xt73ff3m0j2w https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt73ff3m0j2w/data/mets.xml  Thomas Merton 1961-04-10 This letter is from collection 75m28 Thomas Merton papers. archival material 75m28 English  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Thomas Merton correspondence Letter from Thomas Merton to Victor Hammer, April 10, 1961 text Letter from Thomas Merton to Victor Hammer, April 10, 1961 1961 1961-04-10 2023 true xt73ff3m0j2w section xt73ff3m0j2w Gethsemani
April 10,1961

Dear Victor:

It was a pity you could not get over here Saturday, it was such a
lovely afternoon, but I will be expecting yiu on the 22nd and I hope that
will beeven better. I have rather cooled towards Nicholas of Cusa because
I find him rather wordy and cerebral. However there is much good in him,
and there are possibilities to be investigated so I will be grateful for
anything Carolyn can dig up.

As to the sentence from derome, I would render it:"Let those who like
have ancient books, whether copied out in gold and silver on purple parchment
or in what they commonly call uncial letters: such books are rather
written baggage ( "burdens") than books. Let such people only permit me In
and mine to have our poor copy sheets (?) and not beautiful books so much as
correct ones."

Jerome is not my ideal of sanctity by any means, and what he says is very
often likely to be hot air, or else something finnxighx plainly uncharitable
and even false. he was a headstrong and violent character and could not bear
to be opposed in anything. Well, the Church thinks he is a saint, so I had
better not quarrel with that judgement. As to his cave, it was probably a
regular house cut into the rock, perhaps as big as my hermitage, but certainl.
nowhere near as nice.

I have sent David Rowland twenty five dollars, as someone made me a
donation of that amount for the hermitage. The rest will follow.

Meanwhile I can be thinking of other possibilities for you between
now and the 22nd. I still think the Coomaraswamy idea is the best, but his
wife has said nothing definite about it.

All the best to you both, and cordial blessings in Christ

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