Francois Rabelais

Gargantua & Pantagruel (French Literature Classic)


Скачать книгу

each shall have his due. This is their lot;

      O he is worthy praise that shrinketh not!

      No sooner was this enigmatical monument read over, but Gargantua, fetching a very deep sigh, said unto those that stood by, It is not now only, I perceive, that people called to the faith of the gospel, and convinced with the certainty of evangelical truths, are persecuted. But happy is that man that shall not be scandalized, but shall always continue to the end in aiming at that mark which God by his dear Son hath set before us, without being distracted or diverted by his carnal affections and depraved nature.

      The monk then said, What do you think in your conscience is meant and signified by this riddle? What? said Gargantua—the progress and carrying on of the divine truth. By St. Goderan, said the monk, that is not my exposition. It is the style of the prophet Merlin. Make upon it as many grave allegories and glosses as you will, and dote upon it you and the rest of the world as long as you please; for my part, I can conceive no other meaning in it but a description of a set at tennis in dark and obscure terms. The suborners of men are the makers of matches, which are commonly friends. After the two chases are made, he that was in the upper end of the tennis-court goeth out, and the other cometh in. They believe the first that saith the ball was over or under the line. The waters are the heats that the players take till they sweat again. The cords of the rackets are made of the guts of sheep or goats. The globe terrestrial is the tennis-ball. After playing, when the game is done, they refresh themselves before a clear fire, and change their shirts; and very willingly they make all good cheer, but most merrily those that have gained. And so, farewell!

      End book 1

       Table of Contents

       Table of Contents

      The Reader here may be pleased to take notice that the copy of verses by the title of ‘Rablophila’, premised to the first book of this translation, being but a kind of mock poem, in imitation of somewhat lately published (as to any indifferent observer will easily appear, by the false quantities in the Latin, the abusive strain of the English, and extravagant subscription to both), and as such, by a friend of the translator’s, at the desire of some frolic gentlemen of his acquaintance, more for a trial of skill than prejudicacy to any, composed in his jollity to please their fancies, was only ordained to be prefixed to a dozen of books, and no more, thereby to save the labour of transcribing so many as were requisite for satisfying the curiosity of a company of just that number; and that, therefore, the charging of the whole impression with it is merely to be imputed to the negligence of the pressmen, who, receiving it about the latter end of the night, were so eager before the next morning to afford complete books, that, as they began, they went on, without animadverting what was recommended to their discretion. This is hoped will suffice to assure the ingenuous Reader that in no treatise of the translator’s, whether original or translatitious, shall willingly be offered the meanest rub to the reputation of any worthy gentleman, and that, however providence dispose of him, no misfortune shall be able to induce his mind to any complacency in the disparagement of another.

      Again.

      The Pentateuch of Rabelais mentioned in the title-page of the first book of this translation being written originally in the French tongue (as it comprehendeth some of its brusquest dialects), with so much ingeniosity and wit, that more impressions have been sold thereof in that language than of any other book that hath been set forth at any time within these fifteen hundred years; so difficult nevertheless to be turned into any other speech that many prime spirits in most of the nations of Europe, since the year 1573, which was fourscore years ago, after having attempted it, were constrained with no small regret to give it over as a thing impossible to be done, is now in its translation thus far advanced, and the remainder faithfully undertaken with the same hand to be rendered into English by a person of quality, who (though his lands be sequestered, his house garrisoned, his other goods sold, and himself detained a prisoner of war at London, for his having been at Worcester fight) hath, at the most earnest entreaty of some of his especial friends well acquainted with his inclination to the performance of conducible singularities, promised, besides his version of these two already published, very speedily to offer up unto this Isle of Britain the virginity of the translation of the other three most admirable books of the aforesaid author; provided that by the plurality of judicious and understanding men it be not declared he hath already proceeded too far, or that the continuation of the rigour whereby he is dispossessed of all his both real and personal estate, by pressing too hard upon him, be not an impediment thereto, and to other more eminent undertakings of his, as hath been oftentimes very fully mentioned by the said translator in several original treatises of his own penning, lately by him so numerously dispersed that there is scarce any, who being skilful in the English idiom, or curious of any new ingenious invention, hath not either read them or heard of them.

      Mr. Hugh Salel to Rabelais.

