areopagitica-第8章
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is but under the tuition; under the correction of his patriarchal
licenser to blot or alter what precisely accords not with the
hidebound humour which he calls his judgment? When every acute
reader; upon the first sight of a pedantic licence; will be ready
with these like words to ding the book a quoit's distance from him:
I hate a pupil teacher; I endure not an instructor that comes to me
under the wardship of an overseeing fist。 I know nothing of the
licenser; but that I have his own hand here for his arrogance; who
shall warrant me his judgment? The State; sir; replies the
stationer; but has a quick return: The State shall be my governors;
but not my critics; they may be mistaken in the choice of a
licenser; as easily as this licenser may be mistaken in an author;
this is some common stuff; and he might add from Sir Francis Bacon;
THAT SUCH AUTHORIZED BOOKS ARE BUT THE LANGUAGE OF THE TIMES。
For though a licenser should happen to be judicious more than
ordinary; which will be a great jeopardy of the next succession;
yet his very office and his commission enjoins him to let pass
nothing but what is vulgarly received already。
Nay; which is more lamentable; if the work of any deceased
author; though never so famous in his lifetime and even to this
day; come to their hands for licence to be printed; or reprinted;
if there be found in his book one sentence of a venturous edge;
uttered in the height of zeal (and who knows whether it might not
be the dictate of a divine spirit?) yet not suiting with every low
decrepit humour of their own; though it were Knox himself; the
reformer of a kingdom; that spake it; they will not pardon him
their dash: the sense of that great man shall to all posterity be
lost; for the fearfulness or the presumptuous rashness of a
perfunctory licenser。 And to what an author this violence hath
been lately done; and in what book of greatest consequence to be
faithfully published; I could now instance; but shall forbear till
a more convenient season。
Yet if these things be not resented seriously and timely by them
who have the remedy in their power; but that such iron…moulds as
these shall have authority to gnaw out the choicest periods of
exquisitest books; and to commit such a treacherous fraud against
the orphan remainders of worthiest men after death; the more sorrow
will belong to that hapless race of men; whose misfortune it is to
have understanding。 Henceforth let no man care to learn; or care
to be more than worldly…wise; for certainly in higher matters to be
ignorant and slothful; to be a common steadfast dunce; will be the
only pleasant life; and only in request。
And it is a particular disesteem of every knowing person alive;
and most injurious to the written labours and monuments of the
dead; so to me it seems an undervaluing and vilifying of the whole
nation。 I cannot set so light by all the invention; the art; the
wit; the grave and solid judgment which is in England; as that it
can be comprehended in any twenty capacities how good soever; much
less that it should not pass except their superintendence be over
it; except it be sifted and strained with their strainers; that it
should be uncurrent without their manual stamp。 Truth and
understanding are not such wares as to be monopolized and traded in
by tickets and statutes and standards。 We must not think to make
a staple commodity of all the knowledge in the land; to mark and
licence it like our broadcloth and our woolpacks。 What is it but
a servitude like that imposed by the Philistines; not to be allowed
the sharpening of our own axes and coulters; but we must repair
from all quarters to twenty licensing forges? Had anyone written
and divulged erroneous things and scandalous to honest life;
misusing and forfeiting the esteem had of his reason among men; if
after conviction this only censure were adjudged him that he should
never henceforth write but what were first examined by an appointed
officer; whose hand should be annexed to pass his credit for him
that now he might be safely read; it could not be apprehended less
than a disgraceful punishment。 Whence to include the whole nation;
and those that never yet thus offended; under such a diffident and
suspectful prohibition; may plainly be understood what a
disparagement it is。 So much the more; whenas debtors and
delinquents may walk abroad without a keeper; but unoffensive books
must not stir forth without a visible jailer in their title。
Nor is it to the common people less than a reproach; for if we be
so jealous over them; as that we dare not trust them with an
English pamphlet; what do we but censure them for a giddy; vicious;
and ungrounded people; in such a sick and weak state of faith and
discretion; as to be able to take nothing down but through the pipe
of a licenser? That this is care or love of them; we cannot
pretend; whenas; in those popish places where the laity are most
hated and despised; the same strictness is used over them。 Wisdom
we cannot call it; because it stops but one breach of licence; nor
that neither: whenas those corruptions; which it seeks to prevent;
break in faster at other doors which cannot be shut。
And in conclusion it reflects to the disrepute of our ministers
also; of whose labours we should hope better; and of the
proficiency which their flock reaps by them; than that after all
this light of the Gospel which is; and is to be; and all this
continual preaching; they should still be frequented with such an
unprincipled; unedified and laic rabble; as that the whiff of every
new pamphlet should stagger them out of their catechism and
Christian walking。 This may have much reason to discourage the
ministers when such a low conceit is had of all their exhortations;
and the benefiting of their hearers; as that they are not thought
fit to be turned loose to three sheets of paper without a licenser;
that all the sermons; all the lectures preached; printed; vented in
such numbers; and such volumes; as have now well nigh made all
other books unsaleable; should not be armour enough against one
single Enchiridion; without the castle of St。 Angelo of an
Imprimatur。
And lest some should persuade ye; Lords and Commons; that these
arguments of learned men's discouragement at this your Order are
mere flourishes; and not real; I could recount what I have seen and
heard in other countries; where this kind of inquisition
tyrannizes; when I have sat among their learned men; for that
honour I had; and been counted happy to be born in such a place of
philosophic freedom; as they supposed England was; while themselves
did nothing but bemoan the servile condition into which learning
amongst them was brought; that this was it which had damped the
glory of Italian wits; that nothing had been there written now
these many years but flattery and fustian。 There it was that I
found and visited the famous Galileo; grown old; a prisoner to the
Inquisition; for thinking in astronomy otherwise than the
Franciscan and Dominican licensers thought。 And though I knew that
England then was groaning loudest under the prelatical yoke;
nevertheless I took it as a pledge of future happiness; that other
nations were so persuaded of her liberty。 Yet was it beyond my
hope that those worthies were then breathing in her air; who should
be her leaders to such a deliverance; as shall never be forgotten
by any revolution of time that this world hath to finish。 When
that was once begun; it was as little in my fear that what words of
complaint I heard among learned men of other parts uttered against
the Inquisition; the same I should hear by as learned men at home;
uttered in time of Parliament against an order of licensing; and
that so generally that; when I had disclosed myself a companion of
their discontent; I might say; if without envy; that he whom an
honest quaestorship had endeared to the Sicilians was not