Oth tha ymb an tid Othres dogores Wunden ftefna Gewada hæfde. Tha tha lithende Thes the him ythlade THA of wealle gefeah Weard fcyldinga Se the holm clifre Healdan fcolde Beran ofer bolcan Beorhte randas Fyrd fearu Fuflicu hine fyr pyt bræc Mod gehyddum Hwæt tha men wæron. BEOWULF's answer to the thegn's inquiries about him begins thus: CHAP. V. BOOK HIм fe yldefta answarode Worde hord onleac Wey fynt gum cynnes And Higelaces hearth geneatas Folcum gecythed Gebad wintra worn THE Anglo Saxon verfification poffeffes occafional rhime and occafional alliteration, and fometimes the alliteration peculiar to the Welsh poetry. But none of thefe form its conftituent character. Mr. Tyrhwit and Mr. Ellis are also right in afferting that it does not depend upon "a fixed and determinate number of fyllables, nor on that marked attention to their quantity which Hickes fupposed to have conftituted the distinction between verfe and profe3." It appears to me that the only rule of the Saxon verfification which we can now discover is that the words are placed in that peculiar rythm or cadence which is obfervable in all the preceding extracts. This rythm will be felt by every one who reads the following lines: THOHTON tilian Salowig pada Wordum herigen 3 Ellis' Specimens of the early English Poets, Pref. Modum lufien Heafod ealra Heah gefceafta Frea Elmihtig To produce this rythm feems to have been the perfection of their verfification. But happily for the strength of their poetry they extended their rythm fometimes into a more dignified cadence, as WEREDA Wuldor cyning WHEN their words would not fall eafily into the defired rythm, they were fatisfied with an approach to it, and with this mixture of regular and irregular cadence all their poetry feems to have been compofed. By this rythm, by their inverfions of phrase, by their tranfitions, by their omiffions of particles, by their contractions of phrase, and, above all, by their metaphors and perpetual periphrafis, their poetry. feems to have been principally distinguished. CHAP, TH CHAP. VI. Of the Literature of the Anglo-Saxons. HE literature of the Anglo-Saxons must be dated from their converfion to Chriftianity. They may have had their runic letters and their fongs before this æra; but their knowledge of books and of the learning which had been accumulated in happier regions of the world, was derived from their religious intercourse with Rome. Their literary progrefs firft began by the introduction into England of the Latin and Greek languages, and by the collection of their books. Some men arose who took pleasure in encouraging others to the study of literature. Many exerted them. felves to attain it, and fome to communicate their improvements to their countrymen. We will give concife biographical sketches of the principal perfons who advanced literature in these refpects, as the best mode of elucidating the history of its progrefs. WHEN St. Auguftin came into England the Pope sent to him many books', fome of which are now extant in our public libraries. A DESIRE for knowledge began in the seventh century to spread among the Anglo-Saxons. Sigebert, who died in the middle of this age, had fled into France from his brother Redwald, and was 1 Bede, I. 29. vi. there baptized. When he attained the crown of CAP. East Anglia he established a school in his dominions for the instruction of youth, in imitation of those which he had feen in France. He was affifted in this happy effort of civilization by Bishop Felix, who came to him out of Kent, and who fupplied him with teachers from that part of the octarchy, which Christianity and literature had firft enlightened 2. AT this period Ireland was diftinguished for its religious literature, and many of the Anglo-Saxons, both of the higher and lower ranks, retired into it to pursue their ftudies or their devotions. While fome affumed the monaftic life, others, feeking variety of knowledge, went from one master's cell to another. The hofpitable Irish received them all, supplied them with daily food, with books, and gratuitous inftruction 3 MANY perfons in England are mentioned at this time by Bede as reading and studying the Holy Scriptures. To a nation whofe minds were fo untutored in knowledge as the Anglo-Saxons, the Jewish and Christian Scriptures must have been invaluable acceffions. From these they would learn the most rational chronology of the earth, the most correct history of the early states of the East, the most intelligent piety, the wifeft morality, and every style of literary compofition. Perhaps no other collection of human writings can be selected which would fo much interest and benefit a rude and ignorant people. We fhall feel all their value |