OUR CATHOLIC HERITAGEIN ENGLISH LITERATUREOF PRE-CONQUEST DAYS
Death of St Bede. (From the Original Picture at StCuthbert's College, Ushaw.)
OUR
CATHOLIC HERITAGE
IN
ENGLISH LITERATURE
BY
EMILY HICKEY
WITH FRONTISPIECE IN COLOUR
AND FOUR FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS.
London
SANDS & CO.
15 KING STREET, COVENT GARDEN
AND EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW
1910
To
THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF WESTMINSTER
THIS LITTLE BOOK IS INSCRIBED
BY HIS GRACE'S KIND AND
VALUED PERMISSION.
June, 1910.
Table of Contents
The beginnings of Literature in England. Two poets of the best period ofour old poetry, Caedmon and Cynewulf. The language they wrote in.The monastery at Whitby. The story of Caedmon's gift of song.page 15
Caedmon and his influence. Poem, "Genesis." "The Fall of the Angels.""Exodus." English a war-loving race. Destruction of the Egyptians.Fate and the Lord of Fate.24
Allegory. Principle of comparison important in life, language,literature. Early use of symbolism; suggested reasons for this. Poemof the Phœnix. Allegorical interpretation of the story. Celticinfluence on English poetry. Gifts of colour, fervour, glow. Variousgifts of various nations enriching one another.31
Prose-writing. St Bede the Venerable. His love of truth. His industryand carefulness. Cuthbert's account of his last days. "Bede whom Godloved".42
King Alfred, first layman to be a great power in literature; man ofaction; of thought; of endurance. Freedom first great possession;afterwards learning and culture. Alfred a loyal Son of the Church.Founder of English prose. Earliest literature of a nation in verse;why. Influence of Rome on Alfred.48
Decay of learning in England. Revival under Alfred. His translations.Edits English Chronicle. His helpers. Some of his sayings.Missionary spirit. "Alfred commanded to make me".55
Some of greatest pre-Conquest poetry associated with name of Cynewulf.Guesses about him. Little known. Probably North-countryman, eighthcentury, an educated man. Finding of the Cross. Ele