ALCUINUS, Flaccus, an ecclesiastic of the eighth century. He was born, it is supposed, in Yorkshire. He was educated, however, at York, under the direction of Archbishop Egbert, as we learn from his own letters, in which he frequently calls that great prelate his beloved master, and the clergy of York the companions of his youthful studies. As he survived Venerable Bede about 70 years, it is hardly possible that he could have received any part of his education under him, as some writers of literary history have affirmed; and it is worthy of observation, that he never calls that great man his master, though he speaks of him with the highest veneration. It is not well known to what preferments he had attained in the church before he left England, though some say he was abbot of Canterbury. The occasion of his leaving his native country was his being sent on an embassy by Offa, king of Mercia, to the emperor Charlemagne, who contracted so great an esteem and friendship for him, that he earnestly solicited, and at length prevailed upon him, to settle in his court, and become his preceptor in the sciences. Alcuinus accordingly instructed that great prince in rhetoric, logic, mathematics, and divinity, which rendered him one of his greatest favourites. “He was treated with so much kindness and familiarity,” says a contemporary writer, “by the emperor, that the other courtiers called him, by way of eminence, the emperors delight? Charlemagne employed his learned favourite to write several books against the heretical opinions of Felix, bishop of Urgel, in Catalonia, and to defend the orthodox faith against that heresiarch, in the council of Frankfort, A. d. 794; which he performed to the entire satisfaction of the emperor and council, and even to the conviction of Felix and his followers, who abandoned their errors. The emperor consulted chiefly with Alcuinus on all things relating to religion and learning, and by his advice did many great things for the advancement of both. An academy was established in the imperial palace, over which Alcuinus presided, and in which the princes and prime nobility were educated; and other academies were established in the chief towns of Italy and France, at his instigation, and . under his inspection. “France,” says one of our best writers of literary history, “is indebted to Alcuinus for all the polite learning it boasted of in that and the following ages. The universities of Paris, Tours, Fulden, Soissons, and many others, owe to him their origin and increase, those of whom he was not the superior and founder being at least enlightened by his doctrine and example, and enriched by the benefits he procured for them from Charlemagne.” After Alcuinus had spent many years in the most intimate familiarity with the greatest prince of his age, he at length, with great difficulty, obtained leave to retire from court to his abbey of St Martin, at Tours. Here he kept up a constant correspondence by letters with Charlemagne, from which it appears that both the emperor and his learned friend were animated with the most ardent love to learning and religion, and constantly employed in contriving and executing the noblest designs for their advancement. He composed many treatises on a great variety of subjects, in a style much superior in purity and elegance to that of the generality of writers in the age in which he flourished. Charlemagne often solicited him, with all the warmth of a most affectionate friend, to return to court, and favour him with his company and advice; but he still excused himself, and nothing could draw him from his retirement in his abbey of St Martin in Tours, where he died a. d. S04. His works were collected and published by Andrew du Chesne, in one volume folio, Paris, 1617. They consist of, 1. Tracts upon Scripture; 2. Tracts upon doctrine, discipline, and morality; 3. Historical treatises, letters, and poems. Since that edition there has been published an incredible number of tracts, poems, &c. ascribed to this author, most of which, in all probability, were not his.