Produced by Charles Aldorondo, Tiffany Vergon, William Flis, and Distributed Proofreaders SAINT AUGUSTIN BY LOUIS BERTRAND TRANSLATED BY VINCENT O'SULLIVAN TRANSLATOR'S NOTE The quotations from Saint Augustin's _Confessions_ are taken from Canon Bigg's scholarly version, which seems to me the best in English. But there are places where M. Bertrand's reading of the original text differs from Dr. Bigg's, and in such cases I have felt myself obliged to follow the author of this book. These differences never seriously affect the meaning of a passage; sometimes it is a mere matter of choice, as with the word _collactaneum_ (i, 7) which Dr. Bigg translates "twin," and M. Bertrand, like Pusey, _frère de lait_, or "foster-brother." As a rule, Dr. Bigg chooses the quietest terms, and M. Bertrand the most forcible. Those curious in such matters may like to see an instance. The original text runs:-- Avulsa a latere meo tanquam impedimento conjugii, cum quâ cubare solitus eram, cor ubi adhaerebat, concisum et vulneratum mihi erat, et trahebat sanguinem. (_Confessiones_, vi, 15.) M. Bertrand translates:-- Quand on arracha de mes flancs, sous prétexte qu'elle empêchait mon mariage, celle avec qui j'avais coutume de dormir, depuis si longtemps, là où mon coeur était attaché au sien, il se déchira, et je traînais mon sang avec ma blessure. Canon Bigg's version is:-- My mistress was torn from my side as an obstacle to my marriage, and my heart, which clung to her, was torn and wounded till it bled. In this place, it will be observed that Dr. Bigg does not emphasize the word _ubi_ which, as the reader will find on turning to page 185 of this volume, M. Bertrand thinks so significant. The remaining English versions of the writings of Saint Augustin and of the other Latin authors quoted are my own, except the passages from _The City of God_, including the verse translation of Persius, which are taken, with some necessary alterations, from the Seventeenth century translation ascribed to John Healey. V. O'S. CONTENTS CHAPTER PROLOGUE THE FIRST PART DAYS OF CHILDHOOD I. AN AFRICAN FREE-TOWN SUBJECT TO ROME II. THE FAMILY OF A SAINT III. THE COMFORT OF THE MILK IV. THE FIRST GAMES V. THE SCHOOLBOY OF MADAURA VI. THE HOLIDAYS AT THAGASTE THE SECOND PART THE ENCHANTMENT OF CARTHAGE I. CARTHAGO VENERIS II. THE AFRICAN ROME III. THE CARTHAGE STUDENT IV. THE SWEETNESS OF TEARS V. THE SILENCE OF GOD THE THIRD PART THE RETURN I. THE CITY OF GOLD II. THE FINAL DISILLUSION III. THE MEETING BETWEEN AMBROSE AND AUGUSTIN IV. PLANS OF MARRIAGE V. THE CHRIST IN THE GARDEN THE FOURTH PART THE HIDDEN LIFE I. THE LAST SMILE OF THE MUSE II. THE ECSTASY OF SAINT MONNICA III. THE MONK OF THAGASTE IV. AUGUSTIN A PRIEST THE FIFTH PART