How do you think my heart was pained at hearing of the slanders heaped on me by some of those that feel no fear of the Judge, who “shall destroy them that speak leasing”? Ps. v. 6.  I spent nearly the whole night sleepless, thinking of your words of love; so did grief lay hold upon my heart of hearts.  For verily, in the words of Solomon, slander humbleth a man. συκοφαντία ἄνδρα ταπεινοῖ, for Eccles. vii. 7, LXX. συκοφαντία περιδέρει σοφόν:  oppression maketh a wise man mad, A.V.; extortion maketh a wise man foolish, R.V.  And no man is so void of feeling as not to be touched at heart, and bowed down to the ground, if he falls in with lips prone to lying.  But we must needs put up with all things and endure all things, after committing our vindication to the Lord.  He will not despise us; for “he that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker.” Prov. xiv. 31.  They, however, who have patched up this new tragedy of blasphemy seem to have lost all belief in the Lord, Who has declared that we must give account at the day of judgment even for an idle word. Matt. xii. 36.  And I, tell me, I anathematized the right blessed Dianius?  For this is what they have said against me.  Where?  When?  In whose presence?  On what pretext?  In mere spoken words, or in writing?  Following others, or myself the author and originator of the deed?  Alas for the impudence of men who make no difficulty at saying anything!  Alas for their contempt of the judgment of God!  Unless, indeed, they add this further to their fiction, that they make me out to have been once upon a time so far out of my mind as not to know what I was saying.  For so long as I have been in my senses I know that I never did anything of the kind, or had the least wish to do so.  What I am, indeed, conscious of is this; that from my earliest childhood I was brought up in love for him, thought as I gazed at him how venerable he looked, how dignified, how truly reverend.  Then when I grew older I began to know him by the good qualities of his soul, and took delight in his society, gradually learning to perceive the simplicity, nobility, and liberality of his character, and all his most distinctive qualities, his gentleness of soul, his mingled magnanimity and meekness, the seemliness of his conduct, his control of temper, the beaming cheerfulness and affability which he combined with majesty of demeanour.  From all this I counted him among men most illustrious for high character.