1.  WE  are  deeply  grieved,  and  can  by  no  means  regard  it  as  a
small  matter,  that  the  people  of  Hippo  clamorously  said  so
much  to  the  disparagement  of  your  Holiness ;  but,  my  good
brother,  their  clamorous  utterance  of  these  things  is  not  so
great  a  cause  for  grief  as  the  fact  that  we  are,  without  open
accusation,  deemed  guilty  of  similar  things.  For  when  we
are  believed  to  be  actuated  in  retaining  God's  servants  among
us,  not  by  love  of  righteousness,  but  by  love  of  money,  is  it
not  to  be  desired  that  persons  who  believe  this  concerning  us
should  with  their  voices  avow  what  is  hidden  in  their  hearts,
and  so  obtain,  if  possible,  remedies  great  in  proportion  to  the
disease,  rather  than  silently  perish  under  the  venom  of  these
fatal  suspicions  ?  Wherefore  it  ought  to  be  a  greater  care  to
us  (and  for  this  reason  we  conferred  together  before  this
happened)  to  provide  how  men  to  whom  we  are  commanded
to  be  examples  in  good  works  may  be  convinced  that  there  is
no  ground  for  suspicions  which  they  cherish,  than  to  provide


LET.  CXXV.]  TO  ALYPIUS.  127

how  those  may  be  rebuked  who  in  words  give  definite  utter
ance  to  their  suspicions.
