ALCUIN, an eminent English writer, was born in the north of England, about the middle of the eighth century. ITe received his education under Egbert, archbishop of York, who appointed him keeper of the curious library, which he had established in that city ; and who afterwards made him deacon or the church of York, and abbot of Canterbury. In the year 793, he was sent on an embassy to the emperor Charlemagne, by the king of Mercia. The emperor was so delighted with the character and talents of the ambassador, that he invited him to become his preceptor, and to assist him in settling the religious contentions, with which speculative theologians had disturbed the tranquillity of the kingdom. Under the care of Alcuin, Charlemagne was initiated into the sciences of mathematics, rhetoric, logic, and divinity ; and Alcuin stood so high in the royal favour, that lie was denominated the emperor's delight. A new heresy having been propagated by Fe lix, bishop of Urgel, in Catalonia, Alcuin wrote several books in defence of the orthodox faith ; and, at the coun cil of Frankfort, held in 794, in the presence of three hundred bishops, he convinced Felix of his errors, and induced him to return into the bosom of the church.
The rapid advancement of learning in France, during the brilliant reign of Charlemagne, was chiefly owing to the enlightened exertions of Alcuin. By his advice and assistance, the universities of Paris, Tours, Fulden, Soissons, and several others, were founded and endow ed ; and an academy, for the advancement of learning, was established in the imperial palace, and composed of the most distinguished literati in the kingdom. Every
member, when in the academy, assumed the name of some distinguished personage of antiquity, and Alcuin chose the appellation of Albinus Flaccus. After several attempts to withdraw himself from the bustle and splen dour of the French court, he obtained leave, in 801, to retire to his abbey of St Martin's at Tours. Here lie maintained a constant correspondence with Charlemagne, who often tried to allure him into the activity of public life. But no inducements could draw him from his peaceful and honourable retreat, where he spent his time in the superintendence of a seminary, which he had founded in the city, and in those acts of piety and devotion which are congenial with the feelings of every enlightened mind. He died at Tours on the 19th May, A. D. 804, and was buried in the church of St Martin's, where an epitaph, of his own composition, records his character and labours.
The works of Alcuin were collected and published in one volume folio, by Andrew du Chesne, at Paris, in 1617. They contain tracts upon scripture, doctrine, discipline, morality, and history, and likewise letters and poems. The style of Alcuin is neat and animated. H is compositions are often distinguished by a lively elo quence, by purity of language, and an elegance of ex pression. A long list of his works may he found in Bayte, or the Biogra/ihia Britannica. (o)