who seem to have drudg'd all their Youth long only that they might enjoy the sweet blessing of getting Drunk every night in their old Age. But those men of Sense and Honour who love Truth and the good of Mankind in general above all other things will undoubtedly countenance this Work I 'll not gravely insist upon its usefulness having said enough of it in the Preface to the First Part. I 'll only add That as Homer in his Odysses makes his Hero wander ten years through most Parts of the then known World so Rabelais in a Three-months-Voyage makes Pantagruel take a view of almost all sorts of People and Profâ—ssions With this difference however between the Ancient Mythologist and the Modern That while the Odysses has been compar'd to a setting Sun in respect to the Iliads Rabelais's last Work which is this Voyage to the Oracle of the Bottle by which he means Truth is justly thought his Master-piece being writ with more Spirit Salt and Flame than the First Part of his Works At near 70 Years of Age his Genius far from being drain d seem'd to have acquir'd fresh Vigor and new Graces the more it exerted itself like those Rivers which grow more deep large majestic and useful by their course Those who accuse the French of being as sparing of their Wit as lavish of their Words will find an Englishman in our Author I must confess indeed that my Countrymen and other Southern Nations temper the one with the other in a manner as they do their Wine with Water often just dashing the latter with a little of the first Now here Men love to drink their Wine pure nay sometimes it will not satisfy unless in its very quintessence as in Brandies though an Excess of this betrays want of Sobriety as much as an Excess of Wit betrays a want of Judgment But I must conclude lest I be justly tax'd with wanting both I will only add That as every Language has its peculiar Graces seldom or never to be acquir'd by a Foreigner I cannot think I have given my Author those of the English in every place But as none compell'd me to write I fear to ask a Pardon which yet the generous Temper of this Nation makes me hope to obtain Albinus a Roman who had written in Greek desir'd in his Preface to be forgiven his Faults of Language but Cato ask'd in derision Whether any had forc'd him to write in a Tongue of which he was not an absolute Master Lucullus wrote an History in the same Tongue and said He had scatter'd some false Greek in it to let the World know it was the work of a Roman I 'll not say as much of my Writings in which I study to be as little incorrect as the hurry of Business and shortness of Time will permit but I may better say as Tully did of the History of his Consulship which he also had written in Greek That what Errors may be found in the Diction are crept in against my Intent Indeed Livius Andronicus and Terence the one a Greek the other a Carthaginian wrote successfully in Latin and the latter is perhaps the most perfect Model of the Purity and Urbanity of that Tongue But I ought not to hope for the success of those great Men. Yet am I ambitious of being as subservient to the useful Diversion of the Ingenious of this Nation as I can which I have endeavour'd in this Work and still do in my Gentleman's Iournal with Hopes to attempt some greater Tasks if ever I am happy enough to have more Leisure In the mean Time it will not displease me if 't is known that this is given by one who though born and educated in France has the Love and Veneration of a Loyal Subject for this Nation One who by a Fatality which with many more made him say Nos patriam fugimus dulcia linquimus arva Is oblig'd to make the Language of these happy Regions as natural to him as he can and thankfully say with the rest under this Protestant Government Deus nobis haec otia fecit Explanatory Remarks ON THE Prologue to the Fourth Book of Rabelais being the first of the Voyage to the Oracle of the Bottle THE main design of this Prologue is to teach us to be moderate in our Wishes The Author brings several Examples to prove what Advantages arise from it particularly he makes use of a Fable in which after some long but most diverting Excursions the Moderation of a poor Country Fellow who had lost his Hatchet and wish'd only to have it again was largely rewarded and others who lost theirs on purpose to be thus made rich were undone This is thought by some to mean a Gentleman of Poictoâ— who came to Paris with his Wife about some Business where Francis the First fell in Love with her and having bestow'd large Sums of Money on the Husband who some time after return'd into the Country some of the Neighbouring Gentlemen who had handsome Wives or Daughters made their appearance with them at Court in hopes of the like Fortune but instead of it were forc'd to sneak into the Country after they had spent their Estates which was all they got for their pains Jupiter is brought in complaining of Ramus and Galland who surrounded with a swarm of their Scullions Ragamuffins Sizers Vouchers c. set together by the Ears the whole University of Parts Petrus Ramus or de la Ramée was Royal Philosophy and Oratory Professor at that time and Petrus Gallandus or Galland Royal Greek Professor both were Learned Men and Ramus particularly famous for Rhetoric and Oratory he also wrote three Books of Dialectic Institutions