INWHICHTHECANONPURSUESTHESUBJECTOFTHEBOOKSOFCHIVALRY, WITHOTHERMATTERSWORTHYOFHISWIT
"Itisasyousay, senorcanon," saidthecurate; "andforthatreasonthosewhohavehithertowrittenbooksofthesortdeserveallthemorecensureforwritingwithoutpayinganyattentiontogoodtasteortherulesofart, bywhichtheymightguidethemselvesandbecomeasfamousinproseasthetwoprincesofGreekandLatinpoetryareinverse."
"Imyself, atanyrate," saidthecanon, "wasoncetemptedtowriteabookofchivalryinwhichallthepointsIhavementionedweretobeobserved; andifImustownthetruthIhavemorethanahundredsheetswritten; andtotryifitcameuptomyownopinionofit, Ishowedthemtopersonswhowerefondofthiskindofreading, tolearnedandintelligentmenaswellastoignorantpeoplewhocaredfornothingbutthepleasureoflisteningtononsense, andfromallIobtainedflatteringapproval; neverthelessIproceedednofartherwithit, aswellbecauseitseemedtomeanoccupationinconsistentwithmyprofession, asbecauseIperceivedthatthefoolsaremorenumerousthanthewise; and, thoughitisbettertobepraisedbythewisefewthanapplaudedbythefoolishmany, Ihavenomindtosubmitmyselftothestupidjudgmentofthesillypublic, towhomthereadingofsuchbooksfallsforthemostpart.
