De meditatione hic esse praetermittendum.
The Threshold of Meditation
Having completed the teaching on reading, Hugh declines to treat meditation inadequately here, praising its profound value before praying for Wisdom to illuminate the inward path to purity.
And now the things that have to do with reading have been laid out as clearly and as concisely as we could manage. But as for the remaining part of teaching — that is, meditation — I will say nothing about it here, because this is something that calls for its own dedicated treatment, and in a matter like this it is better to stay completely silent than to say anything about it inadequately.1 It is in fact a deeply rewarding thing — and delightful at the same time — that instructs beginners and trains those who are already mature, something the pen has not yet fully explored, and that therefore deserves to be pursued further.2 Let us ask Wisdom, then, to shine out in our hearts and light the way on its paths for us, so that it may lead us to the pure feast, free from earthly attachments.3
Read the original Latin
Et iam ea quae ad lectionem pertinent, quanto lucidius et compendiosius potuimus, explicata sunt. de reliqua vero parte doctrinae, id est, meditatione, aliquid in praesenti dicere omitto, quia res tanta speciali tractatu indiget, et dignum magis est omnino silere in huiusmodi quam aliquid imperfecte dicere. res enim valde subtilis est et simul iucunda, quae et incipientes erudit et exercet consummatos, inexperta adhuc stylo, ideoque amplius prosequenda. rogemus igitur nunc Sapientiam, ut radiare dignetur in cordibus nostris et illuminare nobis in semitis suis, ut introducat nos ad puram et sine animalibus cenam.
Notes
- 1 ↩meditatione renders the meditative side of doctrinal study, treated as a distinct 'part' of teaching alongside reading; the term carries a contemplative sense that will matter when the topic is taken up later.
- 2 ↩subtilis est et simul iucunda: 'subtilis' here carries the sense of 'subtle, refined, deeply rewarding' rather than merely 'abstrue'; the combination with iucunda stresses that the matter is both intellectually penetrating and spiritually delightful.
- 3 ↩The closing petition echoes sapiential language (Wisdom/Sapientia as a personal divine reality) and the image of being led to a 'pure feast' (puram... cenam) carries Eucharistic resonance; final scriptural resolution deferred to Moses stage.
Didascalicon de Studio Legendi (On the Study of Reading) companion
Hugh said begin with small daily portions. Start tomorrow.
Chosen Portion serves one short, ordered devotional reading each day — the medieval lectio pattern, free on iOS.
Hugh taught that formation comes from ordered, incremental daily reading, and Chosen Portion is that ordered daily portion delivered to your phone.
- A curated daily portion in 2-3 minutes, no decision fatigue about what to read
- Progress through complete historic works in order, the way Hugh prescribed
- Free app plus a weekly email unpacking one reading in depth