan of Arc," and "Roderick, the Last of the
Goths."

Moore, although preeminently a lyric poet, has left us the eastern
epic "Lalla Rookh," and Lockhart some "Spanish Ballads" which
paraphrase the Cid.

Among Macaulay's writings the "Lays of Ancient Rome" have epic
qualities, which are also found in Leigh Hunt's "Story of Rimini."

The plot of Tristram has been utilized both by Matthew Arnold and by
Swinburne, while William and Lewis Morris have rewritten some of the
old classic stories in "The Earthly Paradise," the "Life and Death of
Jason," the "Defense of Guinevere," and the "Epic of Hades."

It was, however, the Victorian poet-laureate Tennyson who gave the
Arthurian Legend its latest and most artistic touches in "Idylls of
the King." Some critics also claim as an example of the domestic epic
his "Enoch Arden."

Among recent writers, sundry novelists have been hailed as authors of
prose epics. Thomas Westwood has composed in excellent verse the
"Quest of the Sangreall," Mrs. Trask "Under King Constantine," a
notable addition to the Arthurian cycle, and Stephen Philips has sung
of Ulysses and of King Alfred.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 20: See the author's "Legends of the Virgin and Christ."]

BEOWULF[21]

_Introduction._ The only Anglo-Saxon epic which has been preserved
entire was probably composed in Sweden before the eighth century, and
taken thence to England, where this pagan poem was worked over and
Christianized by some Northumbrian bard. Although some authorities
declare it dates back as far as the fifth century, most affirm it must
hav