94] Ritson, p. 80. There is one in Rymer of the year 1385.

[895] [Note IV.]

[896] See Tyrwhitt's essay on the language and versification of Chaucer,
in the fourth volume of his edition of the Canterbury Tales. The opinion
of this eminent critic has lately been controverted by Dr. Nott, who
maintains the versification of Chaucer to have been wholly founded on
accentual and not syllabic regularity. I adhere, however, to Tyrwhitt's
doctrine.

[897] Warton's Hist. of English Poetry, vol. i. Dissertation II.
Roquefort, Etat de la Poesie Francaise du douzieme Siecle p. 18. The
following lines from the beginning of the eighth book of the Philippis
seem a fair, or rather a favourable specimen of these epics. But I am
very superficially acquainted with any of them.

Solverat interea zephyris melioribus annum
Frigore depulso veris tepor, et renovari
Coeperat et viridi gremio juvenescere tellus;
Cum Rea laeta Jovis rideret ad oscula mater,
Cum jam post tergum Phryxi vectore relicto
Solis Agenorei premeret rota terga juvenci.

The tragedy of Eccerinus (Eccelin da Romano), by Albertinus Mussatus, a
Paduan, and author of a respectable history, deserves some attention, as
the first attempt to revive the regular tragedy. It was written soon
after 1300. The language by no means wants animation, notwithstanding an
unskilful conduct of the fable. The Eccerinus is printed in the tenth
volume of Muratori's collection.

[898] Booksellers appear in the latter part of the twelfth century.
Peter of Blois mentions a law book which he had procured a quodam
publico mangone librorum. Hist. Litteraire de la France, t. ix. p. 84.
In the thirteenth century there were many copyists by occupation in the
Italian universities. Tiraboschi, t. iv. p. 72. The number of these at
Milan before the end of that age is said to have been fifty. Ibid. But a
very small proportion of their labour could have been devoted to
purposes merely literary. By a variety of ordinances, the first of which
bears date in 1275, the booksellers of Paris were subjected to the
control of the university. Crevier, t. ii. p. 67, 286. The pretext of
this was, lest erroneous copies should obtain circulation. And this
appears to have been the original of those restraints upon the freedom
of publication, which since the invention of printing have so much
retarded the diffusion of truth by means of that great instrument.

[899] Tiraboschi, t. v. p. 85. On th