Page:King Alfred's Old English version of St. Augustine's Soliloquies - Hargrove - 1902.djvu/50

XLIV ALFRED'S VERSION OF THE SOLILOQUIES for every work that I could perform, the comeliest trees, as many as I could carry. Neither came I with a burden home, for it did not please me to bring all the wood back, even if I could bear it. In each tree I saw something that I needed at home; therefore I advise each one who can, and has many wains, that he direct his steps to the same wood where I cut the stud-shafts. Let him fetch more for himself, and load his wains with fair beams, that he may wind many a neat wall, and erect many a rare house, and build a fair town, and therein may dwell merrily and softly both winter and summer, as I have not yet done.'

He is not talking about the temporal house, but the eternal dwelling-place, and closes his preface with the highly personal prayer that 'so may the rich Giver do, who rules both these temporary cottages and the everlasting homes. May he who created both, and rules both, grant me that I be fit for each, both here to be useful and thither to come'.

The changes that Alfred made in his rendering of Book II may be roughly estimated by comparing the respective lengths of the Latin and the Old English versions. There are approximately 9,700 words in the Latin of Book II and 11,800 words in the Old English, whereas Book I has 8,300 Latin words as against the 3,000 Old English words of Alfred's rendering. But as Alfred added new matter to the extent of about 1,000 words, we may estimate that he rejected about three-fourths of the Latin of Augustine.

Why did he make these changes? The correct answer to this question will reveal interesting facts as to his mind and method. Are we summarily to dismiss the question by the surmise that he had not time to finish the work, or that he wearied of his task? This is highly impro-

1 1. 1-15. 2 2. 13-17.