270 KANSAS INIVERSITY QUARTERLY. 



long before he is born. Perhaps for this reason, Solomon and Aris- 

 totle are lost; if they wrought well, and are now in pain, it would be 

 unwise for us to imitate them, .'\gain Scripture teaches (C, XIII., 

 40-60) that many were summoned to the feast, and only a few admit- 

 ted. Will thereupon wonders whether he is chosen or not chosen, 

 though he reflects that Holy Church had received him at the font for 

 one of God's chosen. He concludes finally that Christ's invitation is 

 for all who will; that all the world may claim and receive mercy 

 through His blood and through baptism. No wicked man shall be 

 lost but if he will (C, XV., 135); one thief upon the cross accepted 

 Him; and if it be asked why the other did not, no clerk can tell. 



Charily. The formal definition of Charity (C, XVII. , 297 ff.) was 

 referred to in describing the good friar (page 263"). Again (C, XIX) 

 Freewill defines charity as the fruit of the tree of True Love, though 

 before the discussion is well begun charity becomes the tree itself, 

 and man the fruit. It is supported on three props representing the 

 three persons of the Trinity; its blossoms are Kind Speech, its root 

 Mercy, its stem Ruth or Pity, and its leaves the words of the law of 

 Holy Church (Skeat, Notes, 235). Charity, represented by the Sa- 

 maritan (C, XX., 46) and typifying Christ, saved the wounded man 

 when Faith and Hope had passed by him. 



<'nr«iiiiai ^ '^^ ^^"^ cardinal virtues are prudence, temperance, for- 



Viriiu-M. titude, and justice (C, XXII., 274). At the beginning of 

 Passus XXIII. it is said that Necessity, or Need, is superior to all 

 the virtues except temperance; and that in need one may not take 

 counsel of Conscience. One may take meat to save life, when none 

 will give, and the same is true of cloth and drink. Then follows a 

 statement of the deficiencies of some of the virtues. Fortitude is apt 

 to go too far or not far enough; justice has to be guided by the law, 

 and prudence may make mistakes. Then we are told of the virtue of 

 Need. It makes men humble, was chosen by philosophers and by 

 Christ, and will at last turn to joy; so shall one not be ashamed to 

 beg and to be in want. The purpose of this remarkable passage 

 may be to show the weakness of the excuses that have been put forth 

 in the preceding passus by those who fail to observe the cardinal 

 virtues, and to show what is the only valid excuse for a departure 

 from what is commonly reckoned virtue. 



€omniauion. The Holv Communion may be received worthily only 

 after restitution, implying the preceding steps, contrition and confes- 

 sion. As to the Real Presence therein, God's body might not be of 

 bread without clergy (B, XII., 87). One is never right strong until 

 he has eaten the body of Christ, and drunk His blood (C, XX., 87). 

 ^"he blessed bread conceals the body of God (C, XXII., 3S7). This 



