Instead of high food to fatten and pamper my flesh, I had receipts to mortify and reduce it.

With these I edified so well, that within a few months I became a skeleton.

However, as he had converted me to his faith, I was well enough satisfied with this new manner of living, by which he taught me I might insure myself an eternal reward in a future state.

The saint was a good-natured man, and never gave me an ill word but once, which was occasioned by my neglecting to place Aristophanes, which was his constant bedfellow, on his pillow.

He was, indeed, extremely fond of that Greek poet, and frequently made me read his comedies to him.