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- The Love of Books: The Philobiblon of Richard de Bury
audiobook
The Love of Books: The Philobiblon of Richard de Bury
Chapters
30 totalTHE LOVE OF BOOKS - THE PHILOBIBLON OF RICHARD DE BURY
TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH - BY - E. C. THOMAS
The Author of the Book
PREFACE - The Author of the Book.
The Bishop as Booklover.
The Bishop's Books.
Early Editions of the Philobiblon.
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
Description
In a world where parchment was precious and scholars traveled by horse, a 14th‑century bishop turned his life into a celebration of the written word. Richard de Bury, a trusted confidant of Edward III and later Chancellor of England, shares the story of how his modest upbringing near Bury St. Edmunds grew into a lifelong obsession with books. The opening of his treatise reads like a prayer, urging listeners to hold a volume as reverently as one might cradle a holy child.
The Philobiblon unfolds as a lively conversation between a collector and his audience, offering practical rules for building a library and portraits of the scholars who gathered around him. De Bury describes his habit of having a text read aloud at each meal, then debating its ideas with friends ranging from future archbishops to pioneering astronomers. Listeners will feel the quiet rustle of medieval manuscripts and the excitement of a mind that saw every page as a hidden treasure, inviting anyone who loves books to join his ancient fellowship.
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Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (141K characters)
Release date
1996-08-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
About the author
Richard de Bury
1287–1345
A medieval bishop, royal official, and passionate collector of manuscripts, he is best remembered for celebrating the joy of reading in Philobiblon. His life joined high politics with a deep love of learning, making him one of the most famous book lovers of the Middle Ages.
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