Three guests I have, dissenting at my feast,
Requiring each to gratify his taste
With different food.
Наши сочинения — как множество блюд, наши читатели — гости, наши книги подобны красоте: то, чем один восхищается, другой отвергает; так и мы получаем одобрение в зависимости от склонностей людского воображения. Pro captu lectoris habent sua fata libelli. То, что наиболее приятно одному, есть amaracum sui, самое горькое для другого. Quot homines, tot sententiae, сколько людей, столько мнений: то, что ты осуждаешь, он хвалит. Quod petis, id sane est invisum acidumque duobus. Он ценит содержание, ты же всецело за слова; он любит свободный и непринужденный стиль, ты же — за изящную композицию, сильные строки, гиперболы, аллегории; он желает прекрасный фронтиспис, завлекающие картинки, подобные тем, что Иероним Натали, иезуит, вырезал для Доминикалий, чтобы привлечь внимание читателя, которые ты отвергаешь; то, чем один восхищается, другой взрывает как нечто самое нелепое и смехотворное. Если это не попадает точно в его настроение, его метод, его замысел, si quid, forsan omissum, quod is animo conceperit, si quae dictio и т. д. Если что-то опущено или добавлено, что ему нравится или не нравится, ты mancipium paucae lectionis, идиот, осел, nullus es, или plagiarius, бездельник, пустомеля, ты праздный малый; или же это вещь чистого усердия, сборник без ума и изобретательности, сущая безделица. Facilia sic putant omnes quae jam facta, nec de salebris cogitant, ubi via strata; так оцениваются люди, их труды поносятся никчемными сами по себе субъектами как вещи никчемные, которые сами не смогли бы сделать и того же. Unusquisque abundat sensu suo, каждый изобилует своим собственным смыслом; и пока каждая отдельная сторона так настроена, как можно угодить всем?
[114]Quid dem? quid non dem? Renuis tu quod jubet ille.
———What courses must I choose?
What not? What both would order you refuse.
How shall I hope to express myself to each man's humour and [115]conceit, or to give satisfaction to all? Some understand too little, some too much, qui similiter in legendos libros, atque in salutandos homines irruunt, non cogitantes quales, sed quibus vestibus induti sint, as [116]Austin observes, not regarding what, but who write, [117]orexin habet auctores celebritas, not valuing the metal, but stamp that is upon it, Cantharum aspiciunt, non quid in eo. If he be not rich, in great place, polite and brave, a great doctor, or full fraught with grand titles, though never so well qualified, he is a dunce; but, as [118]Baronius hath it of Cardinal Caraffa's works, he is a mere hog that rejects any man for his poverty. Some are too partial, as friends to overween, others come with a prejudice to carp, vilify, detract, and scoff; (qui de me forsan, quicquid est, omni contemptu contemptius judicant) some as bees for honey, some as spiders to gather poison. What shall I do in this case? As a Dutch host, if you come to an inn in. Germany, and dislike your fare, diet, lodging, &c., replies in a surly tone, [119]aliud tibi quaeras diversorium, if you like not this, get you to another inn: I resolve, if you like not my writing, go read something else. I do not much esteem thy censure, take thy course, it is not as thou wilt, nor as I will, but when we have both done, that of [120]Plinius Secundus to Trajan will prove true, “Every man's witty labour takes not, except the matter, subject, occasion, and some commending favourite happen to it.” If I be taxed, exploded by thee and some such, I shall haply be approved and commended by others, and so have been (Expertus loquor), and may truly say with [121]Jovius in like case, (absit verbo jactantia) heroum quorundam, pontificum, et virorum nobilium familiaritatem et amicitiam, gratasque gratias, et multorum [122] bene laudatorum laudes sum inde promeritus, as I have been honoured by some worthy men, so have I been vilified by others, and shall be. At the first publishing of this book, (which [123]Probus of Persius satires), editum librum continuo mirari homines, atque avide deripere caeperunt, I may in some sort apply to this my work. The first, second, and third edition were suddenly gone, eagerly read, and, as I have said, not so much approved by some, as scornfully rejected by others. But it was Democritus his fortune, Idem admirationi et [124]irrisioni habitus. 'Twas Seneca's fate, that superintendent of wit, learning, judgment, [125]ad stuporem doctus, the best of Greek and Latin writers, in Plutarch's opinion; that “renowned corrector of vice,” as, [126]Fabius terms him, “and painful omniscious philosopher, that writ so excellently and admirably well,” could not please all parties, or escape censure. How is he vilified by [127] Caligula, Agellius, Fabius, and Lipsius himself, his chief propugner? In eo pleraque pernitiosa, saith the same Fabius, many childish tracts and sentences he hath, sermo illaboratus, too negligent often and remiss, as Agellius observes, oratio vulgaris et protrita, dicaces et ineptae, sententiae, eruditio plebeia, an homely shallow writer as he is. In partibus spinas et fastidia habet, saith [128]Lipsius; and, as in all his other works, so especially in his epistles, aliae in argutiis et ineptiis occupantur, intricatus alicubi, et parum compositus, sine copia rerum hoc fecit, he jumbles up many things together immethodically, after the Stoics' fashion, parum ordinavit, multa accumulavit, &c. If Seneca be thus lashed, and many famous men that I could name, what shall I expect? How shall I that am vix umbra tanti philosophi hope to please? “No man so absolute” ([129]Erasmus holds) “to satisfy all, except antiquity, prescription, &c., set a bar.” But as I have proved in Seneca, this will not always take place, how shall I evade? 'Tis the common doom of all writers, I must (I say) abide it; I seek not applause; [130]Non ego ventosa venor suffragia plebis; again, non sum adeo informis, I would not be [131]vilified:
[132]———laudatus abunde,
Non fastiditus si tibi, lector, ero.
