Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/92

70 to the worse and lighter end of the balance, and make it weigh downe on the purse side, soon excluding and cutting off all shame for the matter: What, man! (will he say), spare your purse and save your silver; you are at a great charge; you keep a great house, and have many about you which must be maintained and have sufficient; in such sort, that if we be not altogether ignorant of ourselves, and wilfully blind, not seeing that we be covetous, shameless, timorous and base-minded, we cannot choose but start and find out a flatterer; neither is it possible that he should escape us. For surely he will evermore defend and maintain these imperfections, and frankly will he speak his mind in favour thereof, if he perceive us to over-pass ourselves therein. But thus much may suffice as touching these matters.

Let us come now to the uses and services that a flatterer is employed in: For in such offices he doth confound, trouble, and darken much the difference between him and a true friend; shewing himself in appearance always diligent, ready and prompt in all occurrences, without seeking any colourable pretences of shifting off, and a refusing to do anything. As for a faithful friend, his whole carriage and behaviour is simple, like as be the words of truth, as saith Euripides, without welts and guards, plain without plaits, and nothing counterfeit: whereas the conditions of a flatterer, to say a truth,

By nature are diseased much, And medicines needful are for such,

not only with wisdom to be ministered and applied, but also many in number, and those (I assure you) of a more exquisite making and composition than any other. And verily as friends many times when they meet one another in the street, pass by without good-morrow or god-speed, or any word at all between them; only by some lightsome look, cheerful smile, or amiable regard of the eye reciprocally given and taken, without any other token else, there is testified the goodwill and mutual affection of the heart within: whereas the flatterer runneth toward his friend to meet him, followeth apace at his heels, spreadeth forth both his arms abroad, and that afar off, to embrace him: and if it chance that he be saluted and spoken to first, because the other had an eye on him before, he will with brave words excuse himself, yea, and many times call for witnesses, and bind it with great oaths good store, that he saw him not.