My beef with the internet this time is that this book has been out for centuries, and so the copyright no longer covers it because it is in the public domain, yet the only places to get the book are from sites that are SELLING it. They have no right to sell it. They did not write or translate it, and it has been out for many centuries. It is a Christian classic and should be free for anyone to read. Or is it the situation that only those with money can access good books like these? Despite the means to disimulate them freely to all.
:furtive:
I thought I had seen it online for download within this past year but I may be wrong. I like to download every old religious book I can find--if it's from a reputable source--because some day they may ALL be gone, free or for profit.
If/when you buy books that were written before V2, be sure that you have an exact translation of the original. I've found 'revisions' and they are not always mentioned as being such. The language is much softer and compromising in the newer 'editions' in some of the ones I've found. I know -- I started reading these books when I was 10. I can spot the changes and I DON'T LIKE IT!! needless to say. That's one reason I'd BUY this book ONLY if it was a second-hand edition pre-V2.
And I understand your copyright concerns. Unfortunately, I don't know the legalities of why it is not free. I'd sure expect the Guttenberg Project or CCEL to have it but they don't. That's what makes me think there MUST be some legal stranglehold on it and made me suspicious of trusting the sites that offer it for download. Yes, it is a classic alright! Should certainly be free by now. I can understand a copyright on a "revised" edition, but somewhere in this universe the original, untouched version of this book should be available free if anyone has put it online.
I've noticed that A LOT of religious books that were for free download have disappeared from the Internet and they're not in print for sale either. It's been getting worse over the past 5 or so years. Some are turning up for a price and others are just plain gone. Publishers know Trad Catholics are willing to pay the bucks to get what they want and they're taking advantage of us, selling books at exorbitant prices sometimes. It's sickening and downright dirty dealing in my estimation. And some Religious Orders that used to publish the works of their saints have stopped doing so also.
If I find it somewhere, I'll let you know and would appreciate the same from you. Thanks and good luck!
nipr