The Philobiblon
by Richard de Bury
Chapter XVIII
Showeth that we have collected so great store of
books for the common benefit of scholars and not only for
our own pleasure
Nothing in human affairs is more unjust than that those
things which are most righteously done, should be perverted
by the slanders of malicious men, and that one should bear
the reproach of sin where he has rather deserved the hope of
honour. Many things are done with singleness of eye, the
right hand knoweth not what the left hand doth, the lump is
uncorrupted by leaven, nor is the garment woven of wool and
linen; and yet by the trickery of perverse men a pious work
is mendaciously transformed into some monstrous act. Certes,
such is the unhappy condition of sinful nature, that not
merely in acts that are morally doubtful it adopts the worse
conclusion; but often it depraves by iniquitous subversion
those which have the appearance of rectitude.
For although the love of books from the nature of its
object bears the aspect of goodness, yet, wonderful to say,
it has rendered us obnoxious to the censures of many, by
whose astonishment we were disparaged and censured, now for
excess of curiosity, now for the exhibition of vanity, now
for intemperance of delight in literature; though indeed we
were no more disturbed by their vituperation than by the
barking of so many dogs, satisfied with the testimony of Him
to whom it appertaineth to try the hearts and reins. For as
the aim and purpose of our inmost will is inscrutable to men
and is seen of God alone, the searcher of hearts, they
deserve to be rebuked for their pernicious temerity, who so
eagerly set a mark of condemnation upon human acts, the
ultimate springs of which they cannot see. For the final end
in matters of conduct holds the same position as first
principles in speculative science or axioms in mathematics,
as the chief of philosophers, Aristotle, points out in the
seventh book of the Ethics. And therefore, just as the truth
of our conclusions depends upon the correctness of our
premises, so in matters of action the stamp of moral
rectitude is given by the honesty of aim and purpose, in
cases where the act itself would otherwise be held to be
morally indifferent.
Now we have long cherished in our heart of hearts the
fixed resolve, when Providence should grant a favourable
opportunity, to found in perpetual charity a Hall in the
reverend university of Oxford, the chief nursing mother of
all liberal arts, and to endow it with the necessary
revenues, for the maintenance of a number of scholars; and
moreover to enrich the Hall with the treasures of our books,
that all and every of them should be in common as regards
their use and study, not only to the scholars of the said
Hall, but by their means to all the students of the
before-named university for ever, in the form and manner
which the following chapter shall declare. Wherefore the
sincere love of study and zeal for the strengthening of the
orthodox faith to the edifying of the Church, have begotten
in us that solicitude so marvellous to the lovers of self,
of collecting books wherever they were to be purchased,
regardless of expense, and of having those that could not he
bought fairly transcribed.
For as the favourite occupations of men are variously
distinguished according to the disposition of the heavenly
bodies, which frequently control our natural composition, so
that some men choose to devote themselves to architecture,
others to agriculture, others to hunting, others to
navigation, others to war, others to games, we have under
the aspect of Mercury entertained a blameless pleasure in
books, which under the rule of right reason, over which no
stars are dominant, we have ordered to the glory of the
Supreme Being, that where our minds found tranquillity and
peace, thence also might spring a most devout service of
God. And therefore let our detractors cease, who are as
blind men judging of colours; let not bats venture to speak
of light; and let not those who carry beams in their own
eyes presume to pull the mote out of their brother's eye.
Let them cease to jeer with satirical taunts at things of
which they are ignorant, and to discuss hidden things that
are not revealed to the eyes of men; who perchance would
have praised and commended us, if we had spent our time in
hunting, dice-playing, or courting the smiles of ladies.
- The Philobiblon
by Richard de Bury
Chapter XVII
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