Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/222

200 modest, and courteous person, subscribed in manner of a post-date under his letter thus: That which you read above, take it as written in the commendation of a man, that is to say, of a living creature by nature mutable.

Contrariwise, Xenocrates, although he were otherwise in his behaviour austere, yet being overcome and yielding to a kind of foolish modesty of his own, recommended in his letters unto Polysperchon a man of no worth or quality, as it proved afterwards by the sequel: Now when as that Macedonian lord bade the party welcome, and friendly gave him his hand, and withal used some words of course and compliment, demanding whether he had need of ought, and bidding him call for what he would; he made no more ado, but craved a whole talent of silver at his hands; which Polysperchon caused presently indeed to be weighed out unto him; but he dispatched his letters withal unto Xenocrates to this effect: That from thenceforth he should be more circumspect, and consider better whom he recommended unto him: and verily, herein only was the error of Xenocrates, for that he knew not the man for whom he wrote: but we oftentimes knowing well enough that they be lewd and naughty persons, yet are very forward with our commendatory letters; yea, and that which more is, our purse is open unto them; we are ready to put money into their hands, to our own hindrance and damage; not with any pleasure that we take, nor upon affection unto them, as they do who bestow their silver upon courtesans, pleasants, and flatterers to gratify them; but as displeased and discontented with their impudency, which overturneth our reason upside down, and forceth us to do against our own judgment, in such sort that if ever there were cause besides, we may by good reason say unto these bold and shameless beggars, that thus take vantage of our bashfulness:

namely, in bearing false witness, in pronouncing wrong judgment; in giving my voice at any election for an unworthy and unmeet person; or in putting my money into his hands, whom I know unsufficient, and who will never repay it. And therefore, of all passions this lewd and excessive modesty is that which is accompanied presently with repentance, and hath it not following afterwards as the rest: for at the very instant when we give away our money, we grieve; when we bear such witness, we blush; when we assist them and set to our helping hand, we