LETTER XLVII. [A.D. 390.]

This brief letter was sent with a book which Sabinus had asked for. It is a friendly invitation to a regular correspondence, as bringing friends together in spirit who are several in body.

AMBROSE TO SABINUS.

1. I have transmitted the volume you asked for, written more clearly and neatly than the one which I had previously sent, in order that by the facility of its perusal your judgment of it might be unimpeded. For the original copy was written not for appearance, but for use, for I do not always employ a scribe, especially at night, at which time I am unwilling to be a trouble and a burthen to others, and further, because the words I am then dictating flow on with a kind of impetuosity, and in a rapid stream.

2. But as I am desirous to select with precision the words which my old age employs in its familiar intercourse, and to proceed with a slow step, I think the use of my own hands in writing befits me better; that I may seem rather to conceal my words than lustily give vent to them; and may not have to blush at the presence of him who is writing for me, but, having no one in the secret of my words, may weigh what I write with eye as well as with ears. For, in the words of Scripture, the tongue is swifter than the hand;  My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. 

3. And though you may perhaps say that the swiftness is here attributed to the writer, the meaning will nevertheless not escape you that it is only the swiftness of a ready writer which can take down the words of the prophetic tongue. The Apostle Paul also wrote with his own hand, as he says himself, I  have written unto you with mine own hand. He did it to show honour, we do it from bashfulness.

4. But while your judgement of my book is still in suspense, let us entertain each other by letters; the advantage whereof is that although severed from each other by distance of space we may be united in affection; for by this means the absent have the image of each other's presence reflected back upon them, and conversation by writing unites the severed. By this means also we interchange thoughts with our friend, and transpose our mind into his.

5. Now if, according to your admonition, there is any savour of ancient writings in our letters, not only do our minds seem to be united by this progress in true doctrine, but also the form and fashion of a more intimate converse seems to be set forth, in that the discussion which is thus entered upon by mutual inquiry and reply appears to place in presence of each other those friends who in this manner challenge and engage one another.

6. And why need I produce the example of our ancestors, who by their letters have instilled faith into the minds of the people, and have written to whole nations together, and have shewn themselves to be present although writing from a distance, according to the words of the Apostle, that he was  absent in body, but present in spirit, not only in writing but also in judging. Again, he condemned them while absent by epistle, and also absolved them by epistle; for the epistle of Paul was a certain image of his presence and form of his work.

7. For the epistles of the Apostles were not, like those of others,  weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence weak, and his speech contemptible, but his letter was of that kind that such as was the substance of his work such also was the form of his precept; for  such, says he,  as we are in word by letters when absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present . He imprinted the image of his presence on his letters, he declared its fruit and testimony in his work.

Farewell; love me, as indeed you do, for I love you.

EPISTOLA XLVII.

SABINO  cur librum apertius perscriptum ipsi miserit, causam reddens, quamobrem scribere quam dictare malit, explicat. Hinc illum ad mutuum epistolarum   1150B  usum invitat, quanta inde redeat utilitas, patefaciens. 

AMBROSIUS SABINO.

1. Transmisi petitum codicem scriptum apertius atque enodatius, quam ea scriptura est, quam dudum direxi; ut legendi facilitate nullum judicio tuo afferatur impedimentum. Nam exemplaris liber non ad speciem, sed ad necessitatem scriptus est; non enim dictamus omnia, et maxime noctibus, quibus nolumus aliis graves esse ac molesti; tum quia ea quae dictantur, impetu quodam proruunt, et profluo cursu feruntur.

2. Nobis autem quibus curae est senilem sermonem familiari usu ad unguem distinguere, et lento quodam figere gradu, aptius videtur propriam manum  1150C nostro affigere stylo; ut non tam deflare aliquid videamur, quam abscondere: neque alterum scribentem erubescamus, sed ipsi nobis conscii sine ulle arbitro, non solum auribus, sed etiam oculis ea ponderemus, quae scribimus. Velocior est enim linqua quam 989 manus, dicente Scriptura:  Lingua mea calamus scribae velociter scribentis (Ps. XLIV, 2).

3. Sed forte dicas, quia velocitatem ad scribentem retulit. Non te fallit tamen id significari, quod scribae velociter scribentis celeritas sola possit linguae propheticae excipere sermones. Apostolus quoque Paulus sua scribebat manu, sicut ipse ait:  Mea manu scripsi vobis (Galat. VI, 11); ille propter honorificentiam, nos propter verecundiam.

4. Tamen dum adhuc habes de libris judicium,  1150D interludamus epistolis, quarum ejusmodi usus est,  1151A ut disjuncti locorum intervallis, affectu adhaereamus: in quibus inter absentes imago refulget praesentiae, et collocutio scripta separatos copulat: in quibus etiam cum amico miscemus animum, et mentem ei nostram infundimus.

5. Jam si, ut hortaris, aliquid et de veteribus scripturis redoleat in epistolis, non solum animi conglutinari videntur per verae doctrinae profectum, sed etiam plenioris colloquii species et forma exprimi, ut inter quaerendi et respondendi mutuas vices assumpta concertatio in unum conducere, et coram videatur amicos locare, qui tali se lacessunt et complectuntur munere.

6. Quid autem majorum nostrorum exempla proferam, qui epistolis suis fidem infuderunt populorum  1151B mentibus, atque ad integros et confertos scripserunt populos: et praesentes se esse, cum absentes scriberent, significarunt, dicente sancto Apostolo (I Cor. V, 3), quia absens erat corpore, sed praesens spiritu; non solum cum scriberet, sed etiam cum judicaret? Denique absens per epistolam condemnabat, et idem absolvebat per epistolam; epistola enim Pauli quaedam effigies erat ejus praesentiae, et forma operis.

7. Non enim ut aliorum epistolae,  graves, inquit,  et fortes, praesentia autem corporis infirma, et sermo contemptibilis (II Cor. X, 10); talis et Apostoli: sed talis hujus epistola, ut talis esset forma praecepti, qualis esset operationis substantia:  quia quales sumus, inquit,  verbo per epistolam absentes, tales et  1151C  praesentes sumus in opere (Ibid., 11). Imaginem praesentiae suae in epistolis expressit, fructum et testimonium in opere significavit. Vale, et nos dilige, ut facis; quia nos et te diligimus.