"DIES IRÆ, DIES ILLA."

The *Dies Iræ* is truly said by Mr. SPARROW SIMPSON (Vol. ii., p. 72.) to be an extremely beautiful hymn. Who was its author is very doubtful, but the probabilities are in favour of Thomas de Celano, a Minorite friar, who lived during the second half of the fourteenth century. It consists of nineteen strophes, each having three lines. Bartholomew of Pisa, A.D. 1401, in his *Liber Conformitatum*, speaks of it; but the earliest printed book in which I have ever seen this hymn, is the *Missale Romanum*, printed at Pavia, A.D. 1491, in 8vo., a copy of which I have in my possession.