IX
I solemnly declare to all mankind, that the above dedication was made for no one Prince, Prelate, Pope, or Potentate,вБ†вАФDuke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, or Baron, of this, or any other Realm in Christendom;вБ†вЄЇвБ†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;вБ†вАФwhich is the putting it up fairly to public sale; which I now do.
вЄЇвБ†Every author has a way of his own in bringing his points to bear;вБ†вАФfor my own part, as I hate chaffering and higgling for a few guineas in a dark entry;вБ†вАФI 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 MajestyвАЩs dominions, who stands in need of a tight, genteel dedication, and whom the above will suit, (for by the by, unless it suits in some degree, I will not part with it)вБ†вЄЇвБ†it is much at his service for fifty guineas;вБ†вЄЇвБ†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,вБ†вАФthe colouring transparent,вБ†вАФthe drawing not amiss;вБ†вАФor to speak more like a man of science,вБ†вАФand measure my piece in the painterвАЩs scale, divided into 20,вБ†вАФI believe, my Lord, the outlines will turn out as 12,вБ†вАФthe composition as 9,вБ†вАФthe colouring as 6,вБ†вАФthe expression 13 and a half,вБ†вАФand the design,вБ†вАФif I may be allowed, my Lord, to understand my own design, and supposing absolute perfection in designing, to be as 20,вБ†вАФI think it cannot well fall short of 19. Besides all this,вБ†вАФthere is keeping in it, and the dark strokes in the Hobbyhorse, (which is a secondary figure, and a kind of background to the whole) give great force to the principal lights in your own figure, and make it come off wonderfully;вБ†вЄЇвБ†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 LordshipвАЩs 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 Hobbyhorses, but no more, shall stand dedicated to your Lordship.вБ†вАФThe rest I dedicate to the Moon, who, by the by, 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 CunegundвАЩs affairs,вБ†вАФtake Tristram ShandyвАЩs under thy protection also.