,,comic ,,bible ,,sket*es    ,repr9t$ ,f
 ,! ,free?9k]      ,by ,g4 ,w4 ,foote   
,"p ,i4    ,london3    ,progressive     
,publi%+ ,company    #bh ,/onecutt]     
,/reet1 ,e4,c4    #ahhe4                
,,introduction4        ,engli% lit]ature
 has its ,comic ,hi/ories1 its ,comic   
,gramm>s1 its  ,comic ,geographies1 &   
its ,comic ,law-,books1 & ,c>lyle once  
prophesi$  t x w\ld "s day boa/ its     
,comic ,bible4 ,t\gh z ! f9e old  ,sage 
( ,*elsea 01 he pr$ict$ ?is mon/rosity )
 some?+ ( !  horror a b>b>ian might feel
 at ! ?\ght ( "s irrev]5t fell[         
delib]ately laugh+ at ! tribal feti%4 ,b
 :at %ock$ our  latt]-day prophet s     
greatly 9 m]e anticipation has p>tially 
come to  pass4 ,la ,bible ,amusante has 
_h an ext5sive sale 9 ,france1 & !      
infecti\s irrev]5ce has ext5d$ itself to
 ,engl&4 ,not)/&+  t ,mr4 ,g4 ,r4 ,sims1
 :5 he saw ! fir/ numb]s ( t abom9able  
publication1 pi\sly turn$ up ! :ites ( 8
 eyes1 & decl>$ 8  op9ion t no ,engli%  
,free?9k]1 h[ev] extreme1 w\ld ?9k (    

reproduc+ or imitat+ !m1 !re 7 f\nd     
p]sons s utt]ly  ab&on$ z n to scruple  
at ?is unp>allel$ pr(anity4 ,sev]al  ( !
 ,fr5* draw+s 7 copi$ ) m or less       
fidelity 9 !  ,free?9k]1 a sc&al\s pr9t1
 z ! ,*ri/ians love to describe  x1 :i* 
has be5 prosecut$ twice = ,blasphemy1 & 
^: editor1  proprietor & publi%]1 h be5 
puni%$ respectively ) twelve1  n9e &    
?ree mon?s' imprisonm5t l common felons1
 all = !  glory & honor ( ,god1 = !     
satisfaction ( 8 de> ,son1 & =  !       
v9dication ( ! ,holy ,_s4 ,9 _m cases ! 
,fr5* orig9als  c\ld n be reproduc$ 9   
,engl&1 ow+ to _! ,gallic flavor4 ,a    
,p>isian arti/1 disport+ himself among  
^? highly moral hi/ories  9 ! ,bible :i*
 our y\?s & maid5s discov] ) un]r+      
in/9ct1 0 n a spectacle :i* "o c\ld d>e 
to exhibit be=e  ! pi\s & *a/e ,briti%  
public2 any m ?an an ,engli% poet c\ld  
foll[ ! lead ( ,ev>i/e ,p>ny 9 8 ,gu]re 
des ,dieux & ,les  ,am\rs de la ,bible4 
,b _m o!rs 7 free f ?is objection1 &  a 
selection ( !m s]v$ z a basis = !       

,free?9k] arti/ to "w  on4 ,a few 7     
copi$ pretty closely2 "s 7 elaborat$ &  
adapt$  to our national ta/e2 :ile o!rs 
furni%$ a c5tral sugge/ion1  :i* 0      
treat$ 9 an indep5d5t mann]4 ,by-&-bye1 
z ! insul>  diffid5ce wore (f1 & ! m9ds 
( ! ,free?9k] /aff play$  freely on !   
subject1 a new dep>ture 0 tak52 novel   
ideas 7  work$ out1 & ,holy ,writ 0     
ransack$ = fre% comicalities4 ,dull>ds  
prophesi$ a spe$y exhau/ion ( ,bible    
topics1 b !y did n "k  h[ inexhau/ible x
 is 9 absurdities4 ,prop]ly read1 x is !
 mo/  comical book 9 ! _w2 & "o might   
say ( x1 z ,enob>bus says  ( ,cleopatra1
 t ,age _c )] x1 nor cu/om /ale2 x's    
inf9ite  v>iety4    ,! foll[+ ,comic    
,bible ,sket*es1 :i* w be succe$$ 9 due 
c\rse by o!rs1 comprise all ^? wor?     
pres]v+ t appe>$  9 ! ,free?9k] be=e its
 editor1 proprietor & publi%] 7         
imprison$1 includ+ ! draw+s !y 7        
prosecut$ = by t  pi\s gu9ea3 pig1 ,sir 
,h5ry ,tyl]1 :o _h 8 dirty f+]s sev]ely 
rapp$ by ,"l ,col]idge1 aft] sp5d+      

