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The Praise of Folly 33
Greeks, ‘An Ape is an Ape, though clad in
Scarlet’; so a woman is a woman still, that is
to say foolish, let her put on what ever Vizard
she please.
But, by the way, I hope that Sexe is not so
foolish as to take offence at this, that I my self,
being a woman, and Folly too, have attributed
Folly to them. For if they weigh it right, they
needs must acknowledg that they owe it to
Folly that they are more fortunate than men.
As first their Beauty, which, and that not without
cause, they prefer before every thing, since by
its means they exercise a Tyranny even upon
Tyrants themselves ; otherwise, whence proceeds
that sowre look, rough skin, bushy beard and
such other things as speak plain Old age in a
man, but from that Disease of Wisdom? whereas
women’s Cheeks are ever plump and smooth,
their Voice small, their Skin soft, as if they
imitated a certain kind of perpetual Youth.
Again, what greater thing do they wish in their
whole lives, than that they may please the Men?
For to what other purpose are all those Dresses,
Washes, Baths, Curlings, Slops, Perfumes, and
* Simia est simia, etiamsi purpura vestiatur.
1507 D