But what divided the University was his Elegant but too Passionate Animadversions on Aristotle's Physics and Metaphysics Carpentarius Scheckius and Riolanus answer'd him and particularly the first I cannot find that Gallandus wrote against Ramus yet either he has done it or oppos'd him vivá voce Priapus is of Opinion they ought to be turned into Stone and associated to their Name-sake Master Peter du Coignet formerly petrified for such a Subject This Du Coignet can be no other than Peter de Coigneres the King's Advocate in his Parliament mentioned by Pasquier In 1329 he caus'd all the Prelates of France to be summon'd before King Philip who sat in his Court of Parliâ—ment attended by several Princes and Lords There the Advocate represented many Abuses committed by the Ecclesiastical Court which had encroach'd upon the Parliament's Rights and us'd to take Cognizance of all Civil Matters under divers pretences of Conscience and unjustly favour'd those that appeal'd or remov'd their Causes to the Spiritual Court The Archbishop of Sens and the Bishop of Autun spoke in behalf of the Church's Right grounded on Custome time out of mind and of equal validity to the Law then proffer'd to rectiâ—y every thing and in short so cunningly work'd upon the King that he told them
the Fryar to threaten him with such a piece of Revenge as was put upon G. Jousseaume who having taken the merry Patelin at his word when he had overbid himself in some Cloth was afterwards fairly taken by the Horns like a Bullock by his jovial Chapman whom he took at his word like a Man Panurge well knowing that threat'ned folks live long bobb'd and made mouths at him in token of Derision then cry'd would I had here the Word of the Holy Bottle without being thus oblig'd to go further in Pilgrimage to her CHAP. LVII How Pantagruel went ashoar at the Dwelling of Gaster the first Master of Arts in World THat day Pantagruel went ashoar in an Island which for Situation and Governor may be said not to have its fellow When you just come into it you find it rugged craggy barren unpleasant to the Eye painful to the Feet and almost as inaccessible as the Mountain of Dauphiné which is somewhat like a Toad-stool and was never climb'd as any can remember by any but Doyac who had the charge of King Charles the Eighth's Train of Artillary This same Doyac with strange Tools and Engines gain'd that Mountain's top and there he found an old Ram. It puzzl'd many a wise Head to guess how it got thither Some said that some Eagle or great Horn-Coot having carry'd it thither while 't was yet a Lambkin it had got away and sav'd it self among the Bushes As for us having with much toyl and sweat overcome the difficult ways at the entrance we found the top of the Mountain so fertile healthful and pleasant that I thought I was then in the true Garden of Eden or Earthly Paradice about whose Situation our good Theologues are in such a quandary and keep such a pother As for Pantagruel he said That here was the Seat of Arete that 's as much as to say Virtue describ'd by Hesiod this however with submission to better Judgments The Ruler of the place was one Master Gaster the first Master of Arts in this World for if you believe that Fire is the great Master of Arts as Tully writes you very much wrong him and your self alas Tully never believ'd this On the other side if you fancy Mercury to be the first Inventer of Arts as our ancient Dâ—uids believ'd of old you are mightily beside the Mark. The Satirist's Sentence that affirms Master Gaster to be Master of all Arts is true With him peacefully resided old Goody Penia alias Poverty the Mother of the Ninty Nine Muses on whom Porus the Lord of Plenty formerly begot Love that Noble Child the Mediator of Heaven and Earth as Plato affirms in Symposio We were all oblig'd to pay our homage and swear Allegiance to that mighâ—y Sovereign for he is Imperious Severe Blunt Hard Uneasie Inflexible you cannot make him believe represent to him or persuade him any thing He do's not hear and as the Egyptians said That Harpocrates the God of Silence nam'd Sigalion in Greek was Astomé that is without a Mouth so Gaster was created without Ears even like the Image of Jupiter in Candia He only speaks by Signs but those Signs are more readily obey'd by every one than the Statutes of Senates or Commands of Monarchs neither will he admit the least Lett or delay in his Summons You say that when a Lyon roars all the Beasts at a considerable distance round about as far as his Roar can be heard are seiz'd with a shivering This is written 'T is true I have seen it I assure you that at Master Gaster's Command the very Heavens tremble and all the Earth shakes his Command is call'd Do this or dye Needs must whom the Devil drives there 's no gain-saying of it The Pilot was telling us how on a certain Time after the manner of the Members that mutin'd against the Belly as Aesop describes it the whole Kingdom of the Somates went off into a direct Faction against Gaster resolving to throw off his Yoke but they soon found their mistake and most humbly submitted for otherwise they had all been Famish'd What Companies soever he is in none dispute with him for Precedence or Superiority he still goes first tho Kings Emperors or even the Pope were there So he held the first Place at the