Letter LX.
2221
To Gregory his uncle
.
Formerly
I was glad to see my
brother. Why not, since he is my brother and such a
brother? Now I have received him on his coming to visit me with
the same feelings, and have lost none of my affection. God forbid
that I should ever so feel as to forget the ties of nature and be at
war with those who are near and dear to me. I have found his
presence a comfort in my bodily sickness and the other troubles of my
soul, and I have been especially delighted at the letter which he has
brought me from your excellency. For a long time I have been
hoping that it would come, for this only reason, that I need not add to
my life any doleful episode of quarrel between kith and kin, sure to
give pleasure to foes and sorrow to friends, and to be displeasing to
God, Who has laid down perfect love as the distinctive characteristic
of His disciples. So I reply, as I am indeed bound, with an
earnest request for your prayers for me, and your care for me in all
things, as your relative. Since I, from want of information,
cannot clearly understand the meaning of what is going on, I have
judged it right to accept the truth of the account which you are so
good as to give me. It is for you of your wisdom to settle the
rest, our meeting with one another, the fitting time and a convenient
place. If your reverence really does not disdain to come down to
my lowliness and to have speech with me, whether you wish the interview
to take place in the presence of others or in private, I shall make no
objection, for I have once for all made up my mind to submit to you in
love, and to carry out, without exception, what your reverence enjoins
on me for the glory of God.
I have not laid my reverend brother under the necessity
of reporting anything to you by word of mouth, because on the former
occasion what he said was not borne out by facts.
2221
Of the same
time as the preceding.