58 D'lffertatJon on the Life and Writings of

Here, then, we have two kings of England, Alfred and Henry, who are faid to have a claim to the Englifh verfion of the fables which were afterwards tranflated into French by Mary. Now it could not poflibly be a joint work by them, as feveral ages inter- vened between their refpeclive reigns, whatever king of the name of Henry be felecled. But, if one only of them be the author, to which are we to give the literary palm ? To judge of this matter with propriety let us examine the claims of both competitors. I mall begin with doing homage to the merit of king Alfred ; he exerted all the zeal that was poffible to cultivate the belles lettres in his dominions ; he fpoke Latin with great facility ; he underftood the Greek language tolerably well ; in ftiort, he was truly a man of learning [0]. But whence is it that his hiftorian Affer, as well as William of Malmfbury, have mentioned the different tranf- Jations of this prince without having noticed that of ^Efop [p] ? Whence is it that Spelman, who has given a very ample hiilory of this monarch, and who, in its compofition, feems to have collected together every incident of his life, both literary and political, that antiquity has left behind, fhould have been llkewife filent as to this tranflation, when he has explicitly mentioned the paftoral of St, Gregory, the verfion of Boetius, &c. How has it happened that two hiilorians, who enter upon details, frequently of little import- ance to the memory of Alfred, fhould have omitted a circumftance that would have given undeniable proof of his fkill in the Greek language ? In mort, does not this total illence warrant us in at leaft doubting the facl: ? For my own part I confefs that I really do queilion his having been the author of the Englifh tranflation that is afcribed to him, and I mall crave leave to offer the follow- ing reafons for my opinion. [0] Henry's Hift. of England, Vol. II. p. 348, &c. [p] Afleri Vita Alfred.. Malrnfb. Hift. Lib. II. c. 4. 6 i. The