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Don Quixote, his critics and commentators
Don Quixote his critics and commentators Author:Alexander James Duffield Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: %7- ' V HIS CRITICS AND COMMENTATOES. other books which are only the spawn of these, in order to enjoy the delightful humour which makes the Knight of the ... more »Windmills ridiculous for his eloquent defence of chivalry, or Sancho, who is much more worthy of ridicule, for the ready belief he gives to all that is told him of what chivalry had done for the world. No special knowledge, of course, is needed to enter into the mirth that is evoked by the knighting of Don I/ Quixote at the wayside inn ; the knavery of its landlord ; the deliverance of Andres from the bonds and stripes of his cruel master, together with the untoward results that followed that arrogant interference; while the singular beauty and discretion of Dorothea appeal to every mind. The picture of Cardenio's madness is simple and dramatic. The villainous ingratitude of the galley-slaves; the tender and touching episode of the childlike love of Clara, and the manly tolerance of the Canon of Toledo in his discourse on literature with the priest of the village; Łthe compassion for human woe, and the exalted eloquence and earnestness of the author, when he must needs speak for himself— are not conveyed in parables or an unknown tongue. All this, and more, is to be enjoyed without the aid of a commentator; and if, moreover, we add the full- length portrait of Sancho Panza, which is as original as it is unique in the whole range of fiction, there need be little wonder why Fray Sarmiento's learned strictures have not even yet been sent to press. But it is quite true that to know and enjoy completely the greatness of the work of Cervantes, to observe the mastery of his genius, and watch the process by which the current literature of his generation was reduced to tinder at the touch of his breath, it is, without doubt, ...« less