• AA Literature
    • A.A. Big Book
      • A.A. Big Book (164 Pages)
      • Big Book Stories Edition 1
      • Big Book Stories Edition 2
    • A.A. Preamble
    • Singleness of Purpose
    • A.A. 12 Steps
    • A.A. 12 Traditions
    • A.A. 12 Concepts
    • 12 Traditions Checklist
    • 9th Step Promises (Pg 83/84)
    • The Serenity Prayer
    • Principles Of The Program
    • I Am Responsible
    • The Page Of Prayers
  • A.A. History
    • The Emmanuel Movement
    • The Washingtonians
    • Magazine & Newspaper Articles
    • Narrative Of A.A. Timeline
    • Timelines In A.A. History
    • Manuscript Of A.A. World History – Bob P.
    • Place And Things In AA History
    • Who’s Who In A.A. History
    • Big Book Story Authors
    • Writings Of A.A. Members
  • Influential Books
    • A.A. Big Book (164 Pages)
    • Big Book Stories Edition 1
    • Big Book Stories Edition 2
    • Mel B’s Library
    • Dick B.’s Library
    • The Greatest Thing In The World
    • The Varieties Of Religious Experiences
    • In His Steps
    • As A Man Thinketh
    • When Man Listens
    • John Barleycorn
    • The Confessions Of Saint Augustine (13 Books)
    • Religion, Clergy & A.A.
  • Free Stuff
    • Free Audiobooks & Speaker Tapes
    • Videos Of Bill Wilson
    • The PDF Project (1000+ PDF’s)
    • Free AA Apps For iPhone
    • Free AA Apps For Android
    • Free 12 Step Toolkit App
  • AA Literature
    • A.A. Big Book
      • A.A. Big Book (164 Pages)
      • Big Book Stories Edition 1
      • Big Book Stories Edition 2
    • A.A. Preamble
    • Singleness of Purpose
    • A.A. 12 Steps
    • A.A. 12 Traditions
    • A.A. 12 Concepts
    • 12 Traditions Checklist
    • 9th Step Promises (Pg 83/84)
    • The Serenity Prayer
    • Principles Of The Program
    • I Am Responsible
    • The Page Of Prayers
  • A.A. History
    • The Emmanuel Movement
    • The Washingtonians
    • Magazine & Newspaper Articles
    • Narrative Of A.A. Timeline
    • Timelines In A.A. History
    • Manuscript Of A.A. World History – Bob P.
    • Place And Things In AA History
    • Who’s Who In A.A. History
    • Big Book Story Authors
    • Writings Of A.A. Members
  • Influential Books
    • A.A. Big Book (164 Pages)
    • Big Book Stories Edition 1
    • Big Book Stories Edition 2
    • Mel B’s Library
    • Dick B.’s Library
    • The Greatest Thing In The World
    • The Varieties Of Religious Experiences
    • In His Steps
    • As A Man Thinketh
    • When Man Listens
    • John Barleycorn
    • The Confessions Of Saint Augustine (13 Books)
    • Religion, Clergy & A.A.
  • Free Stuff
    • Free Audiobooks & Speaker Tapes
    • Videos Of Bill Wilson
    • The PDF Project (1000+ PDF’s)
    • Free AA Apps For iPhone
    • Free AA Apps For Android
    • Free 12 Step Toolkit App
home/Alcoholics Anonymous/Influential Books/The Confessions Of Saint Augustine/Book Four

Chapter XVI – He Very Easily Understood The Liberal Arts And The Categories Of Aristotle, But Without True Fruit.

37 views 0 aa

BOOK FOUR

CHAPTER XVI

28. And what did it profit me that, when I was scarcely twenty years old, a book of Aristotle’s entitled The Ten Categories[116] fell into my hands? On the very title of this I hung as on something great and divine, since my rhetoric master at Carthage and others who had reputations for learning were always referring to it with such swelling pride. I read it by myself and understood it. And what did it mean that when I discussed it with others they said that even with the assistance of tutors–who not only explained it orally, but drew many diagrams in the sand–they scarcely understood it and could tell me no more about it than I had acquired in the reading of it by myself alone? For the book appeared to me to speak plainly enough about substances, such as a man; and of their qualities, such as the shape of a man, his kind, his stature, how many feet high, and his family relationship, his status, when born, whether he is sitting or standing, is shod or armed, or is doing something or having something done to him–and all the innumerable things that are classified under these nine categories (of which I have given some examples) or under the chief category of substance.

