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The Fourth BookChapter XXI.
Chapter XXI.
Wherein the Canon Prosecutes His Discourse Upon Books of Chivalry, and Many
Other Things Worthy of His Wit
`Sir, you say very true,` quoth the curate; `and for this very reason are
they which have hitherto invented such books the more worthy of reprehension,
because they neither heeded the good discourse, the art, nor the rules by
which they might have guided themselves, and by that means have grown as
famous for their prose as be the two princes of the Greek and Latin poetry for
their verse.` `I have, for my part,` quoth the canon, `at least attempted to
write a book of chivalry, observing therein all the points by me mentioned;
and in truth I have written above a hundred sheets thereof; and to the end
that I might try whether they were correspondent to my estimation, I did
communicate them both with certain skilful and wise men, that are marvellously
affected to that subject, and with some ignorant persons that only delight to
hear fanatical inventions, and I have found in them all a great approbation of
my labours; yet would I not for all that prosecute the work, as well because
it seemed unfit for my profession, as also because I find the number of the
ignorant to exceed that of the judicious; and though more good come to a man
by the praise of a few wise men, than hurt by the scoffs of a number of fools,
yet would I not willingly subject myself to the confused judgment of the
senseless vulgar, who commonly give themselves most unto the reading of such
books. But that which most of all rid my hands, yea, and my memory, of all
desire to end it, was this argument, drawn from our modern comedies, and thus
made to myself: If those (as well the fictions as historical ones) are all, or
the most part of them, notorious fopperies, and things without either head or
foot, and yet are by the vulgar heard with such delight, and held and approved
for good; and both the authors that compose them, and actors that represent
them, say that they must be such as they be for to please the people`s
humours, and not more conformable to reason or truth; and that because those
wherein decorum is observed, and the fable followed according to the rules of
art, serve only for three or four discreet men (if so many may be found at a
play) which do attend unto them, and all the rest of the auditors remain
fasting, by reason they cannot conceive the artificial contexture thereof;
therefore it is better for them to gain good money and means by many than bare
opinion or applause by a few. The very same would be the end of my book, after
I had used all possible industry to observe the aforesaid precept; and I
should remain only for a need, and as the tailor that dwells in a corner,
without trade or estimation.
`And although I have sundry times endeavoured to persuade the players
that their opinion was erroneous herein, and that they would attract more
people and acquire greater fame by acting artificial comedies than those
irregular and methodical plays then used, yet are they so wedded to their
opinion, as no reason can woo nor demonstration win them from it. I remember
how, dealing upon a day with one of those obstinate fellows, I said unto him,
"Do not you remember how a few years ago were represented in Spain three
tragedies, written by a famous poet of our kingdom, which were such as
delighted, yea, and amazed all the auditors, as well the learned as the
simple, the exact as the slight ones, and that the players got more by those
three alone than by thirty of the best that were penned or acted since that
time," "You mean, without question," quoth the actor, answering me, "Isabella,
Phyllis, and Alexandra." "The very same," quoth I; "and note whether in them
were not rightly observed all the rules and precepts of art; and yet thereby
they neither wanted any part of their dignity nor the approbation of all the
world; so that I infer the fault not to be in the vulgar that covet idle toys,
but rather in those which know not how to pen or act any other thing; for no
such fond stuff was in the comedy of Ingratitude Revenged, nor found in
Numantia, nor perceived in that of The Amorous Merchant, and much less in The
Favourable Enemy, nor in some others made by judicious poets, which both
redounded to their infinite fame and renown, and yielded unto these actors
abundant gain," To these I added other reasons, wherewith I left him, in mine
opinion, somewhat perplexed, but not satisfied, or desirous to forego his
erroneous opinion.`
`Truly, master canon,` quoth the curate, `you have touched a matter that
hath roused an ancient rancour and heart - burning of mine against the
comedies now in request, the which is equal to the grudge that I bear to books
of knighthood; for, seeing the comedy, as Tully affirms, ought to be a mirror
of man`s life, a pattern of manners, and an image of truth, those that are now
exhibited are mirrors of vanity, patterns of folly, and images of
voluptuousness. For what greater absurdity can be in such a subject, than to
see a child come out in the first scene of the first act in his swaddling
clouts, and issue in the second already grown a man, yea, a bearded man? And
what greater vanity than to present before us a valiant old man and a young
coward? a layman become a divine? a page a councillor? a king a scoundrel? a
princess a scour - kettle? What should I say of the little care had of the due
observation of time for the succeeding of that they represent, other than that
I myself have seen comedies whose first act began in Europe, the second in
Asia, and the third ended in Africa; and truly, if there had been a fourth, it
would questionless have finished in America, and by consequence, we should
have seen a round walk about the four parts of the world. And feigning an
exploit performed in the time of King Pepin or of Charlemagne, they make the
principal actors thereof either Heraclius the emperor that entered into
Jerusalem bearing of the holy cross, or Godfrey of Bouillon that recovered the
Holy Land; many years, yea, and ages having occurred between the times of the
one and the other: yea, and the comedy being grounded on a fiction, to
attribute unto it the verities of a history, and mingle it and patch it up
with pieces of others having relation to different persons and times; and this
with no plausible invention, or draft resembling the truth, but rather with
palpable, gross,. and inexcusable errors. And which is worse, some gulls are
found to affirm that all perfection consists herein, and that they are too
dainty that look for any other.
