world, while it proved the fortunate instrument of introducing into Europe some of the Greek classics at a very early period, was moreover a means of preserving those genuine models of composition, and of transmitting them to the present generation". It is certain, that about the close of the ninth century, polite letters, together with the sciences, began in some degree to be studied in Italy, France, and Germany. Charlemagne, whose munificence and activity in propagating the Arabian literature has already been mentioned, founded the universities of Bononia, Pavia, Paris, and Osnaburgh. Charles the Bald seconded the salutary endeavours of Charlemagne. Lothaire, the brother of the latter, erected schools in the eight principal cities of Italy". The number of monasteries and collegiate churches in those countries was daily increasing*: in which the youth, as a preparation to the study of the sacred scrip See what I have said concerning the destruction of many Greek classics at Constantinople, in the Preface to Theocritus, Oxon. 1770. tom. i. Prefat. p. xiv. XV. To which I will add, that so early as the fourth century, the Christian priests did no small injury to antient literature, by prohibiting and discouraging the study of the old pagan philosophers. Hence the story, that Jerom dreamed he was whipped by the devil for reading Cicero. Compare what is said of Livy below. A. D. 823. See Murator. Scriptor. Rer. Italicar. i. p. 151. * Cave mentions, "Cenobia Italica, Cassinense, Ferrariense: Germanica, Fuldense, Sangellense, Augiense, Lobiense: Gallica, Corbiense, Rhemense, Orbacense, Floriacense," &c. Hist. Lit. Sæc. Photian. p. 503. edit. 1688. Charlemagne also founded two archbishopricks and nine bishopricks in the most considerable towns of Germany. Aub. Mirai Op. Diplomat. i. p. 16. Charlemagne seems to have founded libraries. See J. David. Koeler, Diss. De Bib- tures, were exercised in reading profane authors, together with the antient doctors of the church, and habituated to a Latin style. The monks of Cassino in Italy were distinguished before the year 1000, not only for their knowledge of the sciences, but their attention to polite learning, and an acquaintance with the classics. Their learned abbot Desiderius collected the best of the Greek and Roman writers. This fraternity not only composed learned treatises in music, logic, astronomy, and the Vitruvian architecture, but likewise employed a portion of their time in transcribing Tacitus, Jornandes, Josephus, Ovid's Fasti, Cicero, Seneca, Donatus the grammarian, Virgil, Theocritus, and Homer". In the mean time England shared these improvements in knowledge and literature, chiefly derived from the same y Lipsius says, that Leo the Tenth gave five hundred pieces of gold for the five first books of Tacitus's Annals, to the monks of a convent in Saxony. This Lipsius calls the resurrection of Tacitus to life. Ad Annal. Tacit. lib. ii. c. 9. At the end of the edition of Tacitus, published under Leo's patronage by Beroaldus in 1515, this edict is printed, "Nomine Leonis X. proposita sunt præmia non mediocria his qui ad eum libros veteres neque hactenus editos adtulerint." z Chron. Cassin. Monast. lib. iii. c. 35. Poggius Florentinus found a STRATAGEMATA of Frontinus, about the year 1420, in this monastery. Mabillon, Mus. Ital. tom. i. p. 133. Manuscripts of the following classics now in the Harleian collection, appear to have been written between the eighth and tenth centuries inclusively. Two copies of Terence, Brit. Mus. MSS. Harl. 2670. 2750. Cicero's Paradoxa Stoicorum, the first book De Natura Deorum, Orations against Catiline, De Oratore, De Inventione Rhetorica, Ad Herennium, n. 2622. 2716. 2623. And the Epistles, with others of his works, n. 2682. A fragment of the Æneid, n. 2772. Livy, n. 2672. Lucius Florus, n. 2620. Ovid's Metamorphoses and Fasti, n.2737. Quintilian, n. 2664. Horace, the Odes excepted, n. 2725. Many of the same and other classic authors occur in the British Museum, written in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. See n. 5443. 2656. 2475. 2624. 2591. 2668. 2533. 2770. 2492. 2709. 2655. 2654. 2664. 2728. 5534. 2609. 2724. 5412. 2643. 5304. 2633. There are four copies of Statius, one of the twelfth century, n. 2720: and three others of the thirteenth, n. 2608. 2636. 2665. Plautus's Comedies are among the royal manuscripts, written in the tenth, 15 C. xi. 4. And some parts of Tully in the same, ibid. 1. Suetonius, 15 C. iv. 1. Horace's Art of Poetry, Epistles, and Satires, with Eutropius, in the same, 15 B. vii. 1. 2. 3. xvi. 1, &c. Willibold, one of the learned Saxons whose literature will be mentioned in its proper place, having visited Rome and Jerusalem, retired for some time to this monastery, about the year 730. Vit. Williboldi, Canis. Antiq. Lect. xv. 695. And Pantal. de Vir. Illustr. par. ii. p. 263. And Birinus, who came into England from Rome about the year 630, with a design of converting the Saxons, brought with him one Benedict, a monk of Cassino, whom he placed over the monks or church of Winchester. Wharton, Angl. Sacr. i. 190. sources, was communicated to our Saxon ancestors about the beginning of the eighth century. The Anglo-Saxons were converted to Christianity about the year 570. In consequence of this event, they soon acquired civility and learning. Hence they necessarily established a communication with Rome, and acquired a familiarity with the Latin language. During this period, it was the prevailing practice among the Saxons, not only of the clergy but of the better sort of laity, to make a voyage to