Abrahamians.

304 [CENT. 9. Paulicians; and, in particular, that a party of them diftinguished themselves by the name of Abrahamians, not from the Hebrew patriarch, • but from their founder, an obscure person of that The particular opinions of this fect, however, if it maintained any fuch, are loft in the general oblivion to which the flames of perfecution configned almost every thing appertaining to the Paulicians, whofe fufferings in general can never be fufficiently regretted.

name.

СНАР.

[ 505 ]

CHAP. IV.

OF LEARNING AND LEARNED MEN IN THE NINTH CENTURY.

Photius-Greek Commentators-Mofes Barcepha-Munificence of Charlemagne-Chriftian Druthmar-Bertharius -Rabanus Maurus - Walafrid Strabo-Claudius of Turin-Hincmar—Remigius of Auxerre-Agobard—Theodorus Abucara-Controverfy with the Mahometans-Eginhard-Theganus of Treves-Anaftafius-Alfred the Great -Reform of the Laws of Juftinian-Bafilican Code.

T

HE moft illuftrious character of this cen

tury among the Greeks was Photius, whose eventful history has already occupied fome pages, as connected with the general ftate of the Chriftian world. "Greece, fo fertile in genius," fays the learned Caye," has never produced a person of more univerfal abilities, of founder judgment, of deeper penetration, of more unbounded reading, or more unwearied diligence." He has made extracts from upwards of three hundred ancient authors, all of whom he must have diligently ftudied and digested; and while he was thus indefatigable in ftudy, let it be remembered that he was engaged in the most active duties of a statesman,

and

506

Commentators on Scripture.

[CENT. 9. and involved in the moft perplexing confequences of controversy.

He compofed, among other works, a book of Queftions relating to the fenfe of different paffages of Scripture, and an Expofition of the Epiftles of St. Paul.

The other Greek writers, who attempted to explain the holy fcriptures, did little more than compile and accumulate various paffages from the commentators of the preceding ages; and this method was the origin of those catena, or chains of commentaries, fo much in ufe among the Greeks during this century, of which a confiderable number have defcended to our time, and which confifted entirely in a collection of the explications of fcripture that were scattered through the ancient divines. The greater part of the theological writers, finding themfelves incapable of more arduous undertakings, confined their labours to this fpecies of compilation.

The Latin commentators were fuperior in number to thofe among the Greeks, owing to the zeal and munificence of Charlemagne, who both by his liberality and by his example had excited and encouraged the doctors of the preceding age to the study of the scriptures. Of thefe expofitors there are two at least who are worthy of esteem; Chriftian Druthmar, whofe Commentary on St, Matthew has been tranf

mitted

Walafrid Strabo, &c.

507

CENT. 9.] mitted to posterity *; and the abbot Bertharius, whofe Two Books concerning Fundamentals are also faid to be still extant. The reft feem unequal to the important office of facred critics, and may be divided into two claffes; the clafs of those who merely collected, and reduced into a mafs, the opinions and explications of the ancients; and that of a fantastical fet of expofitors, who were constantly labouring to deduce a variety of abftrufe and hidden fignifications from every paffage of fcripture, which they in general performed in a very abfurd and uncouth manner. At the head of the first clafs was Rabanus Maurus, who acknowledged that he borrowed from the ancient doctors the materials he made ufe of in illuftrating the Gospel of St. Matthew, and the Epiftles of St. Paul; Walafrid Strabo, who adopted his explications chiefly from Rabanus; Claudius of Turin, who trod in the footsteps of Auguftin and Origen; Hincmar, whofe Expofition of the Book of Kings, compiled from the fathers, is yet extant; Remigius of Auxerre, who derived from the fame fource his Illustrations of the Pfalms, and other books of facred writ; Sedulius, who explained in the fame manner the Epiftles of St. Paul; Florus; Hayma bishop of Halberstadt; and others, of whom the

* See R. Simon, Hiftoire Critique des Principaux Commen. tateurs du Nenv. Teftament, chap. xxv. p. 348; as also his Critique de la Bibliotheque Ecclefiaftique de M. du Pin, tom. i. P. 293.

limits

508

Eginhard.

[CENT. 9. limits of this work will not admit an extended character.

The defence of Chriftianity against the Jews and pagans was greatly neglected in this century. Agobard, however, as well as Amulo and Rabanus Maurus, chaftifed the infolence and malignity of the Jews, and expofed their various abfurdities and errors; while the emperor Leo, Theodorus Abucara, and other writers whofe performances are loft, employed their polemic labours against the progress of the Saracens, and refuted their impious and extravagant fyftem. It is to be lamented that, on fome occafions, truth has been facrificed to religious zeal by these vehement polemics; and that they have condescended to report fuch circumftances of Mahomet and his difciples, as are not only unfupported by authentic testimony, but even contrary to probability itfelf.

The famous Eginhard, fecretary to Charle magne, who wrote the life of his benefactor, is the most ancient of the German hiftorians: he is fupposed to have had an intrigue with the emperor's daughter, whom he afterwards married*. He founded the monaftery of Selgenstadt, in the diocese of Mentz, Theganus bishop of Treves allo wrote a history of Lewis the Meek. Anaftafius the abbot, and librarian to the pope, is a learned and valuable hiftorian; he was fent by the em*A pleasant account of this intrigue is related in the Spectator.

peror