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The Praise of Folly 65 sense, that is to say, Folly. Divines are half starv’d, Naturalists out of heart, Astrologers laught at, and Logicians slighted; onely the Physician ‘is worth all the rest. And amongst them too, the more unlearned, impudent, or unadvised he is, the more he is esteem’d, even among Princes. For Physick, especially as it is now profest by most men, is nothing but a branch of Flattery, no less than Rhetorick. Next them, the second place is given to our Law-drivers, if not the first ; whose Profession, though I say it my self, most men laugh at as the Ass of Philosophy ; yet there’s scarce any business, either so great or small, but is manag’d by these Asses. These purchase their great Lordships, while in the mean time the Divine, having run through the whole Body of Divinity, sits gnawing a Raddish, and is in continual Warfare with Lice and Fleas, As therefore those Arts are best that have the nearest Affinity with Folly, so are they most happy of all others that have least commerce with Sciences, and follow the guidance of Nature, who is in no wise imperfect, unless perhaps we endeavor to 1 rodd@y dvrdgios dAdo, 1507 F
