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The Praise of Folly 69 nothing more happy than that generation of men we commonly call fools, ideots, lack-wits and dolts; splendid Titles too, as I conceive em. Vle tell ye a thing, which at first perhaps may seem foolish and absurd, yet nothing more true. And first they are not afraid of death ; no small evil, by Jupiter! They are not tormented with the conscience of evil acts: not terrify’d with the fables of Ghosts, nor frighted with Spirits and Goblins, They are not distracted with the fear of evils to come, nor the hopes of future good. In short they are not disturb’d with those thousand of cares to which this life is subject. They are neither modest, nor fearful, nor ambitious, nor envious, nor love they anyman. And lastly if they should come nearer even to the very ignorance of Brutes, they could not sin, for so hold the Divines. And now tell me, thou wise fool, with how many troublesome cares thy mind is continually perplext ; heap together all the discommodities of thy life, and then thou’lt be sensible from how many evils I have delivered my Fools. Add to this that they are not onely merry, play, sing, and laugh themselves, but make mirth
