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cles, some of the "lying wonders," which the Apostle foretold, 2 Thess. ii. 9. I was concerned to see the excellent Chrysostom in such company. Whether he is entitled to the place assigned him, a short account will

shew.

In the writings of this father we find it often remarked, that miracles had ceased long before his time, so that "not even a trace of that power remained." De Sacerd. L. iv. 3. "What then was the cause of this? Why, says he, (for the question is often asked) why are there no miracles in our days? The reason is, not because God disregards us, but because he highly honours us. Miracles are for those who do not believe. The men of that first age, involved in ignorance and idolatry, would not have abandoned their idols and embraced spiritual truths, and believed things invisible, without visible miracles, which therefore were vouchsafed. But we believe without miracles; and the Almighty, approving this our faith, withholds miracles, as no longer necessary." See the first Homily on Pentecost, vol. V. p. 553, &c. Ed. Paris 1621, where this question, Sa Τι σημεία νυν 8 γινεται, is treated at large.

But what then shall we say to the feats performed in the very days of Chrysostom, as your Correspondent on the authority of Chrysostom himself gives us to understand, by Job's dunghill? Only this, that the account is not true, but a gross perversion of the passage referred to. He has two Homilies on the subject of Patience; and in both, as might be expected, he dwells particularly on the example of Job. The second, which your Correspondent quotes, begins thus: "The narrative of the Three Children and of the Furnace of Babylon appears to have powerfully excited your love: and still more the example of Job, and his dunghill, which is more venerable than any royal throne. For no advantage accrues to those that behold a royal throne, but merely 'a transient pleasure, devoid of profit.

But from beholding the dunghill of

Job a person will derive every advantage, much wisdom, and a lesson of patience. Therefore many now undertake a long journey, and even cross the sea, running from the ends of the earth to Arabia, that they may see

that dunghill, and having seen it, may kiss the soil, which was the scene of the sufferings of him that gained a crown," T8 repaula. Vol. I. p. 73.

The History of Job, replete with instruction, is the copious theme of four distinct Homilies by this eloquent preacher, in another part of his works. A short extract from the last of these will illustrate the passage now alleged, and shew how a man of genius copies from himself.

In the expostulation of the Almighty with Job, he is introduced thus addressing him: "Gird up thy loins like a man-I refuse not to be judged; but judge me righteously; demand an account of what has been done. Thou wast judged, that thou mightest be crowned; thou wast judged, that thou mightest be admired in every region under heaven. Before thy suffering a single corner of the earth knew thee; after thy suffering every part under heaven shall know thee. Thy dunghill is made brighter than any royal diadem. Those that wear a diadem desire to see thy conflict, the place of thy sufferings. I have made thy dunghill a paradise ; I have cultivated it to piety; I have made it a celestial plant. Thou hast received heavenly gifts; receive also earthly; receive all [thy former stores] double." Vol. VI. 112.

Thus, Mr. Urban, the dunghill of Job is not conjured up, as your Correspondent would have it, to work miracles, but simply and solely, like the plains of Marathon or the field of Waterloo, for the moral effect, which every one possessing a grain of sensibility must feel, when the story is told by a preacher like Chrysostom; and still more if he were to behold the spot (were it even but the imagined spot) where this afflicted servant of God" sat down among the ashes," or, as the Septuagint has it, on a dunghill without the city," and conquered by suffering. Yours, &c.

B

R. C.

Mr. URBAN, Bath Easton, July 10. Y having the goodness to insert mable Miscellany, with whose general objects the work which it announces is not altogether unconnected, you

the following notice in your esti

* For wovov, as it is in my edition, I venture to read τoπoν.

will

will at once contribute to a charitable purpose, and possibly convey some information to those who may be interested in the earlier literary Antiquities of our country. To such persons it can scarcely be unknown that although much has been done by those who have dedicated their time and labour to the publication of our antient Poetry, there still remains an ample field for the industry of their successors in this entertaining pursuit. With respect to our Saxon Poetry in particular, with the single exception of the correct and ingenious view of its leading features given by Mr. Sharon Turner in his valuable History, nothing material has in this country been contributed to its illustration since the days of Thwaites and Rawlinson. The publications, too, of these scholars, and of their more eminent predecessors Junius and Hickes (to say nothing of the scarcity of their occurrence), are for the most part rendered inaccessible to general readers by the absence of translations, or even explanatory notes.

In the work which has already been announced on your covers, under the title of "Illustrations of the Early History of English and French Poetry," it is proposed in some measure to supply this deficiency in our lite rary annals. Of its plan some notion may perhaps be formed from the following brief statement of the sources from which it is proposed to draw that part of its materials which have been unknown to, or only partially noticed by, former writers on the same topics.

1. The Poem of Beowulf. This most valuable and interesting remain of our Saxon Poetry was first noticed in Wanley's Catalogue (V. Hickes. Thesaur. A.L.S. vol. III. p. 218), and has since been partially made known to the English reader by an analysis of the first six cantos given by Mr. Turner. That learned and amiable Historian has, however, been misled as to its real subject, by the accident of his not adverting to the misplacement of some sheets of the manuscript. For the discovery'of this circumstance, and for the still greater labour of transcribing and publishing the whole of the original, we are at length indebted to a foreigner, G. I. Thorkelin, long since known by his assiduous and successful cultivation of the

literature and antiquities of his own country.

