to be the result of a reworking of the primitive document. The
latter no doubt included the three former, which the continuer
has interpolated and lengthened. Cf. _Conform._, 231a, 1;
_Spec._, 91b, 92a, 97; A. SS., pp. 860 ff.

[14] In current language we often include under the word
mysticism all the tendencies--often far from Christian--which
give predominance in the religious life to vague poetic
elements, impulses of the heart. The name of mystic ought to be
applied only to those Christians to whom _immediate_ relations
with Jesus form the basis of the religious life. In this sense
St. Paul (whose theologico-philosophical system is one of the
most powerful efforts of the human mind to explain sin and
redemption) is at the same time the prince of mystics.

[15] He did not desire to institute a religion, for he felt the
vanity of observances and dogmas. (The apostles continued to
frequent the Jewish temple. Acts, ii., 46; iii., 1; v., 25;
xxi., 26.) He desired to inoculate the world with a new life.

[16] 2 Cel., 3, 29; cf. 1 Cel., 115; 3 Soc., 13 and 14; 2 Cel.,
1, 6; 2 Cel., 3, 123 and 131; Bon., 57; 124; 203; 204; 224; 225;
309; 310; 311; _Conform._, 229b ff.

[17] 1 Cel., 91-94; Bon., 189, 190.

[18] See the annotations of Brother Leo upon the autograph of
St. Francis (Crit. Study, p. 357) and 1 Cel., 94, 95; Bon., 191,
192, 193 (3 Soc., 69, 70); _Fior. iii. consid._ Cf. _Auct. vit.
sec._; A. SS. p. 649. It is to be noted that Thomas of Celano (1
Cel., 95), as well as all the primitive documents, describe the
stigmata as being fleshy excrescences, recalling in form and
color the nails with which the limbs of Jesus were pierced. No
one speaks of those gaping, sanguineous wounds which were
imagined later. Only the mark at the side was a wound, whence at
times exuded a little blood. Finally, Thomas of Celano says that
after the seraphic vision _began to appear, coeperunt apparere
signa clavorum_. Vide Appendix: Study of the Stigmata.

* * * * *

CHAPTER XVII

THE CANTICLE OF THE SUN

Autumn, 1224-Autumn, 1225

The morning after St. Michael's Day (September 30, 1224) Francis quitted
Verna and went to Portiuncula. He was too much exhausted to think of
making the jou