NorwouldIhaveattemptedsuchatask，butthatIwasambitiousofgivingaviewofthemostvaluableworkofthegreatestgeniusofhisage，totheMecaenasandbestgeniusofthis。ForIamnotoverfondofsoungratefulataskastranslating，andwouldrejoicetoseelessversionsandmoreoriginals；sothelatterwerenotasbadasmanyofthefirstare，throughwantofencouragement。Someindeedhavedeservedlygainedesteembytranslating；yetnotmanycondescendtotranslate，butsuchascannotinvent；thoughtodothefirstwellrequiresoftenasmuchgeniusastodothelatter。
Iwish，reader，thoumayestbeaswillingtodomyauthorjustice，asI
havestrovetodohimright。Yet，ifthouartabrotherofthequill，itistentoonethouarttoomuchinlovewiththyowndearproductionstoadmirethoseofoneofthytrade。However，Iknowthreeorfourwhohavenotsuchamightyopinionofthemselves；butI\'llnotnamethem，lestI
shouldbeobligedtoplacemyselfamongthem。Ifthouartoneofthosewho，thoughtheyneverwrite，criticiseeveryonethatdoes；avaunt！——Thouartaprofessedenemyofmankindandofthyself，whowiltneverbepleasednorletanybodybeso，andknowestnobetterwaytofamethanbystrivingtolessenthatofothers；thoughwouldstthouwritethoumightstbesoonknown，evenbythebutterwomen，andflythroughtheworldinbandboxes。Ifthouartofthedissemblingtribe，itisthyofficetorailatthosebookswhichthouhuggestinacorner。Ifthouartoneofthoseeavesdroppers，whowouldhavetheirmorosenessbecountedgravity，thouwiltcondemnamirthwhichthouartpastrelishing；andIknownootherwaytoquitthescorethanbywritingaslikeenoughImaysomethingasdull，ordullerthanthyself，ifpossible。Ifthouartoneofthosecriticsindressing，thoseextemporesoffortune，who，havinglostarelationandgotanestate，inaninstantsetupforwitandeveryextravagance，thou\'lteitherpraiseordiscommendthisbook，accordingtothedictatesofsomelessfoolishthanthyself，perhapsofoneofthosewho，beinglodgedatthesignoftheboxanddice，willknowbetterthingsthantorecommendtotheeaworkwhichbidstheebewareofhistricks。Thisbookmightteachtheetoleavethyfollies；butsomewillsayitdoesnotsignifymuchtosomefoolswhethertheyaresoornot；forwhenwasthereafoolthatthoughthimselfone？IfthouartoneofthosewhowouldputthemselvesuponusforlearnedmeninGreekandHebrew，yetaremereblockheadsinEnglish，andpatchtogetheroldpiecesoftheancientstogetthemselvesclothesoutofthem，thouarttooseverelymauledinthisworktolikeit。Whothenwill？somewillcry。Nay，besidesthese，manysocietiesthatmakeagreatfigureintheworldarereflectedoninthisbook；whichcausedRabelaistostudytobedark，andevenbedaubitwithmanylooseexpressions，thathemightnotbethoughttohaveanyotherdesignthantodroll；inamannerbewrayinghisbookthathisenemiesmightnotbiteit。Truly，thoughnowtheriddleisexpounded，Iwouldadvisethosewhoreaditnottoreflectontheauthor，lesthebethoughttohavebeenbeforehandwiththem，andtheyberankedamongthosewhohavenothingtoshowfortheirhonestybuttheirmoney，nothingfortheirreligionbuttheirdissembling，orafatbenefice，nothingfortheirwitbuttheirdressing，fortheirnobilitybuttheirtitle，fortheirgentilitybuttheirsword，fortheircouragebuttheirhuffing，fortheirprefermentbuttheirassurance，fortheirlearningbuttheirdegrees，orfortheirgravitybuttheirwrinklesordulness。Theyhadbetterlaughatoneanotherhere，asitisthecustomoftheworld。
Laughingisofallprofessions；themisermayhoard，thespendthriftsquander，thepoliticianplot，thelawyerwrangle，andthegamestercheat；