SPECTATOR'S LIBRARY.

reiatiataStleAL HISTORY,

The ituttory and Antiquities of the Anglo-Saxon Church; containing an Account of Its Origin, Government, Doctrines, Worship, Revenues, and Clerical and Monastic

Institutions. By John Lingard, D.D. In two volumes Dolman. TRAVELS,

Three Years in Constantinople ; or Domestic Manners of the Turks in 1844. By

Charles White, Esq. In three volumes Colburn• Flexion, )4*..Rtiernie ; a Romance of the First.Rovotution. By Miss Martin. In three volumes.

Newby.

R. -LINGARD'S HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES OF THE ANGLO-SAXON CHURCH.

Tuts work is a development, and of a kind not often seen in these days. Its germ was first published in 1806, in a small vo- lume, at Newcastle ; four years later, a new and enlarged edition ap- peared but still in one volume. The years, approaching half a century, that have passed since the first composition a the Antiquities of the Anglo-Saxon Church, have brought to light many documents then unknown ; new and improved editions of our ancient writers have ap- peared; and "the laws, civil and ecclesiastical, of our Anglo-Saxon ancestors, their charters, poems, homilies, and correspondence, have been collected and published, some for the first time, and others in a new and more correct form." Of these advantages Dr. Lingard has availed himself in preparing a third edition for the press; and to such an extent that his work has been entirely recast, and has grown from one small volume to two large ones.

Notwithstanding this extensive change, the structure of the original composition still, perhaps, prevails. In a strict sense, the work is as much a disquisition, or exposition, as a history. The narrative for the most part is general, not particular ; and many sections are not narrative at all. This is a fact, and by no means a fault. To have told in a regular series the story of a remote church, for the most part consisting of un- important or same events, and often stuffed with idle or ridiculous tales, would have produced a tedious and possibly a dull work. Dr. Lingard has therefore confined his narrative to those parts of the period where the action is both essential and striking. Thus, the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons and the establishment of Christianity is consecutively told ; the decline of the Church through the devastation of the Danes is also narrated at some length, as well as its attempted resto- ration by Alfred, and its reform by Dunstan. The lives of the more (striking characters—as Bede, and other Anglo-Saxon worthies--are interwoven with the text ; as well as a narrative of the pilgrimage of St.

• Willibald to Palestine—the first Englishman who "ventured to approach the court of the Kbalift and penetrated as far as the Holy City"; and the Anglo-Saxon missions to the Germanic nations form a distinct chap- ter. But the bulk of the book is exhibition from deduction—an account of the doctrines, discipline, government, and forms of worship of the !Anglo-Saxon Church; a characteristic exposition of the secular clergy and the monks ; a survey of the learning and science of the Anglo- Saxons; and a full account of their religious practices, including not only the more formal parts of religion—as the ordination of priests and the consecration of bishops—but those institutions of social life, which the art of the priesthood, especially of the Romish priesthood, has con- nected with the solemnities of religion—such as burials, marriage, and, with the Anglo-Saxons, the manumission of slaves. The nature and .style of these expositions will best be judged of by an example. For this purpose, we will take Dr. Lingard's account of the religious belief of the Romanic Britons, and of the manners of their clergy, deduced from the incidental notices of Gilds. s.

CHRISTIANITY OF THE BRITONS.

• It appears then, 1st, that the Britons believed in the oneness of the Godhead, and the trinity of the persons; in the divine and human nature of Christ; in the redemption o mankind through his death; and in the endless duration of the bliss of heaven and of the pains of hell. 2d. That their hierarchy consisted of bishops, priests, and other ministers; that a particular service was employed at their ordination; that the hands of the bishops and priests were anointed and blessed; that they were looked upon as successors of St. Peter, the prince of the Apostles, and bearer of the keys of the ,kingdom of heaven; that they sat in his seat, and inherited his power of bind- ing and loosing; and that it was their duty to teach the people, and to offer sacri- Ice, to stretch out their hands at the most holy sacrifices of Christ.

