wards truth. In the whole of Plato, there is not perhaps a more enchanting passage than that in the Phædo, where this disciple relates to his friend part of the discourse which Socrates held on that memorable day. The objection to the doctrine of the soul's immortality, which goes on the supposition of its being but a harmony resulting from the nice conformation of parts, had been advanced by Simmias, and had left a strong impression of melancholy upon the minds of the hearers, who feared it might prove unanswerable. But in this trying moment, Socrates himself was seen supported and comforted by that internal conviction of immortality, which doubtless furnishes the best argument in its favour, satisfying the heart of man more fully than any argument, or rather creating a certainty which dispenses with any reasoning. "That he was able to answer these objections," says Phædo, "was perhaps nothing marvellous; but this indeed did excite my astonishment ; first, with what sweetness and benignity he listened to the young man; then how sagaciously he discerned the precise impression which his objections had left upon us; and then, finally, how he administered a cure, and recovered us who were put to flight and subdued." "How was

it ?" says Echecrates. "I will tell you. I was sitting at his right hand, on a low seat near the couch, but he sat above me. Stroking affectionately my head, and compressing the hair which fell on my neck, (for it was his manner when thus discoursing to play with my hair,) Tomorrow,' said he, perhaps, O Phædo, you will cut off this beautiful hair.' 'It seems so,' I said. 'Not so, if at least you will be persuaded by me: οὐκ ἄν γε ἐμοὶ πείθῃ 'Why not?' said I. To-day,' he replied, both I mine and you this hair will cut off, if indeed our argument shall perish, and we shall be unable to raise it up again and if I were you, and that reasoning should fail me, I would make a vow never to let my hair grow, till I should be able to take off the objection of Simmias and Cebes.' Thus did this divine man discourse a few hours before his death, quite after the manner of Fenelon and the Christians of his school, displaying all that sweet, infantine joyous simplicity, united with the profoundest sentiment, which seems the high privilege of wisdom, and of him who has obtained the mercy of God."

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But in the clergy the high and powerful found men who were ever ready to oppose their injustice, and to protect the cause of the innocent and oppressed. When the young La Tremoille was endeavouring to recover his paternal estates, which had formerly been unjustly seized by Louis XI., all his friends at court were afraid to speak in his behalf. He was at length advised to apply to Elie Bourdeille, Archbishop of Tours, who was of the order of the minor friars, and a man of great holiness, " qui parloit hardiement au Roy de ce qui concernoit le fact de sa conscience, et par craincte de mort ou exil ne differa onc de confondre ses desordonnées excuses." They preached truth and justice, unawed by human respect. Thus it is said in the Legatine Canons at Cealchythe, A.D. 885: "Our address to kings is, that they govern with caution, discretion, and justice; and as we have directed bishops to speak the word of God with a divine authority, faithfully, without fear or flattery to kings, princes, and all dignities, never declining the truth, sparing no man, condemning no man unjustly, shewing the way of salvation to all, both by word and example; so we admonish kings and princes to obey the bishops with humility in things pertaining to God. We exhort all to honour the Church of God, not to wax proud with secular power, nor oppress others with violence, lest it be said of them, they have reigned, but not by me." Thus it was the Augustin monk, Jaques Legrand, who, in the year 1405, alone had courage to reprove the Queen of Charles VI. of France, for the scandalous oppression of the people. Bishops who would risk their lives to save one poor youth—a robber perhaps, such as the young man whom St. John reclaimed2-were not likely to be deterred by tyrants from discharging their duty.

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noble courage was displayed by Gregory of Tours, pleading for Pretextatus, though he knew that he should incur the hatred and vengeance of Frédegond and Chilpéric! When William Rufus was slain, the clergy thought upon his soul's state, after such a life and such a death. His last words to Tirel, who shot him, were, "Tire donc; de par le Diable !" "In some churches," says Orderic Vitalis, no bell was tolled, though it would have tolled for the

1 Bouchet.

2 Clemens Alex. apud Euseb. iii. 23.

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poor, and for the lowest peasant woman.' They assisted the miserable in despite of power. There was a good priest at Portsmouth, who was sent for to attend a poor convict who had only half an hour to live. so he went, and complained of the horrible crime of giving such short notice; and then he locked himself in the cell with the prisoner, and kept the door for three hours, regardless of the threats and imprecations of the ministers of justice. Sismondi confesses, in consequence of a letter still extant, that it was St. Germain, Bishop of Paris, who vainly endeavoured to inspire Brunehault with more humane sentiments. It was St. Columban, who had come out of Ireland into Gaul in the year 585, who had courage to preach before the court against the scandalous lives of the king and Brunehault. If this gentleness was thus united with honest boldness, it was also infinitely removed from that false refinement and affectation which constitutes what the French call the "petit-maître." An old monk used to say, "If ever you meet with any thing written by St. Athanasius, copy it; and if you have no paper, write it on your clothes." A council in 813 says, "Opportunum ducimus ut humilitatem atque religionem, et in vultu et in opere et habitu demulceant." By St. Cuthbert's Canons of Cloveshoo, A.D. 747, "Priests were not to prate in the church like secular bards, nor dislocate nor confound the composure and distinction of the sacred words by a pronunciation like that of tragedians; but to follow the plain-song, or holy melody, according to the custom of the Church." The clergy were also remarkable for uniting with holiness the most delicate sense of true honour. Take an example from the Acta Sanctorum for September 2d. A short time before the council of Aquileia A.D. 381, it happened at Lyon, that a certain madman, who had stabbed some persons in the street, took sanctuary in the great church. St. Justus, archbishop of that city, upon a promise that the prisoner's life should be spared, delivered him up into the hands of a public officer. Notwithstanding this promise, he was put to death by the people. The good bishop conceived such an horror at this event, that he considered himself disqualified for the ministry of the altar; and so he resigned the pasto

