Tale of a Tub

Jonathan Swift

Description

Jump into Jonathan Swift's take-no-prisoners parody of seventeenth-century Christianity. Equal parts uproarious humor and incisive satire, A Tale of a Tub dissects the foibles and shortcomings of three brothers, each of whom represents a different branch of the Christian religion. Swift, himself a clergyman, sealed his reputation as one of England's most ruthless -- and notorious -- satirists with the book's publication. It's a thought-provoking and rollicking read whether you're a believer or a dyed-in-the-wool skeptic.

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 décembre 2009
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781775416975
• Langue: English

Extrait

A TALE OF A TUB
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JONATHAN SWIFT
 
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A Tale of a Tub First published in 1704.
ISBN 978-1-775416-97-5
© 2009 THE FLOATING PRESS.
While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike.
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Contents
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Advert To the Right Honourable John Lord Somers The Bookseller to the Reader The Epistle DedicatorytoHis Royal Highness Prince Posterity The Preface Section I - The Introduction Section II Section III - A Digression Concerning Critics Section IV - A Tale of a Tub Section V - A Digression in the Modern Kind Section VI - A Tale of a Tub Section VII - A Digression in Praise of Digressions Section VIII - A Tale of a Tub Section IX - A Digression Concerning the Original, the Use, andImprovement of Madness in a Commonwealth Section X - A Farther Digression Section XI - A Tale of a Tub The Conclusion The History of Martin A Digression on the Nature, Usefulness, and Necessity of Wars andQuarrels The History of Martin—Continued A Project for the Universal Benefit of Mankind Endnotes
Advert
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Treatises writ by the fame Author, most of them mentioned in thefollowing Discourses; which will be speedily published.
A Character of the present Set of Wits in this Island. A Panegyrical Essay upon the Number THREE. A Dissertation upon the principal productions of Grub-stree. Lectures upon the Dissection of Human Nature. A Panegyrick upon the World. An Analytical Discourse upon Zeal, Histori-theo-physi-logically considered. A general History of Ears. A modest Defence of the Proceedings of the Rabble in all Ages. A Description of the Kingdom of Absurdities. A Voyage into England, by a Person of Quality in Terra Australis incognita, translated from the Original. A Critical Essay upon the Art of Canting, Philosophically, Physically, and Musically considered.
To the Right Honourable John Lord Somers
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My LORD,
Though the author has written a large Dedication, yet that beingaddressed to a Prince whom I am never likely to have the honour ofbeing known to; a person, besides, as far as I can observe, not atall regarded or thought on by any of our present writers; and Ibeing wholly free from that slavery which booksellers usually lieunder to the caprices of authors, I think it a wise piece ofpresumption to inscribe these papers to your Lordship, and toimplore your Lordship's protection of them. God and your Lordshipknow their faults and their merits; for as to my own particular, Iam altogether a stranger to the matter; and though everybody elseshould be equally ignorant, I do not fear the sale of the book atall the worse upon that score. Your Lordship's name on the front incapital letters will at any time get off one edition: neither wouldI desire any other help to grow an alderman than a patent for thesole privilege of dedicating to your Lordship.
I should now, in right of a dedicator, give your Lordship a list ofyour own virtues, and at the same time be very unwilling to offendyour modesty; but chiefly I should celebrate your liberality towardsmen of great parts and small fortunes, and give you broad hints thatI mean myself. And I was just going on in the usual method toperuse a hundred or two of dedications, and transcribe an abstractto be applied to your Lordship, but I was diverted by a certainaccident. For upon the covers of these papers I casually observedwritten in large letters the two following words, DETUR DIGNISSIMO,which, for aught I knew, might contain some important meaning. Butit unluckily fell out that none of the Authors I employ understoodLatin (though I have them often in pay to translate out of thatlanguage). I was therefore compelled to have recourse to the Curateof our Parish, who Englished it thus, Let it be given to theworthiest; and his comment was that the Author meant his work shouldbe dedicated to the sublimest genius of the age for wit, learning,judgment, eloquence, and wisdom. I called at a poet's chamber (whoworks for my shop) in an alley hard by, showed him the translation,and desired his opinion who it was that the Author could mean. Hetold me, after some consideration, that vanity was a thing heabhorred, but by the description he thought himself to be the personaimed at; and at the same time he very kindly offered his ownassistance gratis towards penning a dedication to himself. Idesired him, however, to give a second guess. Why then, said he, itmust be I, or my Lord Somers. From thence I went to several otherwits of my acquaintance, with no small hazard and weariness to myperson, from a prodigious number of dark winding stairs; but foundthem all in the same story, both of your Lordship and themselves.Now your Lordship is to understand that this proceeding was not ofmy own invention; for I have somewhere heard it is a maxim thatthose to whom everybody allows the second place have an undoubtedtitle to the first.
