_severity_, of beauty, of which her form was susceptible."

S.W. SINGER.

Mickleham, July 2. 1850.

* * * * *

"DIES IRÆ, DIES ILLA."

In reply to the first of Mr. SIMPSON's Queries (Vol. ii., p. 72.)
relative to the magnificent sequence _Dies iræ_, I beg to say that the
author of it is utterly unknown. The following references may be
sufficient:--Card. Bona, _Rer. Liturgic._ lib. ii. cap. vi. p. 336.,
Romæ, 1671; or, if possible, Sala's edition, tom. iii. p 143., Aug.
Turin. 1753; Gavantus, tom. i. pp. 274-5., Lugd. 1664; and the
_Additions_ by Merati, i. 117-18., Aug. Vindel, 1740; Zaccaria,
_Biblioth. Ritual._ tom. i. p. 34., Romæ, 1776; Oldoini Addit. ad
Ciaconii _Vit. Pontiff. et Cardd._, tom. ii. col. 222., Romæ, 1677.

Mr. SIMPSON's second question is, "In what book was it first printed?"
Joannes de Palentia, in his notes upon the _Ordinarium PP. Præd._,
asserts that this celebrated prose was first introduced into the Venice
editions of the Missals printed for the Dominicans. The oldest _Missale
Prædicatorum_ which I possess, or have an opportunity of seeing, is a
copy of the Parisian impression of the year 1519; and herein the _Dies
iræ_ is inserted in the _Commemoratio Defunctorum_; mens. Novemb. sig.
M. 5.

An inquiry remains as to the date of the general adoption of this