{10} Here he is
impartial in his evidence, and judicial in his decisions. If he
errs at all, it is not through racial prejudice. "I am sprung," he
once told the Pope in a letter, "from the princes of Wales and from
the barons of the Marches, and when I see injustice in either race,
I hate it."
The text is that of Sir Richard Colt Hoare, who published an English
translation, chiefly from the texts of Camden and Wharton, in 1806.
The valuable historical notes have been curtailed, as being too
elaborate for such a volume as this, and a few notes have been added
by the present editor. These will be found within brackets.
Hoare's translation, and also translations (edited by Mr. Foster) of
the Irish books have been published in Bohn's Antiquarian Library.
The first of the seven volumes of the Latin text of Gerald,
published in the Rolls Series, appeared in 1861. The first four
volumes were edited by Professor Brewer; the next two by Mr.
Dimmock; and the seventh by Professor Freeman.
W. LLEWELYN WILLIAMS. January 1908.
The following is a list of the more important of the works of
Gerald:-
Topographia Hibernica, Expugnatio Hibernica, Itinerarium Kambriae,
Descriptio Kambriae, Gemma Ecclesiastica, Libellus Invectionum, De
Rebus a se Gestis, Dialogus de jure et statu Menevensis Ecclesiae,
De Instructione Principum, De Legendis Sanctorum, Symbolum
Electorum.
FIRST PREFACE - TO STEPHEN LANGTON, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY
As the times are affected by the changes of circumstances, so are
the minds of men influenced by different manners and customs. The
satirist [Persius] exclaims,
"Mille hominum species et mentis discolor usus;
Velle suum cuique est, nec voto vivitur uno."
"Nature is ever various in her name;
Each has a different will, and few the same."
The comic poet also says, "Quot capita tot sententiae, suus cuique
mos est." "As many men, so many minds, each has his way." Young
soldiers exult in war, and pleaders delight in the gown; others
aspire after riches, and think them the supreme good. Some approve
Galen, some Justinian. Those who are desirous of honours follow the
court, and from their ambitious pursuits meet with more
mortification than satisfaction. Some, indeed, but very few, take
pleasure in the liberal arts, amongst whom we cannot but admire
logicians, who, when they have made only a trifling progress, are as
much enchanted with the images of Dialectics, as if they were
listening to the songs of the Syrens.
But among so many species of men, where are to be found divine
poets? Where the noble assertors of morals? Where the masters of
the Latin tongue? Who in the present times displays lettered
eloquence, either in history or poetry? Who, I say, in our own age,
either builds a system of ethics, or consigns illustrious actions to
immortality? Literary fame, which used to be placed in the highest
rank, is now, because of the depravity of the times, tending to ruin
and degraded to the lowest, so that persons attached to study are at
present not only not imitated nor venerated, but even detested.
"Happy indeed would be the arts," observes Fabius, "if artists alone
judged of the arts;" but, as Sydonius says, "it is a fixed principle
in the human mind, that they who are ignorant of the arts despise
the artist."
But to revert to our subject. Which, I ask, have rendered more
service to the world, the arms of Marius or the verses of Virgil?
The sword of Marius has rusted, while the fame of him who wrote the
AEneid is immortal; and although in his time letters were honoured
by lettered persons, yet from his own pen we find,
" - tantum
Carmina nostra valent tela inter Martia, quantum
Chaonias dicunt, aquila veniente, columbas."
Who would hesitate in deciding which are more profitable, the works
of St. Jerom, or the riches of Croesus? but where now shine the gold
and silver of Croesus? whilst the world is instructed by the example
and enlightened by the learning of the poor coenobite. Yet even he,
through envy, suffered stripes and contumely at Rome, although his
character was so illustrious; and at length being driven beyond the
seas, found a refuge for his studies in the solitude of Bethlehem.
Thus it appears, that gold and arms may support us in this life, but
avail nothing after death; and that letters through envy profit
nothing in this world, but, like a testament, acquire an immortal
value from the seal of death.
According to the poet,
"Pascitur in vivis livor, post fata quiescit;
Cum suus ex merito quemque tuetur honor."
And also
"Denique si quis adhuc praetendit nubila, livor
Occidet, et meriti post me referentur honores."
Those who by artifice endeavour to acquire or preserve the
reputation of abilities or ingenuity, while they abound in the words
of others, have little cause to boast of their own inventions. For
the composers of that polished language, in which such various cases
as occur in the great body of law are treated with such an
appropriate elegance of style, must ever stand forward in the first
ranks of praise. I should indeed have said, that the authors of
refined language, not the hearers only, the inventors, not the
reciters, are most worthy of commendation. You will find, however,
that the practices of the court and of the schools are extremely
similar; as well in the subtleties they employ to lead you forward,
as in the steadiness with which they generally maintain their own
positions. Yet it is certain that the knowledge of logic (the
acumen, if I may so express it, of all other sciences as well as
arts) is very useful, when restricted within proper bounds; whilst
the court (i.e. courtly language), excepting to sycophants or
ambitious men, is by no means necessary.
