set in plain words; besides this--here I must give the Professor's own
beautiful words--"Christian thought had in its own nature something
which invited allegory, partly by its own hidden sympathies with nature,
and partly by its very immensity, for which all direct speech was felt
to be inadequate." One more reason he suggests, and that is "the
all-pervading and unspeakable sweetness of Christ's teaching by
parables."

The Romans used the representation of the phoenix on coins to signify
the desire for fresh life and vigour, and Christian writers used the
phoenix as an emblem of the Resurrection.

Many scholars think that it was Cynewulf who wrote the Anglo-Saxon poem
of "The Phoenix." We are, however, uncertain as to its authorship and
as to its date. Whoever wrote it probably took some hints as to the
allegorical interpretation of the story from both St Ambrose and St
Bede. And this poet, too, gives us much more brightness and colour than
we find in Caedmonic poetry. I use the word "Caedmonic" to cover the
poetry which used to be attributed to Caedmon, and which was probably
written under his influence. That he did write much I have shown in
Chapter I.

I cannot give the poem at full length, but in parts quote from it, and
in part give the gist of it. It begins with a description of the Happy
Land which is the home of the Phoenix. Far away in the East it lies,
that noblest of lands, renowned among men. Not to many of the
earth-owners is it given to have access to that country. God's power
sets it far from the workers of evil. Beautiful is that plain, with joys
endowed and with the sweetest smells of earth. Peerless is the island,
set there by its noble Maker. Oft is the door of Heaven opened for the