Although the circulation of the Scriptures in the English language must have been comparatively small, yet it produced considerable effects.

Here it may be noticed, that there were translations of some parts of the Scriptures, even as early as the days of Alfred, who himself translated the Psalms; but they had become obsolete, and were very scarce. Wickliffe was the first who translated the whole Scriptures into English, in a language and style understood by the people.

Courtney, when Bishop of London, was strenuous in his opposition to Wickliffe he was afterwards appointed to the see of Canterbury; and as the reformer himself was protected from the effects of his power, he engaged with activity in persecuting his followers, who were called Lollards-one of those names of reproach by which the followers of Christ have been reviled in all ages. It is supposed to have been derived from Walter Lollardus, one of the teachers of these truths on the continent, or from a German word which signifies psalm-singers. Many of them, who were preachers, travelled about the country, in the simplest manner, barefoot; and in common frieze gowns, preaching in the market-places, and teaching the doctrines of truth with great zeal and much success; so that in a few years their numbers were very considerable, and it was calculated that at least one fourth of the nation were really or nominally inclined to their sentiments.

The following description of the Lollards is given by a Romish inquisitor of those times, named Reinher. Strange to say, he thought harsh conduct against them highly deserving of censure.

"The disciples of Wickliffe are men of a serious, modest deportment, avoiding all ostentation in dress, mixing little with the busy world, and complaining of the debauchery of mankind. They maintain themselves wholly by their own labour, and utterly despise wealth; being fully content with bare necessaries. They follow no traffic, because it is attended with so much lying, swearing, and cheating. They are chaste and temperate; are never seen in taverns, or amused by the trifling gaieties of life. You find them always employed, either learning or teaching. They are concise and devout in their prayers: never swear; speak little; and in their public preaching they lay the chief stress on charity. They never mind canonical hours, because, they say, that a paternoster or two, repeated with devotion, is better than tedious hours spent without devotion. They explain the scriptures in a different way from the holy doctors and Church of Rome. They speak humbly, and are well behaved in appearance." Richard II. being at this time King of England, countenanced Archbishop Courtney in persecuting the Wickliffites, and a proclamation was issued against persons who should teach or maintain these opinions, or possess any of the books and pamphlets written by Wickliffe and his followers. Many suffered imprisonment, and were required to do penance under the most degrading circumstances; although it does not appear that any were actually put to death during this reign. This may partly be ascribed to the power and influence of the Duke of Lancaster, the great patron of Wickliffe; and of Queen Ann, the consort of Richard II., and sister of the King of Bohemia. That excellent princess seems to have been a pious character, and we cannot but regret that the account given of her by the historians of those times, is so very brief and imperfect; they, however, relate, that she had in her possession the gospels in the English language, with four commentaries upon them. This is evidence of a mind not inattentive to the truth of the gospel, and a proof that she engaged in the study of the scriptures; for in those days, a person of her rank, and

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especially a female, would not have sought to possess such expensive and uncom mon works, unless she desired to profit from their contents.

The parliamentary proceedings of those times, threw considerable light upon the grasping power of Rome, and also show that our ancestors did not willingly submit to the encroachments of papal authority. But their efforts were in vain. In the year 1316, the clergy had obtained a law exempting them from secular authority, even for heinous offences, such as robbery and murder. We also find, that the commons in parliament presented a petition to the king in 1376, in which they state the result of an inquiry, as shewing that the taxes paid yearly to the pope, from England, amounted to five times the revenue of the king!

Once when falling into a dangerous illness at Oxford, Wickliffe's bed of sickness was surrounded by some mendicant friars, to whom he had ever been an enemy, and who intruded into his chamber, when they began admonishing him for the good of his soul, and to repent of the injuries which he had done them. Wickliffe raised himself in his bed, and with a stern countenance exclaimed, "I shall not die, but live to declare the evil deeds of the friars;" which resolute expression drove away his ghostly ministers in confusion.

Soon after this time, having finished his translation of the scriptures, he again became particularly obnoxious to the clergy on that account. It had long been a political tenet in the Romish creed, that ignorance is the mother of devotion; and therefore the Bible had been locked up from the common people. But Wickliffe was not satisfied with aiming at this new blow at religious tyranny: he next ventured to attack the grand article of transubstantiation, in what he called his "Sixteen Conclusions." These conclusions being reluctantly condemned by the Chancellor of Oxford, at the instigation of Courtney, at this time their Primate, Wickliffe appealed to the king and parliament; but being at length deserted by his fickle patron, the Duke of Lancaster, who was unwilling to embroil himself any further with the clergy, he was obliged to make a kind of recantation at Oxford; and by the king's orders was expelled the University, where he had still continued annually to read lectures on divinity.

