the stars but from our own hearts come the hindrances to virtue.

Lives of the saints and paraphrases of the story of creation were the
principal themes of the Christian poets of the fourth and fifth
centuries. In some of these the hermit was extolled with a dash of
Robinson Crusoe romance, and the descriptions of natural phenomena in
connection with Genesis often showed a feeling for the beauty of
Nature in poetic language. Dracontius drew a detailed picture of
Paradise with much self-satisfaction.

Then in flight the joyous feathered throng passed through the
heavens, beating the air with sounding wings, various notes do
they pour forth in soothing harmony, and, methinks, together
praise for that they were accounted worthy to be created.[26]

For the charming legend of Paradise was to many Christian minds of
this time what the long-lost bliss of Elysium and the Golden Age had
been to the Hellenic poets and the Roman elegist--the theme of much
vivid imagery and highly-coloured word-painting.

Eternal spring softens the air, a healing flame floods the world
with light, all the elements glow in healing warmth; as the
shades of night fade, day rises.... Then the feathered flocks fly
joyfully through the air, beating it with their wings in the rush
of their passage, and with flattering satisfaction their voices
are heard, and I think they praise God that they were found
worthy to be created; some shine in snowy white, some in purple,
some in saffron, some in yellow gold; others have white feathers
round the eyes, while neck and breast are of the bright tint of
the hyacinth ... and upon the branches, the birds are moved to