A Letter of St. Thomas to Brother John, De Modo Studendi

             BROTHER JOHN, most dear to me in Christ: Since you have asked me how one should set about to acquire the treasure of knowledge, this is my advice to you concerning it: namely, that you should choose to enter, not straightway into the ocean, but by way of the little streams; for difficult things ought to be reached by way of easy ones.

The following, therefore, is my advice to you concerning your way of living:

             I urge you to hesitate before speaking, and to hesitate before visiting the common room;

             Hold fast to the cleanness of your conscience;

             Do not cease from devoting time to prayer;

             Love your cell by making constant use of it, if you want to be admitted into the wine-cellar;

             Show yourself to be lovable to everybody, or at least try to do so; but be very familiar with nobody, for too much familiarity breeds contempt and introduces factors which retard study;

             Also, do not in any way get yourself involved in the doings and sayings of outsiders;

             Avoid aimless meanderings above all things;

             Do not fail to follow in the footsteps of the saints and of sound men.

             Do not heed by whom a thing is said, but rather what is said you should commit to your memory;

             What you read, set about to understand, verifying what is doubtful;

             Strive to put whatever you can in the cupboard of your mind, as though you were wanting to fill a vessel to the brim;

             'Seek not the things that are too high for thee.'

             Follow in the footsteps of that blessed Dominic, who, while he yet had life for his fellow-traveller, brought forth and produced foliage, blossom, fruit--fruit both serviceable and astonishing--in the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts. If you shall have followed these steps, you will be able to attain to whatsoever you have a mind. Fare you well!