PART II.

CENT. high repute; and from this time a great number IX. of convents, were erected for them through all the western provinces, and were richly endowed by the liberality of pious and opulent Christians. But this institution degenerated in a short time, like all others, from its primitive purity, and ceased to answer the laudable intention and design of its worthy founders [k].

The principal Greek writers.

XIII. Of the theological writers that flourished among the Greeks, the following are the most remarkable:

Photius, patriarch of Constantinople, a man of most profound and universal erudition, whose Bibliotheca [] Epistles, and other writings, are yet valuable on many accounts.

Nicephorus, also a patriarch of the above mentioned city, who, among other productions, pub, lished a warm defence of the worship of images against the enemies of that idolatrous service [m].

Theodorus Studites, who acquired a name chiefly by his warm opposition to the Iconoclasts, and by the zeal with which he wrote in favour of image worship [n].

The same cause has principally contributed to transmit to after-ages the names of Theodorus Graptus, Methodius, who obtained the title of Confessor for his adherence to image-worship in

the

[k] Calmet, Hist. de Lorraine, tom. i. p. 591. Hist. Litteraire de la France, tom. iv. p. 536.

[7] See Camusat, Histoire des Jounaux, tom. i. p. 87. [m] Acta Sanctor. tom. ii. Martii ad d. xiii. p. 293. Ou dinus, Scriptor. Eccles. tom. ii. p. 2.

[n] Theodore Studites was one of the most voluminous writers of this century, and would certainly have been known as a man of genius and learning in after-ages, though the controversy concerning images had never existed. There are of his writings, yet extant, 265 letters, several treatises against the Iconoclasts, 124 epigrams in Iambics, and a large manu script, which contains a course of catechetical instruction con cerning the duties of the monastic life.

IX. PART II.

the very face of persecution, Theodorus. Abuca- CENT. ra, [o], Petrus Siculus, Nicetas David, and others, who would probably have been long since buried in oblivion, had not the various contests between the Greek and Latin churches, and the divisions of the former among themselves upon the question concerning images excited the vehemence of these inconsiderable writers, and furnished them with an occasion of making some noise in the world.

Moses Barcepha, a Syrian bishop, surpassed by far all whom we have now been mentioning, and deserved the shining reputation which he has obtained in the republic of letters, as what we have yet extant of his works discover several marks of true genius, and an uncommon acquaintance with the art of writing [p].

XIV. Nabanus Maurus, archbishop of Mentz, Latin is deservedly placed at the head of the Latin wri-writers. ters of this age; the force of his genius, the extent of his knowledge, and the multitude of productions that flowed from his pen, entitle him to this distinguished rank, and render improper, all comparison between him and his cotemporaries. He may be called the great light of Germany and France, since it was from the prodigious fund of knowledge he possessed, that these nations derived principally their religious instruction. His writings were every where in the hands of the learned [9], and were held in such veneration, that, during four centuries, the most eminent of the Latin divines appealed to them as authority in religious

[o] See Bayle's Dictionary, vol. i. at the article Abu

gara.

[p] Jos. Sim. Assemannii Biblioth. Orient. Vatican. tom. ii, p. 127.

[9] See, for a particular account of the life and writings of Rabanus Maurus, the Histoire Litteraire de la France, tom. v, p. 151; as also the Acta Sanctor. tom. i. Febr. p, 500.

IX.

CENT. religious matters, and adopted almost universally
the sentiments they contained. After this illus-
PART II: trious prelate, the writers that are most worthy of
mention are,

Agobard, archbishop of Lyons, a man of wis
dom and prudence, and far from being destitute
of literary merit; but whose reputation has de-
servedly suffered by his justifying, and even fo-
menting the rebellion of Lothaire and Pepin
against Lewis the Meek, their father and their so-
vereign [r].

Hilduin, abbot of St. Dennis, who acquired no
small reputation by a work entitled, Areopagi
tica [s].

Eginhard, abbot of Selingestat, the celebrated
author of the Life of Charlemagne, remarkable for
the beauty of his diction, the perspicuity and ele
gance of his style, and a variety of other literary
accomplishments [],

Claudius, bishop of Turin, whose Exposition of
several books of scripture [u], as also his Chrono-
logy, gained him an eminent and lasting reputa
tion [w].
Freculf,

[r] See Colonia, Hist. Litter, de la ville de Lyon, tom. ii.
p. 93. General Dictionary, at the article Agobard. Hist. Lit-
teraire de la France, tom. iv, p. 567. [Agobard opposed
with great zeal both the worship and the use of images, in his
famous book, De picturis et imaginibus, a work which has
greatly embarrassed the doctors of the Romish church.]

