Page:King Alfred's Old English version of St. Augustine's Soliloquies - Hargrove - 1902.djvu/54

XLVIII ALFRED'S VERSION OF THE SOLILOQUIES perceiving subject, the soul, must be immortal 4. In closing, an unanswered query is raised: How is truth related to an undisciplined mind?

-ledge of immortal things, Reason asserts it must be immortal. 4. The book closes with the query: Does the intellect change in the next world? Answered in Book III.

Book III is linked to the close of Book II by the following introductory statement:

'A. Now thou hast ended the sayings which thou hast selected from these two books, and hast not yet answered me about that which I last asked thee, that is, about my intellect. I asked thee whether, after the parting of body and soul, it should increase or decrease, or whether it should do both as it here doth.'

'R. Have I not already told thee that thou shouldest seek it in the book which we then spoke about? Learn that book, then thou wilt find it there.'

Just here, unfortunately, occurs a distinct break in the thought, although the manuscript shows no evidence of it, and hence we cannot with absolute certainty trace the continuity. However, the responsibility of the investigation having been placed on the seeker, the same general tenor of thought is kept up in the inquiries as to the state of the souls of the good and the bad after their departure from this world. The wicked and the good are to see each other, and know their respective states of punishment and reward, for the purpose of intensifying the torment of the one and the joy of the other. Thus the book is on the subject of the future state of the soul, whether it be the more specific topic of seeing God or of mutual recognition of souls.

A bond is established between the deeds and aspirations of this world and the rewards of the next - a thought that doubtless thrilled Alfred:

1 65. 1-9.