RICHARD DE BURY’S “Philobiblon,” one of the most celebrated essays of the Middle Ages, was written in Latin in 1344, and was first printed at Cologne in 1473 as “Philobiblon, a Treatise on the Love of Books.” De Bury, who was one of the greatest English book collectors of the Middle Ages, bequeathed his library to a company of scholars at Oxford, and thus became one of the chief founders of the library of Durham College. He was born at Bury St. Edmunds in 1281, and took his name from his birthplace, as his patronymic was “Aungerville.” After studying at Oxford he became a Benedictine monk, and, after being consecrated Bishop of Durham, served as chancellor of England. He died at Auckland, England, in 1345.