M. du Pin, tom. i. p. 197. Mosheim, vol. ii. pp. 120-123. Arator's metrical version of the Acts was publicly recited in the church of St. Peter's, at Rome, before pope Vigilius, with unbounded applause. Cavei Hist. Liter. p. 410. Townley, vol. i. pp. 209, 210. A curious account of the books belonging to the first Christian church at Canterbury, by Austin and his companions, (sent by Gregory) is in Hichesii Ling. Vet. Sept. Thes. vol. ii. p. 172. Erasions of sacred Scripture, for the sake of writing other works, and abbreviations, were now practised by the librarii or transcribers. Townley, pp. 219–222. Respecting the Culdees, or followers of Columba, see Jamieson's Hist. Acc. pp. 3-5. Butler's Lives of the Saints, vol. vi. and Smith's Life of St. Columba.

CENTURY THE SEVENTH.

Scarcity of Books, and the Sacred Writings.

The eighth Council of Toledo forbad the ordaining of any illiterate ecclesiastics. S. S. Council VI. Conc. Toled. 8. p. 406. The number of books was so inconsiderable, even in the papal library at Rome, that pope Martin requested Sanctamond, bishop of Maestricht, if possible, to supply this defect from the remotest parts of Germany. Warton's Hist. Eng. Poet. I. Dissert.ii. Aldfred, king of Northumberland, gave Benedict Biscop eight hundred acres of land for oue volume on Cosmography. Henry's Hist. of Gr. Brit. IV. B. II. ch. iv. p. 20. Theodore, archbishop of Canterbury, was sent thither by pope Vitellian, in 668, and brought with him copies of the Scriptures, and many Greek and Latin books. Townley, pp. 225-227. The scarcity of the Bible is said to have given rise to the sect of the Paulicians, according to the last author, p. 229. But, see Mosheim, vol. ii. p. 186.

The History of the Canon of Scripture.

Dr. Cosin here specifies, particularly, the "Wonders of the Scripture," (falsely included among Austin's books); the Sermons of Antiochus; the Testimony of Isiodore, bishop of Seville; and the general Council, held at Constantinople, towards the end of this century. Scholast. Hist. pp. 140-143. Dagaeus and Ultan, two Irish monks, used to transcribe these MSS. most beautifully. Townley, p. 239.

Publications, and Expositions of the Scriptures.

The Textus Sancti Cuthberti, or St. Cuthbert's Gospels, generally called the "Durham Book," is a copy of the four gospels in Latin, written about A. D. 680, by Egbert, or Eadfrid, a monk of Lindisfarne. Townley, vol. i. pp. 232, 233. Astle, p. 100, See also Baber's Histor. Acc. of Sax. and Erg. Vers. prefixed to Wicklif's New Test. 1810. Few, either of the Greeks or Latins, now applied themselves to the interpretation of the Scriptures. Some names, however deserve notice; as Isychius-Maximus-Julian Pomerius-Paterius' Exposition of the Old and New Tests., compiled from Gregory's works—and Thomas's (of Heraclea) Syriac version of the New Test. Assemanni Biblioth. Quest. Vat. tom. ii. pp. 93, 94. Mosheim, vol. ii. pp. 178, 179. The fragments of Caedmon's poetical paraphrases of the books of Genesis and Daniel, are interesting relics of Saxon literature. Turner's Hist. of Anglo-Saxons, vol. ii. p. 278.

Use of the Bible, and spread of Christianity.

A Council at Rome, respecting the ecclesiastical affairs of Britain, demanded, "that lessons out of the divine oracles be always read," Johnson's Collect. of Eccl. Laws, A. D. 1579; and it was the practice, on holding a council, to place a copy of the sacred gospels in open view. Townley, vol. i. p. 228. The Nestorians carried the gospel into China about 637, of which a famous monument was discovered by the Jesuits during the last century. Mosheim, vol. ii. pp. 151, 152. The prime minister, one of the most learned men in the empire, was ordered to translate the Scriptures, brought by Olopen, into the Chinese language; and the doctrines of the gospel were permitted to be preached. D'Herbelot, Biblioth. Orient. Supp. p. 165. Gibbon's Decline and Fall of Rom. Emp. vol. viii. note. Townley, p. 240. The rise of Mohammed, A. D. 612, is worthy of recollection. Mosheim, p. 157.

p. 345,

CENTURY THE EIGHTH.

The Bible in various Languages.

The conquests of the Saracens, or Moors, had rendered the Arabic common in Spain; and John, archbishop of Seville, desirous that the people should read and understand the holy Scriptures, undertook a translation of them into that tongue, which he completed about A.D. 717. Basnage, Hist. de l'Egl. tom. i. p. 471. Brerewood's Enqu. p. 237. See Townley, p. 241; and Michaelis, vol. ii. p. 81.

