gentleman's life and occupation； and thinking it a good and a holy
life； and that he who led it ought to work miracles； he threw
himself off Dapple； and running in haste seized his right stirrup
and kissed his foot again and again with a devout heart and almost
with tears。
Seeing this the gentleman asked him； 〃What are you about； brother？
What are these kisses for？〃
〃Let me kiss；〃 said Sancho； 〃for I think your worship is the first
saint in the saddle I ever saw all the days of my life。〃
〃I am no saint；〃 replied the gentleman； 〃but a great sinner； but you
are； brother； for you must be a good fellow； as your simplicity
shows。〃
Sancho went back and regained his pack…saddle； having extracted a
laugh from his master's profound melancholy； and excited fresh
amazement in Don Diego。 Don Quixote then asked him how many children
he had； and observed that one of the things wherein the ancient
philosophers； who were without the true knowledge of God； placed the
summum bonum was in the gifts of nature； in those of fortune； in
having many friends； and many and good children。
〃I； Senor Don Quixote；〃 answered the gentleman； 〃have one son；
without whom； perhaps； I should count myself happier than I am； not
because he is a bad son； but because he is not so good as I could
wish。 He is eighteen years of age； he has been for six at Salamanca
studying Latin and Greek； and when I wished him to turn to the study
of other sciences I found him so wrapped up in that of poetry （if that
can be called a science） that there is no getting him to take kindly
to the law； which I wished him to study； or to theology； the queen
of them all。 I would like him to be an honour to his family； as we
live in days when our kings liberally reward learning that is virtuous
and worthy； for learning without virtue is a pearl on a dunghill。 He
spends the whole day in settling whether Homer expressed himself
correctly or not in such and such a line of the Iliad； whether Martial
was indecent or not in such and such an epigram； whether such and such
lines of Virgil are to be understood in this way or in that； in short；
all his talk is of the works of these poets； and those of Horace；
Perseus； Juvenal； and Tibullus； for of the moderns in our own language
he makes no great account； but with all his seeming indifference to
Spanish poetry； just now his thoughts are absorbed in making a gloss
on four lines that have been sent him from Salamanca； which I
suspect are for some poetical tournament。〃
To all this Don Quixote said in reply； 〃Children； senor； are
portions of their parents' bowels； and therefore； be they good or bad；
are to be loved as we love the souls that give us life； it is for
the parents to guide them from infancy in the ways of virtue；
propriety； and worthy Christian conduct； so that when grown up they
may be the staff of their parents' old age； and the glory of their
posterity； and to force them to study this or that science I do not
think wise； though it may be no harm to persuade them； and when
there is no need to study for the sake of pane lucrando； and it is the
student's good fortune that heaven has given him parents who provide
him with it； it would be my advice to them to let him pursue
whatever science they may see him most inclined to； and though that of
poetry is less useful than pleasurable； it is not one of those that
bring discredit upon the possessor。 Poetry； gentle sir； is； as I
take it； like a tender young maiden of supreme beauty； to array；
bedeck； and adorn whom is the task of several other maidens； who are
all the rest of the sciences； and she must avail herself of the help
of all； and all derive their lustre from her。 But this maiden will not
bear to be handled； nor dragged through the streets； nor exposed
either at the corners of the market…places； or in the closets of
palaces。 She is the product of an Alchemy of such virtue that he who
is able to practise it； will turn her into pure gold of inestimable
worth。 He that possesses her must keep her within bounds； not
permitting her to break out in ribald satires or soulless sonnets。 She
must on no account be offered for sale； unless； indeed； it be in
heroic poems； moving tragedies； or sprightly and ingenious comedies。
She must not be touched by the buffoons； nor by the ignorant vulgar；
incapable of comprehending or appreciating her hidden treasures。 And
do not suppose； senor； that I apply the term vulgar here merely to
plebeians and the lower orders； for everyone who is ignorant； be he
lord or prince； may and should be included among the vulgar。 He； then；
who shall embrace and cultivate poetry under the conditions I have
named； shall become famous； and his name honoured throughout all the
civilised nations of the earth。 And with regard to what you say；
senor； of your son having no great opinion of Spanish poetry； I am
inclined to think that he is not quite right there； and for this
reason： the great poet Homer did not write in Latin； because he was
a Greek； nor did Virgil write in Greek； because he was a Latin； in
short； all the ancient poets wrote in the language they imbibed with
