le, in the second edition of
the Canterbury Tales he explains how the first edition was printed from
the best manuscript that he could find in 1478, but how after the
appearance of that there came to him a scholar who complained of many
errors, and spoke of another and more authentic manuscript in his
father's possession. Caxton at once agreed to get out a new edition
"whereas before by ignorance I erred in hurting and defaming his book in
divers places, in setting in some things that he never said nor made and
leaving out many things that are made which are requisite to be set in."
A great many other examples of such disinterested carefulness are to be
found in the history of those busy fifteen years at Westminster. In view
of the fact that he was not only editor, printer, and publisher, but
also translated twenty-three books totaling more than forty-five hundred
printed pages, this scholarly desire for accuracy deserves the highest
praise. Unlike Aldus and Froben, who were likewise editors as well as
publishers, he was not surrounded by a capable corps of expert scholars,
but worked almost alone. His faithful foreman, Wynkyn de Worde,
doubtless took over gradually a large share of the purely mechanical
side of the business, but Caxton remained till the end of his life the
active head as well as the brains of the concern.

As for his humor, it comes out even in his very selections of books to
be printed, but chiefly in little touches all through his prefaces. For
example, in his preface to the Morte d'Arthur he answers with a certain
whimsical gravity the allegations of those who maintain that there was
no such person as King Arthur, and that "all such books as been made of
him be but feigned and fables." He recounts with assumed sincerity the
evidence of the chronicles, the existence of Arthur's seal in red wax at
Westminster Abbey, of Sir Gawain's skull at Dover Castle, of the Round
Table itself at Winchester, and so on. But he goes on to say, in his own
quaint way, which there is not space to quote at large, that in his own
opinion the stories are worth while for the intrinsic interest and the
moral values in them, whether they are literally true or not. He closes
thus:

"Herein may be seen noble chivalry, courtesy,
humanity, friendliness, hardiness, love,
friendship, cowardice, murder, hate virtue and
sin. Do after the good and leave the evil, and it
shall bring y