Портрет художника в юности

           Theymockandjeeratthelostsoulswhomtheydraggeddowntoruin.Itisthey,thefouldemons,whoaremadeinhellthevoicesofconscience.Whydidyousin?Whydidyoulendaneartothetemptingsoffriends?Whydidyouturnasidefromyourpiouspracticesandgoodworks?Whydidyounotshuntheoccasionsofsin?Whydidyounotleavethatevilcompanion?Whydidyounotgiveupthatlewdhabit,thatimpurehabit?Whydidyounotlistentothecounselsofyourconfessor?Whydidyounot,evenafteryouhadfallenthefirstorthesecondorthethirdorthefourthorthehundredthtime,repentofyourevilwaysandturntoGodwhoonlywaitedforyourrepentancetoabsolveyouofyoursins?Nowthetimeforrepentancehasgoneby.Timeis,timewas,buttimeshallbenomore!Timewastosininsecrecy,toindulgeinthatslothandpride,tocovettheunlawful,toyieldtothepromptingsofyourlowernature,tolivelikethebeastsofthefield,nayworsethanthebeastsofthefield,forthey,atleast,arebutbrutesandhavenoreasontoguidethem:timewas,buttimeshallbenomore.Godspoketoyoubysomanyvoices,butyouwouldnothear.Youwouldnotcrushoutthatprideandangerinyourheart,youwouldnotrestorethoseill-gottengoods,youwouldnotobeythepreceptsofyourholychurchnorattendtoyourreligiousduties,youwouldnotabandonthosewickedcompanions,youwouldnotavoidthosedangeroustemptations.Suchisthelanguageofthosefiendishtormentors,wordsoftauntingandofreproach,ofhatredandofdisgust.