true, written by a man who knew the place--who had probably been in
the great battle of Beth-aven, which followed, and had perhaps
ascended the rock where Jonathan had done his valiant deed, and had
seen the dead bodies lying as they had fallen before him and his
armour-bearer.

Then follows the story of David's killing Goliath, and coming back
to Saul with the giant's head in his hand, and answering modestly to
him, 'I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.'

'And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul,
that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and
Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

'Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as
his own soul.

'And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and
gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his
bow, and to his girdle.'

He loved him as his own soul. And why? Because his soul was like
the soul of David; because he was modest, he loved David's modesty;
because he was brave, he loved David's courage; because he was
virtuous, he loved David's virtue. He saw that David was all that
he was himself, and more; and therefore he loved him as his own
soul. And therefore I said, that it is only noble and great hearts
who can have great friendships; who admire and delight in other
men's goodness; who, when they see a great and godlike man,
conceive, like Jonathan, such an affection for him that they forget