This infallibly convinced me that your Lordship was the personintended by the Author. But being very unacquainted in the styleand form of dedications, I employed those wits aforesaid to furnishme with hints and materials towards a panegyric upon your Lordship'svirtues.
In two days they brought me ten sheets of paper filled up on everyside. They swore to me that they had ransacked whatever could befound in the characters of Socrates, Aristides, Epaminondas, Cato,Tully, Atticus, and other hard names which I cannot now recollect.However, I have reason to believe they imposed upon my ignorance,because when I came to read over their collections, there was not asyllable there but what I and everybody else knew as well asthemselves: therefore I grievously suspect a cheat; and that theseAuthors of mine stole and transcribed every word from the universalreport of mankind. So that I took upon myself as fifty shillingsout of pocket to no manner of purpose.
If by altering the title I could make the same materials serve foranother dedication (as my betters have done), it would help to makeup my loss; but I have made several persons dip here and there inthose papers, and before they read three lines they have all assuredme plainly that they cannot possibly be applied to any personbesides your Lordship.
I expected, indeed, to have heard of your Lordship's bravery at thehead of an army; of your undaunted courage in mounting a breach orscaling a wall; or to have had your pedigree traced in a linealdescent from the House of Austria; or of your wonderful talent atdress and dancing; or your profound knowledge in algebra,metaphysics, and the Oriental tongues: but to ply the world with anold beaten story of your wit, and eloquence, and learning, andwisdom, and justice, and politeness, and candour, and evenness oftemper in all scenes of life; of that great discernment indiscovering and readiness in favouring deserving men; with fortyother common topics; I confess I have neither conscience norcountenance to do it. Because there is no virtue either of a publicor private life which some circumstances of your own have not oftenproduced upon the stage of the world; and those few which for wantof occasions to exert them might otherwise have passed unseen orunobserved by your friends, your enemies have at length brought tolight.
It is true I should be very loth the bright example of yourLordship's virtues should be lost to after-ages, both for their sakeand your own; but chiefly because they will be so very necessary toadorn the history of a late reign; and that is another reason why Iwould forbear to make a recital of them here; because I have beentold by wise men that as dedications have run for some years past, agood historian will not be apt to have recourse thither in search ofcharacters.
There is one point wherein I think we dedicators would do well tochange our measures; I mean, instead of running on so far upon thepraise of our patron's liberality, to spend a word or two inadmiring their patience. I can put no greater compliment on yourLordship's than by giving you so ample an occasion to exercise it atpresent. Though perhaps I shall not be apt to reckon much merit toyour Lordship upon that score, who having been formerly used totedious harangues, and sometimes to as little purpose, will be thereadier to pardon this, especially when it is offered by one who is,with all respect and veneration,
My LORD,Your Lordship's most obedientand most faithful Servant,THE BOOKSELLER.
The Bookseller to the Reader
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It is now six years since these papers came first to my hand, whichseems to have been about a twelvemonth after they were written, forthe Author tells us in his preface to the first treatise that he hadcalculated it for the year 1697; and in several passages of thatdiscourse, as well as the second, it appears they were written aboutthat time.
As to the Author, I can give no manner of satisfaction. However, Iam credibly informed that this publication is without his knowledge,for he concludes the copy is lost, having lent it to a person sincedead, and being never in possession of it after; so that, whetherthe work received his last hand, or whether he intended to fill upthe defective places, is like to remain a secret.
If I should go about to tell the reader by what accident I becamemaster of these papers, it would, in this unbelieving age, pass forlittle more than the cant or jargon of the trade. I thereforegladly spare both him and myself so unnecessary a trouble. Thereyet remains a difficult question—why I published them no sooner? Iforbore upon two accounts. First, because I thought I had betterwork upon my hands; and secon