and oratories appended to it, above and under ground. "It was supported on columns of squared, varied, wellpolished stones: the walls themselves, with the capitals of those columns by which the walls were supported, as also the coved ceiling of the sanctuary, he decorated with histories, statues, and various figures, projecting in sculpture from the stone, with grateful variety of pictures, and with wonderful beauty of colours." This stately edifice was the admiration of foreigners, even the Italians, who considered it as rivalling the august buildings of a sacred kind at Rome itself. William of Malmsbury, notwithstanding the injuries it had sustained, pronounces it in his age to be a building of admirable elegance; which he attributes, in a great degree, to the taste of Wilfrid himself, as well as the artists and artificers, whom he encouraged, by his munificence, to come over from Rome to engage in the undertaking.

Such was once the cathedral of Northumberland, superior even to the august edifices at Rippon and York, and surpassing every thing of the kind out of Italy. The prelates of that age had a great idea of external grandeur, which, under the plausible profession of doing honour to the great Object of worship, only tended to increase the pomp of the clergy; and to lead the common people to regard all religion as consisting in show and ceremony, rather than in serving God in spirit and in truth, and following the meekness and lowliness of the Redeemer.

As to church music, if we judge of the devotion of the choirs by their instruments, they were inferior to nothing of the kind in later ages. Organs were known in England even in the seventh century; and, in the reign of king Edgar, there was a double kind of organ at Winchester cathedral, such as England cannot equal

even in the present day; this gigantic instrument having twelve bellows in one row above, and fourteen in ano ther below; these, alternately, blowing with vast power, and requiring seventy stout men to manage them!! With music like this, who can be so illiberal as to doubt, that angels were attracted by the charming sound, while all the pipes of this royal instrument played to the praise and glory of God!!!

As the greatest part of the worship of those ages consisted in the services of the choir, a good singer was of more importance than a sound preacher: the pulpit was of little use; there was no popular mode of instruction; and the common people had not the advantage of enjoying the inestimable treasure of the word of God (with the exception of what Bede had done) in their own vernacular tongue, until the great Alfred exerted himself in procuring the Psalms to be translated into the Saxon tongue, and projected perhaps the entire version of the Sacred Volume.

The disciples of Augustine, of Theodore, and of Wilfrid, as firm sticklers to the policy and maxims of the Roman see, endeavoured all in their power to promote the external pomp of public worship, and the splendours of sacred edifices; while the Culdees of Iona, and some of the native Britons of the old stamp, partly from their circumstances, and partly from principle, rejected so great a departure from primitive simplicity.

St. Jerom bore his testimony against the grandeur and superbness of the Christian temples in his day, built of marble, with gilded roofs and altars, adorned with precious stones, while there was no selection in the choice of proper ministers. The magnificence of the Jewish temple, he observes, is no rule for Christians; for there the legal sacrifices were offered, and it was

a dispensation of types and figures: but the disciples of Jesus are not to affect that outward splendour, but to take up their cross to follow their master, and to shew their contempt for worldly riches and greatness. Vide Hieronymi Epist. ad Nepotianum.

IX.

THE LAST DAYS OF VENERABLE BEDE.

THE account given of the last moments of Venerable Bede, by one of his own scholars, is so very affecting, and displays so high a strain of devotion, that I think proper to annex it to the concluding papers of this volume, as an eminent instance of the peaceable and happy consummation of a good man's days. "See with what peace a Christian can expire!"

The ancient narrative states that, about two weeks before Easter, he was much troubled with a difficulty of breathing, yet without pain; so that he led his life cheerful and rejoicing, employing his time in devout exercises, until the day of our Lord's ascension, which was that year on the first of the Calends of June. He daily read lessons to his disciples, and spent what remained of the day in singing of psalms; he also passed all the night waking in joy and thanksgiving, unless when a short sleep prevented it; but awaking, he presently repeated his wonted exercises, and ceased not to give thanks to God with hands expanded. He sang Antiphons, says the narrator, according to ours and his custom; one of which is, O glorious King! Lord of hosts! who, triumphing this day, didst ascend above all the heavens; do not forsake us orphans; but send down the promised Father's Spirit of truth upon us. Hallelujah. When he came to the words do not forsake us, he burst out into tears, and wept much; and, when in an hour after he began to repeat what he had commenced, we wept with him by turns we read, and by turns we wept; nay, we always read with tears. He often said and repeated,

:

That God scourges every son whom he receiveth; and much more out of the Scripture; as also the sentence of St. Ambrose, I have not lived so as to be ashamed to live among you; nor do I fear to die, because we have a good God. During these days he laboured to compose two works, well worthy to be remembered, besides the lessons we had from him, and singing of psalms; that is, he translated the Gospel of St. John into our own tongue, (the Anglo-Saxon) for the benefit of the church; and some collections out of the book of notes of Bishop Isidorus, saying, “ I will not have my scholars read a falsehood, and to labour herein after my death, without any advantage." This is one of the earliest accounts we have of any vernacular version of the Scriptures in Britain; and it shews that Bede had no mind to keep the Word of God locked up in a foreign tongue. "When the Tuesday before the Ascension of our Lord came, he began to be more vehemently seized with difficulty of breathing, and a slight swelling appeared in his feet; but he passed all that day pleasantly, and dictated now and then, saying, “Go on quickly; I know not how long I shall hold out, and whether my Maker will soon take me away." But to us he seemed well to know the time of his departure; and so he spent that night waking in thanksgiving; and the morning appearing, that is, Wednesday, he ordered that we should speedily transcribe what he had begun to pen; and this done, we walked till the third hour in procession in honour of the Saints, according to the custom of that day. One of us remained with him, who said to him, Most dear master, there is still one chapter wanting: do you think it troublesome to be asked any more questions? He answered, It is no trouble: take your pen, and make ready, and write fast. This he did: but at the ninth hour he said to me, Run quickly, and bring the priests of our monastery to me.