ALFRED.

101

country from utter ruin and subversion. Ethel-\volf, his father, the year after his return with c 11 A p 'Alfred from Rome, had again sent the young n ‘prince thither with a numerous retinue; and areport being spread of the king’s death, thepope, Leo III. gave Alfred the royal unction :whether prognosticating his future greatness fromthe appearances of his pregnant genius , or wil-ling to pretend, even in that age, to the rightof conferring kingdoms. Alfred, on his returnhome , became every day more the object of hisfather’s affections; but being indulged in allyouthful pleasures, he was much neglected inhis education ; and he had already reached histwelfth year, when he was yet totally ignorantof the lowest elements of literature. His geniuswas first roused by the recital of Saxon poems,in which the queen took delight; and this speciesof erudition , which is sometimes able to makea considerable progress even among barbarians ,expanded those noble and elevated sentiments,which he had received from nature Encourag-ed by the queen, and stimulated by his ownardent inclination , he soon learned to read thosecompositions; and proceeded thence to acquirethe knowledge of the Latin tongue , in whichhe met with authors, that better prompted hisheroic spirit , and directed his generous views.Absorbed in these elegant pursuits, he regarded

15 Aster. p. 2. W. Malm. lib. 2. cap. 2. Ingulf, p. 869.

Simeon Dunelm. p. 120. 139.

" Aster. p. 5. M. West. p. 167,

H 3