3d. That the Britons had monasteries, inhabited by monks under their abbot; that the monks made vows of obedience, poverty, and chastity; and that widows often bound themselves by vow to a life of continence. 4th. That they built churches in honour of the martyrs ; that there were several altars, the seats of the heavenly sacrifice, in the same church; that the service was chanted by the clergy in the churches, and that oaths of mutual for- -giveness and peace were taken by adverse parties on the altars.

5th. That the service of their church was performed in the Latin townie; -that their translation of the Scriptures was the same which is now railed the Vetns Itala ; that they sang the psalms from a version made from that of the Septuagint, the same still used in the Latin Church; and that they quoted the 'books of Wisdom and Ecelesiasticus as of equal authority with the other

canonical books.

• 6th. That, according to the complaint of Gildas, there were among them cler- ,waen who, in contempt of the third canon of the great Council of Nice, refused lite domestic services of their mothers or sisters, and accepted those of other women, whom they seduced; and yet, while they thus lived m sin, had the pre- sumption to aspire to the higher orders in the church; others who, to procure ecclesiastical dignities, did not hesitate to pollute themselves with the crime of simony, and to purchase churches from the-tyrants that oppressed the country; .and, moreover, some who, when they were unable to subdue the opposition of their ■ brethren, would send messengers before them, and, following with costly presents, cress the sea and traverse distant lands, till, having obtained the object of their ambition, they returned to Britain, took forcible possession of the altars, and Stretched their impious hands over the most holy sacrifices of Christ. The object of the author in the History and Antiquities of the Anglo- -Saxon Church is twofold,—to show that lie Church was founded by 'the Roman Pontiff, and always acknowledged the supremacy of the Ito- man see • to defend the Angio-Saxon elergy, and the religion they pro- fessed, grom the accusations -of -superetitionr fraud, and barbarism, brought against them by some modern authors. In this point' of view the work may be praised asa model of covert controversy. The idea that the British Church was founded " ty one of the Apostles,"- and conse- quently had an existence independently of Rome, is noticed, to be dis- proved and dismissed to a note. The fairer features of the Romish Church—the Catholic doctrines of Christianity, and the self-sacrificing zeal of its earnest missionaries—are allowed to display themselves in the brightest light, with little apparent aid from the skill of the artist. The secular benefits that followed their success in the amelioration of morals and manners, a more orderly and humane society, and the introduction or improvement of the arts, are exhibited with greater directness, .as well as the services of the monasteries to learning, and the retention•of Latin in the offices of the Church. A refined distinction is drawnhe- tween the " invocation" of the Saints for " intercession " with God, and prayer addressed to the persons of the Trinity. Some more palpable superstitions are defended upon the plea of the times, or justified,—as pilgrimages and relics by their consentaneitywith the feelings of the human mind, as shown by analogous practices in secular pursuits. Human weakness, sacerdotal faults, and saintly ambition, aradecently defended, where fairly admitting of defence; tenderly touched into shadow, or left in obscurity, where justification is less easy. The belief in miracles is put forward as that of the age. But in general, the grosser superstitions of the people and the grosser crimes of the clergy are shrouded in the vagueness of a passing reference. Occasionally, how- ever, the Roman divine passes into the Catholic philosopher, and, rising above particular creeds to the calm equanimity of wisdom, quietly exhibits the failings of the faithful.

The foundation of excellence in every art or science is the power of seizing the essential property of those things on which the art is occupied. By this power the Australian savage, a born mime, though differing in form, feature, colour, and costume, from the Eurepean subject of his mimicry, conveys a more striking idea of that individual's traits of-manner than the manners of the European himself. This faculty enabled Newton to discover the principle of gravitation. It is this power which enables the poet to seize upon the passions of man, the incidents of life, and the appearances of nature, so as to excite the interest of future ages when the manners and opinions of his own nation have passed away and the very nation has perished. A perception of these leading principles raises the great commander above the mere man of war, and enables intelli- gence to triumph in a contest whose elements and means are violence and brute force. To the statesman, the orator, the advocate, and the historian, this faculty is equally important:; and Dr. Lingard possesses it in a high degree. By this he has been enabled to select the distin- guishing principles of doctrines and practices, the characteristic traits.of persons, manners, and events, as well as the governing points in argu; ments or morals, so as not only to present the features of the original but to present them in a more striking because in an unencumbered form.

