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Folly Seasons Man's Life with Pleasure
But tell me, by Jupiter, what part of man's life is that that is
not sad, crabbed, unpleasant, insipid, troublesome, unless it be
with seasoned with pleasure, that is to say, folly? For the proof of
which the never sufficiently praised Sophocles in that his happy elegy
of us, "To know nothing is the only happiness," might be authority
enough, but that I intend to take every particular by itself.
And first, who knows not but a man's infancy is the merriest part
of life to himself, and most acceptable to others? For what is that in
them which we kiss, embrace, cherish, nay enemies succor, but this
witchcraft of folly, which wise Nature did of purpose give them into
the world with them that they might the more pleasantly pass over
the toil of education, and as it were flatter the care and diligence
of their nurses?
And then for youth, which is in such reputation everywhere, how
do all men favor it, study to advance it, and lend it their helping
hand? And whence, I pray, all this grace? Whence but from me? by whose
kindness, as it understands as little as may be, it is also for that
reason the higher privileged from exceptions; and I am mistaken if,
when it is grown up and by experience and discipline brought to
savor something like man, if in the same instant that beauty does
not fade, its liveliness decay, its pleasantness grow flat, and its
briskness fail.
And by how much the further it runs from me, by so much the less it
lives, till it comes to the burden of old age, not only hateful to
others, but to itself also. Which also were altogether insupportable
did not I pity its condition, in being present with it, and, as the
poets' gods were wont to assist such as were dying with some
pleasant metamorphosis, help their decrepitness as much as in me
lies by bringing them back to a second childhood, from whence they are
not improperly called twice children. Which, if you ask me how I do
it, I shall not be shy in the point. I bring them to our River Lethe
(for its springhead rises in the Fortunate Islands, and that other
of hell is but a brook in comparison), from which, as soon as they
have drunk down a long forgetfulness, they wash away by degrees the
perplexity of their minds, and so wax young again.
But perhaps you'll say they are foolish and doting. Admit it;
'tis the very essence of childhood; as if to be such were not to be
a fool, or that the condition had anything pleasant in it, but that it
understood nothing. For who would not look upon that child as a
prodigy that should have as much wisdom as a man?- according to that
common proverb, "I do not like a child that is a man too soon." Or who
would endure a converse or friendship with that old man who to so
large an experience of things had joined an equal strength of mind and
sharpness of judgment? And therefore for this reason it is that old
age dotes; and that it does so, it is beholding to me. Yet,
notwithstanding, is this dotard exempt from all those cares that
distract a wise man; he is not the less pot companion, nor is he
sensible of that burden of life which the more manly age finds
enough to do to stand upright under it. And sometimes too, like
Plautus' old man, he returns to his three letters, A.M.O., the most
unhappy of all things living, if he rightly understood what he did
in it. And yet, so much do I befriend him that I make him well
received of his friends and no unpleasant companion; for as much as,
according to Homer, Nestor's discourse was pleasanter than honey,
whereas Achilles' was both bitter and malicious; and that of old
men, as he has it in another place, florid. In which respect also they
have this advantage of children, in that they want the only pleasure
of the others' life, we'll suppose it prattling.
Add to this that old men are more eagerly delighted with
children, and they, again, with old men. "Like to like," quoted the
Devil to the collier. For what difference between them, but that the
one has more wrinkles and years upon his head than the other?
Otherwise, the brightness of their hair, toothless mouth, weakness
of body, love of mild, broken speech, chatting, toying, forgetfulness,
inadvertency, and briefly, all other their actions agree in
everything. And by how much the nearer they approach to this old
age, by so much they grow backward into the likeness of children,
until like them they pass from life to death, without any weariness of
the one, or sense of the other.
And now, let him that will compare the benefits they receive by me,
with the metamorphoses of the gods; of whom I shall not mention what
they have done in their pettish humors but where they have been most
favorable: turning one into a tree, another into a bird, a third
into a grasshopper, serpent, or the like. As if there were any
difference between perishing and being another thing! But I restore
the same man to the best and happiest part of his life. And if men
would but refrain from all commerce with wisdom and give up themselves
to be governed by me, they should never know what it were to be old,
but solace themselves with a perpetual youth.
Do but observe our grim philosophers that are perpetually beating
their brains on knotty subjects, and for the most part you'll find
them grown old before they are scarcely young. And whence is it, but
that their continual and restless thoughts insensibly prey upon
their spirits and dry up their radical moisture? Whereas, on the
contrary, my fat fools are as plump and round as a Westphalian hog,
and never sensible of old age, unless perhaps, as sometimes it
rarely happens, they come to be infected with wisdom; so hard a
thing it is for a man to be happy in all things. And to this purpose
is that no small testimony of the proverb, that says, "Folly is the
only thing that keeps youth at a stay and old age afar off;" as it
is verified in the Brabanters, of whom there goes this common
saying, "That age, which is wont to render other men wiser, makes them
the greater fools." And yet there is scarce any nation of a more
jocund converse, or that is less sensible of the misery of old age,
than they are. And to these, as in situation, so for manner of living,
come nearest my friends the Hollanders. And why should I not call them
mine, since they are so diligent observers of me that they are
commonly called by my name?- of which they are so far from being
ashamed, they rather pride themselves in it.
Let the foolish world then be packing and seek out Medeas,
Circes, Venuses, Auroras, and I know not what other fountains of
restoring youth. I am sure I am the only person that both can, and
have, made it good. 'Tis I alone that have that wonderful juice with
which Memnon's daughter prolonged the youth of her grandfather Tithon.
I am that Venus by whose favor Phaon became so young again that Sappho
fell in love with him. Mine are those herbs, if yet there be any such,
mine those charms, and mine that fountain that not only restores
departed youth but, which is more desirable, preserves it perpetual.
And if you all subscribe to this opinion, that nothing is better
than youth or more execrable than age, I conceive you cannot but see
how much you are indebted to me, that have retained so great a good
and shut out so great an evil.
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