A history of criticism and literary taste in Europe, from the earliest texts to the present day. Volume 1 (of 3), Classical and mediæval criticism

Note 540 — Chapter I · BEFORE DANTE.

Reading edition

Physiologus is of course the famous piece of Thetbaldus, the original—mediate or immediate—of all the vernacular Bestiaries. “Paraclitus” Leyser prints in capitals, like the other titles of books or authors:—

“Hortatur propria per scripta Paraclitus omnes

Peccantes. Veniam gratia donat iis.”

I should myself have taken this for a reference to the Holy Spirit as speaking through the moralities of the Physiologus. The false quantity is, of course, no objection to this: the 3rd syllable is short at pleasure from Prudentius onwards. For poems of Matthias Vindocinensis see Reliquiæ Antiquæ, ii. 257 sq. There is some merit in them.

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