Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/158

136 of all things cannot abide to see their own life, as being unto them the most unpleasant sight of all others; neither love they to bend and turn their reason as a light to their own selves: but their mind being full of all sorts of evil, fearing and ready to quake for to behold what things are within, leapeth forth (as one would say) out of doors, and goeth wandering to and fro, searching into the deeds and words of other men, and by this means feedeth and fatteth (as it were) her own malicious naughtiness. For like as a hen many times, having meat enough within house set before her, loveth to go into some comer, and there keepeth a-pecking and scraping of the ground,

To find perhaps one seely barley corn As she was wont on dunghill heretoforn;

even so these busy polypragmons, passing by those ordinary speeches and matters which are exposed and open for every man; not regarding (I say) the reports and narrations which are free for each one to discourse of, and which neither any man hath to do, to forbid and warn them for to ask and inquire of, nor will be displeased if peradventure he should be demanded and asked the question of them, go up and down in the meantime to gather and learn all the secret and hidden evils of every house. Certes, a pretty answer it was of an Egyptian, and pertinent to the purpose, who when one asked him what it was that he carried covered all over, and so enwrapped within a cloth: Marry (quoth he), covered it is even for this cause, that thou shouldest not know what it is: And thou likewise, that art so busy, why dost thou intermeddle in that which is concealed? Be sure that if there were no evil therein, kept close it should not be.

And verily, it is not the manner and custom for anybody to enter boldly into the house of another man, without knocking at the door; for which purpose we use porters in these days; whereas in old time there were rings and hammers which served the turn, and by rapping at the gates, gave warning to those within, to the end that no stranger might meet the mistress at unawares in the hall or middes of the house; or come suddenly upon a virgin or young damosel her daughter, and find her out of her chamber; or take some of the servants a-beating, or the wenches and chamber-maids chiding and scolding aloud: whereas a busy fellow loveth alife to step secretly into a house, for to see and hear such disorders; and you shall never know him willingly to come and see an honest house and well governed