In regard to the word “monk” used by Bowring, that author is again in error, technically at least, an error that is quite often met with in many works. As pointed out by Rev. T. C. Middleton, O.S.A., in a letter dated December 8, 1902, the only regulars in the Philippines who could rightfully be styled “monks” were the Benedictines. The members of the other orders are “friars,” the equivalent of the Spanish “frailes.” The monks are strictly cloistered. The friars appeared first in the thirteenth century, and do not live a strictly cloistered life.
[4] M. reads on the outside wrapper: “Letter by Fray Gaspar de San Agustin;” and the heading of the letter is as follows: ”+ Letter written by an aged religious of Philipinas to a friend in España, who asked him as to the nature and characteristics of the Indian natives of these islands.” D. reads: “Letter written by the very reverend father Fray ... giving him an account ...”
[5] M. and D. read “mathematical side;” and continuing D. reads “of the double of the cube of the sphere.”
[6] i.e., “I was with this generation for about forty years, and I said ‘These people always err from the heart.’” M. omits the Latin phrase and reads in its place “and I have only learned that they are almost incomprehensible.” D. reads as M. and then adds “and therefore I shall only say,” followed by the Latin phrase.
[7] i.e., “He himself knew our formation.” The last word of the Latin phrase is omitted in M.
[8] D. reads “excuse myself from the burden and difficulty.”
[9] i.e., “It is difficult to know man—a changeable and variable animal.” M. gives only the first four words of this Latin phrase.
[10] i.e., “I see men as trees walking.”
[11] Not set off into lines in the Ayer MS. A literal translation of the citation, which is rather freely translated in the text, is: “Spring makes me green; burning summer, yellow; autumn, white; and chill winter, bald.” M. omits all the quotation after the first three words; D. reads “Glaucumque” instead of “flavamque.” The poet mentioned by San Agustin was a Welshman by the name of John Owen, or, according to his Latin name, Joannis Audoenus. He was born about 1560, at Armon, Wales, and died in London, in 1622. He studied law at Oxford, and afterward became a teacher at various places. He imitated the Epigrams of Martial, and his Epigrammata were published first in three books at London, in 1606, but were later augmented by seven more books. They were reprinted many times in various countries and even translated into other languages—among the latter, into English, French, and Spanish (Madrid, 1674–82). One of the best editions is that printed at Paris in 1774.
[12] D. omits this last phrase.