Conybeare's "Illustrations," and by Mr. Thorpe in
his "Analecta Anglo-Saxonica," which appears to be by the same hand, or
at any rate of the same school and age. Indeed some of the lines and
thoughts are identical with passages of the following poem. Mr. Thorpe
has justly called "The Grave" a singularly impressive and almost
appalling fragment; expressions equally characteristic of that with
which the reader is here presented._

_This impressive character, coupled with the interest which the fragment
possesses, as a specimen of the moral poetry of our ancestors, and as
throwing light upon the transition of our language from Saxon to
English, has been the motive for producing it in a more legible form
than that in which it first appeared._

_In one of the smaller poems (No. V.), printed by Mr. Wright with the
Owl and the Nightingale, from the Cottonian MS. Calig. A. ix. "The sorie
sowle maketh hire mone," in language not dissimilar to that used in the
following fragment; and the dreary imagery of the house appointed for
all living, and the punishment which awaits a wicked life at its close,
are painted in an equally fearful manner._

_Mr. Thorpe points to an Anglo-Saxon prose Homily as the original of the
poem on the same theme in the Exeter MS., which is repeated, with some
variation, in the Vercelli Codex. In a rude and simple age this dramatic
way of awakening the sinner to a sense of his perilous state, was
perhaps the most effective that could have been chosen, and it was
naturally a favorite with the moral and religious teachers for some
centuries. M. Karajan, in a very pleasing little publication
(Fruelingsgabe fuer freunde Alterer Literatur, Wien 1839) has printed the
"Visio Philiberti," a Latin poem in dialogue on this subject, with two
old German versions; and the notes contain some interesting information
relating to similar compositions; but Mr. Wright's volume, before
referred to, contains ample illustrations of the legend in all
languages._

_The fragment here given, it will be seen, is very defective. An attempt
has been made to supply words which were wanting, from the mutilation of
the MS. leaves; but what is engrafted on the original is scrupulously
distinguished by the Italic character. A version has also been added,
the imperfections of which those who are acquainted with the
difficulties of such renderings will best know how to excuse._

_The language of this poem seems to have a striking resemb