to have been always ready to preach — and preach well — after making a brief meditation, or, if tired, taking a short nap. He was ever the first to come to choir and the last to leave it. During the chanting of the Psalms he stood upright, never leaning or supporting himself in any way; and he was often noticed to be standing on tiptoe, with his eyes raised heavenwards. To one who twitted him with being fonder of Psalms than of salmon (apparently a not uncommon monkish pleasantry) he is said to have answered: " Yes, but I hate to see men not attending to them." He was happier in his cell than out of it, and took little or no interest in the affairs of the outside world. His favourite motto (see Frontispiece) is said to have been, " I sought for rest, but found it not save in a little corner with a little book." Of a true Religious, he tells us, " silence should be the friend, work the companion, and prayer the helper."[1] He scourged himself in his cell at least once a week, singing the while a hymn, the first words of which were " Stetit Jesus."[2]
Such, briefly, were the chief characteristics of the author of this book; and we may now pass on to consider the previous English "translations " of it.
