the skill with which he could make use of the treasures he possessed. His name became celebrated throughout Europe, and his services to the cause of literature, more particularly in the departments of history and chronology, have been acknowledged by all modern writers. The panegyric of Selden has been repeated from every part of Europe: "Jacobus Usserius, Archiepiscopus Armachanus, vir summa pietate, judicio singulari, usque ad miraculum doctus et literis severioribus promovendis natus." Bishop Walton placed him1 at the head of his literary benefactors, and consulted him on every difficult question which occurred. The Bishop says. of him, "Consilium suum quando ipsum convenirem libenter impertivit, quo in multis me adjutum profiteor; haud inique tamen tulit, quo erat animi candore, si in quibusdam dissensum libere profiterer." It appears, however, from the critical treatises in the last volume of the Polyglot, and from the vindication of the whole work, that the editor most frequently bowed to the learning and judgment of the Pri 9 Prolegomen. ad Marmor. Arundel. Inscriptiones. The name of the Archbishop is signed to the recommendation of the work in the prospectus first put forth. "Whereas there hath been presented unto us a draught of an edition of the Bible, in the original and other learned languages, with a proof of printed paper, wherein the same are, in several columns, represented to the reader's view at once, and that (as is suggested) according to better copies and editions than those of the Complut. Antwerp and Paris Bibles, besides sundry needful additions which are wanting in them, whereby the edition will become more perfect, and fitter for use than those formerly mentioned, and yet the price very much lessened, We whose names are here subscribed, having viewed and well considered the said design, and being desired to give our judgments and opinions thereof, do conceive, that both in regard of the said editions and copies, which are more exact and perfect than those followed in other Bibles; and of the various readings and additions mentioned in the said draught, as also of the method and order wherein the said languages are digested; this work will become more complete and perfect, and also more useful than any that hath been hitherto published in that kind; and that the printing thereof will conduce much to the glory of God and the public honour of our nation. And therefore we do heartily desire that it may receive all due encouragement from all whom it may concern. "JA. ARMACHANUS. "J. SELDEN." mate, who contributed the various readings of sixteen manuscripts, which he had collated. Nor was the assistance he gave to literary men confined to the eastern languages. He appears to have been most anxious about the study of northern antiquities, which lay buried in the Gothic and Saxon languages. The learned Abraham Whelock, Professor of Arabic and Saxon in the University of Cambridge, in the preface to the Saxon translation of Bede's History, acknowledges the encouragement he received from the Primate in carrying on his Saxon lectures at the University and in his notes upon the Persian Gospels expresses his obligations for the information he obtained from the same eminent scholar, as to the Doxology of the Lord's Prayer found in an ancient Gothic version of the Gospels. Francis Junius, in publishing an ancient Saxon poem, supposed to be written by Cadmon, a monk, states that he was supplied with the manuscript by the Archbishop of Armagh; and he also published a very learned letters from the Primate to himself, relating to the Gothic translation of the four Gospels, which he transcribed from the Codex Argenteus. The Primate's ideas of what could be effected by human industry have been embodied in the answer to a request, that he would give directions in writing for the advancement of solid and useful learning, both sacred and profane. The Primate thought the object would be best attained, 1. By learned notes and illustrations of the Bible. 2. By considering and inquiring into the ancient councils. and works of the Fathers. 3. By the orderly writing and digesting of ecclesiastical history. 4. By gathering together whatsoever may concern the state of the Jews from the destruction of Jerusalem to the present age. 5. By collecting of all the Greek and Roman histories, and digesting them into a body. For the purpose of carrying out this gigantic undertaking, Works, vol. 16. pag. 189. he proposed that the most learned men from the two English Universities should be presented to the prebends in the different cathedral churches, and enjoined to devote their time to the advancement of this great object. So early as the year 1626, he had addressed a letter to the University of Oxford, urging the revival of the works of the ancient Fathers of the Church; from which the following extract is preserved by Dr. Parr: "The business of reviving the ancient Fathers works in Latin (so long projected and so many years followed by Dr. James) I do greatly approve, and judge it to be (as the times now are, and the books now printed at Cologne and elsewhere) most necessary, tending to the great honor of this famous university; the benefit of them that shall be imployed therein, and the great good of the Church: And if the heads of the university would be pleased, or might be intreated to incourage and employ some of their younger divines herein (whereof I see so great store, and some I have found very painful in another kind) I shall think myself greatly honored by this University (as I confess I have been very much already) if by my means they may be the rather encouraged to the performance of this great work." The