I fear good men's censures, and to their favourable acceptance I submit my labours,
[133]———et linguas mancipiorum
Contemno.———
As the barking of a dog, I securely contemn those malicious and scurrile obloquies, flouts, calumnies of railers and detractors; I scorn the rest. What therefore I have said, pro tenuitate mea, I have said.
Одну или две вещи я все же желал бы исправить, если бы мог, касательно манеры изложения моего предмета, за что я должен принести извинения, deprecari, и по зрелом размышлении уведомить дружелюбного читателя: не было моим намерением проституировать свою музу на английском языке или разглашать secreta Minervae, но изложить это более сжато на латыни, если бы я мог добиться публикации. Любой похабный памфлет приветствуется нашими корыстными книготорговцами на английском; они печатают все
———cuduntque libellos
In quorum foliis vix simia nuda cacaret;
But in Latin they will not deal; which is one of the reasons [134]Nicholas Car, in his oration of the paucity of English writers, gives, that so many flourishing wits are smothered in oblivion, lie dead and buried in this our nation. Another main fault is, that I have not revised the copy, and amended the style, which now flows remissly, as it was first conceived; but my leisure would not permit; Feci nec quod potui, nec quod volui, I confess it is neither as I would, nor as it should be.
[135]Cum relego scripsisse pudet, quia plurima cerno
Me quoque quae fuerant judice digna lini.
When I peruse this tract which I have writ,
I am abash'd, and much I hold unfit.
Et quod gravissimum, in the matter itself, many things I disallow at this present, which when I writ, [136]Non eadem est aetas, non mens; I would willingly retract much, &c., but 'tis too late, I can only crave pardon now for what is amiss. Я мог бы, действительно (если бы поступил мудро), соблюсти наставление поэта — nonumque prematur in annum — и проявить больше заботы: или, как Александр-врач поступил бы с ляпис-лазурью, промыв ее пятьдесят раз, прежде чем использовать, я должен был бы пересмотреть, исправить и дополнить этот трактат; но у меня не было (как я сказал) того счастливого досуга, не было переписчиков или помощников. Панкрат у Лукиана, нуждаясь в слуге, когда он шел из Мемфиса в Коптос в Египте, взял дверной засов и после произнесения неких суеверных слов (Евкрат, рассказчик, присутствовал при этом) заставил его встать, как слугу, приносить ему воду, крутить вертел, подавать ужин и выполнять любую другую работу, какую он пожелает; а когда тот выполнил услугу, которую он желал, превратил своего человека обратно в палку. У меня нет такого искусства создавать новых людей по своему желанию или средств нанимать их; нет свистка, чтобы позвать, как капитан корабля, и приказать им бежать и т. д. У меня нет такой власти, нет таких благодетелей, каким был тот благородный Амвросий для Оригена, предоставивший ему шесть или семь переписчиков, чтобы записывать его диктовки; я должен по этой причине делать свое дело сам, и был поэтому вынужден, подобно медведице со своими детенышами, произвести на свет этот сумбурный комок; у меня не было времени вылизать его в форму, как она делает со своими малышами, но опубликовать его именно так, как он был написан впервые, quicquid in buccam venit, в импровизационном стиле, как я обычно делаю все другие упражнения, effudi quicquid dictavit genius meus, из сумбурного набора заметок, и написан с таким же малым раздумьем, с каким я обычно говорю, без всякой аффектации громких слов, напыщенных фраз, звенящих терминов, тропов, сильных строк, которые, подобно стрелам Ацеста, загорались в полете, напряжений ума, бравых порывов, элегий, гиперболических украшений, элегантностей и т. д., к которым многие так стремятся. Я aquae potor, не пью вина вовсе, что так улучшает наш современный ум, я непринужденный, простой, грубый писатель, ficum, voco ficum et ligonem ligonem, и столь же свободный, столь же непринужденный, idem calamo quod in mente, я называю вещи своими именами, animis haec scribo, non auribus, я уважаю содержание, а не слова; помня слова Кардана: verba propter res, non res propter verba: и стремясь с Сенекой: quid scribam, non quemadmodum, скорее что писать, нежели как писать: ибо, как полагает Филон, «тот, кто занят содержанием, пренебрегает словами, а те, кто преуспевает в этом искусстве красноречия, не имеют глубоких знаний».
