Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/372

368 FAMILIAR COLLOQUIES. with themselves. For constancy has so great an efficacy that they who are naturally of a bad temper are the easier borne with for this reason, because they always act like themselves ; for as soon as the disguise is seen through, even things that have been well acted become displeasing. And besides, that which is done under a colour cannot be kept always concealed ; it will come out one time or other, and whenever it does, all the gay appearance drops off and becomes a mere jest.

Ph. If I take in your intention, you would have one depart as little as may be from nature, but not at all from integrity (that which is honest is honourable). Sy. You are right ; and besides, you know very well that whatsoever grows famous on a sudden lies exposed to envy. And thence comes the odious name of an upstart, called by the Greeks vtoirXovTOQ ; and by the Romans, novus homo ; and by both terras filii [sons of the earth] and ccelo delapsi [dropped out of the clouds]. But that reputation that springs up gently, and grows gradually, as on the one side it is less liable to envy, so on the other it is commonly more durable; as the witty poet Horace intimates, saying, Crescit occulto velut arbor evo fama Marcelli (Marcellus's fame grows insensibly like a tree). So that if you would obtain glory that is true, lasting, and as little as may be obnoxious to envy, mind what Socrates says, that it often happens that they who make the most haste at first setting out come latest to their journey's end.

Ph. But the life of man is very short. Sy. For that reason we should use expedition towards good deeds, and not glory ; and that will follow necessarily of its own accord. For I suppose what you inquire after is not how you may live long, for that is in the breasts of the destinies, who draw out and cut off the thread of life at their pleasure. Ph. I wish you could do that too. Sy. O Philodoxus ! God has never been so bountiful as to give all to one man : what one wants in years is often made up in honour. There are, indeed, some, but those very few, to whom he is so bountiful that while they are alive and as it were in being, they enjoy the fruits of posterity; though they are but few that the just God loves. Perhaps some of a divine descent have attained this ; but this felicity does not fall under our consideration. Ph. I have often admired whether it is by the malignity of nature or fortune, that no conveniencies happen to mankind without being alloyed with some inconvenience. Sy. My friend, what then have we to do but, as we are of human race, to endeavour to bear our human condition with a contented mind 1 And it will not a little conduce to moderate envy, if you do but look thoroughly into the dispositions of nations, of bodies of men, and single persons ; as they do who make it their business to tame and feed beasts ; for such persons make it their chief study to find out by what things the animal is made fierce or becomes tame. I do not at present speak of the difference between a bird and a four-footed beast, between a serpent and a fish, or between the eagle and the vulture, between the elephant and the horse, between the dolphin and the porpoise, between a viper and an asp ; but of the innumerable variety that is between all kinds of animals. Ph. I would fain hear what you drive at. Sy. All dogs are contained under one species, but this species is divei-sified into innumerable forms, so that you would say they were so many distinct genera, rather than one species : for in the same species, what a great variety is there of