The Philobiblon
by Richard de Bury
Chapter II
The degree of affection that is properly due to
books
Since the degree of affection a thing deserves depends
upon the degree of its value, and the previous chapter shows
that the value of books is unspeakable, it is quite clear to
the reader what is the probable conclusion from this. I say
probable, for in moral science we do not insist upon
demonstration, remembering that the educated man seeks such
degree of certainty as he perceives the subject-matter will
bear, as Aristotle testifies in the first book of his
Ethics. For Tully does not appeal to Euclid, nor does Euclid
rely upon Tully. This at all events we endeavour to prove,
whether by logic or rhetoric, that all riches and all
delights whatsoever yield place to books in the spiritual
mind, wherein the Spirit which is charity ordereth charity.
Now in the first place, because wisdom is contained in books
more than all mortals understand, and wisdom thinks lightly
of riches, as the foregoing chapter declares. Furthermore,
Aristotle, in his Problems, determines the question, why the
ancients proposed prizes to the stronger in gymnastic and
corporeal contests, but never awarded any prize for wisdom.
This question he solves as follows: In gymnastic exercises
the prize is better and more desirable than that for which
it is bestowed; but it is certain that nothing is better
than wisdom: wherefore no prize could be assigned for
wisdom. And therefore neither riches nor delights are more
excellent than wisdom. Again, only the fool will deny that
friendship is to be preferred to riches, since the wisest of
men testifies this; but the chief of philosophers honours
truth before friendship, and the truthful Zorobabel prefers
it to all things. Riches, then, are less than truth. Now
truth is chiefly maintained and contained in holy
books--nay, they are written truth itself, since by books we
do not now mean the materials of which they are made.
Wherefore riches are less than books, especially as the most
precious of all riches are friends, as Boethius testifies in
the second book of his Consolation; to whom the truth
of books according to Aristotle is to be preferred.
Moreover, since we know that riches first and chiefly
appertain to the support of the body only, while the virtue
of books is the perfection of reason, which is properly
speaking the happiness of man, it appears that books to the
man who uses his reason are dearer than riches. Furthermore,
that by which the faith is more easily defended, more widely
spread, more clearly preached, ought to be more desirable to
the faithful. But this is the truth written in books, which
our Saviour plainly showed, when he was about to contend
stoutly against the Tempter, girding himself with the shield
of truth and indeed of written truth, declaring "it is
written" of what he was about to utter with his voice.
And, again, no one doubts that happiness is to be
preferred to riches. But happiness consists in the operation
of the noblest and diviner of the faculties that we
possess--when the whole mind is occupied in contemplating
the truth of wisdom, which is the most delectable of all our
virtuous activities, as the prince of philosophers declares
in the tenth book of the Ethics, on which account it is that
philosophy is held to have wondrous pleasures in respect of
purity and solidity, as he goes on to say. But the
contemplation of truth is never more perfect than in books,
where the act of imagination perpetuated by books does not
suffer the operation of the intellect upon the truths that
it has seen to suffer interruption. Wherefore books appear
to be the most immediate instruments of speculative delight,
and therefore Aristotle, the sun of philosophic truth, in
considering the principles of choice, teaches that in itself
to philosophize is more desirable than to be rich, although
in certain cases, as where for instance one is in need of
necessaries, it may be more desirable to be rich than to
philosophize.
Moreover, since books are the aptest teachers, as the
previous chapter assumes, it is fitting to bestow on them
the honour and the affection that we owe to our teachers. In
fine, since all men naturally desire to know, and since by
means of books we can attain the knowledge of the ancients,
which is to be desired beyond all riches, what man living
according to nature would not feel the desire of books? And
although we know that swine trample pearls under foot, the
wise man will not therefore be deterred from gathering the
pearls that lie before him. A library of wisdom, then, is
more precious than all wealth, and all things that are
desirable cannot be compared to it. Whoever therefore claims
to be zealous of truth, of happiness, of wisdom or
knowledge, aye, even of the faith, must needs become a lover
of books.
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- The Philobiblon
by Richard de Bury
Chapter I
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