Cervantes och inkvisitionen
Mr. du Boulay accompanied the French ambassador to Spain, when Cervantes was yet alive. He has told me, that the ambassador one day complimented Cervantes on the great reputation he had acquired by his Don Quixote; and that Cervantes whispered in his ear, “Had it not been for the Inquisition, I should have made my book much more entertaining.” [...]
We have lost many good things of Cervantes, and other writers, amongst the tribunal of religion and dulness. One Aonius Palearius was sensible of this; and said, “that the Inquisition was a poniard aimed at the throat of literature.” The image is striking, and the observation just; but the ingenious observer was in consequence immediately led to the stake.
