thecuratelistenedtohiattentivelyandfeltthathewasaanofundunderstandg，andthattherewasgoodreanwhathesaid;hetoldhithat，begofthesaopionhiself，andbeargagrudtobooksofchivalry，hehadburnedalldonixote&039;s，whichwereany;andgavehianaountofthescrutyhehadadeofthe，andofthosehehadndenedtotheflasandthosehehadspared，withwhichthecanonwasnotalittleaed，addgthatthoughhehadsaiduchndenationofthesebooks，stillhefoundonegoodthgthe，andthatwastheopportunitytheyaffordedtoagiftedtellectfordisplaygitself;fortheypresentedawideandspaciofieldoverwhichthepenightranfreely，describgshirecks，tepests，bats，battles，portraygavaliantcaptawithallthealificationsreisitetoakeone，shoghisagacioforeseegthewilesoftheeney，eloentspeechtoenuraorrestrahisldiers，ripeunsel，rapidrelve，asboldbidghistiaspressgtheattack;nowpicturgsadtragiccident，nowjoyfulandunexpectedevent;hereabeauteolady，virtuo，wise，andodest;thereachristianknight，braveandntle;herealawless，barbarobraggart;thereaurteoprce，gallantandgracio;settgforththedevotionandloyaltyofvassals，thegreatnessandnerosityofnobles&ot;oraga，&ot;saidhe，&ot;theauthorayshowhiselftobeanastronor，oraskilledsographer，orician，oroneversedaffairsofstate，andtishewillhavea插nceofgforwardasaagicianifhelikeshecansetforththecraftessofulysses，thepietyofaeneas，thevalourofachilles，theisfortunesofhector，thetreacheryofson，thefriendshipofeuryas，thenerosityofalexander，theboldnessofcaesar，theclencyandtruthoftrajan，thefidelityofzopyr，thewisdoofcato，andshortallthefacultiesthatservetoakeanilstrioanperfect，nowunitgtheonedividual，agadistributgtheaongany;andifthisbedonewith插rofstyleandniovention，aigatthetruthasuchaspossible，hewillassuredlyweaveawebofbrightandvariedthreadsthat，whenfi射d，willdisplaysuchperfectionandbeautythatiillattatheworthiestobjectanywritgcanseek，which，asisaidbefore，istogivestructionandpleasurebed;fortheunrestrictedranofthesebooksenablestheauthortoshowhispowers，epic，lyric，tragic，oric，andalltheoodsthesweetandngartsofpoesyandoratoryarecapableof;fortheepicaybewrittenprosejtaswellasverse&ot;

插pterxlviii

whichthecanonpursuesthesubjectofthebooksofchivalry，withotherattersworthyofhiswit

&ot;itisasyousay，senorcanon，&ot;saidthecurate;&ot;andforthatreanthosewhohavehithertowrittenbooksofthertdeservealltheorecensureforwritgwithoutpayganyattentiontogoodtasteortherulesofart，bywhichtheyightguidetheselvesandbeeasfaoproseastheoprcesofgreekandlatpoetryareverse&ot;

&ot;iyself，atanyrate，&ot;saidthecanon，&ot;wasonceteptedtowriteabookofchivalrywhichallthepotsihaventionedweretobeobserved;andifitownthetruthihaveorethanahundred射etswritten;andtotryifitcauptoyownopionofit，ishowedthetopernswhowerefondofthiskdofreadg，tolearnedandtellintnaswellastoignorantpeoplewhocaredfornothgbutthepleasureoflistengtononsense，andfroalliobtaedflattergapproval;neverthelessiproceedednofartherwithit，aswellbecaeitseedtoanoupationnsistenithyprofession，asbecaeiperceivedthatthefoolsareorenurothanthewise;and，thoughitisbettertobepraisedbythewisefewthanapplaudedbythefoolishany，ihavenodtosubityselftothestupidjudgntofthesillypublic，towhothereadgofsuchbooksfallsfortheostpart

