Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-09-18

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the student of literary history these relics OF the
early and medieval christian church possess AZ once an
interest and a value.
There is one other aspect in which would present
the claims of this poetry arguing for it greater patron
are than has been generally conceded to it the
light which it reflects upon the middle age exposition of
sacred Scripture II is known to all that the early Fathers
and the later meieya diyines greatly affected typical
explanation of almost every passage in Holy Writ.
"The longer" says Mr. Trench, g engaged with
the poems the more | struck with the extent to
which they swarmed with Scrptural and patrisc au-
sons yet such oftentmes might miss at first or
second perusa or unless they pointed out might
overlook altogether" Now, he justly argues, what
ever the absolute worth of the medieval typoogy may be-
its relative worth is considerable giving such insight
as it does into the habits of mems thoughts in those ages
and the aspects under which they went to contem
plate the Holy Scriptures and the facts of which Holy
Scripture is the record 1t is just remark Of Ampere
this very subject in his Literary History of France,
that that which is but little important for the history OF
may be greatly for the history of the human mind
As the comparative anatomist form just conception
of the size shape, and habudes of extinct animal
from the smallest fragmentary remans-a fossil tooth
caw-belonging to it. also the philosophical histo
ran accurately gauge and define the intellectual de-
veopment of medieval mind by the literary erueia
which, like so many waits and strays, strown along
the tract of the middle age.
To read understandngly many Of the medieval Latin
hymns requires familiarity with the yulgate YER
sion of the Bible this alone used by the Latin
hymnologists and occasionally their illusions only
be eucdated by a reference to various reading of
the Vulgate in which differs from Received Version
If space permitted might quote some amazing in
in which these old rhymes following the Vugate
too literally and constituting the Latin rather mistakenly
fallen bunders that do speak much in favor
either Of their accurate theology scholarship Thus
Adam of ST. Victor following, it must be admitted, the
exegess of ST. Augustine has two lines in Resur
recton Hymn in which he represents the first murderer
Cain, as type of the Jewish people:
'Sed non deletur penitus
CAIN in signum postus -
for having only the Vugatc before him. in which he
found (Gen Nv. l5 the words g Posuque DomiuS Cain
sgnu," Cain being left undeclined in the verson) he
read the passage thus " The Lord set Cain sign"
instead of constituting it properly The Lord set sign
/ or mark on Cain"
OF all the medieval hymnoogists, Adam Of ST. Victor,
styled by Rambach the Schiller of the middle ages is
doubtedy the greatest well most fertile His ad
mirers, however, win hardly deny, Mr.. Trench thinks
that he pushes too far and plays overmuch with his
skill in the typical application of the Old Testament
hymn of his composed to be sung the dedication Of
is u
especial mention for its learned biblical ausion
and critical ingenuity if for nothing else As literary
puzzle for Latin readers give strophes of this
dedcatory hymn:
"Synagoga supplantatur g In bivio tegens nuda,
Jacob, dunn diyagatur, Geminos part ex Juda
Minis freta htera. Thamar diu vdua.
Lippam Liam latent multa, IIc Moyses a puela
Quibus videns Rachel futa Dunn lavat, in fscella
Pari nubit federe. Reperitur scirpea."
In the homiles of Gregory the Great the writings of
ST. Augustine the allegores of Hugh of St. Victor and
in the works of the "melfuous Doctor" ST. Bernard
commentator the medieval hymns viii find nearly all
that is for their calculation From the prophe
ces of Ezekiel from the chambers of imagery, sym
boical representations drawn by Adam Of St. Victor
in number almost numberess;' and it easily be
imagined that these typeseekng rhymer especially loved
fancy free amid the gorgeous symbolism Of the
Apocalypse the artistic character of which, learn from
Mr. Trench has been made the theme Of interesting
mark in work by August the History of Christian
Art work german, however, to this entire SUBJ
ject well accessible English readers is Mrs
Jamesons Poetry Of Sacred and Legendary Art" in
which the artistic bearings and relations of this poetry
discussed and illustrated in that does equal
honor the research and genius of the learned auhoress
/ The medieval hymns, readers readily infer,
repete with illusions to the legendary lore which
composed chief part of the popular literature that
was contemporaneous in its prevalence. Thus Adam Of
ST. Victor frequently audes the vulgar legend of his
day which taught that the oness bring forth
young Dead and kept them for three days. unti'
their father breathed in their faces the breath of e
gardng it natural type Of that lion of the tribe Of
Judah" whom the Father raised from the dead the
third day Very frequent also the references in these
poems to the manifold legends which the
with the tree of life in the midst of the garden legends
which set forth that slip Of this planted by
Seth, the son Of ADAM his fathers grave, that is
Golgotha, the spot called it is said where Adam
buried at grew here from generation genera
ton-each significant implement for the kingdom Of God,
the staff of Moses, the rod Of Aaron the pole which
the brazen serpent exalted having taken from
it till at last in its extreme old age, its we'll nigh dead
in the highest sense the true tree Of e" Daniel gives
from the compilations Of Adelphus quite different YER
sion ofths legend andndeed their number as already
minated is nearly infinite, composing what Mr. Trench
ventures to call the Christian mythology In hymn on
the Nativity, which continued long 81 great fayore in
the Lutheran churches Of Germany and has indeed sur
vved among them till wel-nig the present day." the
/ following doublet is found:
/ Cocnovit Dos ct asinus
Quod puer erat Domnus;
for it was widespread legend Of the middle ages to
which the poet here aludes that and Of the
inn at Bethlehem recognised and worshpped the holy
child whom the Jews refused to acknowledge Nor has a
"Reminiscences Of this legend become wholly obsolete
in day for the children still taught by their
dent nurses that on Christmas the cattle in the field