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20 Erasmus take away pleasure? Oh! Do ye like what I say? I knew none of you could have so little Wit, or so much folly, or Wisdom rather, as to be of any other opinion. For even the Stoicks themselves, that so severely cry’d down pleasure, did but handsomly dissemble, and rail’d against it to the common People, to no other end but that having discourag’d them from it, they might the more plentifully enjoy it themselves. But tell me, by Jupiter, what part of man’s life is that that is not sad, crabbed, unpleasant, insipid, troublesome, unless it be seasoned with Pleasure, that is to say, Folly? For the proof of which the never-sufficiently prais’d Sophocles, in that his happy Elogy of us 1° To know nothing is the onely happiness’, might be Authority enough, but that I intend to take every particular by it’s self. And first, Who knows not but a man’s Infancy is the merriest part of life to himself, and most acceptable to others? For what is that in them which we kiss, embrace, cherish, nay Enemies succour, but this witchcraft of Folly, which wise Nature did of purpose give them into the 1 ‘Ev T@ ppovetv Yàp undèv daros Blos.
