Krey—John of Salisbury and the Classics. 967 
John’s aim is constantly impressed on his readers by the way 
in which he uses his quotations, especially in history. He 
chooses those passages which offer an example or lesson that 
will he of moral service to his own time. 
After all, however, results afford the best criterion by which 
to judge any question. What these opponents of the classics 
have accomplished by their new method of instruction is ex¬ 
pressed in the words: “Alii . . . monachorum aut 
clericorum claustrum ingressi sunt. Alii, autem, suum in 
philosophia intuentes defectum, Salernum vel ad Montempes- 
sulam profecti, facti sunt clientuli medicorum et repente quales 
philosophi, tales in momento medici eruperunt,” 1 and “Uihil 
stultum, nisi paupertatis angustias et solas opes ducunt esse 
fructum sapientiae.” 2 Moved by sordid motives these men led 
equally sordid lives, for their education gave them no higher 
aim in life than the accumulation of money. In a passage 
whose effect would be greatly lost by translation, John contrasts 
with this the man trained in the classics. This man has been 
taught to seek out and spread the knowledge of virtiie, for— 
Caeterum operationem cultumque virtutis, scientia naturaliter 
praecedit; noque enim virtus currit in incertum aut in pugna, 
quam exercet cum vitiis aerem verberat, 
‘Sed videt quo tendit, et in quod dirigit arcum: 
Hec passim corvos sequitur festaque lutoque.’ 
At lectio, doctrina, et meditatio scientiam pariunt. IJnde 
constat quod grammatica, quae istorum fundamentum est et 
radix, quodammodo sementem jacit quasi in sulcis naturae, 
gratia tarnen praeeunte; quae, si ei cooperatrix quoque gratia 
adfuerit, in solidae virtutis robur coalescit et crescit multiplic- 
iter, ut boni operis fructum faciat, unde boni viri et nominatur, 
et sunt. Sola tarnen gratia, quae et velle bonum et perficere 
operatur, virum bonum facit et prae caeteris omnibus recte 
scribendi et recte loquendi, quibus datum est, facultatem im- 
pertitur, artesque ministrat varias et cum se indigentibus 
benique offert, contemni non debet. Si enim contemnitur, juste 
1 Ibid, p. 830. 
2 Ibid, p. 831. 
