JANUARY 23 



credibility of the legend (and the credulity of Ailred's 

 readers) would not be appreciably affected were it 

 affirmed that they were instantaneously cooked through 

 the same supernatural agency as caused them to grow. 

 Having taken Ailred's chronicle down from its shelf, 

 I squandered half an hour before restoring it to its 

 place in skimming through some chapters. Among 

 the various yarns which he provides for the edification 

 of the faithful, there is one so picturesque that, although 

 it has nothing to do with leeks, I am tempted to quote 

 it. It is entitled Illicita Cogitatio — the Unlawful 

 Thought : 



' Whithersoever Ninian went forth he raised his soul to 

 heavenly things. . . . Now it came to pass that the most 

 reverend man was making a journey with one of his brethren 

 then alive, also a most holy person, by name Plebia, and, as 

 his custom was, he solaced the weariness of travel with the 

 Psalms of David. And when, after a certain portion of the 

 journey, they turned aside from the public road that they 

 might rest a little, having opened their psalters they pro- 

 ceeded to refresh their souls with sacred reading. Presently 

 the agreeable serenity of the weather becoming obscured by 

 black clouds, poured down from on high to earth those 

 waters which it had naturally drawn upwards. What more 

 shall I sayl The light air, like a chamber arching itself 

 around the servants of God, resisted as an impenetrable wall 

 the descending rain. But during the chant, the most 

 blessed Ninian turned off his eyes from the book, under some 

 influence of an unlawful thought {illicita cogitatio), being 

 tickled by some desire through a suggestion of the Devil. 

 Whereupon at once the shower, descending upon him and 

 his book, betrayed the secret. Then the brother sitting 

 beside him, knowing what had happened, reminded him with 

 gentle reproof of his order and age, and showed him how ill 



