The character of Alfred stands high in the records of history, and lie is considered as one of the best and wisest princes that ever adorned the annals of any na tion. As a king, lie was peculiarly eminent for his civil and military qualities, and did every thing possible for the good of his people; as a man, he set them an exam ple of every personal virtue. It would require a volume to give a partieular detail of his political institutions and domestic arrangements. He secured his kingdom from external violence, by a judicious disposition of Ins fleet and militia: lit: provided for the internal peace of his dominions, by drawing up a code of laws;* by appoint ing proper courts; by inquiring carefully into the con duct and qualifications of the judges; by dividing the kingdom into counties, hundreds, and tythings, for the purpese of repressing vagrants, and discovering offend ers. He promoted the prosperity and comfort of his subjects, by encouraging commerce; by instituting ma nufactures; by exciting an attention to the common arts of life ; by inviting from all quarters, and rewarding li berally, industrious mechanics, and ingenious artists, of every description. He took the most effectual measures For the 'instruction of his people hi religions and useful knowledge, by repairing the monasteries, and reple nishing their libraries; by founding and endowing col leges at Oxford ; by inviting the most celebrated scho lars in Europe to his court ; by establishing schools every where, enjoining every freeholder, possessing two hides of land, (what was sufficient to employ two plouglis,) to Send his children to these seminaries ; and preferring, both in church and state, those who had made most pro ficiency in knowledge. Ile gave a still farther encou ragement to learning by his own example ; and increased the means of knowledge by his own exertions. Ile is said to have been the best Saxon poet of his time ; and composed, in verse, various fables, parables, and stories, suited to the instruction of an unenlightened people. He was eminent also as a grammarian, philosopher, ar chitect, mathematician, and historian. lie composed a variety of works ; and translated several authors, such as the Fables of Esop, Gregory's Pastoral Care, Brde's Ecclesiastical History, and Boctius on the Consolations of Philosophy, with which last he was so much delighted that he always carried it in his bosom. Ile is said to have
translated the Old and New Testaments; and it is at least certain, that he had made considerable progress in a version of the Psalms. It was impossible that lie could have found leisure for these literary occupations, if he bad not made a regular distribution, as well as diligent application of his time; he devoted eight hours to study and devotion ; eight to the discharge of public business; and eight to the refreshment of his body, by food, exer cise and sleep.* He was equally faithful and regular in the use of his private wealth, which lie divided into two parts; one of these was assigned entirely to charitable purposes, and distributed into four portions: the first, for alms to the poor ; the second, for the maintenance of monasteries; the third for the support of professors and students ; and the fourth for the relief of indigent. monks. The other half was applied to the three fol lowing uses : to the expenditure of his household; to the payment of architects, and other artists ; and to the pensioning of learned foreigners, whom he had brought to his kingdom. " 0 Alfred!" we may justly exclaim in the words of an old writer, " the wonder and astonish ment of all ages ! If we reflect upon the devout part of him, lie seems to have lived always in a cloister ; if, on his conduct and exploits in the field, one would think he had spent his days in the camp ; if, on his writings and studies, one would conclude that the university had engrossed him ; and, lastly, if We regard his prudence and skill in the administration of government, he seems to have made law and fio/itics his whole study." The particular spot in the church of Great Driffield, where the remains of Alfred were deposited, was dis covered in 1784, by two members of the Antiquarian Society. Upon opening the stone coffin, they discover ed the complete skeleton of Alfred, along with the greater part of his steel armour. From respect to the remains of that illustrious king, the coffin and grave were immediately closed. See Rapin's Hist. of Eng. vol. i. Flume's Ditto, vol. i. chap. ii. Asscrius. Spel man's We of Alfred. (g)