The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes quotes

I hold it to be good that such remarkable things as have happened to me, perhaps never before seen or heard of, should not be buried in the tomb of oblivion.

It may be that someone who reads may find something that pleases him.

For those who do not go very deep into the matter there is a saying of Pliny “that there is no book so bad that it does not contain something that is good.”

Moreover, all tastes are not the same, and what one does not eat another will.

Thus we see things that are thought much of by some, depreciated by others. Hence no circumstance ought to be omitted, how insignificant soever it may be, but all should be made known, especially as some fruit might be plucked from such a tree.

If this were not so, very few would write at all, for it cannot be done without hard work.

Authors do not wish to be recompensed with money, but by seeing that their work is known and read, and, if it contains anything that is worthy, that it is praised.

On this point Tully says: “Honour creates the arts.” Think you that the soldier who is first on the ladder cares less for his life than the others? Certainly not. It is the desire for fame that leads him to seek such danger.

On this point Tully says: “Honour creates the arts.” Think you that the soldier who is first on the ladder cares less for his life than the others? Certainly not.

It is the desire for fame that leads him to seek such danger.

It is the same in the arts and in letters. We say:

It frightened the child, who ran to my mother, pointing with its finger and saying, “Mother, he is ugly!” To this he replied laughing; but I noticed the words of my little brother, and, though so young, I said to myself, “

How many there are in the world who run from others because they do not see themselves in them.

”

When he felt that my head was against the stone, he raised his hand and gave me a tremendous blow against the devil of a bull, so that I felt the pain for more than three days. Then he said to me, “

This will teach you that a blind man’s boy ought to be one point more knowing than the devil himself

”; and he laughed heartily at his joke. It seemed to me that, in an instant, I awoke from my simplicity in which I had reposed from childhood.

and he laughed heartily at his joke. It seemed to me that, in an instant, I awoke from my simplicity in which I had reposed from childhood. I said to myself, “

This man says truly that it behoves me to keep my eyes open, for I am alone and have to think for myself.

”

We set out on our road, and in a very few days I showed myself to be sprightly, which pleased the blind man, and he said, “

I can give you neither gold nor silver, but I can teach you much in the ways of getting a livelihood.

” It was so that, after a few days, he showed me many things, and being blind himself, he enlightened and guided me in the ways of life.

I would swear to God that you have been eating three at a time.” “I did not eat so,” I declared. “Why do you suspect me?” “Would you know how I am certain that you took three at a time?” he replied. “

It is because when I began to take two at a time you said nothing.

”

When the sausage had been basted and the toasted bread on which the grease was poured had been eaten, he took a maravedi out of his bag and sent me to fetch wine from a tavern.

The devil put the temptation before my eyes, which, as they say, is how a thief is made.

There was also a long piece of colewort on the fire, which, being unfit for the pot, ought to have been thrown away. There was nobody but the blind man and myself, and I became very greedy under the delicious smell of the sausage.

“Lazaro,” he said, “you owe more to the wine than to your father.

He got you once, but the wine has brought you to life several times.

” Then he counted how many times he had torn and bruised my face and afterwards cured it with wine. “If there is a man in the world who ought to be lucky with wine,” he added, “it is you.”

His head came with such a noise against the pillar that it sounded like a great calabash. He fell down half dead. “

How was it you could smell the sausage and not the post?

Oh! Oh!” I shouted.

I said yes, which was true, for though the blind man ill-treated me, he taught me many useful things, and one of them was this. Finally the clergyman took me as his servant.

I had escaped from the thunder to fall under the lightning.

For compared with this priest, the blind man was an Alexander the Great.

I said yes, which was true, for though the blind man ill-treated me, he taught me many useful things, and one of them was this. Finally the clergyman took me as his servant. I had escaped from the thunder to fall under the lightning.

For compared with this priest, the blind man was an Alexander the Great.

I will say no more than that all the avarice in the world was combined in this man, but I know not whether it was naturally born in him or whether it was put on with the priestly habit.