[144]Verba nitent phaleris, at nullus verba medullas
Intus habent———
Besides, it was the observation of that wise Seneca, [145]“when you see a fellow careful about his words, and neat in his speech, know this for a certainty, that man's mind is busied about toys, there's no solidity in him.” Non est ornamentum virile concinnitas: as he said of a nightingale, ———vox es, praeterea nihil, &c. I am therefore in this point a professed disciple of [146]Apollonius a scholar of Socrates, I neglect phrases, and labour wholly to inform my reader's understanding, not to please his ear; 'tis not my study or intent to compose neatly, which an orator requires, but to express myself readily and plainly as it happens. So that as a river runs sometimes precipitate and swift, then dull and slow; now direct, then per ambages, now deep, then shallow; now muddy, then clear; now broad, then narrow; doth my style flow: now serious, then light; now comical, then satirical; now more elaborate, then remiss, as the present subject required, or as at that time I was affected. And if thou vouchsafe to read this treatise, it shall seem no otherwise to thee, than the way to an ordinary traveller, sometimes fair, sometimes foul; here champaign, there enclosed; barren, in one place, better soil in another: by woods, groves, hills, dales, plains, &c. I shall lead thee per ardua montium, et lubrica valllum, et roscida cespitum, et [147]glebosa camporum, through variety of objects, that which thou shalt like and surely dislike.
Что касается самого содержания или метода, если они порочны, прошу вас, примите во внимание слова Колумеллы: Nihil perfectum, aut a singulari consummatum industria, никто не может учесть все, многое, несомненно, дефектно, может быть справедливо раскритиковано, изменено и избегнуто у Галена, Аристотеля, этих великих мастеров. Boni venatoris (один утверждает) plures feras capere, non omnes; хороший охотник тот, кто может поймать некоторых, а не всех: я приложил свое старание. К тому же, я не живу в этом кабинете, Non hic sulcos ducimus, non hoc pulvere desudamus, я лишь дилетант, признаюсь, чужак, здесь и там я срываю цветок; я легко соглашусь, если строгий цензор начнет критиковать то, что я написал, он найдет не три единственных ошибки, как Скалигер у Теренция, а триста. Столько же, сколько он нашел в тонкостях Кардана, столько же заметных ошибок, сколько Гул Лаурембергиус, недавний профессор Ростока, обнаруживает в той анатомии Лаврентия, или Бароций Венецианский в «Сакробоско». И хотя это шестое издание, в котором я должен был бы быть более точным, исправить все те прежние упущения, все же это было magni laboris opus, столь трудным и утомительным, что, как знают по опыту плотники, иногда гораздо лучше построить новый дом, чем ремонтировать старый; я мог бы с таким же успехом написать еще столько же, чем изменять то, что написано. Если что-то поэтому не так (как я признаю, что есть), я требую дружеского наставления, а не горькой инвективы, Sint musis socii Charites, Furia omnis abesto, иначе, как в обычных спорах, funem contentionis nectamus, sed cui bono? Мы можем спорить и, вероятно, злоупотреблять друг другом, но с какой целью? Мы оба ученые, скажем,
[152]———Arcades ambo
Et Cantare pares, et respondere parati.
Both young Arcadians, both alike inspir'd
To sing and answer as the song requir'd.