In an abstract sense, this faculty of perception would be inert, as a single man's power of seeing things does not enable others to see them ; but practically it may be said to be conjoined with other qua- lities, or we ehould not know of its existence. The capacity to plan— to arrange the whole in a natural and orderly manner, so as to display the subject in the most advantageous form—is an important qualification for all great works ; and of Dr. Lingard's fitness for this branch of compois sition we have already spoken hi noticing the arrangement and scope of the history. Neither the power of selecting nor that of arranging ma- terials, would, however, suffice to produce an attractive and striking work, without the ability of vividly presenting them to the mind. This must be accomplished by (what, for want of a more specific word, we term) imagination • and though the genius of Dr. Lingard is rather rhe- torical than poetical, he possesses in so high a degree the power of ani- mating his materials, that he often conveys a more vivid picture than his original author, and more distinctly brings out the character of the fact or sentiment, even when their images are substantially the same. His style is evidently founded upon that of Gibbon ; an author who seems to have influenced almost all writers that treat of Roman or eccle- siastical topics during the dark or middle ages, so necessary to them hi the constant study of his great work. Dr. Lingard's imitation, how- ever, is not servile. He has caught the brilliancy and power of his pro-- totype, but avoided his stately mannerism. The philosophical air, the well-bred sarcasm, and the covert irony, are probably less a mark of imitation than of a cognate intellect. Be this as it may, there are some passages that might readily pass for the composition of the great histo- rian of the Decline and Fall. The following extract from the passage on relics is very Gibbonian.

ANGLO-SAXON RELICS.

Succeeding generations inherited the sentiments of their fathers: the veneration of relics was diffused as far as the knowledge of the gospel ; and their presence was universally deemed requisite for the canonical dedication of a church or an altar. With this view, Gregory the Great, as soon as he heard of the success of the missionaries, [to the Anglo-Saxons,] was careful to send to them a supply °Ple- b:9; and scarcely a pilgrim returned from Gaul or Italy who had not procured, by entreaty or purchase, a portion of the remains or reputed remains of some saint or martyr. But the poverty of the Saxon Church was soonrelieved by the virtues of her children, and England became a soil fertile in saints. Scarcely was there a monastery that did not 'possess one or more of these favourites of Heaven; their bodies lay richly entombed in the vicinity of the principal altar; and around were suspended the votive offenngs.of, the multitudes, who 'eyed that the ,ex- perienced the efficacy of their intercession. In thehour of distress or danger, the afflicted votary threw himself at the foot of the shrine with an avowal of sawn unworthiness, accompanied with an humble petition that God would.nevertheless grant the favour which he asked, in consideration of his patron. The petition was occasionally followed by a favourable result; thereport drew crowds of new appli- cants to the spot ; and the clergy of each celebrated church could point to a loug list of preternatural cures, believed to have been wrought at the shrines of She saints whose bodies lay entombed within their precincts.

The following very curious description of penance by deputy, ,-is equally flavoured by some of. the peculiarities, of the Decline and Fall;

and more might be,qacted of.a aintilan-character.

SUBSTITUTED PENANCE.

