William of Malmesbury's Chronicle of the Kings of England: From the Earliest Period to the Reign of King Stephen (Bohn's Antiquarian Library)

The virtue of celebrated men holds forth as its greatest excellence, its tendency to excite the love of persons even far removed from it: hence the lower classes make the virtues of their superiors their own, by venerating those great actions, to the practice of which they cannot themselves aspire. Moreover, itredounds altogether to the glory of exalted characters, both that they do good, and that they gain the affection of their inferiors. To you, Princes, therefore, it is owing, that we act well; to you, indeed, that we compose anything worthy of remembrance; your exertions incite us to make you live for ever in our writings, in return for the dangers you undergo to secure our tranquillity. For this reason, I have deemed it proper to dedicate the History of the Kingsof England, which I have lately published, more especially to you, my respectedand truly amiable Lord.---- William of Malmesbury's Chronicle of the Kings of From the Earliest ...