VIII. THE REQUIEM 307

quite different and higher condition than temperance,-the first being not painful when rightly practised, but the latter always so-(“I held my peace, even from good”¹-“quanto quisque sibi plura negaverit, ab Dis plura feret”²). Then come pity and long-suffering, which have to deal with the sin, and not merely with the sorrow, of those around us. Then the three Trial virtues, through which one has to struggle forward up to the power of Love, the twelfth.

All these relate only to the duties and relations of the life that is now.

But Love is stronger than Death; and through her, we have, first, Hope of life to come; then, surety of it; living by this surety (the Just shall live by Faith³), Righteousness, and Strength to the end. Who bears on her scroll, “The Lord shall break the teeth of the Lions.”⁴

131. An undeveloped and simial system of human life-you think it-Cockney friend!

Such as it was, the Venetians made shift to brave the war of this world with it, as well as ever you are like to do; and they had, besides, the joy of looking to the peace of another. For, you see, above these narrow windows, stand the Apostles, and the two angels that stood by them on the Mount of the Ascension; and between these the Virgin; and with her, and with the twelve, you are to hear the angels’ word, “Why stand ye at gaze? as He departs, so shall He come, to give the Laws that ought to be.”⁵

DEBITA JURA,

a form of “debit” little referred to in modern ledgers, but by the Venetian acknowledged for all devoirs of commerce and of war; writing, by his church, of the Rialto’s business (the first words these, mind you, that Venice ever speaks

¹ [Psalms xxxix. 2.]

² [Horace, Odes, iii. 16, 21: quoted also in Fors Clavigera, Letter 67, § 17 n.]

³ [Romans i. 17.]

⁴ [Psalms lviii. 6.]

⁵ [Compare, above, § 107, p. 292.]

[Version 0.04: March 2008]