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VI.-Fresco Decorations and Stuccoes of Churches and Palaces
in Italy, during the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries,
taken from the principal Works of the greatest Painters;
Drawn and Engraved by Thurmer, Gutensohn, Pis-
trucci, Gruner, and others; with English Descriptions.
By Lewis Gruner. And an Essay on the Ancient Ara-
besques, as compared with those of Raphael and his
School. By A. Hittorff-

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VII. The Life and Correspondence of T. Arnold, D.D., by
Arthur P. Stanley, M.A.

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VIII.-Diaries and Correspondence of James Harris, First Earl of
Malmesbury, &c. Edited by his Grandson, the Third
Earl

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QUARTERLY REVIEW.

ART. I.-1. Ancient Laws and Institutes of England; comprising Laws enacted under the Anglo-Saxon Kings from Ethelbert to Canut, the Laws called Edward the Confessor's, &c., with an English translation of the same. Edited and translated

by Benjamin Thorpe, Esq., F.S.A., &c. (Printed under the direction of Lord Langdale, by command of Her Majesty.) 1840. 2. Patres Ecclesiæ Anglicana-Aldhelmus, Beda, Bonifacius, Alcuinus, et reliqui.- Venerabilis Beda Opera quæ supersunt omnia nunc primùm in Angliâ, ope Codicum Manuscriptorum Editionumque optimarum, Edidit J. A. Giles, LL.D., Ecclesiæ Anglicana Presbyter, &c. Tom. V. Homiliæ. Lond. 1843. The Complete Works of Venerable Bede in the original Latin, collated with the Manuscripts and various printed Editions; accompanied with a new English Translation. By the Rev. J. A. Giles, &c. Vol. V. Homilies.

3. The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church:- The Homilies of Elfric, with an English Translation. By Benjamin Thorpe, Esq., F.S.A., &c. (Printed for the Ælfric Society.) London. 1843.

4. Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniæ sub Regibus Angliæ. Operâ Thoma Stapleton. 2 vols. (Published by the Society of Antiquaries.) London. 1840-1844.

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THE several important works now named, testify the increasing diffusion of Anglo-Saxon literature. Perhaps no single publication has given a more useful and a more lasting impulse to this truly national study, than Dr. Ingram's edition of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.' By presenting to the public, in our own mother-tongue, the earliest of our consecutive annals, until then only accessible-if they can be said to have been accessiblein the ugly quarto and crabbed Latin of Gibson, he created a new class of readers. Long may the President of Trinity rejoice in the disciples taught by his labours, and who are emulating him in the same career.

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Mr. Thorpe's edition of the Ancient Laws and Institutes of England,' renders the Anglo-Saxon code for the first time intelligible. Lambarde and Wilkins, his predecessors, had indus

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triously collated the Anglo-Saxon texts; yet, as interpreters, they were singularly deficient. Lambarde attempted to render the Dooms of Alfred and Ina into the phraseology of the Twelve Tables. Wilkins betrays the most whimsical somnolence and want of familiarity with the Anglo-Saxon language. He mistakes a hare for a herring, and quietly proceeds to speak of the herring's gall! An ecclesiastical canon imposes a penance upon the woman who swinges or flogs her female slave to death out of wicked spite. This canon occurs twice. In the first instance, Wilkins supposes the crime consists in the lady's swinging or hanging her maid-servant; and in the second instance, in swinging or hanging her husband. King Ethelred directs that no or or sheep shall be killed except in the presence of two credible witnesses, and that the hide and the head shall be kept for three days-a regulation, intended, like those in our modern horse-slaughtering Acts, to prevent the making away with stolen cattle. Wilkins directs that no man shall be slain unless with such authentication. Et nemo occidatur nisi adsit duorum fidelium hominum testimonium '-thus converting a market-regulation into an American duel. Mr. Thorpe's version is sound and critical, his knowledge of the Gothic and Teutonic dialects very extensive. He shares with Mr. Kemble the honour of standing at the very head of Northern philologists. His learning is not rendered unpractical by any fanciful or overstrained theory. Very valuable glossarial indexes are added by him. This collection contains the whole body of the civil and ecclesiastical laws before the Conquest. Merely as a matter of legislation, it is remarkable to observe how few are the canons or enactments relating to the payment of tithes or dues to the clergy, represented by Hume as their sole object, and which, considering their vast and preponderating influence in the Anglo-Saxon commonwealth, the clergy had so much authority to enforce.

Ælfric's Homilies, brought to light by the exertions of Mr. Thorpe, under the patronage of the Ælfric Society, are equally valuable to the philologer and the theologian. They are written in that English dialect which, having been adopted as the language of literature, was intelligible and familiar throughout the realm, and contain the doctrines enforced upon the common people. The book of Catholic Sermons, in English, to be recited in church during the year-for this is the title prefixed by the Anglo-Saxon author-comprises a complete course of expositions of Scripture and Scripture history, and will remove the doubts of those who still continue sceptical as to the diffusion of biblical knowledge during some at least of the 'dark ages.' Our assertions upon this subject (Article upon Hume, vol. lxiii. p. 569)

have

have been contradicted, somewhat peremptorily, in a speech of three hours' dimensions. We therefore request our respected assailant, who differs from us much less than he supposes, to make himself master of Ælfric, and to read to his own family one entire Homily, e. g. that for Christmas-day, before he next appears upon the platform.

