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FOREWORD

TO SAINT FRANCIS

To you, whom I take to be familiar with the task before me, it must seem strange that a creature of my parts has attempted this difficult theme. It should be remembered, however, that it is for the delectation of earthlies like myself who are no better informed than I as to the truth. Surely no one may quarrel with me, saying, Heaven is thus and Hell so, because he is as ignorant as I. I have, therefore, dedicated a portion of my days to research on the subject, believing in its charm and remembering pleasantly my childish visions of the angels. I shall not discuss the divinity of God and the controversy which I wish to stimulate is historical rather than theological.

In putting fancy side by side with fact I shall take care to distinguish between the two by the mention of an authority on the side of fact and a bold statement on the side of my fancy.

Foregoing the temptation of compiling a dull and exhaustive thesis, I shall yet present a body of information valuable to those concerned with these matters. In this, an endless subject, I have limited myself to tracing the familiar and valid traditions.

My object is sincere, for I believe that these creations of ours, the worlds of our classic imaginations, are testaments of our brighter selves, that in them we have laid up treasures for our children, beautiful ideas to cherish or destroy. Man's greatness is measured by the sublimity of his God and by the perversity of his Devil. His Heavens and Hells vary with his psychology and are indices to his progress. We, with our burden of sophistications, may well envy our naive ancestors, but, being sophisticated, we shall also smile. Smiling at what is serious has never destroyed what is holy; it has, on the other hand, made virtue endur"able. I lay sincere claim to my essential reverence and pray, Saint Francis, for your blessing.