The Philosophy of Love

begun to be printed. This was the cause
for me to keep my own version to myself,
almost with the resolution never to
let it see the light of day, thinking that
shortly the other would be seen, which might
suffice. However, after having waited
month after month, until the
fifth or sixth, and seeing that nothing
came forth, I could no longer endure that
you should be for so long deprived of the
reading of such a book: which, in truth, is
worthy of being read, if ever there were any
worthy of being read. I send it to you
now, therefore, My Lords, In the 16th century, "Meſſeigneurs" (My Lords) was a formal address often directed at the refined reading public or specific patrons. recommending it
to the fairness of your complete and sound
judgments, and praying you to understand,
by way of a preface, original: "aduertiſſement," meaning a formal notice or introductory explanation. certain
points necessary to its cause. For the
first, I pray you to be informed
that I have followed my Italian copy Leone Ebreo's Dialoghi d’amore was originally written in Italian, though the author was of Sephardic Jewish origin.
(preserving, however, the propriety and
phrasing of my own language, so well that
I believe you will be content with it)
almost word for word, without straying,
and without amusing myself with the
liberty of my own spirit: for I saw
that such Philosophers, as is our
author, know well enough what must
be said, and what must be kept silent,
without us adding...