29. What did all this profit me, since it actually hindered me when I imagined that whatever existed was comprehended within those ten categories? I tried to interpret them, O my God, so that even thy wonderful and unchangeable unity could be understood as subjected to thy own magnitude or beauty, as if they existed in thee as their Subject–as they do in corporeal bodies–whereas thou art thyself thy own magnitude and beauty. A body is not great or fair because it is a body, because, even if it were less great or less beautiful, it would still be a body. But my conception of thee was falsity, not truth. It was a figment of my own misery, not the stable ground of thy blessedness. For thou hadst commanded, and it was carried out in me, that the earth should bring forth briars and thorns for me, and that with heavy labor I should gain my bread.[117]

30. And what did it profit me that I could read and understand for myself all the books I could get in the so-called “liberal arts,” when I was actually a worthless slave of wicked lust? I took delight in them, not knowing the real source of what it was in them that was true and certain. For I had my back toward the light, and my face toward the things on which the light falls, so that my face, which looked toward the illuminated things, was not itself illuminated. Whatever was written in any of the fields of rhetoric or logic, geometry, music, or arithmetic, I could understand without any great difficulty and without the instruction of another man. All this thou knowest, O Lord my God, because both quickness in understanding and acuteness in insight are thy gifts. Yet for such gifts I made no thank offering to thee. Therefore, my abilities served not my profit but rather my loss, since I went about trying to bring so large a part of my substance into my own power. And I did not store up my strength for thee, but went away from thee into the far country to prostitute my gifts in disordered appetite.[118] And what did these abilities profit me, if I did not put them to good use? I did not realize that those arts were understood with great difficulty, even by the studious and the intelligent, until I tried to explain them to others and discovered that even the most proficient in them followed my explanations all too slowly.

31. And yet what did this profit me, since I still supposed that thou, O Lord God, the Truth, wert a bright and vast body and that I was a particle of that body? O perversity gone too far! But so it was with me. And I do not blush, O my God, to confess thy mercies to me in thy presence, or to call upon thee–any more than I did not blush when I openly avowed my blasphemies before men, and bayed, houndlike, against thee. What good was it for me that my nimble wit could run through those studies and disentangle all those knotty volumes, without help from a human teacher, since all the while I was erring so hatefully and with such sacrilege as far as the right substance of pious faith was concerned? And what kind of burden was it for thy little ones to have a far slower wit, since they did not use it to depart from thee, and since they remained in the nest of thy Church to become safely fledged and to nourish the wings of love by the food of a sound faith.

O Lord our God, under the shadow of thy wings let us hope–defend us and support us.[119] Thou wilt bear us up when we are little and even down to our gray hairs thou wilt carry us. For our stability, when it is in thee, is stability indeed; but when it is in ourselves, then it is all unstable. Our good lives forever with thee, and when we turn from thee with aversion, we fall into our own perversion. Let us now, O Lord, return that we be not overturned, because with thee our good lives without blemish–for our good is thee thyself. And we need not fear that we shall find no place to return to because we fell away from it. For, in our absence, our home–which is thy eternity–does not fall away.

Tags:aaalcoholics anonymousthe confessions of saint augustine

Was this helpful?

