DEDICATION OF PART II.

by Miguel de Cervantes

　　TO THE COUNT OF LEMOS:These days past, when sending Your Excellency my plays, that had appearedin print before being shown on the stage, I said, if I remember well,that Don Quixote was putting on his spurs to go and render homage to YourExcellency. Now I say that "with his spurs, he is on his way." Should hereach destination methinks I shall have rendered some service to YourExcellency, as from many parts I am urged to send him off, so as todispel the loathing and disgust caused by another Don Quixote who, underthe name of Second Part, has run masquerading through the whole world.And he who has shown the greatest longing for him has been the greatEmperor of China, who wrote me a letter in Chinese a month ago and sentit by a special courier. He asked me, or to be truthful, he begged me tosend him Don Quixote, for he intended to found a college where theSpanish tongue would be taught, and it was his wish that the book to beread should be the History of Don Quixote. He also added that I should goand be the rector of this college. I asked the bearer if His Majesty hadafforded a sum in aid of my travel expenses. He answered, "No, not evenin thought.""Then, brother," I replied, "you can return to your China, post haste orat whatever haste you are bound to go, as I am not fit for so long atravel and, besides being ill, I am very much without money, whileEmperor for Emperor and Monarch for Monarch, I have at Naples the greatCount of Lemos, who, without so many petty titles of colleges andrectorships, sustains me, protects me and does me more favour than I canwish for."Thus I gave him his leave and I beg mine from you, offering YourExcellency the "Trabajos de Persiles y Sigismunda," a book I shall finishwithin four months, Deo volente, and which will be either the worst orthe best that has been composed in our language, I mean of those intendedfor entertainment; at which I repent of having called it the worst, for,in the opinion of friends, it is bound to attain the summit of possiblequality. May Your Excellency return in such health that is wished you;Persiles will be ready to kiss your hand and I your feet, being as I am,Your Excellency's most humble servant.From Madrid, this last day of October of the year one thousand sixhundred and fifteen.At the service of Your Excellency:MIGUEL DE CERVANTES SAAVEDRA