The king explains that he translated this book, Pastoral Care, "sometimes word for word, and sometimes according to the sense" as he had learnt it from his bishops. He then says he will send a copy to every bishop in his kingdom, and he hopes that the book shall be safely kept in the minster of each bishopric. In concluding this memorable preface the king appears as a real book-lover, for he orders that the book be not lent to any one. Perhaps even Alfred had learnt by experience that people who borrow books do not always return them; and he was therefore determined that none of his books should be lost.

Three of the copies of this book are now in existence, and one, that sent to Bishop Werfrith, may be seen in the Bodleian Library, Oxford. It is not necessary to say much of the contents of this book, but it is interesting to note that the first chapter explains "that unlearned men are not to presume or undertake teaching." Other chapters lay down the rules "how he who governs must despise all hardships, and how afraid he must be of every luxury." The book concludes with the wise counsel, "When any one has performed all the duties of his pastoral charge, let him consider and understand his own self, lest either his exemplary life or his successful teaching puff him up." Here we have words which give us the spirit which animated Alfred's whole life. The desire to do right, the practice of self-examination, and the spirit of humility are the moving forces in the life of our great English king.

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE KING'S PHILOSOPHY.

THE second book of importance that Alfred translated was the Consolations of Philosophy, which had been written at the beginning of the sixth century by Boethius, an officer in the court of Theodoric, king of the Goths. Boethius was a good and learned Roman senator, and for many years he continued in the favour of the king; but, owing to some religious differences, he was banished by Theodoric from Rome, and cast into prison at Pavia. In the solitude and misery of the dungeon, Boethius, like Bunyan, consoled himself with writing down the lessons of wisdom, or the Consolations of Philosophy.

He fancies that philosophy visits him in prison, and by its consolations reconciles his mind to bear the adversity he was suffering. The object of the book is to prove that riches, dignity, power, pleasure, and glory do not produce real happiness; but that the greatest happiness can only be derived from God. Boethius argues that whatever happens is good for men, and that every man ought, to the best of his ability, to enquire after God.

This was just the sort of book that Alfred wou'd appreciate, and so he decided to translate it for the benefit of his subjects. It was long held in repute, and one great writer calls it "a golden book," while another says it was "the handbook of the Middle

Ages." But what makes Alfred's translation of such deep interest to us is the fact that he inserts, in various parts, many of his own thoughts and feelings. He thus composed various little moral essays; and so, after an interval of one thousand years, we can hear the king speaking to us on the most important subjects relating to our life on earth.

There is a preface to this book, but it is not thought to be the work of Alfred himself. As it explains his method of study it will, however, be well to give it here: "King Alfred was the translator of this book, which he turned from Latin into English as it now stands. Sometimes he translated word for word, sometimes sense for sense, according as he could most clearly and intelligibly interpret it, in the midst of the manifold and various worldly matters which often claimed him bodily and mentally. It would be difficult to enumerate the different affairs which in his time oppressed the kingdom that he had received.

"Yet he studied this book, and rendered it from Latin into the English tongue; and afterwards he turned it into verse as it now stands. But now he begs of those who may please to read the book, in God's name, to pray for him, and not to blame him if they should understand it better than he was able to do. For every man must, according to the ability of his intellect, say what he says and do what he does."

It will only be possible to give here a few extracts which will show something of the matter and style of the book. This is Alfred's summary of a good name: "This is clear enough, that a good word and

good fame are better and more precious to every The word filleth the ears of

man than any riches.

all who hear it; and it thrives not the less with those

who speak it. No one can slay it with a sword, nor bind it with a rope, nor ever kill it."

Alfred's remarks on true nobility are worth quoting: "Every man's good and nobility is more in his mind than in his flesh. This alone I yet know to be good in nobility; that it makes many men ashamed of being worse than their elders were; and therefore they strive all their power, that they may become better in some habits, and may increase their virtues." His thoughts on glory are equally good. "For many men," says Alfred, "desire power that they may have a good fame, though they be unworthy of it; and even the worst of all desire the same. But he that will wisely and diligently seek after this fame, let him very truly perceive how little it is, and how slight and how tender, and how distinct from every good."

The book is full of wise thoughts on all these and many other subjects; and it is also interspersed with word pictures and stories, some of them being of great interest. We shall now give in full Alfred's picture of "The Golden Age," and his version of the story of "Orpheus and Eurydice.”

The Golden Age.

The main part of the description is by Boethius, but Alfred has slightly added to the original.

"Oh! how happy was the first age of this world,

when every man thought he had enough in the fruits of the earth! There were no rich homes, nor various sweet dainties, nor drinks. They required no expensive garments, because there were none then; they saw no such things, nor heard of them. They cared not for luxury; but they lived naturally and temperately. They always ate but once a day, and that was in the evening. They ate the fruits of trees and herbs. They drank no pure wine. knew not to mix liquor with their honey.

They

"They required not silken clothing with varied colours. They always slept out under the shade of trees. The water of the clear springs they drank. They saw no merchant from island or shore, nor did any one hear of ship-armies, nor speak of battle, nor was the earth yet stained with the blood of slain men, nor were men then wounded, nor did they behold evil-willing men, nor had they any dignities, nor did men love them."

At the close of this description, Alfred compares the days in which he was living with those of the Golden Age. "Oh! that our time now might be such," says the king, and he concludes by declaring that "the first covetous man was he that began to delve the earth after gold and other gems; and found those dangerous valuables which before were hidden and covered by the earth."

The Story of Orpheus and Eurydice.

Among many beautiful Greek stories that of Orpheus and Eurydice is one of the best known. It is related