sev]al hundr$ p\nds (  somebody's money 
9 an unsuccessful ,blasphemy            
prosecution1 9 ord] to  pat* up 8       
?readb>e reputation1 & p]haps also ) a  
fa9t hope  ( *eat+ ! ,almighty into     
res]v+ him a front-seat ticket = !      
dress-circle 9 heav54    ,! ,fr5* ,comic
 ,bible pr9ts "u ea* illu/ration a few  
crisp l9es  ( satiric n>rative4 ,?is    
plan has its advantages2 x all[s1 =     
in/ance1 ! writ]'s p5 to curvet z well z
 ! arti/'s p5cil4 ,b  x is aft] all less
 effective ?an ! plan we h adopt$4 ,we  
m]ely  give ea* picture a compreh5sive &
 /rik+ title1 & pr9t b5ea?  x ! ,bible  
text :i* is illu/rat$4 ,by ?is means !  
satire is  greatly height5$4 ,n ev5 !   
s5t5ces ( a ,voltaire c\ld s  illum9ate 
& emphasise ! grotesqu5ess ( ea* topic z
 ?is  juxtaposition ( ! solemnly absurd 
,scripture ) ! gaily absurd             
illu/ration4    ,! same _s has animat$ u
 9 design+ ! pictures4 ,our object  has 
be5 to take ! ,bible text always z our  
basis1 to include  no feature :i* is    

contradict$ by x1 & to introduce z _m   
comicalities & ana*ronisms z possible   
consi/5tly ) ?is rule4  ,we are !re=e   
able to defy criticism4 ,bibliolators   
may vitup]ate u1  p]secute u1 or        
imprison u1 b !y _c refute u44 ,we c    
safely  *all5ge !m to prove t a s+le    
incid5t happ5$ o!rwise ?an  we h depict$
 x4 ,we c c&idly say to !m--,! ?+ mu/ h 
happ5$ 9 "s way1 z to :i* ! ,div9e ,^w  
is sil5t2 ?is is our  view1--,:at is    
y\rs8 ,& we humbly submit t our         
speculations are  z valid z our         
neighbors'4 ,no?+ b ! insane/ bigotry 9 
favor (  _! own conjectures c\ld lead !m
 to qu>rel ) u = exp\nd+  ours4 ,if !y c
 %ame u ) explicit dispro(s f ,holy     
,writ1 let  !m d s2 b :at "r h !y to set
 up _! c>nal imag9+s  & un9spir$ !ories 
z ! ultimate crit]ia ( tru?8    ,^? :o  
object to any employm5t ( satire on     
sacr$ subjects %\ld  n g beyond !       
,preface ( ?is book4 ,x is n = !m1 nor  
are !y  = x2 & !y are w>n$ 9 ! hall (   
:at !y mu/ expect 9 !  v>i\s *amb]s4 ,b 

if !y neglect ! w>n+ !y %\ld take !     
responsibility4 ,x w be simply indec5t  
if !y turn r\nd aft]w>ds  & assail u )  
unm]it$ abuse4    ,= ! sake ( ^? :o     
proce$ 9 a _s ( imp>tial c&or &  hone/  
inquiry1 we beg to (f] a little fur!r   
explanation4    ,we hone/ly admit t our 
purpose is to discr$it ! ,bible z  !    
infallible ^w ( ,god4 ,believ+ z we d1 )
 ,voltaire1 t  despotism c nev] be      
aboli%$ )\t de/roy+ ! dogmas on :i*  x  
re/s1 & t ! ,bible is ! gr& s\rce &     
sanction ( !m  all1 we are pr(\ndly     
anxi\s to expose its pret5tions4 ,!     
educat$  classes already see ?r\gh !m1 &
 ! upp] classes cr$it !m  j z little1   
al?\gh !y d>e n op5ly pr(ess a          
scepticism :i*  w\ld imp]il _!          
privileges4 ,b ! multitude are /ill left
 to !  manipulation ( prie/s1 cr$ul\s   
victims ( ! ,black ,army ev]y:]e  array$
 aga9/ fre$om & progress4 ,x is to      
lib]ate ^! f  ?raldom t we labor1       
sacrifice & suff]4 ,)\t be+ indiff]5t   
to :at ! _w calls success1 we ackn[l$ge 

