PREFACE. SOME years ago it was reported that an American sailor had fitted up for himself a small boat with a covered deck, in which he attempted to cross the Atlantic aIone and it was also said that he acconiplished his task, and brought his boat safely to our shores. Something like this saiIors heart of oak, cascd it triple brass, seems to me her courage who set her frail bark to traverse thc ocean of St. Augustine, and to give in the coinpass of a stria voIume a notion of the beauty, the vastness, the proportion, and the grandeur of mind in one who is said to have acted upon a larger number of men than any one since the time of St. Paul. I would fain hope that she also has brought her back safe to shore, and that such as think it worth their while to read the words herein selected of that great Saint and Genius no loss great, will be able to form some notion of the personal character, the doctrine, the faith, the hope, and the charity of the man who ranks among the Fathers of the Church as St. Paul among the Apostles. Works of St. Augustine, translated at Edinburgh, make fifteen octavo voIumes the Oxford translation of the Fathers makes several more. Both together are far from containing all that has been prescrred to us. It is requisite to say that either of these series has been used or even referred to by the Translator....