ALDHELM, or Adelm, St, Bishop of Sherborne in the time of the Saxon heptarchy, was born about the middle of the 7th century. He is said to have been the son of Kenred, brother to Ina, king of the West Saxons; but, in the opinion of William of Malmesbury, his father was no more than a distant relation to the king. Having received the first part of his education in the school of Meildulf, a. learned Irish monk, he travelled in France and Italy for his improvement. On his return home he studied some time under Adrian, abbot of St Augustin’s in Canterbury, the most learned professor of the sciences who had ever been in England. The fame of his learning soon spread, not only in England, but in foreign countries. Learned men sent him their writings for his criticism; among others, a son of the king of Scotland is said to have sent his compositions to Aldhelm, “entreating him to give them the last polish by rubbing off their Scotch rust.” He was the first Englishman who wrote in the Latin language, both in prose and verse; and he composed a book for the instruction of his countrymen on the prosody of that language. Bede says that Aldhelm “was a man of universal erudition, having an elegant style, and being wonderfully well acquainted with books both on philosophical and religious subjects.” His Latin was in later times considered somewhat barbarous and corrupt From one of his letters· to Hedda, bishop of Winchester, concerning the nature of his studies whilst at Canterbury, he appears to have been indefatigable in his endeavours to acquire every species of learning in his power. For a copy of this curious epistle see Henry’s History, vol. ii. p. 320. King Alfred declared that Aldhelm was the best of all the Saxon poets; and a favourite song, which was universally ...