! sov]eignty (  l(ti] aims4 ,comp>$ ) ! 
advancem5t ( ,free?\ght ev]y?+  else is 
to u ( trivial mom5t4 ,x may int]e/1 &  
p]haps surprise1  "s to le>n t = ! fam\s
 ,*ri/mas ,numb] ( ! ,free?9k]  :i* 0   
successfully prosecut$1 ! editor receiv$
 absolutely  no?+ = 8 "w except twelve  
mon?s' imprisonm5t1 :ile !  !n regi/]$  
proprietor1 :o suff]$ n9e mon?s ( ! same
 fate1  actually %>$ ) him a pecuni>y   
loss ( five p\nds4 ,we are really  9    
deadly e>ne/1 l all ! great] soldi]s (  
fre$om :o prec$$  u2 & we employ our    
small] res\rces ( satire1 z su* giants z
  ,lucian1 ,rabelais1 ,erasmus1         
,voltaire & ,he9e us$ !irs1 = ends  t   
rea* f> =w>d into ! mighty future1 &    
affect ! welf>e (  unimag9$ g5]ations ( 
mank9d4    ,n[ ! masses d n read le>n$  
disquisitions2 !y h no leisure  to make 
!mselves adequately acqua9t$ ) ! hi/ory 
( ! ,bible  docum5ts2 nor c !y /udy     
comp>ative religion1 trace out !        
analogies betwe5 ,*ri/ianity & old]     
fai?s1 & realise h[ all  ! elaborate    

developm5ts ( doctr9e & ritual 9 mod]n  
cre$s h  sprung f a few simple beliefs &
 practices ( savage sup]/ition4  ,b !y  
are conv]sant ) "o or two c>d9al ideas (
 sci5ce1 &  !y "k ! pr9ciples :i*       
und]lie our daily life4 ,:at is call$   
common s5se 7! logic ( common exp]i5ce7 
is _! philosophy1 &  :oev] seeks to move
 !m mu/ appeal to !m ?r\gh t4 ,/range z 
x may appe>1 x is t v common s5se :i* ! 
cl]gy dread f>  m ?an all ! disclosures 
( le>n+ & all ! revelations (  sci5ce2 !
 reason be+1 t le>n+ & sci5ce are !     
privilege  ( a few1 :ile common s5se is 
! possession ( all1 & affects !  v      
f\ndations ( spiritual & political      
tyranny4    ,ridicule is a mo/ pot5t =m 
( common-s5se logic4 ,:at is !  r$uctio 
ad absurdum b an appeal to admitt$ tru?s
 aga9/  plausible falsehoods8 ,r$uc+ a  
?+ to an absurdity is simply %[+  its   
inconsi/5cy ) :at is common to bo? sides
 9 a dispute2 & x  frequ5tly means !    
exposure ( a gross contradiction to !   
pr9ciples  ( sanity4 ,laught]1 too1 z   

,hobbes po9t$ out1 has always an elem5t 
( pride or contempt2 be+ inv>iably      
accompani$ by a feel+ (  sup]iority to  
its object4 ,:oev] laughs at an         
absurdity is above x4  ,he looks d[n on 
x f a l(ti] altitude ?an argum5t c rea*4
  ,! man :o laughs is safe4 ,he c nev] m
 be 9 dang]1 unless he  suff]s fatty    
deg5]ation ( ! he>t or fatti] deg5]ation
 ( !  head4 ,prie/craft n\ri%es hope 9 !
 sci5tific laboratory1 & feels  only    
fa9t misgiv+s 9 academic halls2 b x     
pales & )]s at !  smile ( scepticism1 & 
he>s 9 a l[ laugh ! note ( ! trump (    
doom4    ,ridicule c nev] injure tru?4  
,:at x hurts mu/ be false4 ,laugh at  ! 
multiplication-table z mu* z y please1 &
 twice two w /ill  make f\r4            
,pictorial ridicule has ! imm5se        
advantage ( visualis+ absurdities4      
,lazy m9ds1 or ^? accu/om$ to reg>d a   
subject ) ! rev]5ce  ( prejudice1 read  
)\t realis+4 ,b ! picture supplies !    
defici5cy ( _! imag9ation1 translates   
words into ?+s1 &  enables !m to see :at

