tin either, as he might hear
some time or other from Salmasius himself, though that was a secret
yet--he knew that he could never snatch away from Salmasius the palm
of the highest, i.e. of Greek, scholarship. Morus does not claim for
himself the title of a perfect classic; he is content with his
present position and its duties. Admirable lessons in life are to be
obtained from the study of Church History. Of these not the least is
the verification of the words in the Gospel, "Woe unto you when all
men shall speak well of you." What calumnies had been borne by
Jerome, Nazianzen, Chrysostom, Athanasius, and others of the best of
men! With such examples before one, why should an insignificant
person, like the writer, conscious too of many faults and weaknesses,
take calumny too much to heart? This pathetic strain, attained
towards the close of the book, is maintained most skilfully in the
peroration.

"But, if credit enough is not given to my own solemn affirmation,
nor to this Public Testimony, Thee, Lord God, I make finally my
witness, who explorest the inmost recesses of the spirit, who
triest the reins, and knowest the secret motives of the breast, a
Searcher of hearts to whom, as if by thorough dissection, all
things are bare. Thee, God, Thee I call as my witness, who shalt
one day be my Judge and the Judge of all, whether it is not the
case that men see in this heart of mine what Thou seest not. Would
that Thou didst not also see in the same heart what they do not
see! But ah me! I am far baser in reality than they feign.
Suppliantly I adore the will of Thy Providence that permits me to
be falsely accused among men on account of so many hidden faults of
which I am truly guilty in Thy sight. Thou, Lord, saidst to Shimei,
'Curse David.' Glory be to Thy name that hast chosen to preserve
me, exercised with so many griefs, that I may serve Thyself. There
is one great sin discernible in my soul, which I confess before the
whole world. I have never served Thee in proportion to my strength;
that little talent of Thy grace which Thou hast deigned to grant me
I have not yet turned to full account--whether because I have
followed too much the pleasures of mere study, or whether I have
consumed too much time and labour in refuting the invectives of the
evil-disposed, to whom, such has been Thy pleasure, I have been
constantly an object of attack. Cover the past for me, regulate the