Page:The seven great hymns of the mediaeval church - 1902.djvu/72

42 $6$ "It is not without a deep mytical meaning that thee tones are elected by the poet.

"The twelve foundation tones of the Apocalype gave rie, as might be expected, to an infinite variety of mytical interpretations. 'Japer,' ays the comment of Marbodus, 'is the firt foundation of the Church of God, and is of a green color.' 'It ignifies thoe who always hold the Faith of God and never depart from it, or wither, but are always flourihing therein, and fear not the aaults of the devil.' 'The emerald is exceeding green, urpaing all gems and herbs in greennes.' 'By the emerald we undertand thoe who excel others in the vigor of their faith, and dwell among infidels who be frigid and arid in their love.' 'The ardius, which is wholly red, ignifies the martyrs who pour forth their blood for .' 'The topaz is rare, and therefore precious. It has two colors, one like gold, the other clearer. In clearnes it urpaes all gems, and nothing is more beautiful. It ignifies thoe who love God and their neighbor.' 'The amethyt is entirely red, and hoots out roy flames. Its color ignifies earthly uffering; its emiions, prayers for thoe that caue it.'"—Mediæval Hymns. 2d Edition. $7$ Thee tanzas are evidently conidered by Dr. Neale his bet. See page 37. In deference to that opinion, they are given here in the form in which they appear in the lat edition of Mediæval Hymns. $8$  "Decachord, with reference to the mytical explanation, which, eeing in the number ten a type of perfection, undertands the 'intrument of ten firings' of the perfect harmony of heaven." $9$  "I have been o often aked to what tune the words of Bernard may be ung, that I may here mention that of Mr. Ewing, the earliet written, the bet known, and with children the mot