The Palace of Pleasure (1890)/Volume 3/Tome 2/Conclusion
THE
CONCLUSION,
WITH
AN ADUERTISEMENT TO THE READER.
What thou haſt gained for thy better inſtruction, or what conceiued for recreation by reading theſe thirty fiue Nouells, I am no Iudge, although (by deeming) in reading and peruſing, thou mayſt (at thy pleaſure) gather both. But howſoeuer profite, or delight, can ſatiſfy mine apoyntment, wherefore they were preferred into thy hands, contented am I that thou doe vouchſafe them Good leſſons how to ſhun the Darts, and Prickes of inſolency thou findeſt in the ſame. The vertuous noble may fauor the fruits and taſte the licour that ſtilleth from the gums or buds of Vertue. The contrary may ſee the bloſſoms fall, that blome from the ſhrubs of diſloialty and degenerat kinde. Yong Gentlemen, and Ladies do view a plot founded on ſured grounde, and what the foundation is, planted in ſhattring Soyle, with a faſhion of attire to garniſh their inward parts, ſo well as (ſpareleſſe) they imploy vpon the vaniſhing pompe. Euery ſort and ſexe that warfare in the fielde of humayne life, may ſet here the fauourous fruict (to outwarde lyking) that fanſied the ſenſuall taſte of Adam's Wyfe. They ſee alſo what grieſts ſutch fading fruicts produce vnto poſterity: what likewiſe the luſty growth and ſpring of vertue's plant, and what delicates it brauncheth to thoſe that carefully keepe the ſlips thereof, within the Orchard of their mindes. Diuers Tragical ſhewes by the pennes deſcription haue bene diſclofed in greateſt number of theſe Hyſtories, the ſame alſo I haue mollified and ſweetened with the courſe of pleaſaunt matters, of purpoſe not to dampe the deynty mindes of thoſe that ſhrinke and feare at ſuch rehearſall. And bicauſe ſodaynly (contrary to expectation) this Volume is riſen to greater heape of leaues, I doe omit for this preſent time ſundry Nouels of mery deuiſe, reſeruing the ſame to be ioyned with the reſt of an other part, wherein ſhall ſucceede the remnaunt of Bandello, ſpecially ſutch (ſuffrable) as the learned French man François de Belleforreſt hath ſelected, and the choyſeſt done in the Italian. Some alſo out of Erizzo, Ser Giouani Florentino, Paraboſco, Cynthio, Straparole, Sanſouino, and the beſt liked out of the Queene of Nauarre, and other Authors. Take theſe in ſo good part with thoſe that haue and ſhall come forth, as I do offre them with good will curteouſly correcting ſutch Faults, and Errors, as ſhall preſent themſelues, eyther burying them in the Boſome of Fauor, or pretermitting them with the beck of Curteſie.
FINIS.
BALLANTYNE PRESS: EDINBURGH AND LONDON.