CHAPTER XXIX

ALFRED'S WIT AND WISDOM.

IN some of the previous chapters we have glanced at the literary work of the king, and of the motives which inspired him to write and translate those great books. But besides the books we have considered, there is no doubt that Alfred wrote others that became famous, for one old writer says: "Nobody knows how many volumes he produced"; and William of Malmesbury says that he was translating the Latin Psalter at the time of his death. It is affirmed that he translated the Fables of Esop into English, and that he wrote a treatise on Falconry.

There is one book, called the Blossoms of St. Augustine, which has been attributed to the king, and which certainly contains much that is characteristic of Alfred. In a kind of allegory the king compares himself as a book-lover, gathering his store of knowledge, to a woodman cutting timber, so that he might one day build himself a house. Alfred desired, after his life of toil, to live merrily and softly as he had not yet done; and he expresses his desire to seek out what good it were best for him to do, and what evil to avoid.

Some writers have also ascribed to Alfred the poetical version of the Consolations of Boethius, but as to this there is considerable doubt. Here are

three of the opening stanzas done into modern English:

"Thus to us did Alfred sing

A spell of old;

Song-craft the West-Saxon king

Did thus unfold.

"Long and much he long'd to teach
His people then,

These mixt sayings of sweet speech,
The joys of men ;

"That no weariness forsooth,

As well it may,

Drive away delight from truth,
But make it stay."

But by far the most interesting of the mişcellaneous works attributed to Alfred is an arrangement of some proverbs and wise sayings spoken to the Parliament at Shifford. Even if these proverbs were not composed by Alfred in this form, there can be no doubt that they are a faithful reflex of his thoughts; and if they were compiled in the twelfth century it shows how fondly the people cherished the name of Alfred.

These proverbs are arranged in 31 stanzas, each of which begins, " Thus said Alfred." From them we get quite a long list of endearing epithets applied to Alfred, who is styled "England's Darling," "England's Comfort," "England's Delight," "England's Shepherd," and so on. These titles alone serve to show how Alfred was loved by the English; and it

is worth noting here that the title of Alfred the Great was not given till the seventeenth century.

In one of the opening stanzas Alfred is thus described:

"Alfred, he was in England a king well so strong.

He was king and clerk: well he loved God's work.
He was wise in his word, and wary in his speech.
He was the wisest man that was in England.”

Here is another stanza giving some good counsel :

Thus quoth Alfred: 'Never let the young

Despair of good, nor give himself to wrong.
Though to his mind right come not as it should,
And though he take no joy in what he would.'"

Towards the end of this series of maxims there occur some wise words of advice, evidently meant for his own son. We cannot do better than close this chapter by quoting them, word for word: "Thus quoth Alfred: 'My dear son, set thou now beside me, and I will deliver thee true instructions. My son, I feel that my hour is coming. My countenance is wan. My days are almost done. We must now part. I shall to another world, and thou shalt be left alone in all my wealth. I pray thee, for thou art my dear child, strive to be a father and a lord to thy people; be thou the children's father and the widow's friend; comfort thou the poor and shelter the weak, and with all thy might, right that which is wrong. And, son, govern thyself by law, then shall the Lord love thee, and God, above all things, shall be thy reward. Call thou upon Him to advise thee in all thy need, and so He shall help thee the better to compass that which thou wouldest.'"

CHAPTER XXX.

THE KING'S GEOGRAPHY.

IT is a very remarkable fact that Alfred should have given so high a place to geography; but he knew by experience that a knowledge of the earth was the necessary foundation for the wisdom which is required by statesmen, by soldiers, and by merchants. And in giving his attention to this subject, he was centuries in advance of his time.

Now, it was always Alfred's desire to find out the best authority on any subject, and he determined therefore to translate the work of Orosius. He was a native of Tarragona in Spain, where he was born in 380. He became a priest, and by the advice of St. Augustine he undertook to write the History of the World. Orosius was eminently adapted for this work, as he was a man of "active talents, ready eloquence, and ardent industry." So highly was this book esteemed, that it was recognised as a text book down to the sixteenth century.

Some idea of the scope of this History of the World may be gathered from the fact that it covers the period from Adam to Alaric, and that it describes in a rambling fashion the three continents of the world, with a description of the various countries and people. The work now is of no real value, but it is deeply interesting, because of the additions made to it by King Alfred, who, as was his custom, dealt