115. To Wilencus.
The Letters of St. Anselm
NOTES 1. See Ep 82.
2. 2 Th 3:13.
3. See Ep 131
115. TO WILENCUS.
Anselm assures Wilencus of his love and desires his presence. He urges him to leave the world and become a monk at Bee. He informs him of his absence on a second journey to England but assures him he will be joyfully received by many other monks at Bee.
TO HIS BELOVED, HIS FRIEND, HIS LONGED-FOR WILENCUS:
BROTHER ANSELM, STYLED ABBOT OF BEC, WISHING THAT HE MAY
NOT LOVE THE WORLD NOR THE THINGS OF THE WORLD BUT BE
LOVED BY GOD AND LOVE GOD.
WHAT SHALL I SAY FIRST in my letter to my beloved friend, except what he most expects from my love? For the beloved soul of my soul, by sending a letter burning with love and emitting a fragrance of love asks me for signs of love and a letter of consolation. What is sweeter, however, what more delightful, what gives greater consolation to love than love? What then shall I write which could console you more, my friend, than that my soul loves you so much that unless it holds you fast, my heart will not be consoled for you, or my desire satisfied. When you ask me to love you with such affection and such longing, at least you should act so that I not only love you by will but also desire you by necessity. And certainly nothing consoles someone who desires except what satisfies his desire, nothing torments
[him] more than delay.
Your love chooses to be consoled by a letter of my love; my love desires to be delighted by the presence of your love.
If, therefore, you do not want to torment my soul, satisfy my desire which you so eagerly, so vehemently, enkindled.
How can you tell me you love me and I should love you.
The Letters of St. Anselm my beloved soul, if you want to torture my inmost heart?
Moreover, if your most intimate feelings are burning with the same love as mine, it is inevitable that your soul should melt with the same desire as mine. But how can it be, or is it possible, that you want me to love you and you do not love me the same way? Lest you be cruel towards your soul and mine, therefore, come and console both yours and mine. But when you leave that city of yours, be like Lot: do not look back.1 Keep your eyes straight ahead to per ceive the path for coming [to me]: let them not look back and forget the return path. This way, with the apostle, you will forget those things which are behind you and reach out towards those which are ahead.2 I speak candidly: come, if you wish, so we may live together and console one another.
From many sayings in Holy Scripture, dearly beloved, I could remind your love to despise the world and its cove tousness, did you not already know the very passages I would mention to you. Remember, dearest friend, that through conceit we pass over to truth. Do not love conceit if you want to reach truth.
You should know that I am setting out for England3 be fore the middle of this Lent and shall, with God's help, be back at our monastery around Whitsun. If, however, God should inspire you to do what I desire and what would be good for you, you know that it is always harmful to delay what is ready,4 nor will there be any lack of monks to receive you with joy just as they received Dom Ralph,5 the son of Lanzelinus, once when I was absent. May almighty God fur ther all your wishes and actions by his counsel and support them by his help, my friend, ever dear to my heart.
Spring 1086.
NOTES 1. Cf. Gen 19:17.
2. Cf. Phil 3:13.
3. See Epp 108, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121.
4. Lucan, De bello civili, 1. 281.
5. See Ep 99.