Page:The Journal of Classical and Sacred Philology, Volume 1, 1854.djvu/96

86 Journal of Philology. In one passage (Hist. Monument, p. 30, b) Gildas tells us that the British clergy instead of turning their attention "ad praecc pta sanctorum," were enamoured of "ineptae saecularium hominum fabulae," by which he may have meant the legends of the bards : while in another place (p. 18, d), he seems to indicate that some of the laity were in the habit of reading and meditating on the Scriptures. So at least I understand the words "de deifico tenore monachorumque decretis . . . ruminans," translating, " the divine law and the monastic institutes." Compare what Beda says (Hist. Eccl. in. 19) of Fursey the Irish monk who preached the Gospel in East Anglia: "Ab ipso tempore pueritise suae curam non modicam lectionibus sacris simul et monasticis exhi- bebat disciplinis." Gildas had himself insisted on the circulation of the Scriptures (Vit. S. Gildce, by Caradog of Llancarvan, c. 8): and fragments of one copy of the Gospels in his own hand- writing are said to be still preserved (Williams's Eccl. Antiq. oftlie Cymry, p. 189, note; Lond. 1844). The MS. in question consists of 118 leaves, commencing with St Matthew, and breaking off at St Luke iii. 9. With regard to exegesis, he adopted not unfrequently the current principle of spiritual interpretation ("tropicus sensus," " moralis intelligentia"), using on this point the phraseology of Jerome, with whose works he was acquainted. He does not, however, lose his hold on the historical and literal sense: e.g. "Velim quidem haec Scripturae Sacrae testimonia huic epistolae inserta vel inserenda, sicut nostra mediocritas posset, omnia ut- cumque historico vel morali sensu interpretari" (p. 40, d). But whatever may be thought of the preceding evidence, there is most solid ground for stating that in the Gth and two following centuries, the Church of Ireland was conspicuous in all the West for biblical learning. How she had secured that emi- nence is open to dispute; but of the fact itself, the proofs are quite decisive. This might be asserted even were St Patrick, Bridget, Germain, and the rest, entirely mythical, or even (as the author of Britannia after tJie Romans would contend) were they no better than infatuated zealots bent on propagating " Neo-Druidism." For instance Alcuin, writing at the close of the 8th century, tells us (Ep. ccxxi. ; Opp. i. 285, Ratisbon. 1777): "Aptiqno tempore doctissimi solebant magistri de Hi- bernia Britanniam, Galliam, Italiam venire, et multos per eccle-