`Now, if we would pass further, to examine the divine comedies that treat
of God, or the lives of saints, what a multitude of false miracles do the
composers devise! what a bulk of matters apocryphal and ill - understood,
attributing to one saint the miracles done by another; yea, and in human
comedies they presume to do miracles (without further respect or consideration
but that such a miracle or show, as they term it, would do well in such a
place), to the end that the ignorant folk may admire them, and come the more
willingly to them: all which doth prejudice truth, discredit histories, and
turn to the disgrace of our Spanish wits; for strangers which do with much
punctuality observe the method of comedies, hold us to be rude and ignorant,
when they see such follies and adsurdities escape us; and it will be no
sufficient excuse for this error to say that the principal end of well -
governed commonwealths, in the permitting of comedies, is only to entertain
the commonalty with some honest pastime, and thereby divert the exorbitant and
vicious humours which idleness is wont to engender; and seeing that this end
is attained to by whatsoever comedies, good or bad, it were to no purpose to
appoint any laws or limits unto them, or to tie the composers to frame, or
actors to play them, as they should do: for hereunto I answer, that this end
would, without all comparison, be compassed better by good comedies than by
evil ones; for the auditor having heard an artificial and well - ordered
comedy, would come away delighted with the jests and instructed by the truths
thereof, wondering at the successes, grow discreeter by the reasons, warned by
the deceits, become wise by others` example, incensed against vice, and
enamoured of virtue: all which affects a good comedy should stir up in the
hearer`s mind, were he never so gross or clownish. And it is of all
impossibilities the most impossible, that a comedy consisting of all these
parts should not entertain, delight, satisfy, and content the mind much more
than another that should be defective in any of them, as most of our nowaday
comedies be. Nor are the poets that pen them chiefly to be blamed for this
abuse; for some of them know very well where the error lurks, and know also as
well how to redress it; but because that comedies are become a vendible
merchandise, they affirm, and therein tell the plain truth, that the players
would not buy them if they were of any other than the accustomed kind; and
therefore the poet endeavours to accommodate himself to the humour of the
player who is to pay him for his labour. And that this is the truth may be
gathered by an infinite number of comedies, which a most happy wit of this
kingdom hath composed with such delicacy, so many good jests, so elegant a
verse, so excellent reasons, so grave sentences, and finally, with so much
eloquence and such a loftiness of style, as he hath filled the world with his
fame; and yet by reason that he was forced to accommodate himself to the
actors, all of them have not arrived to the height of perfection which art
requires. Others these are that write without any judgment, and with so little
heed of what they do, as after their works have been once acted, the players
are constrained to run away and hide themselves, fearing to be punished, as
often they have been for acting things obnoxious to the prince, or scandalous
to some families.
`All which inconveniences might be redressed if there were some
understanding and discreet person ordained at the court to examine all
comedies before they were acted, and that not only such as were played at the
court itself, but also all others that were to be acted throughout Spain,
without whose allowance, under his hand and seal, the magistrate of no town
should permit any comedy to be played; by which means the players would
diligently send their plays to the court, and might boldly afterwards act
them, and the composers would, with more care and study, examine their
labours, knowing that they should pass the strict censure of him that could
understand them; and by this means would good comedies be written, and the
thing intended by them most easily attained to, viz. entertainment of the
people, the good opinion of Spanish wits, the profit and security of the
players, and the saving of the care that is now employed in chastising their
rashness. And if the same charge were given to this man, or to some other, to
examine the books of knighthood which should be made hereafter, some of them
doubtless would be put forth adorned with that perfection whereof you spoke
but now, enriching our language with the pleasing and precious treasure of
eloquence, and being an occasion that the old books would become obscure in
the bright presence of those new ones published, for the honest recreation not
only of the idler sort, but also of those that have more serious occupations;
for it is not possible for the bow to continue still bent, nor can our human
and frail nature sustain itself long without some help of lawful recreation.`
The canon and curate had arrived to this point of their discourse, when
the barber, spurring on and overtaking them, said to the curate, `This is the
place I lately told you was fit to pass over the heat of the day in, while the
oxen baited amidst the fresh and abundant pastures.` `It likes me very well,`
quoth the curate; and telling the canon what he meant to do, he also was
pleased to remain with them, as well invited by the prospect of a beautiful
valley which offered itself to their view, as also to enjoy the curate`s
conversation, towards whom he began to bear a marvellous affection; and
