The Talisman: Large Print

Times of danger have always, and in a peculiar degree, their seasons of good-will andsecurity; and this was particularly so in the ancient feudal ages, in which, as the manners ofthe period had assigned war to be the chief and most worthy occupation of mankind, theintervals of peace, or rather of truce, were highly relished by those warriors to whom theywere seldom granted, and endeared by the very circumstances which rendered themtransitory. It is not worth while preserving any permanent enmity against a foe whom achampion has fought with to-day, and may again stand in bloody opposition to on the nextmorning. The time and situation afforded so much room for the ebullition of violentpassions, that men, unless when peculiarly opposed to each other, or provoked by therecollection of private and individual wrongs, cheerfully enjoyed in each other's society thebrief intervals of pacific intercourse which a warlike life admitted.The distinction of religions, nay, the fanatical zeal which animated the followers of theCross and of the Crescent against each other, was much softened by a feeling so natural togenerous combatants, and especially cherished by the spirit of chivalry. This last strongimpulse had extended itself gradually from the Christians to their mortal enemies theSaracens, both of Spain and of Palestine. The latter were, indeed, no longer the fanaticalsavages who had burst from the centre of Arabian deserts, with the sabre in one hand andthe Koran in the other, to inflict death or the faith of Mohammed, or, at the best, slavery andtribute, upon all who dared to oppose the belief of the prophet of Mecca. These alternativesindeed had been offered to the unwarlike Greeks and Syrians; but in contending with theWestern Christians, animated by a zeal as fiery as their own, and possessed of asunconquerable courage, address, and success in arms, the Saracens gradually caught a partof their manners, and especially of those chivalrous observances which were so wellcalculated to charm the minds of a proud and conquering people. They had theirtournaments and games of chivalry; they had even their knights, or some rank analogous;and above all, the Saracens observed their plighted faith with an accuracy which mightsometimes put to shame those who owned a better religion. Their truces, whether nationalor betwixt individuals, were faithfully observed; and thus it was that war, in itself perhapsthe greatest of evils, yet gave occasion for display of good faith, generosity, clemency, andeven kindly affections, which less frequently occur in more tranquil periods, where thepassions of men, experiencing wrongs or entertaining quarrels which cannot be brought toinstant decision, are apt to smoulder for a length of time in the bosoms of those who are sounhappy as to be their prey.