St. Boniface may be counted among the collectors, though he could carry
but a modest supply of books through the German forests and the marshes
of Friesland. As a missionary he found it useful to display a
finely-painted volume. Writing to the Abbess Eadburga for a Missal, he
asked that the parchment might be gay with colours,--'even as a
glittering lamp and an illumination for the hearts of the Gentiles.' 'I
entreat you,' he writes again, 'to send me _St. Peters Epistle_ in
letters of gold.' He begged all his friends to send him books as a
refreshment in the wilderness. Bishop Daniel is asked for the
_Prophecies_ 'written very large.' Bishop Lulla is to send a cosmography
and a volume of poems. He applies to one Archbishop for the works of
Bede, 'who is the lamp of the Church,' and to the other for the Pope's
_Answers to Augustine_, which cannot be found in the Roman bookshops.
Boniface was Primate of Germany; but he resigned his high office to work
among the rude tribes of Friesland. We learn that he carried some of his
choicest books with him on his last ill-fated expedition, when the meadow
and the river-banks were strewn with the glittering service-books after
the murder of the Saint and his companions.

Egbert of York set up a large library in the Minster. Alcuin took charge
of it after his friend's death, and composed a versified catalogue, of
such merit as the nature of the task allowed. 'Here you may trace the
footsteps of the Fathers; here you meet the clear-souled Aristotle and
Tully of the mighty tongue; here Basil and Fulgentius shine, and
Cassiodorus and John of the Golden Mouth.' As Alcuin was returning from
book-buying at Rome he met Charles the Great at Parma. The Emperor
persuaded the traveller to enter his service, and they succeeded by their
joint efforts in producing a wonderful revival of literature. The Emperor
had a fine private collection of MSS. adorned in the Anglo-Frankish
style; and he established a public library, containing the works of the
Fathers, 'so that the poorest student might find a place at the banquet
of learning.' Alcuin presented to the Emperor's own collection a revised
copy of the Vulgate illuminated under his personal supervision.

Towards the end of Alcuin's career he retired to the Abbey of St. Martin
at Tours, and there founded his 'Museum,' which was in fact a large
establishment for the editing and transcription of books. Here he wrote
those delightful letters from whi