Council of Basle tho some will tell you that the Council was tumultuous by the Contentions and Ambition of many for Priority Every one is busied and labours to serve him And indeed to make amends for this he do's this good to Mankind as to invent for them All Arts Machines Trades Engines and Crafts he even instructs Brutes in Arts which are against their Nature making Poets of Ravens Jack-Daws chattering Jays Parrots and Starlings and Poetresses of Magpies teaching them to utter human Languages Speak and Sing and All for the Gut He reclaims and tames Eagles Gerfaulcons Faulcons gentle Sakers Lanniers Gosse-hawks Spar-hawks Merlins Hagards Passengers Wild rapacious Birds so that setting them free in the Air whenever he thinks fit as high and as long as he pleases he keeps them suspended straying flying hovering and courting him above the Clouds then on a sudden he makes them stoop and come down amain from Heaven next to the Ground and all for the Gut Elephants Lions Rhinocerotes Bears Horses Mares and Dogs he teaches to Dance Prance Vault Fight Swim hide themselves fetch and carry what he pleases and all for the Gut Salt and fresh-water Fish Whales and the Monsters of the Main he brings up from the bottom of the Deep Wolves he forces out of the Woods Bears out of the Rocks Foxes out of their Holes and Serpents out of the Ground and all for the Gut In short he is so unruly that in his Rage he devours all Men and Beasts as was seen among the Vascons when Q Metellus besieg'd them in the Sertorian Waâ—s among the Saguntines besieg'd by Hannibal among the Jews besieg'd by the Romans and Six hundred more and all for the Gut When his Regent Penia takes a Progress where-ever she moves all Senates are shut up all Statutes repeal'd all Orders and Proclamations vain she knows obeys and has no Law All shun her in every Place chusing rather to expose themselves to Shipwracks at Sea and venture through Fire Rocks Caves and Precipices than be seiz'd by that most dreadful Tormentor CHAP. LVIII How at the Court of the Master of Ingenuity Pantagruel detested the Engastrimythes and the Gastrolaters AT the Court of that great Master of Ingenuity Pantagruel observ'd two sorts of troublesom and too officious Apparitors whom he very much detested The first were call'd Engastrimythes the others Gastrolaters The first pretended to be descended of the Ancient Race of Euricles and for this brought the Authority of Aristophanes in his Comedy call'd The Wasps whence of old they were call'd Euriclians as Plato writes and Plutarch in his Book of the Cessation of Oracles In the Holy Decrees 26 Qu. 3. they are stil'd Ventriloqui and
young Genius cou'd disdain Nature's slow Compute and the steps of Man Who rose full Zenith born into his Reign Go on ye British Bards and only write With the same Vigour that your King does fight Let your Thoughts reach his Actions match his Pow'r The Lawrel's won for none can higher soar And as the Heroe conquer'd on the Boyn We from the Banks of the deserted Seine Will bring the Muses the Illustrious Nine To nobler Pleasures upon Isis Stream Or the delicious Banks of sacred Cham And all shall join to wield the Monarch's Fame Trin. Coll. Camb. H. Denne THE AUTHOR'S Epistle Dedicatory To the most Illustrious PRINCE And most Reverend Odet Cardinal de Chastillon YOU know Most Illustrious Prince how often I have been and am dayly prest by great Numbers of Eminent Persons to proceed in the Pantagruelian Fables they tell me that many languishing sick and disconsolate Persons perusing them have deceiv'd their grief pass'd their time merrily and been inspir'd with new Joy and Comfort I commonly answer that I aim'd not at Glory and Applause when I diverted my self with writing but only design'd to give by my Pen to the absent who labour under Affliction that little help which at all times I willingly strive to give to the Present that stand in need of my Art and Service Sometimes I at large relate to them how Hippocrates in several places and particularly in Lib. 6. Epidem describing the Institution of the Physician his disciple and also Soranus of Ephesus Orbasius Galen Hali Abbas and other Authors have descended to particulars in the prescription of his Motions Deportment Looks Countenance Gracefulness Civility Cleanliness of face Cloaths Beard Hair Hands Mouth even his very Nails As if he were to play the Part of a Lover in some Comedy or enter the Lists to Fight some Enemy And indeed the practice of Physic is properly enough compar'd by Hippocrates to a Fight and also to a Farce acted between three Persons the Patient the Physician and the Disease Which Passage has sometimes put me in mind of Julia's saying to Augustus her Father One day she came before him in a very gorgeous loose lascivious Dress which very much displeas'd him though he did not much discover his discontent The next day she put on another and in a modest Garb such as the chast Roman Ladies wore came into his presence The kind Father could not then forbear expressing the pleasure which he took to see her so much alter'd and said to her Oh! how much more this Garb becomes and is commendable in the Daughter of Augustus But she having her excuse ready answered This day Sir I drest my self to please my Father's Eye yesterday to gratify that of my Husband Thus disguis'd in