Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/374

370 FAMILIAR COLLOQUIES. laid for theft or sacrilege ; if it be in your power mitigate it, and let it be laid for a trespass, and by this means you may ease the defendant and do no injury to the plain tiff. In short, moderate every cause so that without injuring the plaintiff you may seem to act justly to the defendant ; and lastly, make the condemned person's sentence as easy aa may be. And all the while take care to avoid surly looks, or sour or morose words, for they often are the cause that some persons will owe you more ill-will for doing them a courtesy than others shall for denying them one. Sometimes you ought to admonish a friend ; but if there are no hopes of his being the better by it, it is better to be silent. If it be a weighty case, and there be any hope of doing good, then it is of great moment what the admonition is ; for it often falls out that admonition, being either unhandsome or unseasonable, exasperates the disease, and makes a friend an enemy. But this dexterity is most necessary if you admonish a prince, for sometimes it falls out that their humours must be contradicted ; and if it be done pleasantly and wittily, afterwards they that contradicted have greater thanks given them than they that soothed them. For that which is grateful to the passion is of short continuance, but what is done with reason is approved always ; for the far greater part of ill-will arises from the unruliness of the tongue. How much mischief does sometimes a single word bring upon some persons'? how many has an ill-timed jest brought to ruin 1 ? Therefore, when you commend any person, let it be those that are worthy and sparingly ; but be more sparing in reflecting on any one, if you do reflect at all. And then, again, you must avoid talkativeness, for it is a very hard matter to talk much, and to the purpose.

Ph. I agree to all these things ; but, in my opinion, the chief way of making one's name famous is to write books. Sy. You say very light; it is, were it not that there are so many authors. But if you are for doing it that way, take care you write with a great deal of exactness rather than much; and, in the first place, choose some argument that is not common, that has been touched on but by very few, and such a one that is not of an invidious nature ; and bestow upon it all the curious observations that you have been collecting for many years, and then treat on it in such a manner that may be both profitable and pleasant. Ph. You give me very prudent advice, and such as would be to my satisfaction, if you went one step farther, and told me how I might attain this glory quickly too; for I see a great many that do not grow famous till they are going out of the world, and othei's not till they are gone out of it. Sy. As to that I have no better advice to give you than that which the fiddler gave his fellow, See that you approve yourself to those that have already attained such a glory as has repelled envy. Let yourself into the familiarity of such persons whose good word will gain you esteem with the populace.

Ph. But if, notwithstanding all this, I be attacked with envy, what remedy do you prescribe 1 Sy. Then do as they do who boil pitch : if it catch fire they pour water upon it, and then it will rage and crackle more if you do not keep on doing so. Ph. What sort of riddle is that 1 Sy. When you perceive envy arising, rather overcome it by benefits than revenge. Hercules was never the better for cutting off the hydra's heads; it was by the Greek fire that he overcame the destroying monster. Ph. But what is that you call the Greek fire 1