Collected Works

Casali Ltd.

¶ The same to the same. Greetings and happiness.

A decorative woodcut initial 'E' depicts stylized foliage and a central floral motif.

You, who consume your age in the study of philosophy: pursue the Canons Regular of Saint Augustine with wonderful piety. For they, along with other things, have now delivered for you some volumes of Avicenna, which were truly (which it is a sin to say) almost entirely squalid and lying in ruins; but now, restored to their former countenance, exactly polished, and refined, they have handed them to the printers to be published once again. These are his Metaphysics, likewise the Sufficiency, then On the Soul, and very useful little books on Animals for those who aspire to philosophy. Thus they procure for themselves immortal fame through the steps of virtue. But as to what the genius of Avicenna was, and how deeply he descended into investigating the secret things of nature, and how greatly he contended by imitating Aristotle—the first, and perhaps not inferior to him—I will not even attempt to say. Not even the father of the Muses could illustrate this sufficiently, as is proper, with his Pegasi. But all these things will be made clear to the candid reader. Therefore, whoever you are who is a legitimate lover of wisdom original: "sophon", and who desires to know what is the one dignity of masters: you will buy these as soon as possible, for they are more precious than gold. In these, reader, you will never regret having made an expense. Finally, once you have tasted Avicenna himself by reading him, be of a pious mind and not ungrateful, first to God who illuminates the mind and shows the truth, and then to the fathers who provided this service. Farewell.

341666

BOSTON COLLEGE LIBRARY
CHESTNUT HILL, MASS.
NOV 7 1963

B 751
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