Maggi Dawn on Old Books

From Maggi Dawn:

It is one of the foundations of a Cambridge education that whatever thinker you read or study, you should first read their own work, not someone’s thoughts about them. If you want to know what Augustine said, read Augustine. If you want to know what Wittgenstein said, read Wittgenstien. Only later read some expert on Augustine or Wittgenstein. Why? Lots of good reasons. First up: you never get a second chance to make a first impression. If you read someone’s work only after you’ve read someone’s opinion of them, you are forever biased towards, or troubled by, or even confused by, someone else’s opinion. Have your own opinion first: you can then enter into conversation with other readers.

I remember feeling nervous when I was first challenged to read an old book without any notes or aids or introductions. But eventually I realised the cause of my nervousness: I wasn’t sure that I was permitted, or worthy enough, or smart enough, to have an opinion about Augustine or Wittgenstein. Surely I woudn’t be able to grasp what someone from the 4th century had written? Surely some expert who had read them first would be better able to explain them to me, than I would to understand them myself?