looks and garb nay even as formerly was the Fashion with a rich and pleasant Gown with four sleeves which was called Philonium according to Petrus Alexandrinus in 6. Epidem a Physician might answer to such as might find the Metamorphosis indecent Thus have I accoutred my self not that I am Proud of appearing in such a Dress but for the sake of my Patient whom alone I wholly design to please and no ways offend or dissatisfie There is also a Passage in our Father Hippocrates in the Book I have nam'd which causes Some to sweat dispute and labour not indeed to know whether the Physician 's frowning discontented and morose Look render the Patient sad and his joyful serene and pleasing Countenance rejoyce him for experience teaches us that this is most certain But whether such Sensations of grief or pleasure are produc'd by the apprehension of the Patient observing his motions and qualities in his Physician and drawing from thence coniectures of the end and catastrophe of his disease as by his pleasing Look joyful and desireable Events and by his sorrowful and unpleasing Air sad and dismal Consequences or whether those Sensations be produced by a transfusion of the serene or gloomy aerial or terrestrial joyful or melancholic Spirits of the Physician into the Person of the Patient as it is the Opinion of Plato Averroes and others Above all things the best Authors have given particular directions to Physicians about the Words Discourse and Converse which they ought to have with their Patients every one aiming at one point that is to rejoyce them without offending God and in no ways whatsoever to vex or displease them Which causes Herophilus much to blame that Physician who being ask'd by a Patient of his Shall I dye impudently made him this Answer Patroclus dy'd whom all allow By much a better Man than you Another who had a mind to know the state of his distemper asking him after our merry Patelin's way Well Doctor do's not my Water tell you I shall dye He foolishly answer'd No if Latona the Mother of those lovely Twins Phoebus and Diana begot thee Galen lib. 4. Comment 6. Epidem blames much also Quintus his Tutor who a certain noble Man of Rome his Patient saying to him You have been at break-fast my Master your breath smells of Wine answered arrogantly yours smells of Fever which is the better smell of the two Wine or a putrid Fever But the Calumny of certain Cannibals Misanthropes perpetual Eaves-droppers has been so foul and excessive that it had conquered my patience and I had resolv'd not to write one jot more For the least of their Detractions were that my Books are all stuffed with various Heresies of which nevertheless they could not show one single Instance much indeed of Comical and facetious fooleries neither offending God nor the King And truly I own they are the Subject and only Thâ—me of these Books But of heresy not a Word unless they interpreted wrong and against all use of reason and common Language what I had rather suffer a thousand deaths if it were possible than have thought as who should make Bread to be stone a fish to be a Serpent an Egg to be a Scorpion This my Lord emboldned me once to tell you as I was complaining of it in your presence that if I did not esteem my self a better Christian than they show themselves towards me and if my life writings words nay thoughts betray'd to me one single spark of heresy or I should in a detestable manner fall into the Snares of the Spirit of Detraction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that by their means raises such Crimes against me I would then like the Phoenix gather dry Wood kindle a fire and burn my self in the midst of it You were then pleas'd to say to me That King Francis of Eternal memory had been made sensible of those false accusations And that having caused my Books â—â—â—e I say because Several false and infamous have been wickedly layd to me to be carefully and distinctly read to him by the most learned and faithful Anagnost in this Kingdom he had not sound any Passage suspitious and that he abhorr'd a certain envious
ignorant hypocritical Informer who grounded a mortal heresy on an N put instead of an M by the carelesness of the Printers As much was done by his Son our most gracious virtuous and blessed Sovereign Henry whom Heaven long preserve so that he granted you his Royal privilege and particular protection for me against my slandering adversaries You kindly condescended since to confirm me these happy News at Paris and also lately when you visited my Lord Cardinal du Bellay who for the benefit of his health after a lingring distemper was retired to St. Maur that place or rather Paradise of salubrity serenity conveniency and all desireable Country-Pleasures Thus my Lord under so glorious a Patronage I am emboldened once more to draw my pen undaunted now and secure with hopes that you will still prove to me against the power of Detraction a second Galliâ— Hercules in Learning Prudence and Eloquence and Alexicacos in virtue power and authority you of whom I may truly say what the wise Monarch Solomon saith of Moses that great Prophet and Captain of Israel Ecclesiast 45. A Man fearing and loving God who found favour in the sight of all flesh whose memorial is blessed God made him like to the glorious Saints and magnified him so that