"Will always hold an honorable place for bibliophiles." ? The University of Chicago PressOne of the earliest treatises on the value of preserving neglected manuscripts, building a library, and book collecting, Richard De Bury's The Philobiblon was written in 1345 and circulated widely in manuscript form for over a century. The first printed edition appeared in Cologne in 1473, and several others soon followed as the invention of the printing press spread throughout the late Medieval world. The chapter titles of this legendary work reflect its nature, combining the author's love for and commitment to the importance of books and the knowledge they contain with thoughts on collecting them, lending them, teaching with them, and simply enjoying them: "That the Treasure of Wisdom is chiefly contained in books," "What we are to think of the price in the buying of books," "Who ought to be special lovers of books," and "Of the manner of lending all our books to students." The Prologue ends with the following thought: "And this treatise (divided into twenty chapters) will clear the love we have had for books from the charge of excess, will expound the purpose of our intense devotion, and will narrate more clearly than light all the circumstances of our undertaking. And because it principally treats of the love of books, we have chose after the fashion of the ancient Romans fondly to name it by a Greek word, Philobiblon."This volume offers modern bibliophiles a splendid edition of one of the first books ever to study, define, and, above all, praise their passion: the all-encompassing love of books.

HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF THE PHILOBIBLON OF RICHARD, BISHOP OF DURHAM That the treasure of wisdom lieth especially in books. 11 What love is reasonably due to books. 15 How in buying books the price is to be fixed. 18 The complaint of books against the clerks lately promoted. 20 The complaint of books against the religious possessioners. 27 The complaint of books against the religious mendicants. 30 The complaint of books against war. 35 Of the manifold opportunity we have had for gathering a multitude of books. 39 That though we love more the works of the ancients yet we have not condemned the studies of the moderns. 46 Of the successive perfecting of books. 50 Why we have preferred the books of the liberal arts before the books of law. 53 Why we have taken such diligent care to amend the books of grammar. 55 Why we have not wholly neglected the fables of the poets. 56 Who ought to be the especial lovers of books. 59 What benefits the love of books confers. 61 How worthy a task it is to write new books and repair old ones. 65 Of showing honourable respect in the care of books. 69 That we have gathered such a multitude of books for the common advantage of scholars, and not only for our own pleasure. 73 Of the manner of distributing our books to all students. 76 An exhortation to scholars to repay in supplications on our behalf the debt of piety they owe. 79