338 Claudian-Merobaudes—sidonius λpollinaris.
There now arose Claudian, a Greek of Alexandria, who in fact at
first wrote in Greek. There are few examples of persons writing
in a foreign language as correctly as he did; perhaps Goldoni1
is the only author who can in this respect be compared to him.
M. Aurelius also wrote very good Greek. Claudian1S language
leaves nothing to be desired ; we see that his acquisition of the
Latin language had been a task of love. He is a truly poetic
genius, though after the fashion of the later Greek poets. He
possesses an extraordinary command of mythological lore; his
language has a beautiful flow and great elegance. Sometimes
his style is luxuriant ; but we read his poems with almost the
same pleasure as we derive from those of Ovid. J. M. Gesner
was extremely fond of him. After Claudian, there arose a
peculiar school of poetry; for his influence was very great.
Merobaudes, whose fragments I had the happiness to discover
at St. Gallen, was one of his followers. Although he was a
native of the western empire, yet his language contains much
that deserves censure; he, however, was not a mere word-
monger, but used language to express his feelings; he is quite
an enthusiastic admirer of Aetius. The same Merobaudes is,
no doubt, the author of a very excellent and profound poem
which is printed in Fabricius’ “ Poetae Christiani.2 Another
poem on the miracles of Christ, which is printed among those
of Claudian, seems likewise to belong to him; for Claudian was
a pagan, but Merobaudes a Christian. At the close of the
century, we meet with Sidonius Apollinaris, whom Gesner
justly calls a great mind. His Latinity is Gallic, containing
traces of the romance language; and we see that the spoken
language was widely different from that of literature : but it is
evident that he was a man of very varied acquirements. There
were at that time historians also, for the age was a stirring one
and rich in materials, but most of their works have perished:
a fragment of Eenatus Profuturus3, which is still extant gives
us a very favorable notion of his ability. But the Christian
writers who have not yet received the attention and study
which they deserve, form quite a new literature. Of Lactan-
tius, I have already spoken; he is very important: others,
such as St. Ambrose, are less so as authors. St Jerome and
’ Is not perhaps Galiani meant here?
a P. 765. Comp. Niebuhr’s pref, to Merobaudes, p.10.
9 In Gregorins Turonensis, ɪi. 8, he is called Renatus Profuturns Frigeridus.
THE CHRISTIAN CLASSICS.
339
St. Angustine are two great men, or rather giants: what I
know of them justifies me in giving them high praise. The
literary and critical writings of St. Jerome are dry and barren;
but in his other works he displays animation, elasticity of
mind, learning to an immense extent, and wit which continues
till his old age, and constitutes the predominant feature of
his character. Had he not been an ecclesiastical writer,
he might have shone by his wit in the same manner as
Pascal did. St. Augustine possessed a truly philosophic
mind; he is as much guided by a desire to form an un-
biassed conviction as any other of the great philosophers:
in addition to this, his language is very noble; he is not witty
like St. Jerome, but he is eloquent, and in many passages
excites our admiration. The last half of the fourth, and the
whole of the fifth century, is the classical age of Christian
literature. Sulpicius Severus’ecclesiastical history, is a masterly
production. 1 may here also mention the poems of Caelius
Sedulius and Claudius Mamcrtus. The great activity of the
Gallic mind belongs to that century; for with all its distress,
Gaul then had an excellent intellectual period. The writings
of Salvianus, presbyter, or bishop of Marseilles, are very re-
markable. He wrote on the government of God, and against
avarice. The language is Gallican : his rhetorical tendency may
be censured, but his works are extremely interesting on account
of their political tendency, which is quite different from that
which we find in Orosius. He describes all the misfortunes of the
times; but, instead of indulging in canting exhortations, he
fastens upon those who had neglected their duties in times of pro-
sperity, and especially upon the wealthy; this political indigna-
tion against the rulers of the earth is quite singular. He has
altogether a republican tendency, which is an interesting
psychological and historical phenomenon. We see whither the
eyes of the church were at that time directed: it had many
republican elements of which Salvianus had a very clear per-
ception. His real object is equality of property under the
administration of elders. In point of time, Prudentius is the
first of the Christian poets; but his productions are not above
mediocrity. The greatest Christian poet is Pope Hilarius, to
whom we must undoubtedly ascribe a poem which was for-
merly assigned to St. Hilaritts, who cannot, however, have been
its author, as it is clear from the dedication that it was Com-
z 2