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The Praise of Folly 37 perfections, and happy is he that is prest with the least : for among wise Princes there is either no friendship at all, or if there be, ’tis unpleasant and reserv’d, and that too but amongst a very few, ’twere a crime to say none. For that the greatest part of mankind are fools, nay there is not any one that dotes not in many things; and friendship, you know, is seldome made but amongst equalls. And yet if it should so happen that there were a mutual good-will between them, it is in no wise firm nor very long liv’d; that is to say, among such as are morose and more circumspect than needs, as being Eagle-sighted into his friends’ faults, but so blear-ey’d to their own that they take not the least notice of the Wallet that hangs behind their own Shoulders. Since then the nature of Man is such that there is scarce any one to be found that is not subject to many errors, add to this the great diversity of minds and studies, so many slips, oversights and chances of humane life, and how is it possible there should be any true friendship between those Argus’s, so much as one hour, were it not for that which the Greeks excellently call etjOevav? and you may render by Folly or good Nature,