He cooked it and ate all the eyes, tongue, brains, and the meat off the cheeks, giving me the well-picked bone on a plate, and saying, “

Take! Eat! Triumph! for you is the world, and you live better than the Pope.

” At the end of three weeks I became so weak that I could scarcely stand on my feet for hunger. I saw myself sinking down into the silent tomb.

And why do I speak of funerals? God forgive me! for I never was an enemy to the human race except on those occasions.

Then we could eat well, and I wished, and even prayed to God that He would kill someone every day.

When we gave the Sacraments to the sick, especially extreme unction, the priest was called upon to say prayers for those who were present.

My wretched master came back, and, as God willed it, he did not look into the trunk which that angel had opened. But next day, when he had gone out, I opened my bread paradise and took a loaf between the hands and teeth.

In two credos I made it invisible.

Not forgetting the open chest, I rejoiced to think that, with this remedy, my life would be less miserable. Thus I was happy with him for two days, but it was not destined that this should continue.

He turned to find more nails in the wall, and a small board to cover the hole. Night came and he retired to rest, while I set to work to open by night what he had closed up in the day.

It was like the weaving of Penelope, for all he did by day I undid by night.

In a few days we got the poor old chest into such a state, that it might be described as a sieve of old time rather than a chest.

So, as I have said, I put the key in my mouth every night, and slept without fear that my wizard of a master would find it.

But when misfortune comes, wit and diligence are of no avail.

It chanced, owing to ill-luck, or rather owing to my sins, that I was sleeping one night with the key in my mouth in such a position that the air went out of the hollow in the key and caused it to whistle so that, …

“This is a virtue,” he replied, “and for this I like you better.

Gluttony is for pigs and to eat with moderation for respectable people.

” “Well do I understand you,” said I to myself, “and cursed be such medicine, and such kindness as I have had from my masters, who give me nothing but starvation.”

What with my hardships, misery, and starvation I do not think there was a pound’s weight of flesh on my body. As I had scarcely eaten anything all day

I was wild with hunger, which is not a friend of sleep.

I cursed my fate and my ill-luck a thousand times, may God pardon me! I was like that most of the night, not daring to turn for fear of awakening my master; and I prayed to God many times for death.

Today, washing his hands and face, he had to wipe them with the end of his cloak for want of a towel. Certainly no one would have suspected it.

O Lord! how many such as him must be scattered over the world, who suffer for the jade they call honour that which they would not suffer for a friend.

I was standing at the door, looking out and thinking of these and many other things until my master disappeared down the long and narrow street.

Who would meet my master, and, judging from his satisfied look, not suppose that he had supped well and slept in a comfortable bed, and that in the morning he had had a good breakfast?

Great secrets, sir, are those which you keep and of which the world is ignorant.

Who would not be deceived by that fair presence and decent cloak?

Great secrets, sir, are those which you keep and of which the world is ignorant.

Who would not be deceived by that fair presence and decent cloak?

And who would think that the same gentleman passed all that day without eating anything but the bit of bread which his servant Lazaro had carried all day in his bosom, where it was not likely to find much cleanliness?

but not the other two masters. I only felt some discontent, for I should have liked him not to be quite so proud, and to have lowered his pretensions just a little when his necessities were so great.

But it seems to me that it is a well-established rule among such people to march with their caps well cocked, though they have not a blanca to their names.

The Lord have mercy on those who have to die of this disease!

Thus I left my poor third master, and know not his unhappy fate. Looking back at all that had gone against me, I found that I had managed my affairs in a reverse way.

Masters are usually deserted by their boys, but with me it was not so. For my master deserted and fled from me.

I knew how it had been planned and arranged by the industry and inventive talent of my master. Though only a boy I fell into thought, and said to myself, “

How many more tricks will the rogues play on these innocent people!

” I was nearly four months with my fifth master, during which I also suffered plenty of hardships.