Richard de Bury (1) (1287–1345)

Inget är nytt under solen, och liksom idag har det alltid funnits de som älskade böckerna mer än allt annat här i världen. Så också Richard de Bury, biskop av Durham i kung Edvard III:s dagar. Kungen utnyttjade sin biskop för såväl att hålla lugn i den oroliga nordändan av sitt rike som diplomatiska uppdrag till påvestolen och franske kungen; det är troligen att biskopen uppskattade de senare mer, då de lär ha gett honom större möjligheter att utöka sitt bibliotek, en syssla vars iver noterades av samtiden, bland annat av Petrarca som mötte honom i Avignon.

En prelat, hur duglig och bokhungrig han må varit, skulle dock knappast varit ihågkommen idag om det inte varit för att hans kärlek till böckerna fick honom att producera en själv, med det självmedvetna namnet Philobiblon. I boken försvarar han böckerna som högst nyttiga ting som bevarar och lär ut världens vishet, i synnerhet i form av västkyrkans lära, även om också vissa antika filosofer anses godkända.

Det är en varierad skrift, som ibland försvarar böckerna som sådana, ibland far ut i angrepp på dem som inte ärar dem (angrepp dock hållna i en lätt skämtsam ton), ibland förklarar hur Richard lyckas samla sitt bibliotek. Roligast läsning idag är dock det kapitel där han förfasas över hur unga studenter hanterar dyrgriparna: de äter och dricker vid läsningen, tvättar inte händerna, kluddar i marginalen, använder böckerna för att pressa blommor, lämnar dem i närheten av småbarn, slår inte ihop dem ordentligt – en litania av en sort man möjligen skulle kunna få ur vissa bibliotekarier än idag. I paritet med detta är den inledning där han förklarar att böcker bör värderas över allt annat, och köpas så fort möjlighet ges, så länge priset är någorlunda billigt.

Den svenska översättning signerad Axel Nelson jag har är vid det här laget kraftigt åldrad: när den gjordes var stilen möjligen endast lätt arkaiserad, i linje med vad man kunde hitta i Karl XII:s Bibel, som då nyligen ersatts. Idag framstår dock den som rejält åldrig, om än fortfarande läsbar.

Richard skulle nog ha hållit med om att jordisk odödlighet inte är möjlig, men att de ting som kommer närmast är böckerna. Att han också därmed fått sitt minne förlängt må anses fullt rättvist.… (plus d'informations)

«El "Filobiblión» (1345) es una obra de Ricardo de Bury, escritor, bibliófilo, monje benedictino, obispo de Durham de 1333 a 1345 y uno de los primeros coleccionistas de libros de Inglaterra» (extraído de la Wikipedia). Su vida está llena de intrigas de corte y asuntos poco claros (tened en cuenta la época a la que pertenece) y entre otras labores se dedicó a la educación del príncipe de Gales, Eduardo III.

En esta obra reflexiona sobre la hermosura de los libros, el maltrato que sufren por malos estudiantes y malos clérigos, la polémica cuestión del préstamo de libros y la importancia vital de la sabiduría que reside en ellos.… (plus d'informations)

A classic in the genre of books about books is Richard de Bury's Philobiblion (French version) or Philobiblon (Latin and English). My French text was acquired at a bookshop in Paris in 2005. It is a small book and I bought it thinking it would be fun to read in French. However, I let it sit too long, my French vocabulary has become rusty from disuse and so it has languished on my shelves. Recently I stumbled on the Project Gutenberg version in English and determined to read it sooner rather than later.

It is not surprising that this little book is not much read today. It is a characteristically 14th-15th century text (written in 1344 but not published until 1473), full of moralizing and sententious pronouncements. It's author Richard de Bury was, after all, Bishop of Durham. And his purposes for writing it were, first, to instill a love of learning and of books in the clergy; second, to justify to his peers the time and money he devoted to acquiring and studying books; and third, to outline his plan for installing and managing a new library at Durham College, Oxford. Alas, he did not live long enough to see that third objective fulfilled. His rules for the lending of books from said library are charming nonetheless.

The Philobiblon is a paean to knowledge and learning as presented and preserved in books, both old and new. Some of the chapter headings provide the flavor:

– That the treasure of wisdom is chiefly contained in books
– The degree of affection that is properly due to books
– What we are to think of the price in the buying of books
– The complaint of books against wars
– Of the gradual perfecting of books
– Who ought to be special lovers of books
– Of the advantages of the love of books

With all his love of books and learning, which he goes into with the determination of a medieval disputation after "having first invoked the Sevenfold Spirit, that it may burn in our musings as an illuminating fire," including presumably the spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might and knowledge (see Isaiah 11:2), he amusingly picks to pieces the behavior of students towards books, which in de Bury's time were mighty tomes that rested permanently on lecturns or tables:

Wherefore we deem it expedient to warn our students of various negligences, which might always be easily avoided and do wonderful harm to books.

And in the first place as to the opening and closing of books, let there be due moderation, that they be not unclasped in precipitate haste, nor when we have finished our inspection be put away without being duly closed. For it behoves us to guard a book much more carefully than a boot.

But the race of scholars is commonly badly brought up, and unless they are bridled in by the rules of their elders they undulge in infinite puerilities. They behave with petulance, and are puffed up with presumption, judging of everything as if they were certain, though they are altogether inexperienced.

You may happen to see some headstrong youth lazily lounging over his studies, and when the winter's frost is sharp, his nose running from the nipping cold drips down, nor does he think of wiping it with his pocket-handkerchief until he has bedewed the book before him with the ugly moisture. Would that he had before him no book, but a cobbler's apron! His nails are stuffed with fetid filth as black as jet, with which he marks any passage that pleases him. He distributes a multitude of straws, which he inserts to stick out in different places, so that the halm [a stalk or stem] may remind him of what his memory cannot retain. These straws, because the book has no stomach to digest them, and no one takes them out, first distend the book from its wonted closing, and at length, being carelessly abandoned to oblivion, go to decay. He does not fear to eat fruit or cheese over an open book, or carelessly to carry a cup to and from his mouth; and because he has no wallet at hand he drops into books the fragments that are left. . . .

And it goes on.

Quotable quotes are in near endless supply in this amusing if somewhat stilted little book. It has a definite appeal for readers who enjoy books about the love of books and reading.… (plus d'informations)