Part

 1 Pref  |           sport with the praise of folly. But who the devil put that
 2 Pref  |           so near the word Moriae (folly) as you are far from the
 3 Pref  |          own cause, I have praised folly, but not altogether foolishly.
 4 Pref  |     dishonor to be discommended by Folly; and having brought her
 5 Praise|                      THE PRAISE OF FOLLY~An oration, of feigned matter,~
 6 Praise|          feigned matter,~spoken by Folly in her own person~At what
 7 Praise|        ignorant what an ill report Folly has got, even among the
 8 Praise|         dear self, that is to say, Folly. Nor do I esteem a rush
 9 Praise|         what can be more than that Folly be her own trumpet? For
10 Praise|         has set out the praises of Folly; when yet there has not
11 Praise|   Stultitia, and our plain English Folly. Or what need was there
12 Praise|          can so great a goddess as Folly be known to her disciples?
13 Praise|         some time commit an act of folly and dotage. In fine, that
14 Praise|          so little wit, or so much folly, or wisdom rather, as to
15 Praise|          pleasure, that is to say, folly? For the proof of which
16 Praise|             but this witchcraft of folly, which wise Nature did of
17 Praise|           the proverb, that says, “Folly is the only thing that keeps
18 Praise|          all but so many pieces of Folly. And to what purpose should
19 Praise|           as it were, seasoning of Folly. For since according to
20 Praise|        reason, and on the contrary Folly, to be given up to the will
21 Praise|      seasoned and sweetened by her folly. For in that Plato seems
22 Praise|          than to show the apparent folly of the sex. For if perhaps
23 Praise|         myself, being a woman, and Folly too, have attributed folly
24 Praise|         Folly too, have attributed folly to them. For if they weigh
25 Praise|    acknowledge that they owe it to folly that they are more fortunate
26 Praise|         have they to men than this folly? For what is it they do
27 Praise|        pleasure? Wherein yet their folly is not the least thing that
28 Praise|           never any pleasant which folly gave not the relish to.
29 Praise|           is such that the more of folly they have, the more they
30 Praise|           least the next degree to folly? What is it when one kisses
31 Praise|           is this, I say, but mere folly? And so, perhaps you’ll
32 Praise|   euetheian? And you may render by folly or good nature, choose you
33 Praise|          with some small relish of folly.~And now you’d think I had
34 Praise|           is not more foolish than Folly. And yet, if you should
35 Praise|            men that is not full of folly, and that too from fools
36 Praise|         the skies. In a word, this folly is that that laid the foundation
37 Praise|           not a kind of pastime of folly.~But to speak of arts, what
38 Praise|          you owe this advantage to folly, and which is the most delectable
39 Praise|            attempt. But from these folly sufficiently frees us, and
40 Praise|            but under the banner of Folly. And first ’tis agreed of
41 Praise|        that our passions belong to Folly; inasmuch as we judge a
42 Praise|           do so, he must owe it to folly.~But methinks I hear the
43 Praise|      common sense, that is to say, folly. Divines are half starved,
44 Praise|          the nearest affinity with folly, so are they most happy
45 Praise|        miserable than madness. But folly is the next degree, if not
46 Praise|            ranged in that class of folly that is peculiarly mine,
47 Praise|         saints but what belongs to folly? To examine it a little.
48 Praise|           anyone that had left his folly, or grown a hair’s breadth
49 Praise|       thanks for his recovery from folly; so sweet a thing it is
50 Praise|         pray against anything than folly.~But why do I launch out
51 Praise|          fools or all the names of folly, so thick do they swarm
52 Praise|         most men are so subject to folly. And therefore if the more
53 Praise|          had this advantage of her folly, that he obliged her as
54 Praise|       executioners. I am that only Folly that so readily and indifferently
55 Praise|            say, ever sacrificed to Folly or built me a temple. And
56 Praise|           so many several sorts of folly, and are every day so busy
57 Praise|         the benefit of the other’s folly, cannot without ingratitude
58 Praise|            an excellent thing this folly is, whose very counterfeit
59 Praise|           mingle our purposes with folly;” and whereas he adds the
60 Praise|           to God alone and leaving folly to all men else, and again, “
61 Praise|           else but an interlude of folly? In which he has added one
62 Praise|         mankind be concluded under folly. Again Solomon, Chapter
63 Praise|            confessing that without folly there is no pleasure in
64 Praise|         and knowledge, madness and folly.” Where, by the way, ’tis
65 Praise| evangelical precept.~Besides, that folly is more excellent than wisdom
66 Praise|            is of less account than folly, which he commands him to
67 Praise|            the man that hideth his folly than he that hideth his
68 Praise|           any dishonor to excel in folly.~But here I meet with a
69 Praise|        they cry, and well becoming Folly herself! The apostle’s meaning
70 Praise|        argument with the vizard of folly, “I speak like a fool,”
71 Praise|        author how great praises of folly; and to what other end,
72 Praise|       Saint Paul imputes a kind of folly even to God himself. “The
73 Praise|            the better relieve this folly, being the wisdom of the
74 Praise|           he carefully recommended folly but gave them a caution
75 Praise|          this other argument, that Folly is so gracious above that
76 Praise|          it yet with the excuse of folly. So Aaron, in Numbers, if
77 Praise|           colored his offense with folly and ignorance. And stronger
78 Praise|           but that I did it out of folly, not malice? And what of “
79 Praise|    allowable through the covert of folly? For us also makes that
80 Praise|            a kind of alliance with folly and in no respect to have
81 Praise|          but a kind of madness and folly; far be it that my words
82 Praise|          to consider that not only Folly but a woman said it; remembering
83 Praise|        most excellent disciples of Folly.~ ~ ~