From circumstances, however, which it would be tedious and unnecessary to detail here, this has been executed but imperfectly. The text itself is so incorrectly given (whole lines of the MS. being sometimes omitted) as to render it almost unintelligible; and the translation (partly from this circumstance, and partly from the Editor's being evidently but little versed in the peculiarities of Saxon Poetry), is so incorrect and confused as to convey a very imperfect notion of its original. In order, there-fore, to present a full and accurate analysis of this unquestionably the earliest Heroic Poem of Modern Europe, the whole has been scrupulously collated with the Cottonian Manuscript, and a great part of necessity re-translated.

2. A remarkable Poem, hitherto inedited, from the MS. of Saxon Poetry, given by Bishop Leofric to the Library of Exeter Cathedral, (circ. A. D. 1070), containing an enumeration of the persons and tribes visited by a wandering Bard apparently towards the commencement of the sixth century.

3. Extracts from various other Poems contained in the Exeter MS. (in addition to those notices of the same nature which have already been admitted into the Archæologia). Some of these are highly remarkable both for their subjects and their versification.

To the above will be added such notices of the Anglo-Saxon Poems already published by Junius and others, as may appear necessary to make up a general survey of that province of our Poetical History; a province almost entirely passed over by Warton, and but cursorily and inaccurately touched upon by the late Mr. Ellis. A few notices on English Poems of a somewhat later date will be added, if room should be found for their insertion.

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Among the notices on early French Poetry will be found some account of a poem on the well-known subject of the Rout of Roncesvalles, which, from various circumstances of internal evidence, I am led to regard as the earliest specimen in this line at present known to exist among the Manuscript treasure of our Libraries.

The

The analyses will be drawn up as nearly as possible in the manner of those which have already been admitted into the Archæologia.

Such is a brief outline of the volume which it is proposed to publish for the purpose of assisting in the erection of a Parochial School in a village where it is seriously wanted, and where the means of the inhabit ants are unfortunately inadequate to the purpose. To many persons this would doubtless be a sufficient reason for countenancing its publication. I feel no delicacy in stating fairly that the object of this communication is partly to bring it under the eyes of such persons, and partly to assure the antiquarian student (who may be disposed to join in the promotion of a charitable scheme) that, whatever may be the faults of the execution, it is hoped that the volume will contain so large a portion of matter hitherto unnoticed or inedited as will render it not totally unworthy of a place in his Library. J. F. CONYBEARE.

CATHEDRAL SCHOOLS. (Continued from Part I. p. 418.) CARLISLE CATHEDRAL.

Mr. URBAN,

Crosby-square, August 16. F all the English Cathedrals the Church of Carlisle seems to have presented the most barren field for Antiquarian research; and the more recent history of the Choristers is so unsatisfactory, that I enter upon the subject with considerable reluctance. We are informed that a community of Christians, including a School, was settled at Carlisle before the close of the seventh century; and this Foundation was elevated to a Bishopric by Henry I. As to the School, the immediate object of this enquiry, we can only trace its existence from being incidentally mentioned in the Valuation of Pope Nicholas; whence we learn that the Church of Dalston was charged with an annual payment for its support.

This Cathedral, during the middle ages, was a Priory of Augustine Canons; and at the Dissolution was reendowed by Henry VIII. for a Dean, Archdeacon, four Prebendaries, and eight Minor Canons, with Lay Clerks, Choristers, and Schoolmasters; agree.

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The Royal Grammar School, if it be still in existence, is not of sufficient importance to be noticed in the local Histories of the City and Cathedral; and it is, doubtless, from the same cause that the Musick School has likewise escaped observation; and little information can be collected beyond the following general outline:

The Choristers, six in number, are chosen by the Dean and Chapter. They have occasional lessons in singing from the organist; but whether they receive any other instructions, literary, moral, or religious, and in what manner they usually settle in life, I bave vainly endeavoured to learn. Perhaps some of your Correspondents residing at Carlisle may favour your Readers with a communication on the subject. M. H.

Mr. URBAN, Maldon, Aug. 9. WO misnomers in the list of Subscribers to the "Annals of the Coinage of Britain" having been pointed out to me, I will, with your permission, make the correction of them public, by insertion in your widely circulating Magazine.

For Political and Philosophical Society of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, read Literary and Philosophical, &c.

The above error has improperly designated a highly respectable Society; the Members of which will, I trust, give me credit, when I declare that its title was inserted precisely ás it was delivered to me.

For Treby Hele Hayes, esq. F.S.A. Cleveland-street, read Joseph Hayes, esq. Upper Charlotte-street, Fitzroysquare.

The following names of Subscribers were not sent, by the persons through whose hands they passed, until the book was actually published.

Library of Corpus Christi College, Oxford.

Library of Trinity College, Oxford. Rev. James Ingram, Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford.

Mr. Nichols, Brentford. Mr. Smallbone, High-street, Bloomsbury.

G. E. Bainbridge, Esq. Liverpool.
Yours, &c. ROGERS RUDING.

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