Yes  No
Related Articles
  • Book Four
  • Chapter XV – While Writing, Being Blinded By Corporeal Images, He Failed To Recognise The Spiritual Nature Of God.
  • Chapter XIV – Concerning The Books Which He Wrote “On The Fair And Fit,” Dedicated To Hierius.
  • Chapter XIII – Love Originates From Grace, And Beauty Enticing Us.
  • Chapter XII – Love Is Not Condemned, But Love In God, In Whom There Is Rest Through Jesus Christ, Is To Be Preferred.
  • Chapter XI – That Portions Of The World Are Not To Be Loved; But That God, Their Author, Is Immutable, And His Word Eternal.
Popular Articles
  • Opening Flag Ceremony And Big Meeting
  • La Structure Des Services G Aux (French)
  • Fountain Of Hope Group, Fountain, Florida – Established October, 1988
  • Alcoholics Anonymous History In Your Area – Malaysia, By : Dr. Bridget
  • El Anonimato Al Nivel Publico (Spanish)
KB Categories
  • Literature 12
    • Big Book 18
    • Big Book Stories Edition 1 29
    • Big Book Stories Edition 2 40
    • A.A. Prayers 10
    • The Big Book Concordance 27
    • The Original Manuscript Of AA. 16
    • The First A.A. Pamphlet 8
  • Writings Of A.A. Members 0
    • Bill W. 19
      • Let's Ask Bill W. 41
      • Bill W. On The 12 Traditions 16
      • Letters – To Jim Burwell From Bill Wilson 18
      • Letters – To Bill Wilson From Jim Burwell 3
      • Talks At General Service Conferences 31
        • Alcoholic Foundation 4
      • Grapevine Articles Of Bill W. 34
        • Grapevine – 12 Traditions Of A.A. 16
        • Grapevine – 12 Steps Of AA 2
    • Lois W. 7
    • Doctor Bob 10
    • Henry G. (Hank P. 2
    • Clarence S. 6
    • Bill D. 2
    • Ebby Thacher 2
    • Others 13
      • Letters – To Jim Burwell From Bill Wilson 18
      • Letters – To Bill Wilson From Jim Burwell 3
  • Al-Anon 14
  • Research & Study 14
    • Dr. William Duncan Silkworth M.D. 12
      • Grapevine Articles Of Dr. William Silkworth 5
    • A Narrative Of Timeline Of A.A. History 30
    • Timelines In A.A. History 14
    • Timelines Of Historic A.A. Events 1
    • Manuscript Of A.A. World History, 1985 – By Bob P. 23
    • Magazine And Newspaper Articles 149
    • People In A.A.'s History 26
    • Place And Things In AA History 13
    • The Washingtonians 31
      • Grapevine Articles Of The Washingtonians 15
    • The Emmanuel Movement 12
    • Big Book Story Author's 78
    • Whos's Who In A.A.'s History 23
    • Big Book Changes 1
    • Tiebout Papers 6
    • AA Growth 135
    • Charlie Bishop Jr. 3
    • A.A. History – News Articles 8
      • Cleveland Plain Dealer 8
    • Gresham's Law And Alcoholics Anonymous 5
    • Stepping Stone News 1
  • The PDF Project (1000+ PDF's 1
    • The Big Book (179 Articles 6
    • Bill W. (172 Articles 4
    • Dr. Bob (24 Articles 1
    • General Service Conference (157 Articles 6
    • Grapevine (51 Articles 5
    • History (437 Articles 52
  • Audio Books 0
    • Joe & Charlie 34
    • AA Big Book Audiobook 14
    • Sandy B. – Saturday Morning Live 12
    • AA Speaker Bill W. 100
    • Videos 15
    • International Conventions – 2015 184
    • AA Speaker Chuck C. 111
    • AA Speakers Clergy 220
    • AA Speakers Doctor's 129
    • AA Speaker Sandy B. 74
    • AA Assorted Speakers 195
  • Other Articles 40
    • Printed Book Reviews 26
    • Religion, Clergy & A.A. 108
  • Influential Books 0
    • Big Book Of AA 21
    • Personal Stories – Edition 1 29
    • Personal Stories – Edition 2 40
    • Mel B.'s Library 56
      • The Four Absolutes 17
    • Dick B.'s Library 128