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgAAAQABAAD/2wBDAAgGBgcGBQgHBwcJCQgKDBQNDAsLDBkSEw8UHRofHh0a HBwgJC4nICIsIxwcKDcpLDAxNDQ0Hyc5PTgyPC4zNDL/2wBDAQkJCQwLDBgNDRgyIRwhMjIyMjIy MjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjL/wAARCBLAC7gDASIA AhEBAxEB/8QAHwAAAQUBAQEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQFBgcICQoL/8QAtRAAAgEDAwIEAwUFBAQA AAF9AQIDAAQRBRIhMUEGE1FhByJxFDKBkaEII0KxwRVS0fAkM2JyggkKFhcYGRolJicoKSo0NTY3 ODk6Q0RFRkdISUpTVFVWV1hZWmNkZWZnaGlqc3R1dnd4eXqDhIWGh4iJipKTlJWWl5iZmqKjpKWm p6ipqrKztLW2t7i5usLDxMXGx8jJytLT1NXW19jZ2uHi4+Tl5ufo6erx8vP09fb3+Pn6/8QAHwEA AwEBAQEBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAECAwQFBgcICQoL/8QAtREAAgECBAQDBAcFBAQAAQJ3AAECAxEEBSEx BhJBUQdhcRMiMoEIFEKRobHBCSMzUvAVYnLRChYkNOEl8RcYGRomJygpKjU2Nzg5OkNERUZHSElK U1RVVldYWVpjZGVmZ2hpanN0dXZ3eHl6goOEhYaHiImKkpOUlZaXmJmaoqOkpaanqKmqsrO0tba3 uLm6wsPExcbHyMnK0tPU1dbX2Nna4uPk5ebn6Onq8vP09fb3+Pn6/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDwWilo pkCjpS0UVIBRRRQAhptONJQMKKKSgApaKKACiiigApKWigAopcUUAJTqQUtABRRRQIKaadTaBiUU UUAJRS0lMApKWkoAKKKKAEPWkpTSUDCiiigAooooAKKKKAFFLSDrS0AFJS0UAFFFFAgooooAWiii kAUopKKYC0UUUgCiiigQUopKWgBaWkooAdSUZooAKKKKBBRRRQA+ikHSjNIBaKTNFABRRRTAKSii gBRS00UuaAHUUmaTNABRRRQAUCigUDHLwakFRinjpSAeKcBTM0bjQA9jjim0nWlFABRRRSAWr1vJ ujA7rxVIVNDkNkHigDQWp41qiJGHSnC5lXoR+VAzU4iiaRugGaymcyOXYnJ9aJriWdVV24HYd6at ADxS00U6gB61d024FvdDcQEcbWJBOPT9apLU0KlpkCgk7hwBSA6WnCmk80ZNSWSgVFK/zY9KXeah P3z9aAJBTxTFpw6UDFooopATq24ZopsQwv40+pKGmmE1JgUx1xSZSGUUUVIwppp1NNAyOQZqFqmc 4BJqsxJNBSGNUTGp8ZprRjqOtFyiA1G1SmomqiRlIaU01qYEbcgj1qo64JFW2qrKfmNMRC1RMamp pRT1p3JaK55phqV12n2qJqtEMZRRRTJGnpTDTzTT0oAYabS0UyRlJTiKaaYBSUtJTEFFFFACUlKa SgAooooASiiimIKKKKACiiigApKWigYUUUUAFFFFADT1ooopDCiiigANJRRQAUUUUAFLSUooAKKK KACkpTSUAFFFFAC0opKB1oAdRRRQIWikpaACiiikAUUUUAFFKBRimAlFLgUhGKACiiikAClpBS0A KKKSjNMBaXpTc0uaQBSikpRQAUopKUUAKKWgUUAOFOFMpQaAJVp1NU5FOpAKKUUgpRQA9akFMWpV GaAHqamSogMUoYikMtIuauJwAKoQS/OA351eWkMnWnUxelPoAUU7FNFPFACA08GlCDrS4FMBRUkQ 71HUqfdFAiWlpBS0AIaSlNIaAKMqbHI7dRUTVcmw2BUJjU0wKTmo0QzShQCR3x2FXzbxnqD+dLGi RKQoxn