If we do wrangle, what shall we get by it? Trouble and wrong ourselves, make sport to others. If I be convict of an error, I will yield, I will amend. Si quid bonis moribus, si quid veritati dissentaneum, in sacris vel humanis literis a me dictum sit, id nec dictum esto. In the mean time I require a favourable censure of all faults omitted, harsh compositions, pleonasms of words, tautological repetitions (though Seneca bear me out, nunquam nimis dicitur, quod nunquam satis dicitur) perturbations of tenses, numbers, printers' faults, &c. My translations are sometimes rather paraphrases than interpretations, non ad verbum, but as an author, I use more liberty, and that's only taken which was to my purpose. Quotations are often inserted in the text, which makes the style more harsh, or in the margin, as it happened. Greek authors, Plato, Plutarch, Athenaeus, &c., I have cited out of their interpreters, because the original was not so ready. I have mingled sacra prophanis, but I hope not profaned, and in repetition of authors' names, ranked them per accidens, not according to chronology; sometimes neoterics before ancients, as my memory suggested. Some things are here altered, expunged in this sixth edition, others amended, much added, because many good [153]authors in all kinds are come to my hands since, and 'tis no prejudice, no such indecorum, or oversight.
[154]Nunquam ita quicquam bene subducta ratione ad vitam fuit,
Quin res, aetas, usus, semper aliquid apportent novi,
Aliquid moneant, ut illa quae scire te credas, nescias,
Et quae tibi putaris prima, in exercendo ut repudias.
Ne'er was ought yet at first contriv'd so fit,
But use, age, or something would alter it;
Advise thee better, and, upon peruse,
Make thee not say, and what thou tak'st refuse.
But I am now resolved never to put this treatise out again, Ne quid nimis, I will not hereafter add, alter, or retract; I have done. The last and greatest exception is, that I, being a divine, have meddled with physic,
[155]Tantumne est ab re tua otii tibi,
Aliena ut cures, eaque nihil quae ad te attinent.
Which Menedemus objected to Chremes; have I so much leisure, or little business of mine own, as to look after other men's matters which concern me not? What have I to do with physic? Quod medicorum est promittant medici. The [156]Lacedaemonians were once in counsel about state matters, a debauched fellow spake excellent well, and to the purpose, his speech was generally approved: a grave senator steps up, and by all means would have it repealed, though good, because dehonestabatur pessimo auctore, it had no better an author; let some good man relate the same, and then it should pass. This counsel was embraced, factum est, and it was registered forthwith, Et sic bona sententia mansit, malus auctor mutatus est. Thou sayest as much of me, stomachosus as thou art, and grantest, peradventure, this which I have written in physic, not to be amiss, had another done it, a professed physician, or so, but why should I meddle with this tract? Hear me speak. There be many other subjects, I do easily grant, both in humanity and divinity, fit to be treated of, of which had I written ad ostentationem only, to show myself, I should have rather chosen, and in which I have been more conversant, I could have more willingly luxuriated, and better satisfied myself and others; but that at this time I was fatally driven upon this rock of melancholy, and carried away by this by-stream, which, as a rillet, is deducted from the main channel of my studies, in which I have pleased and busied myself at idle hours, as a subject most necessary and commodious. Not that I prefer it before divinity, which I do acknowledge to be the queen of professions, and to which all the rest are as handmaids, but that in divinity I saw no such great need. For had I written positively, there be so many books in that kind, so many commentators, treatises, pamphlets, expositions, sermons, that whole teams of oxen cannot draw them; and had I been as forward and ambitious as some others, I might have haply printed a sermon at Paul's Cross, a sermon in St. Marie's Oxon, a sermon in Christ Church, or a sermon before the right honourable, right reverend, a sermon before the right worshipful, a sermon in Latin, in English, a sermon with a name, a sermon without, a sermon, a sermon, &c. But I have been ever as desirous to suppress my labours in this kind, as others have been to press and publish theirs. To have written in controversy had been to cut off an hydra's head, [157]Lis litem generat, one begets another, so many duplications, triplications, and swarms of questions. In sacro bello hoc quod stili mucrone agitur, that having once begun, I should never make an end. One had much better, as [158]Alexander, the sixth pope, long since observed, provoke a great prince than a begging friar, a Jesuit, or a seminary priest, I will add, for inexpugnabile genus hoc hominum, they are an irrefragable society, they must and will have the last word; and that with such eagerness, impudence, abominable lying, falsifying, and bitterness in their questions they proceed, that as he [159]said, furorne caecus, an rapit vis acrior, an culpa, responsum date? Blind fury, or error, or rashness, or what it is that eggs them, I know not, I am sure many times, which [160]Austin perceived long since, tempestate contentionis, serenitas charitatis obnubilatur, with this tempest of contention, the serenity of charity is overclouded, and there be too many spirits conjured up already in this kind in all sciences, and more than we can tell how to lay, which do so furiously rage, and keep such a racket, that as [161]Fabius said, “It had been much better for some of them to have been born dumb, and altogether illiterate, than so far to dote to their own destruction.”