Translations of the " De Imitation Christi." Edited, with Pre-
face, Notes, and Glossary, by John R. Ingram. (Kegan Paul, Trench, and Co, for the Early English Text Society.)—Dr. Ingram edits here two versions of the De Imitations. The first is contained in a MS. belonging to Trinity College, Dublin, and is now printed for the first time. It is to be attributed to the middle of the fifteenth century, The second is the joint work of William Atkynson, D.D. (died 1509) and Margaret, Countess of Richmond, mother of Henry VI., the former having translated the first three books, the latter the fourth, The Dublin MS. (which has a fellow in the University Library of Cambridge) con- tains I.-III. only. Here is a specimen of the two :-
"" Bow thin eyen to thiself, and " Gyve hede that thou eon- be not demer of other mennes syder well thy propre workes, dedes. In demyng other men, and be not redy to jugs the a man laborith in veyn, of to dedes of a nether that pertey- tymes errith and lightly syn- neth not to the, he for whome nith ; but in demyng and die- thou shalt give none accompt cussyng a man self, every he at thy dethe. Man laboreth in laborith fruytuously. As it vayne oftymes in jugynge other lieth in our herte, so for the men, and soone offendeth, but in mode parte we dome ; and serchynge his oun defautes and lightly we lose true jugement considerynge them he ever for propre love." laboreth frutfullye. And we comonly be redy to jugs after our affeccion, and many times we erre from the truthe in jugs- ment for our pryde and synguler love."
Dr. Ingram has added a few notes and a glossary.
Previous page
