theories formed, identifying him with one or other of the men about whom
we know something; but for the present, at all events, we must be
content to think that he probably lived in the eighth century, and that
he probably was a North-countryman. All his writings have come to us in
the dialect of Wessex, except some parts of a poem known as the "Dream
of the Holy Rood." These are carved on an old cross, which I will speak
of by-and-by, and they are in the Northumbrian dialect; but the
manuscript of the entire poem is in West Saxon.

Scholars are working upon old materials and discoveries are being made
and theories formed which are at variance with what used to be set down
as certainty. The main thing is that we have these poems, and that we
want to know about them and learn to prize them. If we want to know them
thoroughly and prize them as they deserve, we must take the trouble to
learn the language they are written in. But many of us have not time for
this, and so must be content, for the present, at least, with making
their acquaintance through translations.

Perhaps Cynewulf was a poet who lived as one of the household of some
great lord, and wrote more at his ease than if he had been merely an
itinerant singer, a "gleeman," who sang his songs as he went about. He
appears, at any rate, to have been an educated man, and I think no one
can read his poetry without feeling that he was a man of deep and
fervent piety.

There are four poems signed by Cynewulf, and these are named "Christ,"
"Juliana," "The Fates of the Apostles," and "Elene." Certain "Riddles"
have also been attributed to him.

The poems I am going to bring before you now are the "Elene" and a poem