I solemnly declare to all mankind, that the above dedication was made for no one Prince, Prelate, Pope, or Potentate, --Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, or Baron, of this, or any other Realm in Christendom; ----nor has it yet been hawked about, or offered publicly or privately, directly or indirectly, to any one person or personage, great or small; but is honestly a true Virgin-Dedication untried on, upon any soul living.
I labour this point so particularly, merely to remove any offence or objection which might arise against it from the manner in which I propose to make the most of it; --which is the putting it up fairly to public sale; which I now do.
----Every author has a way of his own in bringing his points to bear; --for my own part, as I hate chaffering and higgling for a few guineas in a dark entry; --I resolved within myself, from the very beginning, to deal squarely and openly with your Great Folks in this affair, and try whether I should not come off the better by it.
If therefore there is any one Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, or Baron, in these his Majesty's dominions, who stands in need of a tight, genteel dedication, and whom the above will suit, (for by the bye, unless it suits in some degree, I will not part with it)----it is much at his service for fifty guineas; ----which I am positive is twenty guineas less than it ought to be afforded for, by any man of genius.
My Lord, if you examine it over again, it is far from being a gross piece of daubing, as some dedications are. The design, your Lordship sees, is good, --the colouring transparent, --the drawing not amiss; --or to speak more like a man of science, --and measure my piece in the painter's scale, divided into 20, --I believe, my Lord, the outlines will turn out as 12, --the composition as 9, --the colouring as 6, --the expression 13 and a half, --and the design, --if I may be allowed, my Lord, to understand my own _design_, and supposing absolute perfection in designing, to be as 20, --I think it cannot well fall short of 19. Besides all this, --there is keeping in it, and the dark strokes in the HOBBY-HORSE, (which is a secondary figure, and a kind of back-ground to the whole) give great force to the principal lights in your own figure, and make it come off wonderfully; ----and besides, there is an air of originality in the _tout ensemble_.
Be pleased, my good Lord, to order the sum to be paid into the hands of Mr. _Dodsley_, for the benefit of the author; and in the next edition care shall be taken that this chapter be expunged, and your Lordship's titles, distinctions, arms, and good actions, be placed at the front of the preceding chapter: All which, from the words, _De gustibus non est disputandum_, and whatever else in this book relates to HOBBY-HORSES, but no more, shall stand dedicated to your Lordship. --The rest I dedicate to the MOON, who, by the bye, of all the PATRONS or MATRONS I can think of, has most power to set my book a-going, and make the world run mad after it.
_Bright Goddess_,
If thou art not too busy with CANDID and Miss CUNEGUND'S affairs, --take _Tristram Shandy's_ under thy protection also.
I solemnly declare that the above dedication was made for no one Prince, Pope, or Potentate, Duke, Marquis, Earl, or Baron, of this, or any other Realm; nor has it yet been hawked about, or offered to any person; but is honestly a true Virgin-Dedication untried upon any soul living.
I make this point merely to remove any objection which might arise against the use I propose to make of it; - which is to put it up for public sale; as I now do.
As I hate bargaining and haggling for a few guineas in a dark entry, I resolved, from the very beginning, to deal openly with your Great Folks in this affair, and see whether I should not come off the better by it.
If therefore there is any Duke, Marquis, Earl, or Baron, in this land, who stands in need of a tight, genteel dedication, and whom the above will suit, it is at his service for fifty guineas; - which I am positive is twenty guineas less than it ought to cost.
My Lord, if you examine it again, it is far from being a gross piece of daubing, as some dedications are. The design, your Lordship sees, is good, the colouring transparent, the drawing not amiss; - or to speak more like a man of science, and to measure my piece in the painter's scale, divided into 20 - I believe, my Lord, the outlines will turn out as 12, the composition as 9, the colouring as 6, the expression 13 and a half, and the design - if I may be allowed, my Lord, to understand my own design, and supposing absolute perfection to be 20, - I think it cannot fall short of 19. Besides all this, the dark strokes in the Hobby-Horse (which is a kind of background to the whole) give great force to your own figure, and make it come off wonderfully; and there is an air of originality in the whole arrangement.
Be pleased, my good Lord, to order the sum to be paid to Mr. Dodsley, for the benefit of the author; and in the next edition care shall be taken that this chapter be removed, and your Lordship's titles, distinctions, coat of arms, and good actions, be placed at the front of the preceding chapter - all of which, from the words, De gustibus non est disputandum, and whatever else in this book relates to Hobby-Horses, but no more, shall stand dedicated to your Lordship.
The rest I dedicate to the Moon, who of all Patrons or Matrons has most power to set my book a-going, and make the world run mad after it.
Bright Goddess,
If thou art not too busy with Candid and Miss Cunegund's affairs - take Tristram Shandy's under thy protection also.
Book 1 - Chapter 9