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good poets； but not so much so as to justify the title of 'great'
which my father gives me。〃
〃I do not dislike that modesty；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃for there is
no poet who is not conceited and does not think he is the best poet in
the world。〃
〃There is no rule without an exception；〃 said Don Lorenzo； 〃there
may be some who are poets and yet do not think they are。〃
〃Very few；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃but tell me； what verses are those
which you have now in hand； and which your father tells me keep you
somewhat restless and absorbed？ If it be some gloss； I know
something about glosses； and I should like to hear them； and if they
are for a poetical tournament； contrive to carry off the second prize；
for the first always goes by favour or personal standing； the second
by simple justice； and so the third comes to be the second； and the
first； reckoning in this way； will be third； in the same way as
licentiate degrees are conferred at the universities； but； for all
that； the title of first is a great distinction。〃
〃So far；〃 said Don Lorenzo to himself； 〃I should not take you to
be a madman； but let us go on。〃 So he said to him； 〃Your worship has
apparently attended the schools； what sciences have you studied？〃
〃That of knight…errantry；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃which is as good as
that of poetry； and even a finger or two above it。〃
〃I do not know what science that is；〃 said Don Lorenzo； 〃and until
now I have never heard of it。〃
〃It is a science；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃that comprehends in itself all
or most of the sciences in the world； for he who professes it must
be a jurist； and must know the rules of justice； distributive and
equitable； so as to give to each one what belongs to him and is due to
him。 He must be a theologian； so as to be able to give a clear and
distinctive reason for the Christian faith he professes； wherever it
may be asked of him。 He must be a physician； and above all a
herbalist； so as in wastes and solitudes to know the herbs that have
the property of healing wounds； for a knight…errant must not go
looking for some one to cure him at every step。 He must be an
astronomer； so as to know by the stars how many hours of the night
have passed； and what clime and quarter of the world he is in。 He must
know mathematics； for at every turn some occasion for them will
present itself to him； and； putting it aside that he must be adorned
with all the virtues； cardinal and theological； to come down to
minor particulars； he must； I say； be able to swim as well as Nicholas
or Nicolao the Fish could； as the story goes； he must know how to shoe
a horse； and repair his saddle and bridle； and； to return to higher
matters； he must be faithful to God and to his lady； he must be pure
in thought； decorous in words； generous in works； valiant in deeds；
patient in suffering； compassionate towards the needy； and； lastly； an
upholder of the truth though its defence should cost him his life。
Of all these qualities； great and small； is a true knight…errant
made up； judge then； Senor Don Lorenzo； whether it be a contemptible
science which the knight who studies and professes it has to learn；
and whether it may not compare with the very loftiest that are
taught in the schools。〃
〃If that be so；〃 replied Don Lorenzo； 〃this science； I protest；
surpasses all。〃
〃How； if that be so？〃 said Don Quixote。
〃What I mean to say；〃 said Don Lorenzo； 〃is； that I doubt whether
there are now； or ever were； any knights…errant； and adorned with such
virtues。〃
〃Many a time；〃 replied Don Quixote； 〃have I said what I now say once
more； that the majority of the world are of opinion that there never
were any knights…errant in it； and as it is my opinion that； unless
heaven by some miracle brings home to them the truth that there were
and are； all the pains one takes will be in vain （as experience has
often proved to me）； I will not now stop to disabuse you of the
error you share with the multitude。 All I shall do is to pray to
heaven to deliver you from it； and show you how beneficial and
necessary knights…errant were in days of yore； and how useful they
would be in these days were they but in vogue； but now； for the sins
of the people； sloth and indolence； gluttony and luxury are
triumphant。〃
〃Our guest has broken out on our hands；〃 said Don Lorenzo to himself
at this point； 〃but； for all that； he is a glorious madman； and I
should be a dull blockhead to doubt it。〃
Here； being summoned to dinner； they brought their colloquy to a
close。 Don Diego asked his son what he had been able to make out as to
the wits of their guest。 To which he replied； 〃All the doctors and
clever scribes in the world will not make sense of the scrawl of his
madness； he is a madman full of streaks； full of lucid intervals。〃
They went in to dinner； and the repast was such as Don Diego said on
the road he was in the habit of giving to his guests； neat； plentiful；
and tasty； but what pleased Don Quixote most was the marvellous
silence that reigned throughout the house； for it was like a
Carthusian monastery。
When the cloth had been removed； grace said and their hands
washed； Don Quixote earnestly pressed Don Lorenzo to repeat to him his
verses for the poetical tournament； to which he replied； 〃Not to be
like those poets who； when they are asked to recite their verses；
refuse； and when they are not asked for them vomit them up； I will
repeat my gloss； for which I do not expect any prize； having
composed it merely as an exercise of ingenuity。〃
〃A discerning friend of mine；〃 said Don Quixote； 〃was of opinion
that no one ought to waste labour in glossing verses； and the reason
he gave was that the gloss can never come up to the text； and that
often or most frequently it wanders away from the meaning and
purpose aimed at in the glossed lines； and besides； that the laws of
the gloss were too strict； as they did not allow interrogations； nor
'said he；' nor 'I say；' nor turning verbs into nouns； or altering
the construction； not to speak of other restrictions and limitations
that fetter gloss…writers； as you no doubt know。〃
〃Verily； Senor Don Quixote；〃 said Don Lorenzo； 〃I wish I could catch
your worship tripping at a stretch； but I cannot； for you slip through
my fingers like an eel。〃
〃I don't understand what you say； or mean by slipping；〃 said Don
Quixote。
〃I will explain myself another time；〃 said Don Lorenzo； 〃for the
present pray attend to the glossed verses and the gloss； which run
thus：
Could 'was' become an 'is' for me；
Then would I ask no more than this；
Or could； for me； the time that is
Become the time that is to be！…
GLOSS
Dame Fortune once upon a day
To me was bountiful and kind；
But all things change； she changed her mind；
And what she gave she took away。
O Fortune； long I've sued to thee；
The gifts thou gavest me restore；
For； trust me； I would ask no more；
Could 'was' become an 'is' for me。
No other prize I seek to gain；
No triumph； glory； or success；
Only the long…lost happiness；
The memory whereof is pain。
One taste； me