1 Lib. X

ral Church, travelled to Marseilles, where he took shipping and sailed to Egypt, where he ended his days in a monastery, after serving God for many years in holy retirement. Mark how they took the lead in every virtue. When Wilfrid, a Northumbrian prelate, had succeeded in converting 250 slaves, whom he had received as a present from the munificence of Edilwalch, on the day of their baptism, he declared that they ceased to be his bondmen from the moment that they became the children of Christ.

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As is said of St. Martin, " Christ and virtue, and whatever pertains to true life, was always on their tongue." St. Anselm, riding once by the way, a hare pursued by hounds took refuge under his horse: reproving the laughter of the boys who followed, he took occasion to instruct them: "Ridetis? et utique infelici huic nullus risus, lætitia nulla est. This is an emblem of the soul of man: the demons are surrounding it, waiting to devour it the moment it leaves the body, while it trembles and still delays, and the demons laugh." Another time he met a boy with a little bird, which he held by a string, so as to let it loose and then draw it back suddenly; and this play was to him a mighty joy. St. Anselm miserably condoled with that little bird, till at length the string breaks, the bird flies away, and the boy weeps. St. Anselm, calling his company, said to them: "Behold the game of this boy such is that of the devil with many men whom he has in his toils.' Nor can we omit mention of that beautiful system of degree which gave rise to such humility in the higher ranks, and to such faithful submission in the lower. In the Council of Carthage, 4 can. 34, we read, "Ut episcopus, quolibet loco sedens, stare presbyterum non patiatur." When Pope Xistus II. was led to martyrdom, A.D. 268, Laurentius, Archdeacon of the Church of Rome, followed him weeping and saying, "Father, where goest thou without thy son? holy bishop, where without thy deacon?" "I lose thee not, my son," replied Xistus; "thou shalt follow me in three days."2 I have been forcibly reminded of this affecting scene, on beholding the Archbishop of Paris in NôtreDame, followed at a distance by his deacons. But how could the clergy retain this spirit, engaged as they were 1 Eadmerus in Vit. S. Anselmi.

2 S. Ambros. de Off. i. 41,

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amidst the corruptions of the world? What is related of Hernand of Talavera, first Archbishop of Grenada, will explain this difficulty; for being charged by Ferdinand and Isabella with the most important affairs relative to the kingdoms of Castile and Arragon, he was censured by many for saying mass every day, as if he lived in monastic retirement. The Cardinal of Mendosse, speaking to him familiarly on the subject, "Kings," replied the holy man, "have imposed such a burden on me, that I should be unable to sustain it, were I to omit a single day to approach the blessed sacrament of the altar." And so when Francis Castillo said to St. Antoninus, Archbishop of Florence, whose secretary he was, Bishops were to be pitied, if they were to be eternally engaged as he was," the saint replied, "To enjoy interior peace, we must always reserve in our hearts, amidst all affairs, as it were, a secret closet, where we are to keep retired within ourselves, and where no business of the world can ever enter." No wonder, then, if such men were venerated, and if kings and warriors sought their prayers. René d'Anjou, in the conclusion. of his book, Mortifiement de Vaine Plaisance, addressing the Archbishop of Tours, to whom he dedicated it, says, "Humblement requérant votre révérend paternité, doulce, bénigne, fervente, et charitable, que alors que serez en larmes Dieu priant, en vostre memento vous plaise me mettre au nombre de ceulx-la pour lesquels vous ferez à Dieu humble requete de vray pardon donner; soit votre plaisir de très bon cœur requérir notre très doulx Sauveur Jesus Christ, qu'il luy plaise me revivifier, car je cognoys les faits de mes labeurs estre morts parturiez par mon très grief péchée." Then who is not astonished at the virtue of these men? Think what a spirit St. Nilamon had, who died with terror as they bore him to an episcopal throne! What humility in St. Peter of Alexandria, who being the lawful successor of St. Mark, would never mount to his chair, but contented himself to sit the residue of his days on the footstool! What zeal in Eustathius, Bishop of Epiphanium, whose heart was so surprised with only notice of the profanation of a church, that he fell down dead in the place! What zeal in Pope Urban, who died of grief on the

1 Villeneuve, Hist. de René d'Anjou, ii. 392.