E-text prepared by David Starner, Cathy Maxam,
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YALE STUDIES IN ENGLISH
ALBERT S. COOK, Editor
XXII
King Alfred's Old English Version
OF
St. Augustine's Soliloquies
TURNED INTO MODERN ENGLISH
BY
HENRY LEE HARGROVE, Ph.D.
Professor of English, Baylor University
NEW YORK
HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY
1904
[Facsimile]
to
my dear brother
Warren Penn Hargrove
who departed this life
february 8, 1903
aged 25
PREFACE
Since the publication of my King Alfred's Old EnglishVersion of St. Augustine's Soliloquies, which appeared in1902, I have been at work on this translation. With thefaith that the unique importance of the work justifies itsbeing given this form for the benefit of the general reader,and with the encouragement from scholars that my renderingwill be received in the kindly spirit which characterizedthe reception of my former edition, I now venture thispublication.
For those who care to use the two editions together itwill be seen (1) that the Alfredian additions to the Latinare set in italics; and (2) that the numbers at the topof each page refer to the page and line of the correspondingtext of the Old English.
I must add that Professor Albert S. Cook has been mycounsellor and critic throughout the work.
Henry Lee Hargrove.
Baylor University,
July 6, 1904.
King Alfred's Old English Version
OF
St. Augustine's Soliloquies
TURNED INTO MODERN ENGLISH
KING ALFRED'S PREFACE
I then gathered for myself staves, and stud-shafts,and cross-beams, and helves for each ofthe tools that I could work with; and bow-timbersand bolt-timbers for every work that I couldperform—as many as I could carry of the comeliesttrees. Nor came I home with a burden, forit pleased me not to bring all the wood home,even if I could bear it. In each tree I sawsomething that I needed at home; therefore Iexhort every one who is able, and has manywains, to direct his steps to the self-same woodwhere I cut the stud-shafts. Let him there obtainmore for himself, and load his wains withfair twigs, so that he may wind many a neatwall, and erect many a rare house, and build afair enclosure, and therein dwell in joy and comfortboth winter and summer, in such manner asI have not yet done. But He who taught me,and to whom the wood was pleasing, hath powerto make me dwell more comfortably both in thistransitory cottage by