nd despised, but
seating others who are unwise and of no understanding upon a throne of
honour, and making the dishonoured and obscure to be honoured of all.

"One may see how the race of mankind may never abide before the face of
the cruel tyranny of the world. But, as when a dove fleeing from an
eagle or a hawk flitteth from place to place, now beating against this
tree, now against that bush, and then anon against the clefts of the
rocks and all manner of bramble-thorns, and, nowhere finding any safe
place of refuge, is wearied with continual tossing and crossing to and
fro, so are they which are flustered by the present world. They labour
painfully under unreasoning impulse, on no sure or firm bases: they
know not to what goal they are driving, nor whither this vain life
leadeth them this vain life, whereto they have in miserable folly
subjected themselves, choosing evil instead of good, and pursuing vice
instead of goodness; and they know not who shall inherit the cold
fruits of their many heavy labours, whether it be a kinsman or a
stranger, and, as oft times it haps, not even a friend or acquaintance
at all, but an enemy and foeman.

"On all these things, and others akin to them, I held judgement in the
tribunal of my soul, and I came to hate my whole life that had been
wasted in these vanities, while I still lived engrossed in earthly
things. But when I had put off from my soul the lust thereof, and cast
it from me, then was there revealed unto me the true good, to fear God
and do his will; for this I saw to be the sum of all good. This also
is called the beginning of wisdom, and perfect wisdom. For life is
without pain and reproach to those that hold by her, and safe to those
who lean upon her as upon the Lord. So, when I had set my reason on
the unerring way of the commandments of the Lord, and had surely
learned that there is nothing froward or perverse therein, and that it
is not full of chasms and rocks, nor of thorns and thistles, but lieth
altogether smooth and even, rejoicing the eyes of the traveller with
the brightest sights, making beautiful his feet, and shoeing them with
'the preparation of the Gospel of peace,' that he may walk safely and
without delay, this way, then, I rightly chose above all others, and
began to rebuild my soul's habitation, which had fallen into ruin and
decay.

"In such wise was I devising mine estate, and establishing mine
unstable mind, when I heard the words of a w