Page:The Journal of Classical and Sacred Philology, Volume 1, 1854.djvu/318

 308 Journal of Philology. aditus Verba Dei semina ministraret" (n. 155) : and the fifteen short discourses that are still extant shew the way in which he turned his knowledge to a practical account. His correspond- ence also furnishes a number of pleasing incidents connected with our present subject. Thus, his friend Bugga or Eadburga, an Anglo-Saxon princess, who was living in a convent at Rome, and with whom he was in the habit of exchanging presents, writes to him on one occasion, urging that although she could not yet procure the " passiones martyrum" which he wanted, he would still remember his promise and send for her consolation "congregationes aliquas Sanctarum Scripturarum" (i. 28). He afterwards thanks the same correspondent for "a present of holy books," adding that the lamp of God's Word was needed more than ever by a man in his position who was treading the dark corners of heathendom. It was in truth his constant practice to fetch over new supplies of books from countries where the Gospel was already planted, and more especially from England. He requested as a special favour that his old friend Daniel, bishop of Winchester, would send him (724) a copy of the Book of the Prophets, which Winbert his schoolmaster had left him as a legacy. It is said to have contained six prophets in one volume, written plainly and without contractions ("claris et absolutis literis," I. 40). Such a copy, he continues, could not be obtained where he was, while owing to the failure of his eyesight its importance was peculiarly felt (" caligantibus oculis minutas ac connexas literas clare discernere non possum.") On a second occasion we hear him thanking Eadburga for presents of clothes and books, and then desiring her to get him a copy of St Peter's Epistles written in gilt letters, for his own use in preaching to the carnal : " ut mihi cum auro conscribas epistolas domini mei Sancti Petri apostoli, ad honorem et reverent iam Sanctarum Scripturarum ante oculos carnalium in praidicando" (i. 53). The helps which he employed in studying the Scrip- tures appear to have been very few. In a letter which he wrote to Cuthbert (735), he alluded to the Venerable Beda who was then daily growing into eminence, and asked for some of his expository treatises (i. 86). A like request was made to Ecg- bert of York (i. 87), in which the commentary on the Book of Proverbs was particularly mentioned. Afterwards he signified his want of other patristic commentaries (i. 91, 92), meaning, it