    • The Greatest Thing In The world 5
    • In His Steps 32
    • The Varieties Of Religious Experiences 17
    • As A Man Thinketh 8
    • When Man Listens 6
    • The Confessions Of Saint Augustine 5
      • Book One 20
      • Book Two 12
      • Book Three 14
      • Book Four 18
      • Book Five 16
      • Book Six 18
      • Book Seven 23
      • Book Eight 14
      • Book Nine 15
      • Book Ten 45
      • Book Eleven 33
      • Book Twelve 34
      • Book Thirteen 40
    • Other Books 9
    • John Barleycorn 39
  • Grapevine Articles 4
    • Grapevine Reproduction 8
    • Additional A.A. Grapevine Articles 20
    • Big Book Updates 13
    • Other Grapevine Articles 33
    • Grapevine Articles – Interviews 6
  • The Detroit Pamphlet 4
  • A.A. History – General 27
  • The History Of Alcoholics Anonymous 6
  • The Global Map 3
    • Africa 0
      • Algeria & Morocco 1
      • Angola & Zambia 1
      • Burkina Faso & Mali 1
      • Cameroon 1
      • Central African Republic & Ethiopia 1
      • Comoro Island & Seychelles 1
      • Congo & Gabon 1
      • Cote d'Ivoire & Guinea 1
      • Egypt 1
      • Eritrea & Djibouti 1
      • Ghana, Togo & Benin 1
      • Guinea-Bissau & The Gambia 1
      • Liberia & Sierra Leone 1
      • Libya & Tunisia 1
      • Madagascar 1
      • Malawi & Zimbabwe 1
      • Mauritania & Western Sahara 1
      • Namibia & Botswana 1
      • Nigeria & Niger 1
      • Reunion & Mauritius 1
      • Rwanda & Burundi 1
      • Saint Helena & Equatorial Guinea 1
      • Sao Tome & Principe 1
      • Senegal & Cape Verde 1
      • Somalia 1
      • South Africa & Lesotho 1
      • Sudan & Chad 1
      • Swaziland & Mozambique 1
      • Tanzania & D. R. Congo 1
      • Uganda & Kenya 1
    • Asia 0
      • Bangladesh 1
      • Burma 1
      • Bhutan 1
      • China 1
      • Hong Kong 1
      • India 1
      • Indonesia 1
      • Japan 1
      • Kazakhstan 1
      • Laos 1
      • Malaysia 1
      • Maldives 1
      • Mongolia 1
      • North Korea 1
      • Nepal 1
      • Pakistan 1
      • Philippines 1
      • Russia 2
      • South Korea 1
      • Sri Lanka 1
      • Thailand 1
      • Taiwan 1
      • Vietnam 1
    • Canada 0
      • Alberta 1
      • British Columbia 2
      • Manitoba 1
      • New Brunswick 1
      • Newfoundland 1
      • Northwest Territories 1
      • Nova Scotia 1
      • Ontario 18
      • Quebec 1
      • Saskatchewan 1
      • Yukon 1
    • Caribbean 0
      • Anguilla 1
      • Antiqua 1
      • Aruba 1
      • Bonaire 1
      • Barbados 1
      • Barbuda 1
      • Bahamas 1
      • Bermuda 1
      • Cuba 1
      • Cayman Island 1
      • Curacao 1
      • Dominican Republic 1
      • Dominica 1
      • Grenada 1
      • Guadeloupe 1
      • Haiti 1
      • Jamaica 1
      • Margarita 1
      • Martinique 1
      • Puerto Rico 1
      • Saint Maarten/Saint Martin 1
      • Saint Barts 1
      • Saint Lucia 1
      • Saint Vincent And The Grenadines 1
      • Saba/Saint Eustatius 1
      • Saint Kitts And Nevis 1
      • Trinidad And Tobago 1
      • Turks And Caicos 1
      • Virgin Islands 1
    • Central America 0
      • Belize 1
      • Costa Rica 1
      • El Salvador 1
      • Guatemala 1
      • Honduras 1
      • Mexico 1
      • Nicaragua 1
      • Panama 1
    • Europe 0
      • Austria 1
      • Andorra 1
      • Belgium 1
      • Bulgaria 1
      • Croatia.html 1
      • Cyprus 1
      • Czech Republic 1
      • Denmark 1
      • Estonia 1
      • England 2
      • Finland 1
      • France 1
      • Germany 1
