Preface

by a Third Party.

The author VerfasserThe writer of the original text, in this case, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing of the first three dialogues Gesprächereferring to the philosophical dialogues between the characters Ernst and Falk had this continuation, as is well known, ready in manuscript Manuscriptea handwritten version of the text intended for the printer for printing, when he received a "requesting hint" original: "bittenden Wink"; a polite but firm 18th-century euphemism for a command from a superior or a censor to cease publication. from a higher authority original: "höheren Ort's"; this refers to the Duke of Brunswick, Lessing's employer and patron, who pressured him to stop publishing his controversial thoughts on Freemasonry. not to make it public.

Previously, however, he had shared these fourth and fifth dialogues with several friends, who, presumably without his permission, had made copies Abschriftenhandwritten transcripts; before the age of digital files, sharing copies of manuscripts was a common way for suppressed ideas to circulate of them. One of these copies had fallen into the hands of the current editor Herausgeberthe individual who eventually brought this unauthorized version to the press by a peculiar coincidence. He regretted that so many glorious truths— The German word "Wahrhei-" is truncated here by the page break; it is almost certainly "Wahrheiten" (truths).