down to the time of the restoration of the old church of St. Saviour
(Canterbury Cathedral), and the institution of the monastery of SS.
Peter and Paul (St. Augustine's). The last chapter is of the decisive
battle of Degsastan, which determined the superiority of the Angles over
the Scotti. The second book begins with the death of Gregory and goes
down to the death of Æduini, King of Northumbria, A.D. 633. In
this book occurs a remarkable speech made by one of Æduini's nobles, in
the debate about a change of religion:--

"The present life of man in the world, O king, is, by comparison with
that time which is unknown, like as when you are sitting at table with
your aldermen and thanes in the winter season, the fire blazing in the
midst, and the hall cheerfully warm, while the whirlwinds rage
everywhere outside and drive the rain or the snow; one of the sparrows
comes in and flies swiftly through the house, entering at one door and
out at the other. So long as it is inside, it is sheltered from the
storm, but when the brief momentary calm is past, the bird is in the
cold as before, and is no more seen. So this human life is visible for a
time: but of what follows or what went before we are utterly ignorant.
Wherefore, if this new doctrine should offer anything surer, it seems
worthy to be followed." (ii., 13.)

The third book goes down to the appointment of Theodore to be Archbishop
of Canterbury, A.D. 665.

This book contains the decision for Roman unity, and the defeat and
departure of Colman and his Scotian clergy. Bede was a hearty adherent
of the Roman obedience, and his affectionate tribute to the work of the
Irish is all the more remarkable. He pauses upon the record of their
departure as upon the close of a good time that had been, and to which