clus. 11:29) it is stated that "the affliction of an
hour maketh one forget great delights." Therefore pain, instead of
taking away, increases the faculty of learning.

Obj. 3: Further, inward sorrow surpasses outward pain, as stated
above (Q. 35, A. 7). But man can learn while sorrowful. Much more,
therefore, can he learn while in bodily pain.

_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (Soliloq. i, 12): "Although during
those days I was tormented with a violent tooth-ache, I was not able
to turn over in my mind other things than those I had already learnt;
and as to learning anything, I was quite unequal to it, because it
required undivided attention."

_I answer that,_ Since all the powers of the soul are rooted in the
one essence of the soul, it must needs happen, when the intention of
the soul is strongly drawn towards the action of one power, that it
is withdrawn from the action of another power: because the soul,
being one, can only have one intention. The result is that if one
thing draws upon itself the entire intention of the soul, or a great
portion thereof, anything else requiring considerable attention is
incompatible therewith.

Now it is evident that sensible pain above all draws the soul's
attention to itself; because it is natural for each thing to tend
wholly to repel whatever is contrary to it, as may be observed even
in natural things. It is likewise evident that in order to learn
anything new, we require study and effort with a strong intention,
as is clearly stated in Prov. 2:4, 5: "If thou shalt seek wisdom as
money, and shall dig for her as for a treasure, then shalt thou
understand learning" [Vulg: 'the fear of the Lord']. Consequently if
the pain be acute, man is prevented at the time from learning
anything: indeed it can be so acute, that, as long as it lasts, a man
is unable to give his attention even to that which he knew already.
However a difference is to be observed according to the difference of
love that a man has for learning or for considering: because the
greater his love, the more will he retain the intention of his mind
so as to prevent it from turning entirely to the pain.

Reply Obj. 1: Moderate sorrow, that does not cause the mind to
wander, can conduce to the acquisition of learning especially in
regard to those things by which a man hopes to be freed from sorrow.
And thus, "in the tribulation of murmuring," men are more apt to be
taught by God.

Reply Obj. 2: Both pleasure and