98 PAPERS, ETC. 



mouth when called upon to speak." " If we wait for one 

 who is above disparagement," says a peacemaker, " we 

 shall never find such an one, for no man living is without 

 fault." 



Imagine that to a House thus constituted a Visitation 

 should be ordered. I have said that the articles of exami- 

 nation were severe and inquisitorial. Here are a few of 

 them. Inquiry is to be made whether strict obedience is 

 rendered by and to all the officers ; whether silence is pre- 

 served in the cloister and at table ; whether all eat 

 together in the refectory, and all sleep in one common dor- 

 mitory ; whether there is reading aloud during meals ; 

 whether they constantly wear the monastic habit; whe- 

 ther the fasts are duly observed ; whether chapters are 

 frequent ; whether the house has any debts ; whether any- 

 thing belonging to the house is pledged ; whether Divine 

 Service is regulär and punctual ; whether any suspected 

 persons or such like are allowed to enter within the pre- 

 cincts. Then the inquiry becomes still more particular. 

 Questions are asked touching each officer and member of 

 the society in turn — the abbat, prior, sacrist, chamberlain, 

 cellarer, &c. It proceeds : u Item, si aliquid emendandum, 

 corrigendum, vel reformandum, in A. Item si in B. 

 Item si in C. Et sie de omnibus aliis monachis sigillatim." 

 Pretty sharp scrutinizing this ! Pretty opportunity, too, 

 for envy and detraction, which can never be entirely 

 obliterated from human society, to work their evil will. 

 And, lest aught should inadvertently be forgotten, the arti- 

 cles conclude with the expansive corollary : " Item, si sint 

 ibi aliqua alia reformanda" — " Also, if there be any other 

 matters there that need reformation !" 



How would such Articles of Visitation be relished in the 

 present state of university or clnb society ? What would 



