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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,