SOURCE: James, M. R. Two Ancient English Scholars: St. Aldhelm and William of Malmesbury, pp. 7-33. Glasgow: Jackson, Wylie and Co., 1931.

In the following excerpt, James describes William's work in collecting, preserving, and commenting on classical manuscripts.

It is a truism to which I hardly like to give utterance that the monasteries of Europe were the principal agents in preserving the literature of ancient times. Has any Latin classic survived except through the medium of some monastic or cathedral library? None, I believe—apart from a few broken relics from Herculaneum or Egypt.

This familiar proposition is in some sort the text of my lecture: but, stated as I have stated it, it is far too vague and general to be interesting. If it is to have any actuality we must be told what part such places as Bobbio, Verona, Corbie, Fulda, Canterbury played in the story. We...