The Great Rolls of the Norman Exchequer,' edited by Mr. Stapleton for the Society of Antiquaries from the originals in the Chapter-House and the late Pell-Office (all now in the custody of the Master of the Rolls), afford a remarkable instance of zeal and learning. The text supplies a complete development of the Anglo-Norman territorial administration in Normandy, showing its identity, except in some minor particulars, with that of England. An excellent treatise upon the ancient geography of Normandy adds to the general utility of the work.

It is little to the credit of England, that, whilst the literary remains of Greece and Rome have been multiplied by us in every shape, and illustrated with all the devotion of intellect and learning, the productions of Venerable Bede, the great Father of our own ancient Church, should, except in one portion, namely, his historical works, have been hitherto entirely neglected. The unaided diligence of Dr. Giles has accomplished an undertaking from which opulent foundations and flourishing societies have shrunk, when proposed to them, as involving too great a pecuniary responsibility. Upwards of two hundred homilies are ascribed to Bede in the earlier editions, all of which are continental; but whilst they represent the general doctrine of the period, their great inequality, both in manner and matter, long since suggested doubts whether the whole were his composition. Mabillon discovered in the Colbertine library two manuscripts of great antiquity, one containing forty-eight, and the other thirty-eight homilies, but which, by comparison, gave only the sum total of forty-nine. From internal evidence, the Benedictine critic conjectured that these were Bede's undoubted productions. Martene followed up the investigation; but the data, furnished by these excellent men, were not sufficiently decisive to enable Dr. Giles to see his way with adequate clearness in preparing his new edition. Therefore, after examining several of our own public libraries without success, he determined to explore the continental collections. Singularly enough, he found the best materials close at hand. Immediately opposite to our own shores, in the public library of Boulogne-sur-Mer, he discovered the earliest copy known of the Homilies of Venerable Bede, formerly belonging to the monastery of St. Bertin, at St. Omer. This monastery was very closely connected by intimacy with the sister-foundations in England.

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England. St. Bertin was the usual hospice to which our monks and prelates first resorted, when, landing at Whitsant, a small port now nearly blocked up, they visited the firm land of Europe. The Boulogne manuscript forms the basis of the new edition, which contains fifty-nine homilies-eight, however, of which are taken from an early edition: the notes and various readings are to follow in another volume. We trust that Dr. Giles will be encouraged to continue his exertions, in thus diffusing a sound knowledge of mediæval divinity and ecclesiastical history, and that his success may excite others to do the like, and particularly by means of translations. *

We alluded in our last, to M. Thierry's 'Histoire de la Conquête d'Angleterre.' This work, by which he acquired his constantly increasing celebrity, has been so long before the public, now, we believe, more than twenty years, that no review of so popular a production can be needed. Thierry is an author of rare merit. His productions have acquired an European reputation, and, in the phrase of the day, have exercised a powerful influence upon the science of history.' He displays singular genius; genius fed and sustained by sedulous industry. Flame needs fuel: unless continually supplied, either by observation or by reading, the blaze of idle, unlaborious talent soon burns out and expires. The pupil of Châteaubriand in historical literature, though not participating in Châteaubriand's political and religious sentiments: nay, being entirely-shall we say fortunately or unfortunately?-averse to them; he rivals the poetic fancy, and shares in the narrative powers of the author acknowledged by him as his

* For the publication of texts, a Society is now forming under the presidentship of the Bishops of Lincoln, Salisbury, Exeter, Norwich, Bangor, and Saint David's :— Dr. Jelf, President of King's College, London, being the Chairman of the Editorial Committee, which includes Mr. Brewer, Mr. Maurice, &c. The prospectus, which has been privately circulated, states that the Society contemplates the publication of1. The complete works of Giraldus Cambrensis, the most important writer upon the history of the Welch Church.-2. The Letters of Eadmer, the friend and confidant of Archbishop Anselm, from the only existing manuscript.-3. The Theological Dictionary of Dr. Gascoigne, Chancellor of the University of Oxford, ob. 1457, a Wickliffite, and the only ecclesiastical historian of his period. This work, which exists in a single manuscript, probably holograph, in the library of Lincoln College, has never been used since the time of Bale, who made some extracts from it which are now in the British Museum. Gascoigne, besides affording a popular view of the canon law as then expounded, abounds in curious anecdotes.-4. The Life, Letters, and Rule of Saint Columbanus, ob. 615. The author of the earliest monastic rule in this country.— 5. The Letters of Alcuin, the friend and protégé of Charlemagne, with additional letters hitherto unpublished.—6. The Life, Letters, and Rule of Archbishop Lunfranc.— 7. A collection of chronicles and documents illustrative of the history of the See of Canterbury, arranged in chronological order according to the plan already laid down by Wharton in his Anglia Sacra.' This extensive plan will require extensive support, which it is hoped will be found, amongst all who are desirous of promoting more useful studies than the ephemeral literature, by which time, money, and opportunity are wasted and devoured.

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