[s] Hist. Litteraire de la France, tom. iv. p. 607.

[t] Hist. Litteraire de la France, tom. iv. p, 550. See also
the Life of Charlemagne, of which the best of fourteen edi
tions is that published by Schminkius, at Utrecht, in the
1711.

[u] [This prelate, who was famous for his knowledge of the
holy scriptures, composed 111 books of commentaries upon Ge-
nesis, 4 upon Exodus, and several upon Leviticus. He wrote
also a commentary upon the Gospel of St. Matthew, in which,
there are many excellent things, and an exposition of all the
Epistles of St. Paul. His commentary on the Epistle to the
Galatians is printed, but all the rest are in manuscript.]

[w] See Simon, Critique de la Biblioth. Eccles. de. M. Du
Pin, tom. i, p. 284.

A

Freculf, bishop of Lysieur, whose Chronicle, CENT. which is no more than a heavy compilation, is yet

extant.

Servatus Lupus, of whose composition we have several epistles and treatises; and who, though a copious and subtile writer, is yet defective in point of elegance and erudition [a].

Drepanius Florus, who left behind him several Poems, An exposition of certain books of scripture, and other performances less worthy of attention [y].

Christian Druthmar, the author of A commentary upon St. Matthew's Gospel [z].

Godeschalc, a monk of Orbais, who rendered his name immortal by the controversy which he set on foot concerning Predestination and Free Grace.

Paschasius Radbert [a], a name famous in the contests concerning The real presence of Christ's body in the Eucharist; and who, to pass in silence his other writings, composed a book upon this very subject, which furnished abundant matter of dispute throughout this century.

Bertramn, or Ratramn, a monk of Corby, who deserves the first rank among the writers that refuted the doctrine of Radbert; and whose book concerning The sacrament of the Lord's supper, which was composed by the order of Charles the Bald, gave also occasion to many contests among learned divines [b].

Haymo, bishop of Halberstadt, the laborious author of several treatises upon various subjects,

and

[x] Histoire Litteraire de la France, tom. v. p. 255. [y] Colonia, Histoire Litter. de Lyon, tom. ii. p. 135. Hist. Litter. de la France, tom. v. p. 213.

[z] Hist. Litter. de la France, tom. v. p. 84.

[a] For an account of Radbert, see the Histoire Litter. de la France, tom. v. p. 287:

[b] We shall have occasion to speak more particularly of Bertramn, and his book, in the following chapter.

IX.

PART II.

CENT. and who is more to be esteemed for his industry and diligence, than for his genius and learning [c].

IX. PART II.

Walafridus Strabo, who acquired no mean reputation by his Poems, his Lives of the Saints, and his Explications of many of the more difficult passages of Scripture [d].

Hincmar, archbishop of Rheims, a man of an imperious and turbulent spirit; but who deserves, notwithstanding, a distinguished place among the Latin writers of this century, since his works discover an aspiring genius, and an ardent zeal in the pursuit of truth; and tend, moreover, in a sin gular manner, to throw light, both upon the civil and ecclesiastical history of the age in which he lived [e].

Johannes Scotus Erigena, the friend and com. panion of Charles the Bald, an eminent philosopher, and a learned divine, whose erudition was accompanied with uncommon marks of sagacity and genius, and whose various performances, as well as his translations from the Greek, gained him a shining and lasting reputation [f]

It is sufficient barely to name Remigius Ber tharius, Ado, Aimoin Heric, Regino, abbot of Prum, and others, of whom the most common writers of ecclesiastical history give ample ac

counts,

CHAP.

were com

[c] It is proper to observe, that a great part of the writings that are attributed to Haymo, bishop of Halberstadt, posed by Remi, or Remigius, of Auxerre See Cassimir Oudinus, Comment. de Scriptor. Eccles. tom. ii. p. 330. Histoire Lit-. teraire de la France, tom. v. p. 111. tom. vi, p. 106. Le Beuf, Recueil de Diss. sur l'Histoire de la France, tom. i. P. 278. [d] See the Histoire Litter. de la France, tom. v. p. [e] Ibid. tom. v. p. 416.

544

[f] See Herm. Conringius, Antiq. Academicæ, p. Hist. Litter. de la France, tom. v. p. 416,

309.