hould deserve to be blamed; but such
conceit is far from me. Nor do I send letters to you under the idea of
making you acquainted with what is thoroughly known to you before; but
because I am fond of supporting myself by your name, and because also I
consider you the most candid critic and judge of those studies which both
you and I apply ourselves to in common. I know, therefore, that you will
pay careful attention to what I write, as is your wont, and that you will
decide on the dispute which took place between your uncle--a most
heavenly-minded and admirable man--and myself.

For when I was at my villa near Tusculum, and was desirous to make use of
some books in the library of the young Lucullus, I went one day to his
house, in order to take away (as I was in the habit of doing) the books
which I wanted. And when I had arrived there, I found Marcus Cato, whom I
did not know to be there, sitting in the library, surrounded by a number
of the books of the Stoics. For he had, as you know, a boundless desire
for reading, one which was quite insatiable,--so much so, indeed, that he
was not afraid of the causeless reproaches of the common people, but was
accustomed to continue reading even in the senate-house itself, while the
senate was assembling, without, however, at all relaxing in his attention
to the affairs of the republic. And now, being in the enjoyment of
complete leisure, and being surrounded by a great abundance of such
treasures, he appeared to be completely gorging himself with books, if I
may use such an expression about so respectable a subject. And as it so
happened that neither of us expected to see the other, he at once rose up
on my entrance; and, after the first salutations which are usual at such a
meeting, What object has brought you here? said he; for I presume you are
come from your own villa, and if I had known that you had been there, I
should have come myself to see you. I only, said I, left the city
yesterday after the commencement of the games, and got home in the
evening. But my object in coming here was to take some books away with me;
and it will be a pity, Cato, if our friend Lucullus does not some day or
other become acquainted with all these treasures; for I would rather have
him take delight in these books than in all the rest of the furniture of
the villa. For he is a youth I am very anxious about; although, indeed, it
is more peculiarly your business to take care that he shall be so educ