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The Praise of Folly 39 fewer of them would hold together, did not most of the Wife’s actions escape the Husband’s knowledg through his neglect or sottishness ! And for this also ye are beholding to me, by whose means it is that the Husband is pleasant to his Wife, the Wife to her Husband, and the house kept in quiet. A man is laught at, when seeing his Wife weeping he licks up her tears. But how much happier is it to be thus deceiv’d than by being troubled with jealousie, not onely to torment himself, but set all things in a hubbub! In fine, I am so necessary to the making of all society and manner of life both delightful and lasting, that neither would the people long endure their Governors, nor the Servant his Master, nor the Master his Footman, nor the Scholar his Tutor, nor one friend another, nor the Wife her Husband, nor the Userer the Borrower, nor a Souldier his Commander, nor one Companion another, unlesse all of them had their interchangeable failings, one while flattering, other while prudently conniving, and generally sweetning one another with some small relish of Folly. And now you’d think I had said all, but ye