Again he found an asylum at Lutterworth: but giving fresh provocation by his writings, he roused the keenest resentment in Urban, who then wore the papal crown; and in all probability would have suffered the utmost which that pontiff could inflict, had not providence delivered him from human hands. He was struck with a palsy soon after: but still attended divine worship; till a repetition of this fatal malady carried him off, in his church at Lutterworth, in December, 1384, where he was buried in its chancel. The malice of his. enemies, however, sought him in the grave. The council of Constance, in 1415, passed a decree, condemning forty-five articles of his doctrines: and pronouncing him to have died an obstinate heretic, ordered that his bones should be dug up, and thrown upon a dunghill. The execution of this paltry act of malice was deferred till the year 1428, when the pope sent a positive order that it should be complied with. Fleming, then Bishop of Lincoln, accordingly sent his officers to Lutterworth; the grave was opened, and the bones taken out and burned. The ashes being carefully collected, were thrown into the Swift, a brook which flows near the town: his enemies thinking, no doubt, that his name and doctrines, as well as his remains, would perish for ever. But they have been disappointed; as Fuller observes, "the Swift conveyed his ashes into the Avon, the Avon into the Severn, the Severn into the narrow seas, and they into the main ocean; and thus the ashes of Wickliffe were made the emblems of his doctrine, which has been dispersed all the world over." This

decree against the remains of Wickliffe was passed by the council, about six weeks before their decree, forbidding the cup in the sacrament froin being administered to the laity; and by the same council.

Such was the life, and such the end of Wickliffe; a man who may be regarded as one of the brightest ornaments of his country, and as one of those luminaries which providence raises up and directs as its instrument to enlighten and bless mankind. He left behind him numerous works which he had written of great celebrity,

To this instructive genius," says Gilpin, "Christendom was unquestionably more obliged than to any name in the list of reformers. He opened the gates of darkness, and let in, not a feeble and glimmering ray, but such an effulgence of light as was never afterwards obscured. He not only loosened prejudices, but advanced such clear incontestable truths, as, having once obtained footing, still kept their ground; and even in an age of reformation, as will appear from his various existing writings, wanted but small amendment." J. M. T.

REBECСА

AND

ELIAZER.

(Painted by Paul or Paolo Veronese.)

Eliazer, a native of the city of Damascus, and the confidential servant of Abraham, having been sent by that patriarch into Mesopotamia to seek a consort for his son Isaac, met Rebecca, the daughter of Bethuel, at a well, surrounded by her companions; and attracted by her grace and modesty, offered her presents, and solicited her hand in marriage for the son of his master. Such is the subject of the present composition.

The picture of Paul Veronese exhibits all the beauties and defects which characterize this great painter. In the expression of the figures it is sadly deficient, and the costume is entirely fantastical: but in point of colouring, it has great force, and all the parts are executed with much freedom of pencil. The dromedaries, which the artist has judiciously introduced, have doubtless been modelled from nature, and are well drawn. The construction of the well, and of the houses contiguous to it, are of modern taste, which neither accords with the time, nor with the country where the action passed; but Paolo Veronese, often incorrect in his compositions, possessed the talent of covering these faults by beauties of the first order.

Paolo Cagliari, distinguished by the name of Paolo Veronese, was born at Verona, in 1530. He may be considered only as second to Titian, in what is called the School of Colouring. He studied at Venice and at Rome, where he acquired those principles of his art by which he is distinguished. He delighted in mythological and allegorical subjects, which he executed with considerable taste but the celebrity of Veronese rests principally on his "Cene" or convivial compositions. These pictures are of an extraordinary size, and display much copiousness of invention. He painted, in general, with great facility, and exeeuted his works with equal energy and effect. This artist excelled in the purity of his carnations, in the brightness of his tints, and in breadth of colouring. His pictures of Darius presented to Alexander," and the "St. Giorgio," retain all their original freshness. Though not so pure and delicate as Titian, nor so warm and spirited as Tintoretto, he surpasses both in the brightness of his demi-tints. His love of ornament was excessive, and at times it vitiated his taste. He died in 1588.

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