Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/285



'Each man,' he said,    'that is unmindful,

Of righteousness careless,    him I counsel

Again to turn him    towards his thoughts,

His mind's fancy;    then will he not fail

In his own bosom,    buried deeply,

To find in his spirit    righteousness sealed,

Amid the turmoil    which ever troubles

His mind daily    most and sorest,

And the heavy laziness    that hampers his body,

And the heavy cares    that quell a man

In mind and in spirit    at every season.'

XXIII
Oh! truly blessed    a man would be

Here in all things,    had he the power to see

The bright and spotless    heavenly stream,

That grand fountain    of every good;

And if from himself    he might hurl away

The dark mist,    his spirit's darkness.

Yet now it behoves,    God us helping,

With tales of fancy,    fables ancient,

To amend your mind,    that you more surely

May by straight course    come to heaven,

To that spot eternal    where our souls have rest.