Chapter I

Jocelin of Brakelond


We will, in this Second Portion of our Work, strive to penetrate
a little, by means of certain confused Papers, printed and other,
into a somewhat remote Century; and to look face to face on it,
in hope of perhaps illustrating our own poor Century thereby. It
seems a circuitous way; but it may prove a way nevertheless.
For man has ever been a striving, struggling, and, in spite of
wide-spread calumnies to the contrary, a veracious creature: the
Centuries too are all lineal children of one another; and often,
in the portrait of early grandfathers, this and the other
enigmatic feature of the newest grandson shall disclose itself,
to mutual elucidation. This Editor will venture on such a thing.

Besides, in Editors' Books, and indeed everywhere else in the
world of Today, a certain latitude of movement grows more and
more becoming for the practical man. Salvation lies not in tight
lacing, in these times;--how far from that, in any province
whatsoever! Readers and men generally are getting into strange
habits of asking all persons and things, from poor Editors' Books
up to Church Bishops and State Potentates, not, By what
designation are thou called; in what wig and black triangle dost
thou walk abroad? Heavens, I know thy designation and black
triangle well enough! But, in God's name, what _art_ thou? Not