The Conferences of John Cassian. Part II. Containing Conferences XI-XVII.

Since it seemed to us a safer course in the sight of our Judge to state even in unadorned style this splendid doctrine rather than to hold our tongues about it, since if he considers the grandeur of the thoughts, the fact that the awkwardness of our style annoys him, need not be prejudicial to the profit of the reader, and for our part we are more anxious about its usefulness than its being praised. This at least I charge all those into whose hand this little book may fall; viz. , that they must know that whatever in it pleases them belongs to the fathers, and whatever they dislike is all our own.