Volume 1
The anatomy of melancholy / edited by Rev. A.R. Shilleto.
- Burton, Robert
- Date:
- Reprint 1896 (3 vol set)
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The anatomy of melancholy / edited by Rev. A.R. Shilleto. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)
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![If any lawyer light upon your pages, We've nought in common, odious class, farewell; Except an honest lawyer, he may read, And haply be the wiser for my book. If any clever, easy, kindly reader Turn his eyes here, let him read what he list; Fear nothing, open freely, in his candour He will ignore your blots, not censure them, And praise some of your contents. If dull orator, Who only values terse and polished matter, And well-digested, shall present himself, Shut the book quickly ; for my style is rough, And will offend his dainty stomach. But If any simple poet of the people Present himself, pray welcome him, he'll read Much that will feed his fancy ; I myself Am but an ordinary poet, no Apollo has inspired me, everyone Cannot be mighty poet. Come some critic, Some frothy bitter censor, rabid band, Some Zoilus or Momus, snarl and growl, And open not to such a mocking set. Flee if you can, if not, despise such fellows, And silently bear all their envious scoffings. Care not if such bark, snarl, and fill the air With yelping, 'tis a crime to please such persons. But if some pure stranger should turn your way, One who dislikes jokes, jests, and witticisms, And should upbraid you with coarse wanton writing, Say that your Master's vein's jocose and wanton, And yet not wanton, duly weighed ; yet be it so; His life is honest, if his page be wanton.1 If rude, uncouth, spectator thrust himself Into your garner, drive him out with cudgel. Expel too dolts, for what have I in common With dolts ? You will not suit such folks at alL And yet expel not any, welcome all, Both men and women, of whatever kind. Whoever comes shall welcome be, most welcome Whatever stranger, be he friend or foe. For if he blames, some blame is beneficial, For by his blame he'll make me to improve. But if he praise, I will not be elated, Let it suffice me to have managed well. Be this the preface to my book, for this Is what its master wish'd to say on issuing it.] P This line is taken, with a slight change or two, from Martial, i. iv. 8, and is the usual apology for free writing. Valeat quantum valet! Compare Ovid, Tristia, ii. 353, 354, and the remarks of Ausonius at the end of his Cento Nuptial is. Compare also Herrick at the end of the Hesperides ; M To his Book's end this last line he'd have plac't, Jocund his Muse was; but his Life was chast.]](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21270818_001_0052.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
