down those thoughts on the religions life which Sir Thomas More turned into English, and which another English translator thought worthy to be added to the books of the 'Imitation.' 'It is not hard to know God, provided one will not force oneself to define him,' has been thought a great saying of Joubert's. 'Love God,' Pico writes to Angelo Politian, 'we rather may, than either know him or by speech utter him. And yet had men liefer by knowledge never find that which they seek, than by love possess that thing, which also without love were in vain found.'
Yet he who had this fine touch for spiritual things did not—and in this is the enduring interest of his story—even after his conversion forget the old gods. He is one of the last who seriously and sincerely entertained the claims on men's faith of the pagan religions; he is anxious to ascertain the true significance of the obscurest legend, the lightest tradition concerning them. With many thoughts and many influences which led him in that direction, he did not become a monk, only he became gentle and patient in disputation; retaining 'somewhat of the old plenty, in dainty viand and silver vessel' he gave over the greater part of his property to his friend, the mystical poet Beniveni, to be spent by him in works of charity, chiefly in the sweet charity of providing marriage-dowries for the peasant girls of
