|
26. Great is the power of memory; very wonderful is it, O my
God, a profound and infinite manifoldness; and this thing is the
mind, and this I myself am. What then am I, O my God? Of what
nature am I? A life various and manifold, and exceeding vast.
Behold, in the numberless fields, and caves, and caverns of my
memory, full without number of numberless kinds of things, either
through images, as all bodies are; or by the presence of the things
themselves, as are the arts; or by some notion or observation, as the
affections of the mind are, which, even though the mind doth not
suffer, the memory retains, while whatsoever is in the memory is also
in the mind: through all these do I run to and fro, and fly; I
penetrate on this side and that, as far as I am able, and nowhere is
there an end. So great is the power of memory, so great the power of
life in man, whose life is mortal. What then shall I do, O Thou
my true life, my God? I will pass even beyond this power of mine
which is called memory I will pass beyond it, that I may proceed
to Thee, O Thou sweet Light. What sayest Thou to me? Behold,
I am soaring by my mind towards Thee who remainest above me. I will
also pass beyond this power of mine which is called memory, wishful to
reach Thee whence Thou canst be reached, and to cleave unto Thee
whence it is possible to cleave unto Thee. For even beasts and birds
possess memory, else could they never find their lairs and nests
again, nor many other things to which they are used; neither indeed
could they become used to anything, but by their memory. I will
pass, then, beyond memory also, that I may reach Him who has
separated me from the four-footed beasts and the fowls of the air,
making me wiser than they. I will pass beyond memory also, but where
shall I find Thee, O Thou truly good and assured sweetness? But
where shall I find Thee? If I find Thee without memory, then am
I un-' mindful of Thee. And how now shall I find Thee, if I do
not remember Thee?
|
|