On the Divine Names and the Mystical Theology — trans. C. E. Rolt
The translator’s English as printed (C. E. Rolt). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
PREFACE
THE translations of which the present volume consists are the work of a scholar who died at the age of thirty-seven. It has been felt that since the translator did not live to write a preface his work should be introduced by a few prefatory words. My excuse for accepting that office is that I probably knew the lamented writer as well as any one living. He was deprived of both his parents while very young, left almost friendless, and entrusted to my care from the age of fourteen. He had already shown promise of unusual ability. I sent him to King’s College School, where in the opinion of its distinguished Head, the Rev. Dr. Bourne, he could have done anything if only he had been given the health. At Oxford he was awarded the Liddon Studentship.
Nothing can show more clearly what was thought of him by competent judges in Oxford than the following letter written by the Professor of Latin, A. C. Clark:
“He was one of the best scholars who passed through my hands at Queen’s College, and I know no one who made greater progress after coming into residence. In those early days he had wonderful powers of work. I was seldom so delighted as when he earned the great distinction of being ‘mentioned’ for the Hertford University Scholarship in Latin. At the time everything seemed to be within his grasp. But most unfortunately his health failed shortly afterwards, and he was never able to do himself justice. Still, of recent years he wrote a remarkable book, full of fine thought, brilliantly expressed, which was much admired by good judges. I well remember, too, his Latin sermon preached at St. Mary’s not long ago. It was
PREFACE
The translations that make up this volume are the work of a scholar who died at the age of thirty-seven. Since the translator did not live to write a preface, it has been felt that his work should be introduced with a few prefatory words. My reason for accepting that task is that I probably knew the lamented writer as well as anyone living. He lost both his parents while very young, was left almost without friends, and was entrusted to my care from the age of fourteen. He had already shown promise of unusual ability. I sent him to King's College School, where, in the opinion of its distinguished Head, the Rev. Dr. Bourne, he could have done anything if only he had been given the health. At Oxford he was awarded the Liddon Studentship.
Nothing shows more clearly what competent judges in Oxford thought of him than the following letter from the Professor of Latin, A. C. Clark:
“He was one of the best scholars who passed through my hands at Queen's College, and I know of no one who made greater progress after coming into residence. In those early days he had wonderful powers of work. I was seldom so delighted as when he earned the great distinction of being ‘mentioned’ for the Hertford University Scholarship in Latin. At that time everything seemed to be within his grasp. But, most unfortunately, his health failed shortly afterwards, and he was never able to do himself justice. Even so, in recent years he wrote a remarkable book, full of fine thought brilliantly expressed, which good judges much admired. I also remember well his Latin sermon preached at St. Mary's not long ago. It was