60. To The Monk Maurice.
The Letters of St. Anselm ceived in the mind, this savor of affection is not perceived by anyone through either sight or hearing. Since therefore you know that the savor of love cannot be discerned either by the eyes or the ears but can be delightfully tasted only by the heart's mouth, in what words or by what letter can your love and mine be described? And yet you press me insistently to do what cannot be done. May our consciences, by which we are aware of how much we love each other, be [proof] enough for us. May almighty God so love and lovingly protect you that nothing be done by you or in you or to you unless it pleases him and is good for you. c. 1076.
NOTES 1. Cf. 1 Cor 2:9.
60. TO THE MONK MAURICE.
Anselm assures Maurice of their mutual brotherly love and rejoices at the prospect of his return to Bee. He tells him what to copy and how to do it and encourages him to continue living a holy life.
TO HIS FELLOW-MONK, FRIEND, BROTHER, AND DEAREST SON,
MAURICE: BROTHER ANSELM, WISHING THAT HE MAY SO PROGRESS
FROM VIRTUE TO VIRTUE1 THAT HE MAY CLEAVE TO THE VIRTUE OF
VIRTUES.
HAVING THOROUGHLY READ your love's letter which you recently sent to your beloved, I rejoiced at the expres sion of your affection and was gladdened at the promise of your return. For just as I rejoice with you when you, who love me, reply to me with equal affection, so I desire always to enjoy the presence of my beloved friend. The reverend archbishop has not told me anything about your return, as you once mentioned in one of your letters might be the case, nor will Dom Abbot be displeased if you return, which in
The Letters of St. Anselm
that same missive you indicated you feared, and it will please me greatly, which—as I imagine—you have never doubted.
I shall be glad if you are able to copy the whole of the commentary to the Aphorisms2 but if not, I admonish you not to leave out those words which are in Greek or uncom mon. You are pondering how much time you should spend on the little book De pulsibus,3 but I would prefer you spend whatever time there is in completing the Aphorisms.
Knowledge of that [other] little volume is of no use except to those who delve into it most frequently and diligently.
If you can copy anything else after the Aphorisms and this book, I shall accept it gratefully. About both these under takings I admonish you that whatever you do the copy should deserve, by very diligent and careful execution, to be called perfect. For I would prefer part of an obscure and unusual work faithfully copied than the whole of it corrupt ed by mistakes.
Above all, I thank you as much as I can, because wher ever you are you live in a way that honors me, also living among unknown and foreign people, for having nurtured such a disciple, although not I but the Holy Spirit has taught you. In any case, the more you have been tested and found worthy in dangerous company, the more you will be dear to God and God's friends. Farewell and take care lest by promising your return and not returning you disappoint your friend. Greet our beloved brother Dom Herluin.4 c. 1076-1078.
NOTES 1. Cf. Ps 83:8.
2. See Ep 43.
3. Possibly a work by Galenus, De pulsibus libellus ad tirones, ed. C. G.
Kuehn, Vol. 8 (Leipzig, 1824) 453-492.
4. See Epp 5, 7, 8, 17, 43, 51, 69, 74.