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r2 Erasmus
my breast. No, I am in every respect so like
my self, that neither can they dissemble me, who
arrogate to themselves the appearance and title
of Wisemen, and walk 1 like Asses in Scarlet¬
hoods; though after all their hypocrisie Midas’s
ears will discover their Master. A most ingrateful
generation of men, that, when they are wholly
given up to my Party, are yet publickly asham’d
of the name, as taking it for a reproach; for
which cause, since in truth they are Mapérarou,
Fools, and yet would appear to the World to
be Wisemen and Thales’s, wee’ll ev’n call ’em
Mowporopovs, Wise-fools.
Nor will it be amiss also to imitate the Rhetori¬
cians of our times, who think themselves in a
manner Gods, if like Horse-leeches they can but
appear to be double-tongu’d ; and believe they
have done a mighty act if in their Latin Orations
they can but shuffle-in some ends of Greek,
like Mosaick-work, though altogether by head
and shoulders and less to the purpose. And if
they want hard words, they run over some
Worm-eaten Manuscript, and pick out half
a Dozen of the most old and absolete to con¬
? in purpura simiae.