ABSTRACT
Towards the end of the tenth century were written nineteen homilies, known as the Blickling Homilies, because till lately they were in the library of Blickling Hall in Norfolk. These sermons are not all complete but there is sufficient left to show a stage of prose between those of Aelfred and Aelfric. They are nearer in date to Aelfric than to Aelfred and they are nearer to him in style. A greater contrast could hardly be found than that between the lives of Aelfred and Aelfric, or, indeed, between the two men themselves. While Aelfred translated the works of others and only interpolated passages of practical explanation or personal knowledge, Aelfric's writings, while also largely translations, show a deep and independent learning, used with discretion. The Wulfstan for whom Aelfric wrote his "Sermo ad Sacerdotes," was also a great preacher, though his sermons were very different in character from those of Aelfric.
