The Project Gutenberg EBook of Our Catholic Heritage in English Literature
of Pre-Conquest Days, by Emily Hickey

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Title: Our Catholic Heritage in English Literature of Pre-Conquest Days

Author: Emily Hickey

Release Date: October 1, 2005 [EBook #16785]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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OUR CATHOLIC HERITAGE IN ENGLISH LITERATURE OF PRE-CONQUEST DAYS

Transcriber's Note: The author's inconsistent chapter descriptions
and spelling of proper names have been preserved.

[Illustration: DEATH OF ST BEDE. (From the Original Picture at St
Cuthbert's College, Ushaw.) [_Frontispiece_]

OUR
CATHOLIC HERITAGE
IN
ENGLISH LITERATURE

BY
EMILY HICKEY

WITH FRONTISPIECE IN COLOUR
AND FOUR FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS.

London
SANDS & CO.
15 KING STREET, COVENT GARDEN
AND EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW

1910

To

THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF WESTMINSTER

THIS LITTLE BOOK IS INSCRIBED
BY HIS GRACE'S KIND AND
VALUED PERMISSION.

_June, 1910._

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

The beginnings of Literature in England. Two poets of the best period of
our old poetry, Caedmon and Cynewulf. The language they wrote in.
The monastery at Whitby. The story of Caedmon's gift of song.
page 15

CHAPTER II

Caedmon and his influence. Poem, "Genesis." "The Fall of the Angels."
"Exodus." English a war-loving race. Destruction of the Egyptians.
Fate and the Lord of Fate. 24

CHAPTER III

Allegory. Principle of comparison important in life, language,
literature. Early use of symbolism; suggested reasons for this. Poem
of the Phoenix. Allegorical interpretation of the story. Celtic
influence on English poetry. Gifts of colour, fervour, glow. Various
gifts of various nations enriching one another. 31

CHAPTER IV

Prose-writing. St Bede the Venerable. His love of truth. His industry
and carefulness. Cuthbert's account of his