his enemies stood in fear of him and for him made Wonders made him glorious in the sight of Kings gave him a Commandment for his People and by him shew'd his light he sanctified him in his faithfulness and meekness and chose him out of all Men. By him he made us to hear his Voice and caused by him the Law of life and knowledge to be given Accordingly if I shall be so happy as to hear any one commend those merry Composures they shall be adjur'd by me to be oblig'd and pay their thanks to you alone as also to offer their prayers to Heaven for the continuance and encrease of your Greatness and to attribute no more to me than my humble and ready obedience to your Commands For by your most honourable Incouragement you at once have inspir'd me with Spirit and with Invention and without you my heart had fail'd me and the fountain-head of my Animal Spirits had been dry May the Lord keep you in his blessed Mercy My Lord Your most Humble and most Devoted Servant FRANCIS RABELAIS Physiciaâ— Paris this 28 of January MDLII THE AUTHOR'S PROLOGUE TO THE FOURTH BOOK GOOD People God save and keep you Where are you I canâ—t see you stay I 'll saddle my Nose with Spectacles Oh oh 't will be fair anon I see you Well you have had a good Vintage they say this is 〈◊〉 bad News to Frank you may swear 〈◊〉 have got an infallible Cure against Thirst rarely perform'd of you my Friends You your Wives Children Friends and Families are in as good Case as heart can wish 't is well ' â—â— as I 'd have it God be praised for it and if such be his will may you long 〈◊〉 so For my part I am thereaboutâ— thanks to his blessed Goodness and by the means of a little Pantagruelism which you know is a certain Jollity of Mind pickled in the scorn of Fortune you see me now Hale and Cheery as sound as a Bell and ready to drink if you will Would you know why I 'm thus Good People I 'll e'en give you a positive answer such â—s the Lord's Will which I obey and revere it being said in his word in great Derision to the Physician neglectful of his own Health Physician heal thy self Galen had some knowledge of the Bible and had convers'd with the Christians of his time as appears Lib. 11. De Usu Partium Lib. 2. de differentiis Pulsuum cap. 3 and ibid. Lib. 3. cap. 2. and Lib. de rerum affectibus if it be Galen's Yet 't was not for any such Veneration of Holy-Writ that he took Care of his own Health No 't was for fear of being twitted with the saying so well known among Physicians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He boasts of healing Poor and Rich Yet is himself all over Itch. This made him boldly say that he did not desire to be esteem'd a Physician if from his twenty eighth Year to his old Age he had not liv'd in perfect health except some ephemerous Fevers of which he soon rid himself Yet he was not naturally of the soundest Temper his Stomach being evidently bad Indeed as he saith Lib. 5. de Sanitate tuendâ that Physician will hardly be thought very carefull of the health of others who neglects his own Asclepiades boasted yet more than this for he said that he had articled with Fortune not to be reputed a Physician if he could be said to have been sick since he began to practise Physic to his latter Age which he reach'd lusty in all his Members and Victorious over Fortune till at last the Old Gentleman unluckily tumbled down from the Top of a certain ill-propt and rotten Stair-Case and so there was an end of him If by some Disaster Health is fled from your Worships to the right or to the left above or below before or behind within or without far or near on this side or t'other side wheresoever it be may you presently with the help of the Lord meet with it having found it may you immediately claim it seize it and secure it The Law allows it the King would have it so nay you have my advice for 't neither more nor less than the Law-Makers of Old did fully impower a Master to claim and seize his run-away Servant whereever he might be found Ods-bodikins is it not written and warranted by the Ancient Customs of this so Noble so rich so flourishing Realm of France That the Dead seizes the Quick See what has been Declar'd very lately in that Point by that Learned Wise Courteous and Just Civiilan Andrè Tiraquell one of the Judges in the most Honourable Court of Parliament at Paris Healâ—â— is our Life as Antiphron the Sicyonian wisely has it without Health Life is no Life 't is not living Life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Without Health Life is only a Languishment and an Image of Death Therefore you that want your Health that is to say that are Dead Seize the Quick secure Life to your selves that is to say Health I have this hope in the Lord that he will hear our Supplications considering with what Faith and Zeal we Pray and that he will grant this our Wiâ—e because 't is moderate and mean Mediâ—â—rity was held by the ancient Sages to be Golden that is to say precious prais'd by all Men and pleasing in all Places Read the Sacred Bible you 'll find the Prayers of those who ask'd moderately were never unanswer'd For example little dapper Zacheus whose Body and Reliques the Monks of St. Garlick near Orleans boast of having and nick-name him St. Sylvanus he only wish'd to see our Blessed Saviour near Jerusalem 'T was but a small Request and no more