The Philobiblon of Richard de Bury | Page 3

pattern. Yet once again Richard de Bury's Philobiblon,
edited and translated into English by E. C. Thomas, is presented to new
generations of book-lovers:-- "LIBRORUM DILECTORIBUS."

THE PHILOBIBLON NEWLY TRANSLATED
PROLOGUE I That the treasure of wisdom is chiefly contained in
books

II The degree of affection that is properly due to books
III What we are to think of the price in the buying of books
IV The complaint of books against the clergy already promoted
V The complaint of books against the possessioners
VI The complaint of books against the mendicants
VII The complaint of books against wars
VIII Of the numerous opportunities we have had of collecting a store of
books
IX How, although we preferred the works of the ancients, we have not
condemned the studies of the moderns
X Of the gradual perfecting of books
XI Why we have preferred books of liberal learning to books of law
XII Why we have caused books of grammar to be so diligently
prepared
XIII Why we have not wholly neglected the fables of the poets
XIV Who ought to be special lovers of books
XV Of the advantages of the love of books
XVI That it is meritorious to write new books and to renew the old
XVII Of showing due propriety in the custody of books
XVIII Showeth that we have collected so great store of books for the
common benefit of scholars and not only for our own pleasure XIX Of
the manner of lending all our books to students XX An exhortation to
scholars to requite us by pious prayers

PROLOGUE
To all the faithful of Christ to whom the tenor of these presents may
come, Richard de Bury, by the divine mercy Bishop of Durham,
wisheth everlasting salvation in the Lord and to present continually a
pious memorial of himself before God, alike in his lifetime and after
his death.
What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits towards me? asks
the most devout Psalmist, an invincible King and first among the
prophets; in which most grateful question he approves himself a willing
thank-offerer, a multifarious debtor, and one who wishes for a holier
counsellor than himself: agreeing with Aristotle, the chief of
philosophers, who shows (in the 3rd and 6th books of his Ethics) that
all action depends upon counsel.
And indeed if so wonderful a prophet, having a fore-knowledge of
divine secrets, wished so anxiously to consider how he might gratefully
repay the blessings graciously bestowed, what can we fitly do, who are
but rude thanksgivers and most greedy receivers, laden with infinite
divine benefits? Assuredly we ought with anxious deliberation and
abundant consideration, having first invoked the Sevenfold Spirit, that
it may burn in our musings as an illuminating fire, fervently to prepare
a way without hinderance, that the bestower of all things may be
cheerfully worshipped in return for the gifts that He has bestowed, that
our neighbour may be relieved of his burden, and that the guilt
contracted by sinners every day may be redeemed by the atonement of
almsgiving.
Forewarned therefore through the admonition of the Psalmist's devotion
by Him who alone prevents and perfects the goodwill of man, without
Whom we have no power even so much as to think, and Whose gift we
doubt not it is, if we have done anything good, we have diligently
inquired and considered in our own heart as well as with others, what
among the good offices of various works of piety would most please
the Almighty, and would be more beneficial to the Church Militant.
And lo! there soon occurred to our contemplation a host of unhappy,
nay, rather of elect scholars, in whom God the Creator and Nature His

handmaid planted the roots of excellent morals and of famous sciences,
but whom the poverty of their circumstances so oppressed that before
the frown of adverse fortune the seeds of excellence, so fruitful in the
cultivated field of youth, not being watered by the rain that they require,
are forced to wither away. Thus it happens that "bright virtue lurks
buried in obscurity," to use the words of Boethius, and burning lights
are not put under a bushel, but for want of oil are utterly extinguished.
Thus the field, so full of flower in Spring, has withered up before
harvest time; thus wheat degenerates to tares, and vines into the wild
vines, and thus olives run into the wild olive; the tender stems rot away
altogether, and those who might have grown up into strong pillars of
the Church, being endowed with the capacity of a subtle intellect,
abandon the schools of learning. With poverty only as their stepmother,
they are repelled violently from the nectared cup of philosophy as soon
as they have tasted of it