Letter 19: 1. Words cannot express the pleasure with which the recollection of you filled my heart after I parted with you, and has often filled my heart since then. For I remember that, notwithstanding the amazing ardour which pervaded your inquiries after truth, the bounds of proper moderation in debate were never transgressed by you.

Augustine to his friend Gaius -- greetings. 1. Words cannot express the pleasure that the memory of you brought to my heart after we parted, and has brought me many times since then. What I remember above all is this: despite the remarkable passion that drove your pursuit of truth, you never overstepped the bounds of fair and measured debate. I will not easily find anyone more eager to ask questions and at the same time more patient in listening to the answers than you showed yourself to be. I would gladly spend a great deal of time in conversation with you, for however much time we spent, it would never feel like enough. But what good does it do to catalog the obstacles that make such conversation so difficult for us? It is enough to say that it is very difficult indeed. Perhaps someday it will become easy -- may God grant it! For now, things are otherwise. I have entrusted the brother who carries this letter with all my writings, to place them before your excellent judgment and generous spirit. Nothing I have written will find a reluctant reader in you, for I know the goodwill you hold toward me. Let me say this, though: if when you read these things you approve of them and recognize them as true, you should consider them mine only in the sense that they were given to me. And you are free to turn to the same source from which the power to recognize their truth has also been given to you. For no one discerns the truth of what he reads from anything in the manuscript itself, or in the writer, but rather from something within himself -- if the light of truth, shining with a clarity far beyond what is common among mortals and far removed from the body's clouding influence, has penetrated his own mind. If, however, you find things in these writings that are false and deserve to be rejected, know that those errors have fallen like dew from the mists of human frailty -- and those you may rightly consider truly mine. I would urge you to persevere in seeking the truth, but I can already see the mouth of your heart standing wide open to drink it in. I would urge you to cling with manly resolve to the truth you have found, but you already display the clearest evidence of strength of mind and steadiness of purpose. Everything within you has, in the short time of our fellowship, revealed itself to me almost as though the veil of the body had been torn away. And surely the merciful providence of our God will never permit a man as good and remarkably gifted as you to remain a stranger to the flock of Christ.

Letter 19 (A.D. 390) To Gaius Augustine Sends Greeting. 1. Words cannot express the pleasure with which the recollection of you filled my heart after I parted with you, and has often filled my heart since then. For I remember that, notwithstanding the amazing ardour which pervaded your inquiries after truth, the bounds of proper moderation in debate were never transgressed by you. I shall not easily find any one who is more eager in putting questions, and at the same time more patient in hearing answers, than you approved yourself. Gladly therefore would I spend much time in converse with you; for the time thus spent, however much it might be, would not seem long. But what avails it to discuss the hindrances on account of which it is difficult for us to enjoy such converse? Enough that it is exceedingly difficult. Perhaps at some future period it may be made very easy; may God grant this! Meanwhile it is otherwise. I have given to the brother by whom I have sent this letter the charge of submitting all my writings to your eminent wisdom and charity, that they may be read by you. For nothing written by me will find in you a reluctant reader; for I know the goodwill which you cherish towards me. Let me say, however, that if, on reading these things, you approve of them, and perceive them to be true, you must not consider them to be mine otherwise than as given to me; and you are at liberty to turn to that same source whence proceeds also the power given you to appreciate their truth. For no one discerns the truth of that which he reads from anything which is in the mere manuscript, or in the writer, but rather by something within himself, if the light of truth, shining with a clearness beyond what is men's common lot, and very far removed from the darkening influence of the body, has penetrated his own mind. If, however, you discover some things which are false and deserve to be rejected, I would have you know that these things have fallen as dew from the mists of human frailty, and these you are to reckon as truly mine. I would exhort you to persevere in seeking the truth, were it not that I seem to see the mouth of your heart already opened wide to drink it in. I would also exhort you to cling with manly tenacity to the truth which you have learned, were it not that you already manifest in the clearest manner that you possess strength of mind and fixedness of purpose. For all that lives within you has, in the short time of our fellowship, revealed itself to me, almost as if the bodily veil had been rent asunder. And surely the merciful providence of our God can in no wise permit a man so good and so remarkably gifted as you are to be an alien from the flock of Christ. About this page Source. Translated by J.G. Cunningham. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 1. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1887.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1102019.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.