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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.