What is read and understood and contemplated and intellectually grasped is our own, madam, to live and work with. A lifetime's study will not make accessible to us more than a fragment of our own ancestral past, let alone the aeons before our race was formed. But that fragment we must thoroughly possess and hand on. Hoc opus, hic labor est. There is, I am tempted to assert, no easy way, no short cut: we are, in attempting those, like Bunyan's Ignorance who found a path to Hell at the very gate of the City of Heaven.
The passage reflects on the complex nature of knowledge and our relationship with history. It suggests that while we may devote our lives to understanding the past, we can only grasp a tiny portion of it, specifically our own heritage. This limited but essential knowledge is crucial for us to engage with as we navigate life and share it with future generations. The passage emphasizes the importance of thoroughly understanding this fragment of our ancestry, as it forms a foundational aspect of our identity.
Furthermore, it warns against seeking shortcuts in the pursuit of knowledge, likening the temptation for an easier path to the character Ignorance in Bunyan's allegory, who ultimately fails to reach his goal. The statement underscores that genuine understanding and the work of connecting with our history require dedication and effort. Therefore, the journey of learning is both a labor and a profound responsibility that we must embrace.
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