ve directed many emendations
to be made in the legends of the Breviary, although many others still
remain to be effected" (Dom Baumer, _Histoire Du Breviare Roman_). Cf.
Dom Cabrol, _Le Reforme du Breviare_, pp. 61-63.

_Responsories._ (Title XXVII.). In the new Breviary the responsories to
the lessons have been restored to their place of honour. They are of
ancient origin, but "how they came to have a place in the Divine Office,
who was responsible for their composition, what was the process of
development until they reached their present form, are questions upon
which liturgical writers are not quite agreed" (Rev. M. Eaton, _Irish
Eccles. Record_, January, 1915). Amalare of Metz found them fully formed
and placed. The rule of St. Benedict, written about 530 A.D., mentions
them as a recognised part of Matins. In solemn vigils, in the early
Church, the congregation took part in the psalm singing, and hence we
find _psalmi responsorii_ mentioned, and we still have a typical
instance in the Invitatory Psalm of our Office. Probably, some similar
practice existed in the readings from Sacred Scripture. "At those
primitive vigils, then, after the reading of the Sacred Scripture, the
responsory was given by the precentor and the assembled faithful took up
the words and chanted them forth in the same simple melody. Next, a
verse was sung frequently echoing the same sentiment, and the choir
again, as in the _psalmi responsorii_, repeated the refrain or the
responsorii proper. Frequently other verses were added according to the
dignity of the festivals, and after each the faithful struck in with the
original refrain.... At first those responsories would probably have
been extempore ... left to the genius or to the inspiration of the
individual chanter, but gradually, by a survival of the fittest, the
most beautiful ones became stereotyped and spread throughout several
churches.... Later they were carefully collected, arranged and codified
by St. Gregory or one of his predecessors and passed into all the books
of liturgy" (Rev. M. Eaton, _loc. cit._). Monsignor Battifol (_History
of the Roman Breviary_, Eng, trans., p. 78) says that these parts of the
liturgy, in beauty and eloquence rival the chorus dialogues of Greek
drama, and quotes as an example the _Aspiciens a longe_ from the first
Sunday of Advent.

_Rubrics._ The responsories, as a rule, are said after each lesson of
Matins. When the _Te Deum_ is said after the ninth les