King Alfred the Great

"Very often it has come to my mind what men of learning there were formerly throughout England..and how nowadays...we would have to seek them outside... Thanks be to God Almighty that we now have any supply of teachers at all!... As often as you can, free yourself from worldly affairs so that you may apply that wisdom which God gave you wherever you can. Remember what punishments befell us in this world when we ourselves didn't cherish learning nor transmit it to other men."