Aptitude gathers wisdom, memory preserves it.

“Those who work at learning must be equipped at the same time with aptitude and with memory, for those two are so closely tied together in every study and discipline that if one of them is lacking, the other alone cannot lead anyone to perfection–just as earnings are useless if there is no saving of them, and storage equipment is useless if there is nothing to preserve.  Aptitude gathers wisdom, memory preserves it.”

Hugh of St Victor, Didascalicon, Book 3, Chap. 7.

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2 Responses to Aptitude gathers wisdom, memory preserves it.

  1. Travis says:

    On memory and study, St. Victor also said this:

    “Therefore I beg you, reader, not to rejoice too greatly if you have read much, but if you have understood much. Nor that you have understood much, but that you have been able to retain it. Otherwise it is of little profit either to read or to understand.”
    – Hugh of Saint Victor Didascalicon

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