《areopagitica》

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of men; planting our faith one while in the old Convocation house;

and another while in the Chapel at Westminster; when all the faith

and religion that shall be there canonized is not sufficient

without plain convincement; and the charity of patient instruction

to supple the least bruise of conscience; to edify the meanest

Christian; who desires to walk in the Spirit; and not in the letter

of human trust; for all the number of voices that can be there

made; no; though Harry VII himself there; with all his liege tombs

about him; should lend them voices from the dead; to swell their

number。



And if the men be erroneous who appear to be the leading

schismatics; what withholds us but our sloth; our self…will; and

distrust in the right cause; that we do not give them gentle

meetings and gentle dismissions; that we debate not and examine the

matter thoroughly with liberal and frequent audience; if not for

their sakes; yet for our own? seeing no man who hath tasted

learning; but will confess the many ways of profiting by those who;

not contented with stale receipts; are able to manage and set forth

new positions to the world。  And were they but as the dust and

cinders of our feet; so long as in that notion they may yet serve

to polish and brighten the armoury of Truth; even for that respect

they were not utterly to be cast away。  But if they be of those

whom God hath fitted for the special use of these times with

eminent and ample gifts; and those perhaps neither among the

priests nor among the Pharisees; and we in the haste of a

precipitant zeal shall make no distinction; but resolve to stop

their mouths; because we fear they come with new and dangerous

opinions; as we commonly forejudge them ere we understand them; no

less than woe to us; while; thinking thus to defend the Gospel; we

are found the persecutors。



There have been not a few since the beginning of this Parliament;

both of the presbytery and others; who by their unlicensed books;

to the contempt of an Imprimatur; first broke that triple ice clung

about our hearts; and taught the people to see day: I hope that

none of those were the persuaders to renew upon us this bondage

which they themselves have wrought so much good by contemning。  But

if neither the check that Moses gave to young Joshua; nor the

countermand which our Saviour gave to young John; who was so ready

to prohibit those whom he thought unlicensed; be not enough to

admonish our elders how unacceptable to God their testy mood of

prohibiting is; if neither their own remembrance what evil hath

abounded in the Church by this set of licensing; and what good they

themselves have begun by transgressing it; be not enough; but that

they will persuade and execute the most Dominican part of the

Inquisition over us; and are already with one foot in the stirrup

so active at suppressing; it would be no unequal distribution in

the first place to suppress the suppressors themselves: whom the

change of their condition hath puffed up; more than their late

experience of harder times hath made wise。



And as for regulating the press; let no man think to have the

honour of advising ye better than yourselves have done in that

Order published next before this; 〃that no book be printed; unless

the printer's and the author's name; or at least the printer's; be

registered。〃  Those which otherwise come forth; if they be found

mischievous and libellous; the fire and the executioner will be the

timeliest and the most effectual remedy that man's prevention can

use。  For this authentic Spanish policy of licensing books; if I

have said aught; will prove the most unlicensed book itself within

a short while; and was the immediate image of a Star Chamber decree

to that purpose made in those very times when that Court did the

rest of those her pious works; for which she is now fallen from the

stars with Lucifer。  Whereby ye may guess what kind of state

prudence; what love of the people; what care of religion or good

manners there was at the contriving; although with singular

hypocrisy it pretended to bind books to their good behaviour。  And

how it got the upper hand of your precedent Order so well

constituted before; if we may believe those men whose profession

gives them cause to inquire most; it may be doubted there was in it

the fraud of some old patentees and monopolizers in the trade of

bookselling; who under pretence of the poor in their Company not to

be defrauded; and the just retaining of each man his several copy;

which God forbid should be gainsaid; brought divers glossing

colours to the House; which were indeed but colours; and serving to

no end except it be to exercise a superiority over their

neighbours; men who do not therefore labour in an honest profession

to which learning is indebted; that they should be made other men's

vassals。  Another end is thought was aimed at by some of them in

procuring by petition this Order; that; having power in their

hands; malignant books might the easier scape abroad; as the event

shows。



But of these sophisms and elenchs of merchandise I skill not。 

This I know; that errors in a good government and in a bad are

equally almost incident; for what magistrate may not be

misinformed; and much the sooner; if liberty of printing be reduced

into the power of a few?  But to redress willingly and speedily

what hath been erred; and in highest authority to esteem a plain

advertisement more than others have done a sumptuous bride; is a

virtue (honoured Lords and Commons) answerable to your highest actions;

and whereof none can participate but greatest and wisest men。








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