Boniface and taught the metric art. Boniface's letters
throw interesting light on our subject. Eadburh sent him
books, money, and other gifts. He also wrote home asking
his old friend Bishop Daniel of Winchester for a fine
manuscript of the six major prophets, which had been written
in a large and clear hand by Winbert: no such book, he
explains, can be had abroad, and his eyes are no longer
strong enough to read with ease the small character of
ordinary manuscripts. In another letter written to
Ecgberht of York is recorded an exchange of books, and
a request for a copy of the commentaries of Bede.

A decree of the Council held at Cloveshoe in 747,
pointing out the want of instruction among the religious,
and ordering all bishops, abbots, and abbesses to promote
and encourage learning, whether it means that monkish
education was on the wane or that it was not making such
quick progress as was desired, at any rate does not mean
that England was in a bad way in this respect, or that she
lagged behind the Continent. On the contrary, England
and Ireland were renowned homes of learning in
Western Europe. Perhaps a few centres on the mainland
could show libraries as good as those here; but certainly
no country had such scholars. England's pre-eminence was
recognized by Charles the Great when he invited Alcuin
to his court (781).

Alcuin was brought up at York from childhood. In
company with Albert, who taught the arts and grammar
at this northern school, Alcuin visited Gaul and Rome to