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WHEN by the help of the grace of Christ I had published ten Conferences
of the Fathers, which were composed at the urgent request of the most
blessed Helladius and Leontius, I dedicated-seven others to Honoratus, a
Bishop blessed in name as well as merits, and also that holy servant of
Christ, Eucherius. The same number also I have thought good to dedicate now
to you, O holy brothers, Jovinianus, Minervius, Leontius, and Theodore.
Since the last named of you founded that holy and splendid monastic rule in
the province of Gaul, with the strictness of ancient virtue, while the rest
of you by your instructions have stirred up monks not only before all to
seek the common life of the coenobia, but even to thirst eagerly for the
sublime life of the anchorite. For those Conferences of the best of the
fathers are arranged with such care, and so carefully considered in all
respects, that they are suited to both modes of life whereby you have made
not only the countries of the West, but even the isles to flourish with
great crowds of brethren; i.e., I means that not only those who still
remain in congregations with praiseworthy subjection to rule, but those
also who retire to no great distance from your monasteries, and try to
carry out the rule of anchorites, may be more fully instructed, according
as the nature of the place and the character of their condition may
require. And to this your previous efforts and labours have especially
contributed this, that, as they are already prepared and practised in these
exercises, they can more readily receive the precepts and institutes of the
Elders, and receiving into their cells the authors of the Conferences
together with the actual volumes of the Conferences and talking with them
after a fashion by daily questions and answers, they may not be left to
their own resources to find that way which is difficult and almost unknown
in this country, but full of danger even there where well-worn paths and
numberless instances of those who have gone before are not wanting, but may
rather learn to follow the rule of the anchorite's life taught by their
examples, whom ancient tradition and industry and long experience have
thoroughly instructed.
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