      • Greece 1
      • Gibraltar 1
      • Hungary 1
      • Herzegovina 1
      • Iceland 1
      • Ireland 1
      • Italy 1
      • Latvia 1
      • Liechtenstein 1
      • Lithuania 1
      • Luxembourg 1
      • Malta 1
      • Macedonia 1
      • Monaco 1
      • Netherlands 1
      • Norway 1
      • Poland 1
      • Portugal 1
      • Romania 1
      • Russia 2
      • Scotland 2
      • Slovakia 1
      • Slovenia 1
      • Spain 1
      • Sweden 1
      • Switzerland 1
      • Turkey 1
      • Ukraine 1
      • Wales 1
      • Yugoslavia 1
    • Middle East 0
      • Arabia 1
      • Azerbaijan 1
      • Armenia 1
      • Afghanistan 1
      • Bahrain 1
      • Cyprus 1
      • Iran 1
      • Iraq 1
      • Israel 1
      • Jordan 1
      • Kuwait 1
      • Kyrgyzstan 1
      • Lebanon 1
      • Oman 1
      • Qatar 1
      • Syria 1
      • Saudi Arabia 1
      • Tajikistan 1
      • Turkmenistan 1
      • Turkey 1
      • United Arab Emirates 1
      • Yemen 1
    • Australia (Oceania 0
      • Australia 3
      • American Samoa 1
      • Cook Islands 1
      • Coral Sea Islands 1
      • Federated States Of Micronesia 1
      • Fiji 1
      • French Polynesia 1
      • Guam 1
      • Kiribati 1
      • Marshall Islands 1
      • Northern Mariana Islands 1
      • New Zealand 1
      • Nauru 1
      • New Caledonia 1
      • Niue 1
      • Palau 1
      • Papua New Guinea 1
      • Pitcairn Islands 1
      • Solomon Islands 1
      • Tongi 1
      • Tokelau 1
      • Tuvalu 1
      • Vanuatu 1
      • Western Samoa 1
      • Wallis And Futuna Islands 1
    • South America 0
      • Aruba (NL 1
      • Argentina 1
      • Bolivia 1
      • Brazil 1
      • Chile 1
      • Ecuador 1
      • French Guiana (France 1
      • Falkland Islands (UK 1
      • Guyana 1
      • Netherland Antilles (NL 1
      • Peru 1
      • Paraguay 1
      • Suriname 1
      • South Georgia (UK 1
      • Uruguay 1
      • Venezuela 1
    • United States 0
      • Alabama 1
      • Alaska 1
      • Arizona 1
      • Arkansas 1
      • California 4
      • Colorado 1
      • Connecticut 1
      • Delaware 1
      • Florida 28
      • Georgia 1
      • Hawaii 1
      • Idaho 1
      • Illinois 3
      • Indiana 1
      • Iowa 1
      • Kansas 1
      • Kentucky 1
      • Louisiana 1
      • Maine 1
      • Maryland 3
      • Massachusetts 1
      • Michigan 4
      • Minnesota 2
      • Mississippi 1
      • Missouri 1
      • Montana 1
      • Nebraska 1
      • Nevada 1
      • New Hampshire 1
      • New Jersey 3
      • New Mexico 1
      • New York 1
      • North Carolina 2
      • North Dakota 1
      • Ohio 5
      • Oklahoma 1
      • Oregon 1
      • Pennsylvania 6
      • Rhode Island 1
      • South Carolina 5
      • South Dakota 1
      • Tennessee 1
      • Texas 6
      • Utah 1
      • Vermont 1
      • Virginia/DC 3
      • Washington 3
      • West Virginia 1
      • Wisconsin 1
      • Wyoming 1
    • General 3
AA Anonymity Statement

Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions.

Please respect this and treat in confidence who you see and what you hear.

About Silkworth.net
  • Privacy Policy
  • Legal Disclaimer
  • Contact Us
External Links
  • Free 12 Step Toolkit App
  • Free AA Apple Apps
  • Free AA Android Apps
  • Silkworth’s YouTube Channel
  • Alcoholics Anonymous (AAWS Inc.)
  • AA Grapevine, International Journal of Alcoholics Anonymous
  • Al-Anon Family (Includes Alateen)
Newsletter Subscription





  • © 2020 silkworth.net. All Rights Reserved