PART 1. _Introductory_. Breviary--Divine office, its
origin--performed by the early Christians--ancient and modern
editions of the breviary. PART 2. _Descriptive_. Office of
Tenebræ--Matins and Lauds--extinction of the lights--meaning
of this ceremony--chant, lamentations--conclusions of the
office--_Miserere_, its music--Card. Penitentiary at S. Mary
Major's. _Trinità dei Pellegrini_.

"_I will bless the Lord at all times_: _his praise shall
always be in my mouth_". Ps. XXXIII, 2.

"_He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the
death of the cross_". Phil. II, 8.

[Sidenote: P. I. Breviary.]

We shall not hesitate to borrow the following account of the church
office contained in the Roman Breviary from a Protestant divine
(Tracts of the Times no. 75). "The word _Breviarum_ first occurs
in the work of an author of the eleventh century (Micrologus) and
it is used to denote a compendium or systematic arrangement of the
devotional offices of the church. Till that time they were contained
in several independent volumes, according to the nature of each. Such,
for instance, were the _Psalteria_, _Homilaria_, _Hymnaria_, and the
like, to be used in the service in due course. But at his memorable
era, and under the auspices of the Pontiff who makes it memorable,
Gregory VII, an Order was drawn up, for the use of the Roman church,
containing in one all these different collections, introducing the
separate members of each in its proper place, and harmonising them