His Heptateuch ib. Anglo-Saxon Romance of Apollonius Illiterate state of Italy and France at this period 426 ib. Utility and Decline of SAXON Paganism. — The Intro- duction of Christianity among the ANGLO-Saxons. — Ils State of religion in Britain on their arrival Religious passages in the Welsh Bards Benefits of Christianity to the Anglo-Saxons 480 View of the Form of Christianity introduced among the ANGLO-Saxons - and of some of their Religious Rites The form imperfect, but the best then known 488 Augustin's questions to Gregory Account of the formation of one in Edgar's reign Their reading of the Scriptures Their ideas on transubstantiation Duties enjoined by law to their priests Paraphrases of the Lord's prayer and Creed Proclamation for an Anglo-Saxon fast THE HISTORY OF THE ANGLO-SAXONS. BOOK VII. of the MANNERS of the Anglo-Saxons after their OCCUPATION of ENGLAND. CHAP. I. On their Infancy, Childhood, and Names. I. In the Appendix to the first volume of this history, CHAP. we have described the Saxons as they were on the continent, before they possessed themselves of the south part of Britain, during the fifth and sixth centuries; and we may remark, that the human character has seldom displayed qualities more inauspicious to the improvement of intellect or of moral character. When they first landed, they were bands of fierce, ignorant, idolatrous, and superstitious pirates, enthusiastically courageous, but habitually cruel. Yet from such ancestors a nation has, in the course of twelve centuries, been formed, which, inferior to none in every moral and intellectual merit, is superior to every other in the love and possession of useful liberty: a nation which cultivates with equal success the elegancies of art, |