ws and
didactic literature, were his field; and though it would seem that his
actual period of composition did not much exceed ten years, yet he
accomplished a vast deal for any man, especially any busy sovereign
and soldier.

An ancient writer, Ethelwerd, says that he translated many books from
Latin into Saxon, and William of Malmesbury goes so far as to say that
he translated into Anglo-Saxon almost all the literature of Rome.
Undoubtedly the general condition of education was deplorable, and
Alfred felt this deeply. "Formerly," he writes, "men came hither from
foreign lands to seek instruction, and now when we desire it, we can
only obtain it from abroad." Like Charlemagne he drew to his court
famous scholars, and set many of them to work writing chronicles and
translating important Latin books into Anglo-Saxon. Among these was the
'Pastoral Care of Pope Gregory,' to which he wrote the Preface; but with
his own hand he translated the 'Consolations of Philosophy,' by
Boethius, two manuscripts of which still exist. In this he frequently
stops to introduce observations and comments of his own. Of greater
value was his translation of the 'History of the World,' by Orosius,
which he abridged, and to which he added new chapters giving the record
of coasting voyages in the north of Europe. This is preserved in the
Cotton MSS. in the British Museum. His fourth translation was the
'Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation,' by Bede. To this last
may be added the 'Blossom Gatherings from St. Augustine,' and many minor
compositions in prose and verse, translations from the Latin fables and
poems, and his own note-book, in which he jots, with what may be termed
a journalistic instinct, scenes that he had witnessed, such as Aldhelm
standing on the bridge instructing the people on Sunday afternoons; bits
of philosophy; and such reflections as the following, which remind one
of Marcus Aurelius:--"Desirest thou power? But thou shalt never obtain
it without sorrows--sorrows from strange folk, and yet keener sorrows
from thine own kindred." and "Hardship and sorrow! Not a king but would
wish to be without these if he could. But I know that he cannot."
Alfred's value to literature is this: he placed by the side of
Anglo-Saxon poetry,--consisting of two great poems, Caedmon's great song
of the 'Creation' and Cynewulf's 'Nativity and Life of Christ,' and the
unwritten ballads passed from lip to lip,--four immense translations
from