 _h else be5 only a vague s\nd4         
,*ri/ians read ! ,bible )\t realis+ its 
wond]s1 all[+  !mselves to be *eat$ )   
words4 ,mr4 ,h]b]t ,sp5c] has rem>k$  t 
! image ( ! ,almighty h& laun*+ worlds  
into space is v  f9e until y try to =m a
 m5tal picture ( x1 :5 x is f\nd to  be 
utt]ly irrealisable4 ,9 ! same way1 !   
,creation ,/ory is passable  until y    
image ! ,"l mak+ a clay man & bl[+ up 8 
nose2  or ! /ory ( ,samson until y      
picture him slay+ file aft] file (      
well-arm$ soldi]s ) ! jaw-bone ( a      
co/]mong]'s pony4    ,let x be obs]v$ t 
^! ,comic ,bible ,sket*es ridicule no?+ 
b  miracles4 ,mr4 ,ma!w ,arnold has said
 t ! ,bible miracles are only  fairy    
tales 7v poor ones1 by ! way7 & _! reign
 is doom$4 ,we  only seek to ha/5 _!    
deposition4 ,:atev] ! ,bible conta9s (  
tru?1 goodness & beauty1 we prize z well
 z its bl9de/ devotees4  ,b ?is valuable
 deposit ( antiquity w\ld be m useful if
 cle>$  ( ! rubbi% ( sup]/ition4 ,x is n
 ! good1 b ! evil p>ts  ( ! ,bible1 t   

are support$ by its sup]naturalism4 ,:y 
%\ld  civilis$ ,engli%m5 g walk+ ab\t 9 
,hebrew ,old-,clo!s8 ,let u he$         
,c>lyle's /]n monition3--,! ,jew        
old-clo!s hav+ n[ gr[n fairly           
pe/il5tial1 a poison\s incumbrance 9 !  
pa? ( ( m51 burn !m  up ) revolution>y  
fire4    ,a ^w 9 conclusion4 ,! editor (
 ! ,man*e/] ,exam9]1 writ+  ov] !       
well-,kn[n signature ( ,v]ax1 rec5tly   
publi%$ a long  article1 c5sur+ ! policy
 ( aggressive ,free?\ght1 & decl>+  t to
 laugh at ! absurdities ( ! ,bible 0 to 
insult ! human  race4 ,we might z well1 
he said1 laugh at our poor ance/ors1 !  
anci5t ,britons1 = all _! mi/akes &     
follies4 ,well1 :5 !  anci5t ,jews are n
 only dead1 b buri$ l ! anci5t ,britons2
  :5 _! mi/akes & follies are no long]  
palm$ (f on unsuspect+  *ildr51 & impos$
 on gr[n-up m5 & wom51 z div9e immortal 
tru?s2 we w cease ridicul+ !m1 & devote 
our att5tion to  wor?i] objects4 ,:at1  
w\ld ,v]ax say if an anci5t ,briton1    
dress$  9 a full suit ( w>-pa9t1 7 to   

walk ?r\gh ! ,man*e/]  /reets1 boa/+    
himself ! p9k ( fa%ion1 & insult+       
peaceable  citiz5s :o refus$ to         
patronise 8 tailor8 ,w\ld he n write a  
racy  article on ! absurd ph5om5on1 &   
ask :y ! police tol]at$ su*  a nuisance8
 ,9 l mann] we publi% our ,comic ,bible 
,sket*es1 &  summon ! police ( ?\ght to 
remove ^? anci5t ,jews :o /ill  infe/   
our m5tal ?or\ghf>es4    ,april1 #ahhe4 
,g4 ,w4 ,,foote