There were few English churchmen at the close of William's reign who could put forth this claim to the confidence of their reacher, and still fewer that could have drawn William's character with the freedom and at the same time with the Christian feeling that distinguishes the whole of this noble composition. Wulfstan was at that time the only English bishop ; and when, after describing the cruelty and sternness of the king, he adds the prayer, " may the Almighty Clod show to his soul mercy, and grant him of his sins forgiveness !" who does uot feel that the moral qualities of the writer were as eminent as the opportonitiol enjoyed or the talents that improved them I Among Anglo-Saxon prase writers, we must not forget the name of Alfred. His chief works are translations from the Latin, and of these the meet remarkable are his versions of Bede, Orosius, and Boethius. Certain verses of the last-named author he has also paraphrased in verse. Among what may be termed his original works, are his accounts of the voyages of the two Northmen Wtdfstan and Ohthere, which were inserted n I lakluyt'a collection, and have been the subject of so much continent and criticism.
Archbishop WuHaters better known by the name of Lupus, was a voluminous writer of homilies. Ito was translated from Worcester to York iu 1002, and must be carefully distinguished from the Saint Wulfatan already mentioned. A still more celebrated divine was
iElfric. the great champion who led the English church in its re sistance to the Romish innovations of the I lth century. As might Lave been expected. his authority was appealed to, and with powerful effect, by the friends of the Reformation. One of Archbishop Parker's works is entitled ' A Testimony of Antiquity, showing the ancient Faith of the Church of England, &c., being a Sermon translated out of Latin into English by tElfric, ebbot of St. Alban's, &c. It required all tho exertions of the now theological school founded by Lanfranc and Anselm to keep tinder the principles so deeply sown by iElfric.
We will close this notice of Saxon literature by observing that the influence it has exercised upon the modern literature of the country has been much underrated. Without maintaining, as some authors have done, that Milton diligently studied Ciedmon, yet we do not fear to assert that some favourite images, and even certain terms of expres sion, may be traced through our literature, century after century, from the pages of the Saxon seep to those of Spenser and of Shakspere. The mistaken criticism which some of these have called forth might afford matter for instructive comment ; and serve in some measure to teach us the value of a literature which has been so much neglected.