The World's Greatest Books — Volume 20 — Miscellaneous Literature and Index
General
The World's Greatest Books — Volume 20 — Miscellaneous Literature and Index
Literature -- Collections
EUSEBIUS: When I was in England I saw St. Thomas' tomb all over
bedecked with a vast number of jewels of an immense price, besides
other rich furniture, even to admiration. I had rather that these
superfluities should be applied to charitable uses than to be reserved
for princes that shall one time or other make a booty of them. The holy
man, I am confident, would have been better pleased to have had his
tomb adorned with leaves and flowers.... Rich men, nowadays, will have
their monuments in churches, whereas in time past they could hardly get
room for their saints there. If I were a priest or a bishop, I would
put it into the head of these thick-skulled courtiers or merchants
that if they would atone for their sins to Almighty God they should
privately bestow their liberality on the relief of the poor.
* * * * *
A wonderful plea for peace, in shape of an exquisite satire, is the
"Colloquy" entitled "Charon." It is a dialogue between Charon, the
ghostly boatman on the River Styx, and Genius Alastor. Its style may be
gathered from the following excerpt.
CHARON: Whither are you going so brisk, and in such haste, Alastor?
ALASTOR: O Charon, you come in the nick of time; I was coming to you.
CHARON: Well, what news do you bring?
ALASTOR: I bring a message to you and Prosperine that you will be glad
to hear. All the Furies have been no less diligent than they have been
successful in gaining their point. There is not one foot of ground
upon earth that they have not infected with their hellish calamities,
seditions, wars, robberies, and plagues. Do you get your boat and your
oars ready; you will have such a vast multitude of ghosts come to you
anon that I am afraid you will not be able to carry them all over
yourself.
CHARON: I could have told you that.
ALASTOR: How came you to know it?
CHARON: Ossa brought me that news about two days ago!
ALASTOR: Nothing is more swift than that goddess. But what makes you
loitering here, having left your boat?
CHARON: My business brought me hither. I came hither to provide myself
with a good strong three-oared boat, for my boat is so rotten and leaky
with age that it will not carry such a burden, if Ossa told me true.
ALASTOR: What was it that Ossa told you?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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