Page 62 [62]
OCR
The Praise of Folly 31 mixture, and as it were seasoning of Folly. For since according to the definition of the Stoicks, Wisdom is nothing else than to be govern’d by reason; and on the contrary Folly, to be giv’n up to the will of our Passions; that the life of man might not be altogether disconsolate and hard to away with, of how much more Passion than Reason has Jupiter compos’d us? putting in, as one would say, !‘scarce half an ounce to a pound’. Besides, he has confin’d Reason to a narrow corner of the brain, and left all the rest of the body to our Passions ; as also set up, against this one, two as it were, masterless Tyrants—Anger, that possesseth the region of the heart, and consequently the very Fountain of life, the Heart it self; and Lust, that stretcheth its Empire every where. Against which double force how powerful Reason is, let common experience declare, inasmuch as she, which yet is all she can do, may call out to us till she be hoarse again, and tell us the Rules of Honesty and Vertue; while they give up the Reins to their Governour, and make a hideous clamour, till at last being wearied, he suffer himself 1 Semiunciam ad assem.