proposal, unfortunately, was not carried into effect. The The constant advice of the Primate to young students was, not to confine themselves to epitomes, but to set themselves in earnest to read the ancient authors; to begin with the Fathers and peruse their works in chronological order, and carefully to peruse along with them the Church histories of the period, by which the student would understand the rise and progress of the various heresies, and the particular doctrines and ceremonies which prevailed or were introduced in each century. He dissuaded young divines from studying the writings of the schoolmen farther than was necessary for understanding the controversies with the Church of Rome, as their works were calculated only to puzzle, and tended to advance neither religion nor learning, being well described by Prudentius: "Fidem minutis dissecant ambagibus Ut quisque lingua est nequior: The Archbishop was particularly anxious that new terms should not be introduced into theological discussions; he always suspected those who changed the terms used by the ancient writers, and quoted the maxim, "Qui nova facit verba, nova gignit dogmata." rewards of learning were swept away, and the prediction" of Bishop Hackett was fulfilled. A second time the cathedral establishments have been removed, no doubt from a better motive, but, it is to be feared, with dangerous consequences. The dangers of the Church are at this moment. what they were when Archbishop Ussher made that appeal. The Church is now as then, placed between the two enemies, Romanism and ultra-Protestantism. Archbishop Ussher was too well versed in these controversies not to perceive that learning was the only human safeguard of the Church; a profound knowledge of the Scriptures in all their bearings; a ready acquaintance with history, sacred and profane; a thorough knowledge of antiquity. The great strength of Romanism is her appeal to antiquity, and it is only by such historical knowledge as Ussher possessed, that appeal is satisfactorily refuted. The errors of ultra-Protestantism lie in the opposite direction, but the same process is to be applied to their removal; the same application of profound and diversified learning. And where is this learning now to be procured? The cry has been successful against sinecures in the Church, and under that invidious name has swept away the rewards, the support of literary exertion; and can we expect that young men of eminent talents will sacrifice their hopes of advancement and the enjoyments of life, to study in their earlier, and to want and destitution in their more advanced years? It is much to be feared that the progress of events will soon prove that the Church requires more than the service of its parochial clergy, and that she will seek in vain for the faithful son to defend the faith once delivered to the saints, who has furnished himself with that panoply of learning, which freedom from bodily toil could alone enable him to prepare. It had been the intention of Archbishop Ussher to bequeath his magnificent library, consisting of nearly ten thousand books and manuscripts, to Trinity College, Dub Bishop Hackett said: "Upon the ruins of the reward of learning no structure can be raised up but ignorance; and upon the chaos of ignorance no structure can be built but profaneness and confusion." lin, as a token of gratitude to the place where he had received his education. But the destruction of all his property, from the disastrous events of the time, obliged him to change his disposition of it, and leave it, as his only worldly possession, to his daughter, who had not received any fortune from him, and was the mother of several children. As soon as it was known that the library was to be disposed of, the King of Denmark and Cardinal Mazarin became competitors for the purchase, and a considerable sum was offered; but the Protector issued an arbitrary order to the executors that they must not sell the books without his permission. At the suggestion of some publicminded individuals, the officers and soldiers of the victorious army in Ireland, emulating the generosity of their predecessors in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, subscribed £2200 in order to present the library to the institution for which it had been originally designed; and the executors were compelled to accept that sum, though much less than what had been previously offered. With the library were given all the Archbishop's MSS. which were not in his own handwriting, and a small but valuable collection of coins. When the books arrived in Ireland the Protector and his son refused to permit their being placed in Trinity College, but kept them in the Castle of Dublin, under the pretence of reserving them for the library of a new College or Hall, which they intended to erect in Dublin. During the confusion which followed the Protector's death, the precious collection was exposed to various depredations, and many books and most of the valuable manuscripts were stolen. On the accession of Charles II. the library became his property, and was presented by him to Trinity College, Dublin, where it remains, a valuable but small part of its We can scarcely conceive a more unjustifiable act of tyranny than this; it was an act of direct robbery: yet Dr. Aikin endeavours to palliate it. He says that the Protector stopped the sale, "conceiving that it would be a disgrace to his administration to permit such a literary treasure to be sent out of the kingdom." The excuse is utterly valueless. The act is only one of the many proofs which can be produced, that the liberty of the subject was not secured by the deposition of Charles I. |