scared at the sight of the least difficulty; or
we had not courage to make the least sacrifice of our passions, or to
repulse the weakest and most contemptible assaults of the world. Its
example, or that dangerous company from which we had not resolution to
separate ourselves, carried us {344} away; and we had not courage to
withstand those very maxims which we ourselves condemn in the moments of
our serious reflections, as contrary to the spirit of the gospel.
Perhaps we often flew back for fear of shadows, and out of apprehensions
frequently imaginary, lest we should forfeit some temporal advantage,
some useful or agreeable friend. Perhaps we were overcome by the
difficulties which arose barely from ourselves, and wanted resolution to
deny our senses, to subdue our passions, to renounce dangerous
occasions, or to enter upon a penitential life. Blinded by self-love,
have we not sheltered our dastardly pusillanimity under the cloak of
pretended necessity, or even virtue?

Footnotes:
1. See Bollandus, Pagi ad an. 316. Chatelain, Notes on the Martyr. p.
507, and Jos. Assemani in Cal. Univ. ad 11 Feb. t. 6, p. 123.

ST. ANSCHARIUS, C.,

ARCHBISHOP OF HAMBURG AND BREMEN.

From his excellent life compiled by St. Rembert, his successor, with the
remarks of Mabillon, Act. Bened t. 4, p. 401, and the preliminary
discourse of Henschenius, p. 391. Adam Bremensis, Hist. Episc. Hamb. and
Olof Dolin, in his new excellent history of Sweden in the reigns of
Listen, Bel, and Bagnar, c. 16.

A.D. 865.

HE was a monk, first of Old Corbie in France, afterwards of Little
Corbie in Saxony. Harold, or Heriold, prince of Denmark, having been
baptized in the court of the emperor Louis Debonnaire, Anscarius
preached the faith with great success, first to the Danes, afterwards to
the Swedes, and lastly in the north of Germany. In 832, he was made
archbishop of Hamburg, and legate of the holy see, by pope Gregory IV.
That city was burnt by an army of Normans, in 845. The saint continued
to support his desolate churches, till, in 849, the see of Bremen
becoming vacant, pope Nicholas united it to that of Hamburg, and
appointed him bishop of both. Denmark and Sweden had relapsed into
idolatry, notwithstanding the labors of many apostolical missionaries
from New Corbie, left there by our saint. His presence soon made the
faith flourish again in Denmark, under the protection of king Horick.
But in Sweden the superstitious king Olas cast