387 shrink from plainly rebuking the gross sins and neglect of the priesthood, and, for the sake of justice and mercy, braved even an interdict, argues a high moral courage and strength of purpose, a breadth of vision and a grasp of truth far in advance of her time. Besides her letters, the principal works attributed to her are SciviaS containing visions and revelations; Divinorum Operum, also containing visions; and Vitae Meritorum. It is these three that she is said to have laid before the doctors of Paris, and which they declared to be inspired by God. Among her minor works are two books on medicine, to which science she devoted great attention, whence, probably, some of the miracles of healing attributed to her. Her medical writings are characterized by Virchow as a Materia Medica, curiously complete for the age to which it belongs. Preger, Deutsche Mystik im Mittelalter says that not half of her reputed works are genuine, and that they were written after her death by the writer of her Life. Among the proofs of this, he says that twenty-two letters written to her by different abbesses are all alike — full of admiration for Hildegard. They commend themselves to her prayers, ask her whether they shall retain their offices, wish to see her, to obtain a word of advice or encouragement from her, etc. They are all in pretty good Latin, all in the same style, and using the same forms of expression. It is hardly likely that all these ladies were such good Latin scholars, or that if they were clever enough to be so, they should have so little individuality that the letters of them all should be so much alike. Moreover, they are suspiciously like Hildegard's answers and the book Scivias which, as well as most of her books, are in much better Latin than the few letters of undoubted authenticity, one of which — a letter to St. Bernard, congratulating him on the zeal with which he preached the crusade, and saying that she had seen him two years before, " as it were, a man in the sun " — is in very rude Latin. This difference in language supports the theory that she told her visions and convictions, and perhaps dictated her letters, to her confessor, who put them into better Latin than she could write. Numerous miracles were attributed to St. Hildegard, both before and after her death ; these consisted chiefly in casting out evil spirits and curing every sort of disease. After a time, the concourse of pilgrims to the convent became so great that the Arch- bishop of Mainz forbade the saint to work any more miracles, as it disturbed the regularity of the monastic discipline. Whereupon she appeared to him, to show that even in death she was obedient, and the miracles ceased. In 1233, the abbess and nuns of the Rupertsberg sent a petition to Pope Gregory IX., to Rome, for the canonization of Hildegard, and inquiries wore made as to her holy life, etc.; but, from what cause is not known, neither under Gregory IX., nor under his successor in the 13th century, was it brought about. It was again attempted in the 14th century, under John XXII.; but although the commissioners declared Hildegard worthy of canonization, the miracles having ceased, John XXIL, though not unwilling to canonize her, did not feel justified in so doing, and Hildegard was never formally canonized. Her name is, however, in the Eoman and several other Martyrologies. In the time of the Thirty Years' War, the convent was burnt down by the Swedes (1632), and the relics of St. Rupert and St. Hildegard were transferred to Eibingen, on the opposite bank of the Rhine, where the coffin containing her relics may yet be seen. Clarus, Hildegarde Die heilige. Preger, Deutsche Mystik. Eckenstein, Woman under Monasticism. Eales, Letters of St. Bernard, English edition. St. Hildegund (l), Feb. 6. Countess, daughter of Hermann of Lidtberg. Founder and first abbess of Meer or Mare. Her mother, Hedwig, as a widow, became a Praemonstratensian nun at Dunwald. Hildegund married Lothaire, count of Hochstadt and Ar, or Aldenar. They had two sons and a daughter. On the death of her husband and one of her sons, she made a pilgrimage to Rome. On her return, she took the veil with her daughter, B. Hedwig, about 1165, founded the Convent of Meer or Mehre,
