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demonstrations that cannot be denied； like； 'If equals be taken from
equals； the remainders are equal：' and if they do not understand
this in words； and indeed they do not； it has to be shown to them with
the hands； and put before their eyes； and even with all this no one
succeeds in convincing them of the truth of our holy religion。 This
same mode of proceeding I shall have to adopt with thee； for the
desire which has sprung up in thee is so absurd and remote from
everything that has a semblance of reason； that I feel it would be a
waste of time to employ it in reasoning with thy simplicity； for at
present I will call it by no other name； and I am even tempted to
leave thee in thy folly as a punishment for thy pernicious desire； but
the friendship I bear thee； which will not allow me to desert thee
in such manifest danger of destruction； keeps me from dealing so
harshly by thee。 And that thou mayest clearly see this； say；
Anselmo； hast thou not told me that I must force my suit upon a modest
woman； decoy one that is virtuous； make overtures to one that is
pure…minded； pay court to one that is prudent？ Yes； thou hast told
me so。 Then； if thou knowest that thou hast a wife； modest；
virtuous； pure…minded and prudent； what is it that thou seekest？ And
if thou believest that she will come forth victorious from all my
attacks… as doubtless she would… what higher titles than those she
possesses now dost thou think thou canst upon her then； or in what
will she be better then than she is now？ Either thou dost not hold her
to be what thou sayest； or thou knowest not what thou dost demand。
If thou dost not hold her to be what thou why dost thou seek to
prove her instead of treating her as guilty in the way that may seem
best to thee？ but if she be as virtuous as thou believest； it is an
uncalled…for proceeding to make trial of truth itself； for； after
trial； it will but be in the same estimation as before。 Thus； then； it
is conclusive that to attempt things from which harm rather than
advantage may come to us is the part of unreasoning and reckless
minds； more especially when they are things which we are not forced or
compelled to attempt； and which show from afar that it is plainly
madness to attempt them。
〃Difficulties are attempted either for the sake of God or for the
sake of the world； or for both； those undertaken for God's sake are
those which the saints undertake when they attempt to live the lives
of angels in human bodies； those undertaken for the sake of the
world are those of the men who traverse such a vast expanse of
water； such a variety of climates； so many strange countries； to
acquire what are called the blessings of fortune； and those undertaken
for the sake of God and the world together are those of brave
soldiers； who no sooner do they see in the enemy's wall a breach as
wide as a cannon ball could make； than； casting aside all fear；
without hesitating； or heeding the manifest peril that threatens them；
borne onward by the desire of defending their faith； their country；
and their king； they fling themselves dauntlessly into the midst of
the thousand opposing deaths that await them。 Such are the things that
men are wont to attempt； and there is honour； glory； gain； in
attempting them； however full of difficulty and peril they may be； but
that which thou sayest it is thy wish to attempt and carry out will
not win thee the glory of God nor the blessings of fortune nor fame
among men； for even if the issue he as thou wouldst have it； thou wilt
be no happier； richer； or more honoured than thou art this moment； and
if it be otherwise thou wilt be reduced to misery greater than can
be imagined； for then it will avail thee nothing to reflect that no
one is aware of the misfortune that has befallen thee； it will suffice
to torture and crush thee that thou knowest it thyself。 And in
confirmation of the truth of what I say； let me repeat to thee a
stanza made by the famous poet Luigi Tansillo at the end of the
first part of his 'Tears of Saint Peter；' which says thus：
The anguish and the shame but greater grew
In Peter's heart as morning slowly came；
No eye was there to see him； well he knew；
Yet he himself was to himself a shame；
Exposed to all men's gaze； or screened from view；
A noble heart will feel the pang the same；
A prey to shame the sinning soul will be；
Though none but heaven and earth its shame can see。
Thus by keeping it secret thou wilt not escape thy sorrow； but
rather thou wilt shed tears unceasingly； if not tears of the eyes；
tears of blood from the heart； like those shed by that simple doctor
our poet tells us of； that tried the test of the cup； which the wise
Rinaldo； better advised； refused to do； for though this may be a
poetic fiction it contains a moral lesson worthy of attention and
study and imitation。 Moreover by what I am about to say to thee thou
wilt be led to see the great error thou wouldst commit。
〃Tell me； Anselmo； if Heaven or good fortune had made thee master
and lawful owner of a diamond of the finest quality； with the
excellence and purity of which all the lapidaries that had seen it had
been satisfied； saying with one voice and common consent that in
purity； quality； and fineness； it was all that a stone of the kind
could possibly be； thou thyself too being of the same belief； as
knowing nothing to the contrary； would it be reasonable in thee to
desire to take that diamond and place it between an anvil and a
hammer； and by mere force of blows and strength of arm try if it
were as hard and as fine as they said？ And if thou didst； and if the
stone should resist so silly a test； that would add nothing to its
value or reputation； and if it were broken； as it might be； would
not all be lost？ Undoubtedly it would； leaving its owner to be rated
as a fool in the opinion of all。 Consider； then； Anselmo my friend；
that Camilla is a diamond of the finest quality as well in thy
estimation as in that of others； and that it is contrary to reason
to expose her to the risk of being broken； for if she remains intact
she cannot rise to a higher value than she now possesses； and if she
give way and be unable to resist； bethink thee now how thou wilt be
deprived of her； and with what good reason thou wilt complain of
thyself for having been the cause of her ruin and thine own。
Remember there is no jewel in the world so precious as a chaste and
virtuous woman； and that the whole honour of women consists in
reputation； and since thy wife's is of that high excellence that
thou knowest； wherefore shouldst thou seek to call that truth in
question？ Remember； my friend； that woman is an imperfect animal；
and that impediments are not to be placed in her way to make her
trip and fall； but that they should be removed； and her path left
clear of all obstacles； so that without hindrance she may run her
course freely to attain the desired perfection； which consists in
being virtuous。 Naturalists tell us that the ermine is a little animal
which has a fur of purest white； and that when the hunters wish to
take it； they make use of this artifice。 Having ascertained the places
which it frequents and passes； they stop the way to them with mud； and
then rousing it； drive it towards the spot； and as soon as the
ermine comes to the mud it halts； and allows itself to be taken
captive rather than pass through the mire； and spoil and sully its
whiteness； which it values more than life and liberty。 The virtuous
and chaste woman is an ermine； and whiter and purer than snow is the
virtue of modesty； and he who wishes her not to lose it； but to keep
and preserve it； must adopt a course different from that employed with
the ermine； he must not put before her the mire of the gifts and
attentions of persevering lovers； because perhaps… and even without
a perhaps… she may not have sufficient virtue and natural strength
in herself to pass through and tread under foot these impediments；
they must be removed； and the brightness of virtue and the beauty of a
fair fame must be put before her。 A virtuous woman； too； is like a
mirror； of clear shining crystal； liable to be tarnished and dimmed by
every breath that touches it。 She must be treated as relics are；
adored； not touched。 She must be protected and prized as one
protects and prizes a fair garden full of roses and flowers； the owner
of which allows no one to trespass or pluck a blossom； enough for
others that from afar and through the iron grating they may enjoy
its fragrance and its beauty。 Finally let me repeat to thee some
verses that come to my mind； I heard them in a modern comedy； and it
seems to me they bear upon the point we are discussing。 A prudent
old man was giving advice to another； the father of a young girl； to
lock her up； watch over her and keep her in seclusion； and among other
arguments he used these：
Woman is a thing of glass；
But her brittleness 'tis best
Not too curiously to test：
Who knows what may come to pass？
Breaking is an easy matter；
And it's folly to expose
What you cannot mend to blows；
What you can't make whole to shatter。