an as they have scarcely any flesh
cleaving to the bones. Yea, at last they lose the life itself,
as may be proved by many examples! for such men (which is an
horrible thing to think of) slight and neglect all perils and
detriments, both of the body and life, and of the soul and
eternal salvation."

It is evident that human nature is not different in our sophisticated
twentieth century from that which this observant old monk saw around him
in the fifteenth. He continues:

"How many testimonies of this violence which is in love, are
daily found? for it not only inflames the younger sort, but it
so far exaggerates some persons far gone in years as through
the burning heat thereof, they are almost mad. Natural
diseases are for the most part governed by the complexion of
man and therefore invade some more fiercely, others more
gently; but Love, without distinction of poor or rich, young
or old, seizeth all, and having seized so blinds them as
forgetting all rules of reason, they neither see nor hear any
snare."

But then the old monk thinks that he has said enough about this rather
foreign subject, and apologizes for his digression in another paragraph
that should remove any lingering doubt there might be with regard to the
genuineness of his monastic character. At the end of the passage he
makes the application in a very few words. The personal element in his
confession is so naive and so simply straightforward that instead of
seeming to be the result of conceit, which would surely have repelled
the reader, it rather attracts and enhances his kindly feeling for its
author. The paragraph would remind one in certain ways of that personal
element that was to become more popular in literature after Montaigne in
the next century made it rather the fashion.

"But of these enough; for it becomes not a religious man to
insist too long upon these cogitations, or to give place to
such a flame in his heart. Hitherto (without boasting I speak
it) I have throughout the whole course of my life kept myself
safe and free from it, and I pray and invoke God to vouchsafe
me his Grace that I may keep holy and inviolate the faith
which I have sworn, and live contented with my spiritual
spouse, the Holy Catholick Church. For no other reason have I
alleged these than that I might express the love with which
all tinct