lastly, with the desires he had to be thoroughly acquainted with Don Quixote`s
adventures. Therefore he gave order to some of his men that they should ride
to the inn, which was hard by, and bring from thence what meat they could
find, sufficient to satisfy them all, because he meant likewise to pass the
hot time of the day in that place. To which one of his men did answer, that
their sumpter mule was by that time, as he thought, in the inn, so copiously
furnished with provision of meat, that, as he supposed, they needed not buy
anything there but barley for their mules. `If it be so,` quoth the canon,
`let our mules be carried thither, and the sumpter one returned hither.`
Whilst this passed, Sancho, being free from the continual presence of the
curate and barber, whom he held as suspected persons, thought it a fit time to
speak with his lord, and therefore drew near to the cage wherein he sat, and
said to him in this manner: `Sir, that I may discharge my conscience, I will
reveal unto you all that hath passed in this affair of your enchantment, which
briefly is, that those two which ride with their faces covered, are the curate
of our village and the barber, and as I imagine they both are the plotters of
this your kind of carrying away, for mere emulation that they see you surpass
them both in achieving of famous acts: this truth being presupposed, it
follows that you are not enchanted, but beguiled and made a fool; for the
proof whereof I will but demand of you one question, and if you do answer me
according to my expectation, as I believe you will, you shall feel the deceit
with your own hands, and perceive how you are not enchanted, but rather have
your wits turned upside - down.`
`Son Sancho, demand what thou wilt,` quoth Don Quixote, `and I will
satisfy thee, and answer directly to thy desire; but as touching thy averment
that those which go along with us be the curate and barber, our gossips and
old acquaintance, it may well befall that they seem to be such, but that they
are so really, and in effect, I would not have thee believe in any manner; for
that which thou art to believe and shouldst understand in this matter is, that
if they be like those our friends, as thou sayst, it must needs be that those
which have enchanted me have assumed their semblance and likeness (for it is
an easy thing for magicians to put on any shape they please) thereby to give
thee occasion to think that which thou dost, to drive thee into such a
labyrinth of imaginations as thou shalt not afterwards know how to sally out,
although thou hadst the assistance of Theseus` clue; and withal to make me
waver in mine understanding, to the end I may not conjecture from whence this
charm is derived unto me; for if thou on the one side dost affirm that the
barber and curate of our village do accompany me, and I on the other side find
myself encaged, and am so assured of mine own force that no human strength, be
it not supernatural, is able thus to encage me, what wouldst thou have me to
say or think, but that the manner of mine enchantment exceeds as many as ever
I read throughout all the histories entreating of knights - errant which have
been enchanted? Wherefore thou mayst very well appease and quiet thyself in
that point of believing them to be those thou sayst; for they are those as
much as I am a Turk; and, as touching thy desire to demand somewhat of me,
speak; for I will answer thee, although thou puttest me questions until to -
morrow morning.`
`Our Lady assist me!` quoth Sancho, as loud as he could, `and is it
possible that you are so brain - sick and hard - headed as you cannot perceive
that I affirm the very pure truth, and that malice hath a greater stroke in
this your disgrace and employment than any enchantments? But seeing it is so,
I will prove evidently that you are not enchanted; if not, tell me, as God
shall deliver you out of this tempest, and as you shall see yourself, when you
least think of it, in my Lady Dulcinea`s arms - ` `Make an end of conjuring
me,` said Don Quixote, `and ask me what question thou wilt; for I have already
told thee that I will answer with all punctuality.` `That is it I demand,`
quoth Sancho; `and the thing I would know is, that you tell me, without adding
or diminishing aught, but with all truth used or looked for of all those which
profess the exercise of arms as you do, under the title of knights - errant.`
`I say,` answered Don Quixote, `that I will not lie a jot; make therefore a
beginning or an end of these demands, for in good sooth thou dost weary me
with so many salutations, petitions, and preventions.` Sancho replied, `I say
that I am secure of the bounty and truth of my lord; and therefore, because it
makes to the purpose in our affair, I do, with all respect, demand whether
your worship, since your encagement and, as you imagine, enchantment in that
coop, have not had a desire to make greater or less water, as men are wont to
say?` `I do not understand, good Sancho, that phrase of making water; and
therefore explicate thyself, if thou wouldst have me to answer thee directly.`
`And is it possible,` replied he, `that your worship understands not what it
is to make great or little waters? then go to some school and learn it of the
boys, and know that I would say, "Have you had a desire to do that which
cannot be undone?"` `Oh, now, now I understand thee, Sancho. Yes, very many
times; yea, and even now I have. Wherefore, I pray thee, deliver me from the
extremity thereof; for I promise thee I am not altogether so clean as I would
be.`
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