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and that evil manners are as perfectly learnt without books a

thousand other ways which cannot be stopped; and evil doctrine not

with books can propagate; except a teacher guide; which he might

also do without writing; and so beyond prohibiting; I am not able

to unfold; how this cautelous enterprise of licensing can be

exempted from the number of vain and impossible attempts。  And he

who were pleasantly disposed could not well avoid to liken it to

the exploit of that gallant man who thought to pound up the crows

by shutting his park gate。



Besides another inconvenience; if learned men be the first

receivers out of books and dispreaders both of vice and error; how

shall the licensers themselves be confided in; unless we can confer

upon them; or they assume to themselves above all others in the

land; the grace of infallibility and uncorruptedness?  And again;

if it be true that a wise man; like a good refiner; can gather gold

out of the drossiest volume; and that a fool will be a fool with

the best book; yea or without book; there is no reason that we

should deprive a wise man of any advantage to his wisdom; while we

seek to restrain from a fool; that which being restrained will be

no hindrance to his folly。  For if there should be so much

exactness always used to keep that from him which is unfit for his

reading; we should in the judgment of Aristotle not only; but of

Solomon and of our Saviour; not vouchsafe him good precepts; and by

consequence not willingly admit him to good books; as being certain

that a wise man will make better use of an idle pamphlet; than a

fool will do of sacred Scripture。



'Tis next alleged we must not expose ourselves to temptations

without necessity; and next to that; not employ our time in vain

things。  To both these objections one answer will serve; out of the

grounds already laid; that to all men such books are not

temptations; nor vanities; but useful drugs and materials wherewith

to temper and compose effective and strong medicines; which man's

life cannot want。  The rest; as children and childish men; who have

not the art to qualify and prepare these working minerals; well may

be exhorted to forbear; but hindered forcibly they cannot be by all

the licensing that Sainted Inquisition could ever yet contrive。 

Which is what I promised to deliver next: that this order of

licensing conduces nothing to the end for which it was framed; and

hath almost prevented me by being clear already while thus much

hath been explaining。  See the ingenuity of Truth; who; when she

gets a free and willing hand; opens herself faster than the pace of

method and discourse can overtake her。



It was the task which I began with; to show that no nation; or

well…instituted state; if they valued books at all; did ever use

this way of licensing; and it might be answered; that this is a

piece of prudence lately discovered。  To which I return; that as it

was a thing slight and obvious to think on; so if it had been

difficult to find out; there wanted not among them long since who

suggested such a course; which they not following; leave us a

pattern of their judgment that it was not the rest knowing; but the

not approving; which was the cause of their not using it。



Plato; a man of high authority; indeed; but least of all for his

Commonwealth; in the book of his Laws; which no city ever yet

received; fed his fancy by making many edicts to his airy

burgomasters; which they who otherwise admire him wish had been

rather buried and excused in the genial cups of an Academic night

sitting。  By which laws he seems to tolerate no kind of learning

but by unalterable decree; consisting most of practical traditions;

to the attainment whereof a library of smaller bulk than his own

Dialogues would be abundant。  And there also enacts; that no poet

should so much as read to any private man what he had written;

until the judges and law…keepers had seen it; and allowed it。  But

that Plato meant this law peculiarly to that commonwealth which he

had imagined; and to no other; is evident。  Why was he not else a

lawgiver to himself; but a transgressor; and to be expelled by his

own magistrates; both for the wanton epigrams and dialogues which

he made; and his perpetual reading of Sophron Mimus and

Aristophanes; books of grossest infamy; and also for commending the

latter of them; though he were the malicious libeller of his chief

friends; to be read by the tyrant Dionysius; who had little need of

such trash to spend his time on?  But that he knew this licensing

of poems had reference and dependence to many other provisos there

set down in his fancied republic; which in this world could have no

place: and so neither he himself; nor any magistrate or city; ever

imitated that course; which; taken apart from those other

collateral injunctions; must needs be vain and fruitless。  For if

they fell upon one kind of strictness; unless their care were equal

to regulate all other things of like aptness to corrupt the mind;

that single endeavour they knew would be but a fond labour; to shut

and fortify one gate against corruption; and be necessitated to

leave others round about wide open。



If we think to regulate printing; thereby to rectify manners; we

must regulate all recreation and pastimes; all that is delightful

to man。  No music must be heard; no song be set or sung; but what

is grave and Doric。  There must be licensing dancers; that no

gesture; motion; or deportment be taught our youth but what by

their allowance shall be thought honest; for such Plato was

provided of。  It will ask more than the work of twenty licensers to

examine all the lutes; the violins; and the guitars in every house;

they must not be suffered to prattle as they do; but must be

licensed what they may say。  And who shall silence all the airs and

madrigals that whisper softness in chambers?  The windows also; and

the balconies must be thought on; there are shrewd books; with

dangerous frontispieces; set to sale; who shall prohibit them;

shall twenty licensers?  The villages also must have their visitors

to inquire what lectures the bagpipe and the rebeck reads; even to

the ballatry and the gamut of every municipal fiddler; for these

are the countryman's Arcadias; and his Monte Mayors。



Next; what more national corruption; for which England hears ill

abroad; than household gluttony: who shall be the rectors of our

daily rioting?  And what shall be done to inhibit the multitudes

that frequent those houses where drunkenness is sold and harboured? 

Our garments also should be referred to the licensing of some more

sober workmasters to see them cut into a less wanton garb。  Who

shall regulate all the mixed conversation of our youth; male and

female together; as is the fashion of this country?  Who shall

still appoint what shall be discoursed; what presumed; and no

further?  Lastly; who shall forbid and separate all idle resort;

all evil company?  These things will be; and must be; but how they

shall be least hurtful; how least enticing; herein consists the

grave and governing wisdom of a state。



To sequester out of the world into Atlantic and Utopian polities;

which never can be drawn into use; will not mend our condition; but

to ordain wisely as in this world of evil; in the midst whereof God

hath placed us unavoidably。  Nor is it Plato's licensing of books

will do this; which necessarily pulls along with it so many other

kinds of licensing; as will make us all both ridiculous and weary;

and yet frustrate; but those unwritten; or at least unconstraining;

laws of virtuous education; religious and civil nurture; which

Plato there mentions as the bonds and ligaments of the

commonwealth; the pillars and the sustainers of every written

statute; these they be which will bear chief sway in such matters

as these; when all licensing will be easily eluded。  Impunity and

remissness; for certain; are the bane of a commonwealth; but here

the great art lies; to discern in what the law is to bid restraint

and punishment; and in what things persuasion only is to work。



If every action; which is good or evil in man at ripe years; were

to be under pittance and prescription and compulsion; what were

virtue but a name; what praise could be then due to well…doing;

what gramercy to be sober; just; or continent?  Many there be that

complain of divine Providence for suffering Adam to transgress;

foolish tongues!  When God gave him reason; he gave him freedom to

choose; for reason is but choosing; he had been else a mere

artificial Adam; such an Adam as he is in the motions。  We

ourselves esteem not of that obedience; or love; or gift; which is

of force: God therefore left him free; set before him a provoking

object; ever almost in his eyes; herein consisted his merit; herein

the right of his reward; the praise of his abstinence。  Wherefore

did he create passions within us; pleasures round ab

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