It is of the greatest value to the student of Alfred， because there are many indisputably genuine sayings and opinions of that wise man.There are wise thoughts upon kingly duty and many definitely Christian maxims.
These were outside the theme of Boethius， though wise themselves and deeply interesting as Alfred's own work.Furthermore， the more abstruse parts are wholly omitted， probably as being of little use for King Alfred's subjects.
In later times that most versatile scholar， Queen Elizabeth translated it.Chaucer， Sir Thomas More， and Leslie， Bishop of Ross， the adviser of Mary， Queen of Scots， wrote imitations of it.Robert of Lincoln (Grosset坱e) commented upon it.In the sixteenth century appeared Colville's very fine translation.Translations in verse appeared in the seventeenth century by Harry Coningsby and Lord Preston； others followed in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.Its influence is to be found perhaps even in the oldest English poetry of pre-Conquest times； it is certainly very marked in Chaucer， Gower， Spenser， and many another later poet.And in Italy， Dante makes St.Thomas Aquinas point out the spirit of Boethius in Paradise with these words.
'Now if thy mental eye conducted be From light to light as I resound their fame， The eighth well worth attention thou wilt see.
Within it dwells， all excellence beholding， The soul who pointed out the world's dark ways， To all who listen， its deceits unfolding.
Beneath in Cieldauro lies the frame Whence it was driven； from woe and exile to This fair abode of peace and bliss it came.'