106
Jucundare, plebs fidelis.
We now come to Adam of S. Victor, the greatest of mediæval poets. He was born in Britannia: whether Major Britannia, (our island,) or Minor, (Bretagne,) cannot now be known. Of course an Englishman sees, in his celebration of S. Thomas of Canterbury, an argument for that which he wishes to believe.
The school of the Abbey of S. Victor at Paris, produced three of the greatest men of that marvellous twelfth century, Hugh, Adam, Richard.
Hi tres canonici, licet absint canonizati,
Mente piâ dici possunt tamen esse beati.
So says William of S. Lo.
It was probably in the year 1192 that Adam went, though not canonized, to the glory of the Saints.
Till within the last few years his Sequences were believed to be in number 37 or 38. M. Gautier, who, in 1858, published an edition of the whole poetical works of this marvellous poet, has given us more