Chapter XV
THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS
templation of invisible things unless perhaps experience has not yet instructed him with a view to this knowledge.
Chapter XV How divine Scripture refers to the speculation of weak persons We should not overlook how divine Scripture refers to this speculation and condescends to human infirmity. For it describes invisible things through the forms of visible things and impresses the memory of them upon our minds through the beauty of certain very desirable appearances. This is the reason that now they promise a land flowing with milk and honey; at one time they mention flowers; at another, odors; at one time they indicate the harmony of celestial joys by means of human singing; at another, by means of a chorus of birds. Read the Apocalypse of John and you will find the adornment of heavenly Jerusalem described in various ways by means of gold and silver, by means of pearls or other kinds of precious gems.
In fact we know that none of these things exists there, where nevertheless nothing can be missing altogether. For indeed, no such thing exists there through appearance, where nevertheless everything exists through similitude.
In all these things Bala has that from which she may usefully serve her mistress since she willingly represents to her the memory of all these things where and when she wishes. For we are able to imagine these things immediately whenever we wish. Imagination is never able to be more useful to the reason than when it is devoted to it in such service.
Chapter XVI That one kind of imagination is bestial, the other, rational However, in order to continue with what has been said concerning the sons of Bala, it should be known that one kind of imagination is bestial, another kind is rational. However, the bestial
RICHARD OF ST. VICTOR
should not be numbered among the sons of Jacob, nor will Rachel wish at anytime to take such an adopted son to herself. And so imagination is bestial when with a wandering mind we run about here and there without any usefulness, without any deliberation concerning those things which we have just seen or done. Surely this is bestial for a beast is able to do it. However, that imagination is rational when from those things which we know by means of bodily sense we fabricate something else in the imagination. For instance: We have seen gold, we have seen a house, but we have never seen a gold house. Nevertheless, if we wish we are able to picture to ourselves a gold house. In any case a beast cannot do this.
It is possible for a rational creature only. We often use such an imagination when we more diligently seek what are the goods and evils of the future life. For no things here in this world are good^ onl)^ no things here are evil ojily: but good and eviLare^mixed together.
And although there are many among both kinds, nevertheless they are never found alone. There in that other world can be found both goods without an admixture of evils and, no less, evils without an admixture of goods. Here in this world just as we find none alone, so also we do not find the highest. We do not doubt that there in the future life are both highest and unmixed good and evil. Therefore as often as from the many goods and evils that bodily sense experiences in this life we gather what kind and how great that highest good or evil of the future life is able to be, and from imagination of these things a kind of image of future things is formed; surely in such a case it is easily proven that this is rational imagination, and it appears that this pertains to Bala and to Rachel.
It pertains to Bala inasmuch as it is imagination; to Rachel, inasmuch as it is rational. Such an offspring is of the imagination through birth and of the reason through adoption. For one bears such an offspring; the other educates it. He is born from Bala but is governed by Rachel.