The Forges

The Forges, or smithy, is a workshop located near the angle of the east wall of the abbey, adjacent to the stables and the outer wall. It is a place of practical labor, where the abbey's smiths work metal and where the master glazier, Nicholas of Morimondo, practices his craft. The workshop is divided into two parts: the rear section, where glass is blown, and the front section, where glass is fixed into leads to make windows and where other metalwork is performed. It is here that Nicholas produces and repairs the stained-glass windows for the church and the Aedificium, though he laments that the quality of the colors, especially the remarkable blue of the choir windows, can no longer be matched, as the learning of the ancients has been lost.

William's Commission and the New Lenses

On the second day, after his precious reading lenses are stolen by Berengar of Arundel during a nocturnal incursion into the scriptorium, William of Baskerville visits the Forges to seek Nicholas's help. He explains that he needs new lenses, and Nicholas, who has heard of such devices but never seen them, is eager to attempt the work. William shows him the forked instrument that holds the glass ovals, and Nicholas examines it with great interest, calling it "oculi de vitro cum capsula." William warns that the thickness of the glass must vary according to the eye it is to serve, and that many lenses must be tested on the person until the suitable thickness is found. Nicholas works on the lenses throughout the day, but his first attempt fails when the best lens breaks as he tries to grind it more finely, and a second cracks as he inserts it into the fork. On the third day, however, Nicholas triumphantly presents William with a finished pair of lenses, mounted on their fork. William tries them on and declares them better than the originals, keeping the old pair as a spare and promising to use Nicholas's work always.

Discussions on Natural Magic and the Secrets of Science

While Nicholas works on the lenses, William engages him in a conversation about the nature of magic and the proper use of knowledge. William distinguishes between two forms of magic: one that is the work of the Devil and aims at man's downfall, and another that is divine, where God's knowledge is made manifest through human knowledge, serving to transform nature and prolong human life. He speaks of the wonders of optics and the science of vision, citing the works of the infidels and the great Roger Bacon, and argues that Christian knowledge must reclaim this learning from pagans and infidels. Nicholas asks why such knowledge is not communicated to all the people of God, and William explains that not all are ready to accept such secrets, and that the learned must often protect their discoveries from indiscreet eyes, sometimes even making seem magic certain books that are simply good science. He warns that wondrous machines, such as a powder from Cathay that can produce a great rumble and flame, could be used for evil if they fell into the wrong hands. Nicholas, in turn, confides in William about the rumors surrounding the library, suggesting that the strange visions reported by monks who venture there at night are not diabolical apparitions but the result of cleverly prepared lamps and unguents, such as those described in the books of Albertus Magnus.

Narrative Role and Significance

The Forges serves as a crucial counterpoint to the library's esoteric and forbidden knowledge. It is a space of practical, hands-on craft, where the principles of natural philosophy are applied to create tangible, useful objects. It is here that William's deductive powers are physically restored through the creation of his new lenses, and it is here that the reader learns about the material basis for the library's supernatural-seeming defenses. The Forges also provides a setting for William to articulate his philosophy of knowledge—a middle path between the blind faith of Jorge of Burgos and the destructive heresy of the Dolcinians—emphasizing that the secrets of nature are tools to be used wisely, not hidden away or wielded for power.