Page:The glory of Paradise a rhythmical hymn.djvu/7

 PREFACE.

Hymn "De Gloriâ Paradisi," ascribed usually to Cardinal Peter Damiani, and printed in the Rome, Leyden, and Paris editions of his works, is unquestionably the noblest literary production of the century in which he lived. It is described in the title as being gathered out of the writings of Augustine of Hippo; from the "Liber Meditationum," no doubt, in which it is included, though under protest, by the Benedictine editors. Yet a much larger portion of its contents is found in the Cardinal's own prose works, "Institutio Monialis," cap. xvi. The subject being, "De cœlestis Hierusalem beatitudine sempiternâ," we find as follows, "contemplari præsentissimæ speciem Veritatis."—"Illic vitæ fontem et sitientes hauriunt, et haurientes sitiunt; quia ibi non potest, vel aviditas passionem gignere, vel satietas fastidire. Ex eo plane, quod Auctori vitæ semper assistunt, omnem vim beatitudinis trahunt. Hinc floridæ juventutis æterna viriditas, hinc venustas est pulchritudinis, et indeficiens vigor incolumitatis. Ex illo itaque æternitatis fonte percipiunt, ut æternaliter vivant, ineffabiliter gaudeant."—"Tunc mors absorpta est in victoriâ; omnisque humanæ naturæ corruit corruptela;"—"natura humana, quæ vitiata fuerat, cunctis passionum squaloribus