their mother's milk； and never went in quest of foreign ones to
express their sublime conceptions； and that being so； the usage should
in justice extend to all nations； and the German poet should not be
undervalued because he writes in his own language； nor the
Castilian； nor even the Biscayan； for writing in his。 But your son；
senor； I suspect； is not prejudiced against Spanish poetry； but
against those poets who are mere Spanish verse writers； without any
knowledge of other languages or sciences to adorn and give life and
vigour to their natural inspiration； and yet even in this he may be
wrong； for； according to a true belief； a poet is born one； that is to
say； the poet by nature comes forth a poet from his mother's womb； and
following the bent that heaven has bestowed upon him； without the
aid of study or art； he produces things that show how truly he spoke
who said； 'Est Deus in nobis；' &c。 At the same time； I say that the
poet by nature who calls in art to his aid will be a far better
poet； and will surpass him who tries to be one relying upon his
knowledge of art alone。 The reason is； that art does not surpass
nature； but only brings it to perfection； and thus； nature combined
with art； and art with nature； will produce a perfect poet。 To bring
my argument to a close； I would say then； gentle sir； let your son
go on as his star leads him； for being so studious as he seems to
be； and having already successfully surmounted the first step of the
sciences； which is that of the languages； with their help he will by
his own exertions reach the summit of polite literature； which so well
becomes an independent gentleman； and adorns； honours； and
distinguishes him； as much as the mitre does the bishop； or the gown
the learned counsellor。 If your son write satires reflecting on the
honour of others； chide and correct him； and tear them up； but if he
compose discourses in which he rebukes vice in general； in the style
of Horace； and with elegance like his； commend him； for it is
legitimate for a poet to write against envy and lash the envious in
his verse； and the other vices too； provided he does not single out
individuals； there are； however； poets who； for the sake of saying
something spiteful； would run the risk of being banished to the
coast of Pontus。 If the poet be pure in his morals； he will be pure in
his verses too； the pen is the tongue of the mind； and as the thought
engendered there； so will be the things that it writes down。 And when
kings and princes observe this marvellous science of poetry in wise；
virtuous； and thoughtful subjects； they honour； value； exalt them； and
even crown them with the leaves of that tree which the thunderbolt
strikes not； as if to show that they whose brows are honoured and
adorned with such a crown are not to be assailed by anyone。〃
He of the green gaban was filled with astonishment at Don Quixote's
argument； so much so that he began to abandon the notion he had taken
up about his being crazy。 But in the middle of the discourse； it being
not very much to his taste； Sancho had turned aside out of the road to
beg a little milk from some shepherds； who were milking their ewes
hard by； and just as the gentleman； highly pleased； was about to renew
the conversation； Don Quixote； raising his head； perceived a cart
covered with royal flags coming along the road they were travelling；
and persuaded that this must be some new adventure； he called aloud to
Sancho to come and bring him his helmet。 Sancho； hearing himself
called； quitted the shepherds； and； prodding Dapple vigorously； came
up to his master； to whom there fell a terrific and desperate
adventure。
CHAPTER XVII
WHEREIN IS SHOWN THE FURTHEST AND HIGHEST POINT WHICH THE UNEXAMPLED
COURAGE OF DON QUIXOTE REACHED OR COULD REACH； TOGETHER WITH THE
HAPPILY ACHIEVED ADVENTURE OF THE LIONS
THE history tells that when Don Quixote called out to Sancho to
bring him his helmet； Sancho was buying some curds the shepherds
agreed to sell him； and flurried by the great haste his master was
in did not know what to do with them or what to carry them in； so； not
to lose them； for he had already paid for them； he thought it best
to throw them into his master's helmet； and acting on this bright idea
he went to see what his master wanted with him。 He； as he
approached； exclaimed to him：
〃Give me that helmet； my friend； for either I know little of
adventures； or what I observe yonder is one that will； and does；
call upon me to arm myself。〃
He of the green gaban； on hearing this； looked in all directions；
but could perceive nothing； except a cart coming towards them with two
or three small flags； which led him to conclude it must be carrying
treasure of the King's； and he said so to Don Quixote。 He； however；
would not believe him； being always persuaded and convinced that all
that happened to him must be adventures and still more adventures；
so he replied to the gentleman； 〃He who is prepared has his battle
half fought； nothing is lost by my preparing myself； for I know by
experience that