ad• There was another,. and a more singular innovation which equally.pro- . yoked and equally survived their. [the Council of Cloveshoe's) censure. Among a powerful and turbulent nobility, it was not difficult to discover men whose offences were 80 numerous, that to expiate them, according to the letter of the canons, would require a greater number of years than could probably fall to the lot of any individual. Sinners of this description were admonished to distrust so precarious -a resource; to solicit the assistance of their friends, and to relieve their own in- Aolvency by the vicarious payments of others. In obedience to this advice, they recommended themselves to the prayers of those who were distinguished by the austerity and sanctity of their lives; endeavoured by numerous benefits to par- 'chase the gratitude of the monks and clergy; and by procuring their names to be - enrolled among the members of the most celebrated monasteries, indulged the hope of partaking in the merit of the good works performed by those societies. But it was not long before a system which offered so much accommodation to human weakness received considerable improvements; and men were willing to • persuade themselves that they might atone for their crimes by substituting in the place of their own the austerities of mercenary penitents. It was in vain that the Council of Cloveshoe thundered its anathemas against their disobedience: the new doctrine was supported by the wishes and the practice of the opulent; and . its toleration was at length extorted, on the condition that the sinner should undergo in.person a part at least of his penance. The thane who submitted to embrace this expedient was commanded to lay aside his anns, to clothe himself in woollen or sackcloth, to walk barefoot, to carry in his hand the staff of a pilgrim, to maintain a certain number of poor, to watch during the night in the church, -and-when he slept to repose on the ground. At his summons, his friends and dependents assembled at his castle; they also assumed the garb of penitence; their food was confined to bread, herbs, and water: and these austerities were continued till the aggregate amount of their fasts equalled the number specified by the canons. Thus, with the assistance of one hundred and twenty associates, an opulent sinner might in the short space of three days discharge the penance of a whole year. But he was admonished that it was a doubtful and dangerous ,experirnent; and that, if he hoped to appease the anger of the Almighty, he must eianclafy his repentance by true contrition of heart, by frequent donations to the poor and by fervent prayer. How long this practice was tolerated I am ignorant;

I but have met with no instance of vicarious penance in the Anglo-Saxon Church after the reign of Edgar.

The defence of St. Dunstan from a modern and very popular charge -against him will exhibit Dr. Lingard as an historical controversialist, -and convey an idea of his narrative. The subject in question was, whe- ther certain clergymen, ejected, in favour of the monks, by the advice and 'authority of Dunstan, should be restored to their livings.

"The complaints of the clergy and the clamours of their friends were revived; and another Council was summoned to meet at Caine. But in the heat of the de- bate the floor of the room sank under the weight of numbers; and the whole as- Aembly, except the Archbishop, who fortunately held by a beam, was precipitated to the ground. Amidst the ruins and the confusion many were dangerously wounded, and others lost their lives. This melancholy accident decided the con- troversy. The pious credulity of the age ascribed the fall of the floor and the pe'eeervation of Dunstan to the interposition of Heaven; and the clergy at length dosisted from a contest in which they believed that both God and man were their adversaries.

"Such is the plain unvarnished history of the Synod of Caine: but on this narrow basis a huge superstructure of calumny and fable has been raised by reli- gions prejudice. Dunstan, we are told, harassed by the repeated attempts of the clergy, trembled for the permanency of his favourite establishments and resolved to terminate the quarrel by the destruction of his opponents. By his order, the floor of the room destined to contain the assembly was loosened from the walls; during the deliberation the temporary supports were suddenly withdrawn, and in an instant, the nobles, the clergy, and the other members, were promiscuously cast among the ruins; while the Archbishop, secure in his seat, contemplated with savage satisfaction the bloody scene below. But the atrocity of the deed, the silence of his contemporaries, the impolicy of involving in the same fate his friends AS well as his adversaries, must provoke a doubt in favour of the Primate; and even those who have been taught to think disadvantageously of his character will at least demand some evidence of his guilt before they venture to pronounce his condemnation. No such evidence has been or can be produced. By contempo- rary and succeeding writers the fall of the floor was attributed to accident, or the interposition of Heaven: the sanguinary contrivance of Dunstan was a secret 'which during almost eight centuries eluded the observation of every historian, and was first, I believe, revealed to the scepticism of Hume, who introduced his suspicion to the public under the modest veil of a possibility.* But suspicion has quickly ripened into certitude; and the guilt of the Archbishop has been pro- nounced without doubt or qualification. Nor (the omission is inexplicable) has his, accuser claimed the merit of the discovery; but left his incautious readers to conclude that be had derived his information from the respectable authorities to whom he boldly appeals. They, however, seem to have been ignorant of the charge, and have contented themselves with translating the simple narrative of the Saxon Chronicle, the most faithful register of the times. This year, the principal nobility of England fell at Cakie from an upper floor, except the holy Archbishop Dunstan, who clung to a beam. And some were grievously hurt, and some did not escape with their lives.' "