Romed. It is natural to imagine with what ardour the new converts visited the holy see, which at the same time was fortunately the capital of literature. While they gratified their devotion, undesignedly and imperceptibly they became acquainted with useful science. In return, Rome sent her emissaries into Britain. Theodore, a monk of Rome, originally a Greek priest, a native of Tarsus in Cilicia, was consecrated archbishop of Canterbury, and sent into England by pope Vitalian, in the year 688. He was skilled in the metrical art, astronomy, arithmetic, churchmusic, and the Greek and Latin languages. The new prelate brought with him a large library, as it was called and esteemed, consisting of numerous Greek and Latin authors; among which were Homer in a large volume, written on paper with most exquisite elegance, the homilies of saint Chrysostom on parchment, the Psalter, and Josephus's Hypomnesticon, all in Greeks. Theodore was accompanied into England by Adrian, a Neapolitan monk, and a native of Africa, who was equally skilled in sacred and profane learning, and at the same time appointed by the pope to the abbacy of Saint Austin's at Canterbury. Bede informs as, that Adrian requested Pope Vitalian to confer the archbishoprick on Theodore, and that the pope consented on condition that Adrian, "who had been twice in France, and on that account was better acquainted with the nature and difficulties of so long a journey," would conduct Theodore into Britain". They were both escorted to the city of Canterbury by Benedict Biscop, a native of Northumberland, and a monk, who had formerly been acquainted with them in a visit which he made to Rome. Benedict seems at this time to have been one of the most distinguished of the Saxon ecclesiastics: availing himself of the arrival of these two learned strangers, under their direction and assistance he procured workmen from France, and built the monastery of Weremouth in Northumberland. The church he constructed of stone, after the manner of the Roman architecture; and adorned its walls and roof with pictures, which he purchased at Rome, representing among other sacred subjects the Virgin Mary, the twelve apostles, the evangelical history, and the visions of the Apocalypse. The windows were glazed by artists brought from France. But I mention this foundation to introduce an anecdote much to our purpose. Benedict added to his monastery an ample library, which he stored with Greek and Latin volumes, imported by himself from Italy'. Bede has thought it a matter worthy to be recorded, that Ceolfrid, his successor in the government of Weremouth-abbey, aug b Bed. Hist. Eccl. iv. 1. "Et ob id majorem notitiam hujus itineris," &c. See Math. Westmon. sub an. 703. Lel. Script. Brit. p. 109. * See Bede, Hist. Abbat. Wiremuth. p. 295. 297. edit. Cantab. In one of his expeditions to Rome, he brought over John, arch-chantor of St. Peter's at Rome, who introduced the Roman method of singing mass. Bed. ibid. p. 295. He taught the monks of Benedict's abbey; and all the singers of the monasteries of that province came from various parts to hear him sing. Bed. Hist. Eccl. iv. 18. He likewise brought over from Rome two silken palls of exquisite workmanship, with which he afterwards purchased of king Aldfrid, successor of Elfrid, two pieces of land for his monastery. Bed. Vit. Abb. ut supr. p. 297. Bale censures Benedict for being the first who introduced into England painters, glasiers, et id genus alios AD VOLUPTATEM artifices. Cent. i. 82. This is the language of a PURITAN in LIFE, as well as in Religion. 'Lel. ubi supr. 110. mented this collection with three volumes of pandects, and a book of cosmography wonderfully enriched with curious workmanship, and bought at Rome". The example of the pious Benedict was immediately followed by Acca, bishop of Hexham in the same province: who having finished his cathedral church by the help of architects, masons, and glasiers hired in Italy, adorned it, according to Leland, with a valuable library of Greek and Latin authors". But Bede, Acca's cotemporary, relates, that this library was entirely composed of the histories of those apostles and martyrs to whose relics he had dedicated several altars in his church, and other ecclesiastical treatises, which he had collected with infinite labour". Bede however calls it a most copious and noble library". Nor is it foreign to our purpose to add, that Acca invited from Kent into Northumberland, and retained in his service during the space of twelve years, a celebrated chantor named Maban: by the assistance of whose instructions and superintendance he not only regulated the church music of his diocese, but introduced the use of many Latin hymns hitherto unknown in the northern churches of England. It appears that before the arrival of Theodore and Adrian, celebrated schools for educating youth in the sciences had been long established in Kent'. Literature, however, seems at this period to have flourished " Lel. ibid. p. 105. • Bed. Hist. v. 21. P Hist. v. c. 20. Bed. Hist. Eccl. v. c. 21. Maban had been taught to sing in Kent by the successors of the disciples of Saint Gregory. Compare Bed. iv. 2. If we may believe William of Malmesbury, who wrote about the year 1120, they had organs in the Saxon churches before the Conquest. He says that archbishop Dunstan, in king Edgar's reign, gave an organ to the abbey-church of Malmesbury; which he describes to have been like those in use at present. "Organa, ubi per æreas fistulas musicis mensuris elaboratas, dudum conceptas follis vomit anxius auras.' William, who was a |