A translation of John's Gospel into Anglo-Saxon was made in the eighth century, by the venerable Bede; of whose worthy fame, consult Milner, vol. iii. p. 134; Turner's Hist. of Anglo-Sax. vol. ii. p. 347; and Butler's Lives, vol. v. May 27. He was called "the wise Saxon" by his cotemporaries., Henry's Hist. of Great Brit. vol. iv. p. 30. A copy of some of Paul's Epistles, is said to be preserved in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge. Hichesii Thes. vol. ii. p. 241.

A passage in Bede's Eccles. Hist. has led some to suppose, that portions of the Scriptures were now translated into the vernacular tongues of the various nations that now inhabited Britain. Lib. I. cap. i.: but see Townley, p. 264.

Men of renown, friends of the Scriptures.

Alenin, or Flaccus Albinus, was so eminent for learning and science, that Charlemagne selected him for his literary friend and preceptor. Townley, vol. i. pp. 254 -257. He corrected the errors of the Latin translation; and to his direction some attribute the first German version. Mosheim, vol. ii. p. 252. The veneration of Charlemagne for the sacred writings, was carried to such an excessive length, (Carol. Mag. de Imag.) as to persuade that monarch that they contained the latent seeds and principles of all arts and sciences; an opinion, no doubt, which he early imbibed from the lessons of Alcuin, and the other divines who frequented his court. Frickius, de Can. Script. Sac. p. 184. But neither the learning of Alcuin, nor the authority of Bede, nor the power of Charlemagne, could subdue the barbarism of the times. Enfield, vol. ii. p. 309.

Scholastical history of the Scripture Canon.

There are but two considerable writers in this age that have said anything concerning our present question; whereof one is Damascen, among the Greeks, and the other, venerable Bede, among the Anglo-Saxons. Cosin, p. 145. He mentions also the testimony of Photins, p. 148. Of John Damascenus, see Mosheim, vol. ii. p. 257.

State of Learning-Libraries-Education.

The Aristotelian philosophy was taught every where in the public schools, and was propagated with considerable success. Mosheim, p. 216. Winfred, or Boniface, a native of Devonshire, deserves honourable notice; and his Harmony, or Canon of the New Testament, &c. Milner, vol. iii. p. 172. Willehad, a Northumbrian, was the apostle of Saxony, and transcribed the Epistles of Paul. Townley, p. 253. Cosmas, bishop of Jerusalem, composed hymns for public and private devotion. Mosheim, p. 246. Alcuin has left us a poetical catalogue of the authors in the celebrated library of Egbert, archbishop of York; the oldest catalogue, perhaps, existing, in all the regions of literature,―certainly the oldest existing in England. Henry's Hist. of Great Brit. vol. iv. pp. 32-34. It is a singular fact, that England was regarded as so excellent a mart for books, that so early as the year 705, books were brought hither for sale. Townley, p. 268. Care was taken, in many instances, to instruct even children in the knowledge of the Scriptures: as is related by Bede, of Furseus-Livinus-Kilianus, and others. Usher's Disc. of Relig. by ancient Ir. and Eng. p. 4.

[CENTURY THE NINTH in our next.]

Poetry.

ON THE UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE;

In the morning it flourisheth and groweth up: in the evening it is cut down and

withereth.-Ps. xc. 6.

We all do fade as a leaf.-Isa. lxiv. 6.

WHENE'ER the friend or parent dies,
The palid cheek, the streaming eyes,
Evince the dread affright:

But mark! when shrubs or blossoms fade,

Or wintry blasts the trees invade,

They scarce a thought excite!

P. A.

Bristol.

And yet through nature's vast expanse,
Let once the mind extend its glance,

In philosophic view;

And soon 'twill find in grove and bow'r,
Exemplified," man's fleeting hour,"
By precepts aptly true.

Mark well yon fragrant blooming rose,
Luxuriously it buds-it blows-

Then fades in quick decay!

The fondling of the mother's breast,
Too oft thus swiftly sinks to rest,
The blossom of a day!

Review the scope,-where Flora's train,
In pride of varied beauty reign,

Yet short their vernal bloom :
Thus youth too oft in giddy pace,
Caught by allurement's baneful grace,
Incur an early doom.

View next the firm majestic oak,

Which yet escapes the woodman's stroke,
Of strength, what vast display!

Long it defies the boist'rous blast,
Tow'ring triumphant-still at last,
Yet yielding, dies away.

Such is of man the fate below,
Whose years awhile avert the blow,
(So marks the muse's pen,)
Ere long, he lifeless quits the stage,
Arriv'd, alas! his measur'd age,

His threescore years and ten.

Thus moralists alike may trace,
In fibrous as in human race,

The germs of fleeting doom;
The one the sport of ev'ry breeze,
Th' other by quick tho' just degrees,

The victim of the tomb.

H. I.

A REFUGE FROM THE STORM.

Isaiah xxxii. 2.

(IN IMITATION OF KIRKE WHITE'S "STAR OF Bethlehem")