&ot;butwhatostofalladeholdyhandandevenabandonallideaoffishgitwasanarguntiputtoyselftakenfrotheplaysthatareactednow-a-days，whichwasthiswise:ifthosethatarenowvogue，aswellthosethatarepureventionasthosefoundedonhistory，are，allorostofthe，downrightnonsenseandthgsthathaveneitherheadnortail，andyetthepubliclistenstothewithdelight，andregardsandcriestheupasperfectionwhentheyarefarfroit;andiftheauthorswhowritethe，andtheplayerswhoactthe，saythatthisiswhattheytbe，forthepublicwantsthisandwillhavenothgelse;andthatthosethatgobyruleandworkoutaplotaordgtothelawsofartwillonlyfdhalf-dozentellintpeopletounderstandthe，whilealltherestreabldtotheritoftheirposition;andthatfortheselvesitisbettertotbreadfrotheanythanpraisefrothefew;thenybookwillfarethesaway，afterihaveburntoffyeyebrowstrygtoobservetheprciplesihavespokenof，andishallbe&039;thetailoroftherner&039;andthoughihavetisendeavouredtonvceactorsthattheyareistakenthisnotiontheyhaveadopted，andthattheywouldattractorepeople，andtorecredit，byproducgplaysaordancewiththerulesofart，thanbyabsurdones，theyarethoroughlyweddedtotheirownopionthatnoarguntorevidencecanweanthefroit

&ot;irebersaygonedaytooneoftheseobstatefellows，&039;tell，doyounotrellectthatafewyearsago，therewerethreetradiesactedspa，writtenbyafaopoetofthesekgdos，whichweresuchthattheyfilledallwhoheardthewithadiration，delight，andterest，theignorantaswellasthewise，theassesaswellasthehigherorders，andbroughtoreoneytotheperforrs，thesethreealone，thanthirtyofthebestthathavebeensceproduced?&039;

&ot;&039;nodoubt，&039;repliedtheactorestion，&039;youanthe&ot;isabella，&ot;the&ot;phyllis，&ot;andthe&ot;alexandra&ot;&039;

&ot;&039;thosearetheonesian，&039;saidi;&039;andseeiftheydidnotobservetheprciplesofart，andif，byobservgthe，theyfailedtoshowtheirsuperiorityandpleasealltheworld;thatthefaultdoesnotliewiththepublicthatsistsuponnonsense，buiththosewhodon&039;tknowhowtoproducethgelse&ot;thegratituderevend&ot;wasnotnonsense，norwasthereany&ot;thenuantia，&ot;noranytobefound&ot;ther插ntlover，&ot;noryet&ot;thefriendlyfairfoe，&ot;norothersthathavebeenwrittenbycertagiftedpoets，totheirownfaandrenown，andtotheprofitofthosethatbroughttheout;&039;furtherrearksiaddedtothese，withwhich，ithk，ilefthiratherdubfoundered，butnotsatisfiedornvcedthatiulddisabehiofhiserror&ot;

