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Epigraph

Dedication

First words Idle reader, you can believe without any oath of mine that I would wish this book, as the child of my brain, to be the most beautiful, the liveliest and the cleverest imaginable. Prologue: Idle reader: I don't have to swear any oaths to persuade you that I should like this book, since it is the son of my brain, to be the most beautiful and elegant and intelligent book imaginable. Chapter 1: In a village in La Mancha, the name of which I cannot quite recall, there lived not long ago one of those country gentlemen or hidalgos who keep a lance in a rack, an ancient leather shield, a scrawny hack and a greyhound for coursing.

Quotations And as I have heard say, true love cannot be divided, and must be voluntary and unforced: -- this being so, as I believe it is, why would you have me subject my will by force, being not otherwise obliged thereto, than only because you say you love me? For, pray tell me, if as heaven has made me handsome, it had made me ugly, would it have been just that I should have complained of you because you did not love me? (Part 1, Chapter 14. Marcela is speaking) Heaven has not yet ordained that I should love by destiny; and from loving by choice, I desire to be excused. (Part 1, Chapter 14. Marcela is speaking)

Last words And with this you will fulfill you Christian duty, by giving good counsel to those who do not wish you well, and I shall be pleased and proud to have been the first who completely enjoyed the fruits of his writing, just as he wished, for my only desire has been to have people reject and despise the false and nonsensical histories of the books of chivalry , which are already stumbling over the history of my true Don Quixote, and will undoubtedly fall to the ground. Vale. (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.) Farewell. (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice Don Quixote was originally published in two parts. This is the complete and unabridged version, containing both parts. Please do not combine with abridged or incomplete versions.

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