Show j t 1 k Early History of Books Through the time Durl Dark ages th the church fully carefully guarded Its literary treas- treas tr treas as m ures ures s. s Books were consi considered ered necessary necessary e es sary to mitigate the austerities of pI monastic life fife rhe They were wele borrowed and exchanged for copying an and frequently frequently frequently fre fre- were read reail for generations In Inthe time the same monastery In which the they had Imd been written Following the rule of St. St Benedict many ninny monks rend read a required number of hours a day The works accessible were kept in IIi cupboards cup boards or presses and were studied stu led or 01 copied in the time carols of the cloister even en during the time coldest weather Gre Great t r value was set upon them Thomas a Kempis passionately com com- pares a monastery without books bool to to a kitchen without or n a riv river er without fish n The r Independent |