Kevin Myers had an article in the Irish Independent which I think is worth a reprint:

When China emerged from the great civil war of 220-280, and the Western Chin dynasty ruled all, the chancellor brought word to the emperor, Wu Ti, of a new power in the heathen lands to the west.

Though barbaric -- as it must be, consisting of round-eyes who knew nothing of the world, or paper or gunpowder or the compass -- this power was nonetheless strangely compelling.

It combined great intellect with a...

St. Augustine of Hippo, speaking on the anniversary of his episcopal ordination, described the bishop’s duties in the following way:

“To rebuke those who stir up strife, to comfort those of little courage, to take the part of the weak, to refute opponents, to be on guard against traps, to teach the ignorant, to shake the indolent awake, to discourage those who want to buy and sell, to put the presumptuous in their place, to modify the quarrelsome, to help the poor, to liberate the oppres...