2 1GO. ST. LIUDGER. GDI
VI. PoEMS.1 The poetical works of Alcuin are very numer ous, and of very varied character, including prayers, inscriptions for books, churches, altars, monasteries, etc., epigrams, moral exhortations, epistles, epitaphs, enigmas, a fable,2 and a long his torical poem in sixteen hundred and fifty-seven lines upon the bishops and saints of the church of York from its foundation to the accession of Eanbald.3 It is very valuable. In its earlier part it rests upon Bede, but from the ten hundred and seventh line to the close upon original information. It seems to have been written by Alcuin in his youth at York, Its style is evi dently influenced by Virgil and Prudentius.
VII. PEDAGOGICAL, WORKS.* (a) Grammar, (b) Orthogra phy, (c) Rhetoric, (d) Dialectics, (e) Dialogue between Pip pin and Alcuin:' (f) On the courses and changes of the moon and the intercalary day (Feb. 24th). These works admit us into Al ciiiii's school-room, and are therefore of great importance for the study of the learning of his day.
VIII. DUBIOUS WORKS. 6 (a) A confession of faith, in four parts, probably his. (b) Dialogue between teacher and pupils upon religion, (c) Propositions, (d) Poems.
IX. PRETENDED WORKS/ (a) The holy days, (b) Four homilies, (c) Poems.
§ 160. St. Liudger.
I. S. LIUDGERTJS, Minigardefordensis Episcopus : Opera, in Migne, Tom.
XCIX. col. 745-820.
II. The old Lives of S. Liudger are four in number. They are found in
Migne, but best in Die Vitw Sancti Liudgeri ed. Dr. Wllhelm Diekamp. Minister, 1881 (Bd. IV. of the series: Die Geschichtsquellcn des
1 Carmina, Ibid. col. 723-848.
2 De gallo fabula, Ibid. col. 805. Dummler, 1. c. 2G2.
3 Ibid. col. 814-846. Dummler, I. c. 169-206.
4 Opuscula didascalica, Migne, CI. col. 849-1002.
5 Guizot gives a translation of this in his Hist. Civilization (Eng. trans, ii. 239-242.
6 Opuscula dubia, Migne, CI. col. 1027-1170;
7 Opuscula supposita, t6ic?. col. 1173-1314.
692 FOUKTH PERIOD. A. D. 590-1049.
Bisthums Munster}. Dr. Diekamp presents revised texts and ample prolegomena and notes. (1) The oldest Vita (pp. 3-53) is by Altfrid, a near relative of Liudger and his second successor in the see of Munster. It was written by request of the monks of Werden about thirty years after Liudger's death, rests directly upon family and other contemporary testimony, and is the source of all later Lives. He probably divided his work into two books, but as the first book is in two parts, Leibnitz, Pertz and Migne divide the work into three books, of which the first contains the life proper, the second the miracles wrought by the saint himself, and the third those wrought by his relics. (2) Vita Secunda (pp. 54-83) was writ ten by a monk of Werden about 850. The so-called second book of this Life really belongs to (3) Vita tertia (pp. 85-134). (2) Follows Altfrid, but adds legendary and erroneous matter. (3) Written also by a Werden monk about 890, builds upon (1) and (2) and adds new matter of a legendary kind. (4) Vita rythmica (pp. 135-220), writ ten by a Werden monk about 1140. Biographies of Liudger have been recently written in German by LTJISE VON BORNSTEDT (Mun ster, 1842) ; P. W. BEHRENDS (Neuhaldensleben u. Gardelegen, 1843) ; A. ISTVANN (Coesfeld, 1860) ; A. HUSING (Munster, 1878) ; L. TH. W. PINGSMANN (Freiburg im Breisgau, 1879). Of. Diekamp's full bibliography, pp. CXVIII.-CXXII. For literary criti cism see CEILLIER, XII. 218. Hist. lit. de la France, V. 57-59. EBERT, II. 107, 338, 339.
LIUDGER, or LUDGER, first bishop of Munster, was born about 744 at Suecsnon (now Zuilen) on the Yecht, in Frisia. His parents, Thiaclgrim and Liaf burg, were earnest Christians. His paternal grandfather, Wursing, had been one of "VVillibrord's most zealous supporters (c. 5).1 He early showed a pious and studious disposition (c. 7). He entered the cloister school of Utrecht, taught by the abbot Gregory, whose bio grapher he became, laid aside his secular habit and devoted himself to the cause of religion. His proficiency in study was such that Gregory made him a teacher (c. 8). During the year
1 This sketch has been derived for the most part directly from Altfrid's Ada seu Vita (ed. Diekamp, pp. 3-53, Migne, col. 769-796). The letter " c" through out refers to the chapter of the Ada in Migne in which the statement imme diately preceding is found. The dates are mainly conjectural. The Ada gives none except that of the saint's death, but merely occasionally notes the lapse of time.