uption. 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.

CHAPTER III

WHAT WE ARE TO THINK OF THE PRICE IN THE BUYING OF BOOKS

From what has been said we draw this corollary welcome to us, but (as
we believe) acceptable to few: namely, that no dearness of price ought
to hinder a man from the buying of books, if he has the money that is
demanded for them, unless it be to withstand the malice of the seller
or to await a more favourable opportunity of buying. For if it is
wisdom only that makes the price of books, which is an infinite
treasure to mankind, and if the value of books is unspeakable, as the
premises show, how shall the bargain be shown to be dear where an
infinite good is being bought? Wherefore, that books are to be gladly
bought and unwillingly sold, Solomon, the sun of men, exhorts us in the
Proverbs: Buy the truth, he says, and sell not wisdom. But what we are
trying to show by rhetoric or logic, let us prove by examples from
history. The arch-philosopher Aristotle, whom Averroes regards as the
law of Nature, bought a few books of Speusippus straightway after his
death for 72,000 sesterces. Plato, before him in time, but after him
in learning, bought the book of Philolaus the Pythagorean, from which
he is said to have taken the Timaeus, for 1