&ot;youhavetoucheduponasubject，senorcanon，&ot;observedthecuratehere，&ot;thathasawakenedanoldenityihaveagasttheplaysvogueatthepresentday，iteasstrongasthatwhichibeartothebooksofchivalry;forwhilethedraa，aordgtotully，shouldbetheirrorofhuanlife，theodelofanners，andtheiaofthetruth，thosewhicharepresentednow-a-daysareirrorsofnonsense，odelsoffolly，andiasoflewdnessforwhatgreaternonsensecantherebennectionwithwhatwearenowdiscsgthanforanfanttoappearswaddlgclothesthefirstsceneofthefirstact，andthesendagrown-upbeardedan?orwhatgreaterabsurditycantherebethanputtgbeforeanoldanasaswashbuckler，ayounganasapoltroon，alackeygfelangua，apagivgsaadvice，akgplygasaporter，aprcesswhoisakitchen-aid?andthenwhatshallisayoftheirattentiontothetiwhichtheactiontheyrepresentayorcantakeplace，savethatihaveseenaplaywherethefirstactbeganeurope，thesendasia，thethirdfi射dafrica，andnodoubt，haditbeenfouracts，thefourthwouldhaveendedarica，anditwouldhavebeendallfourartersoftheglobe?andiftruthtolifeistheathgthedraashouldkeepview，howisitpossibleforanyaveraunderstandgtobesatisfiedwhentheactionissupposedtopassthetiofkgpepor插rleagne，andtheprcipalpernaittheyrepresenttobetheeperorheracliwhoenteredjeralewiththecrossandwontheholysepulchre，likegodfreyofbouillon，therebegyearsnurablebeeentheoneandtheother?or，iftheplayisbasedonfictionandhistoricalfactsaretroduced，orbitsofwhatourredtodifferentpeopleandatdifferenttisixedupwithit，all，notonlywithoutanyseblanceofprobability，butwithobvioerrorsthatfroeverypotofviewareexcable?andtheworstofitis，thereareignorantpeoplewhosaythatthisisperfection，andthatanythgbeyondthisisaffectedrefentandthenifweturntosacreddraas-whatiraclestheyventthe!whatapocryphal，ill-devisedcidents，attributgtoonesattheiraclesofanother!andevensecularplaystheyventuretotroduceiracleswithoutanyreanorobjectexceptthattheythksuchiracle，ortransforationastheycallit，willewelltoastonishstupidpeopleanddrawthetotheplayallthistendstotheprejudiceofthetruthandtherruptionofhistory，nayore，tothereproachofthewitsofspa;forforeignerswhoscrupulolyobservethelawsofthedraalookuponasbarbaroandignorant，whentheyseetheabsurdityandnonsenseoftheplaysweproducenorwillitbeasufficientexcetosaythatthechiefobjectwell-orderedgovernntshaveviewwhentheyperitplaystobeperfordpublicistoentertathepeoplewithharlessaentoasionally，andkeepitfrothoseevilhuourswhichidlenessisapttoennder;andthat，asthisaybeattaedbyanyrtofplay，goodorbad，thereisnoneedtolaydownlaws，orbdthosewhowriteoractthetoaketheastheyoughttobeade，sce，asisay，theobjectughtforaybesecuredbyanyrttothisiwouldreplythatthesaendwouldbe，beyondallparin，betterattaedbyansofgoodplaysthanbythosethatarenot;forafterlistengtoanartisticandproperlynstructedplay，thehearerwilleawayenlivenedbythejests，structedbytheserioparts，fullofadirationatthecidents，hiswitssharpenedbytheargunts，warnedbythetricks，allthewiserfortheexaples，fladagastvice，andlovewithvirtue;forallthesewaysagoodplaywillstiulatethedofthehearerbeheeverboorishordull;andofallipossibilitiesthegreatestisthataplayendowedwithallthesealitieswillnotenterta，satisfy，andpleaseuchorethanonewantgthe，likethegreaternuberofthosewhichareonlyactednow-a-daysnorarethepoetswhowritethetobebladforthis;forthereareaongthewhoareperfectlywellawareoftheirfaults，andknowwhattheyoughttodo;butasplayshavebeeasalableodity，theysay，andwithtruth，thattheactorswillnotbuytheunlesstheyareafterthisfashion;andthepoettriestoadapthiselftothereirentsoftheactorwhoistopayhiforhisworkandthatthisisthetruthaybeseenbytheuntlessplaysthataostfertilewitofthesekgdoshaswritten，withuchbrilliancy，uchgraceandgaiety，suchpoli射dversification，suchchoicelangua，suchprofoundreflections，andaword，richeloenceandelevationofstyle，thathehasfilledtheworldwithhisfa;andyet，nseenceofhisdesiretosuitthetasteoftheactors，theyhavenotall，asofthehave，easnearperfectionastheyoughtotherswriteplayswithsuchheedlessnessthat，aftertheyhavebeenacted，theactorshavetoflyandabsnd，afraidofbegpuni射d，astheyoftenhavebeen，forhavgactedthgoffensivetokgorother，orsultgtonoblefailyallwhichevils，andanyorethatisaynothgof，wouldbereovedifthereweretellintandsensiblepernatthecapitaltoexaeallplaysbeforetheywereacted，notonlythoseproducedthecapitalitself，butallthatweretendedtobeactedspa;withoutwhoseapproval，seal，andsignature，nolocalagistracyshouldallowanyplaytobeactedthatcaseactorswouldtakecaretosendtheirplaystothecapital，anduldactthesafety，andthosewhowritethewouldbeorecarefulandtakeorepaswiththeirwork，standgaweofhavgtosubitittothestrictexaationofonewhounderstoodtheatter;andgoodplayswouldbeproducedandtheobjectstheyaiathappilyattaed;aswelltheaentofthepeople，asthecreditofthewitsofspa，theterestandsafetyoftheactors，andthesavgoftroubleflictgpunishntontheandifthesaorotherpernwereauthorisedtoexaethenewlywrittenbooksofchivalry，nodoubtwouldappearwithalltheperfectionsyouhavedescribed，enrichgourlanguawiththegracioandpreciotreasureofeloence，anddrivgtheoldbookstoobscuritybeforethelightofthenewonesthatwouldeoutfortheharlessentertant，notrelyoftheidlebutoftheverybiest;forthebowcannotbealwaysbent，norcanweakhuannatureexistwithoutlawfulaent&ot;