this hath conquered thee; like unto that shrewd wife in Hesiodus,
Who burns a man without a match
Or brand of scorching fire,
And driveth him to gray old age
Before that time require,
causing thy soul (as it were) to be full of rivels and hoary hairs before time, bringing with it carking cares and tedious travels proceeding from the love of money, and a world of affairs without any repose, whereby that alacrity, cheerfulness, worship, and sociable courtesy which ought to be in a man are decayed and faded clean to nothing.
But what mean you, sir, by all this? (will some one haply say unto me). See you not how there be some that bestow their wealth liberally with credit and reputation? Unto whom I answer thus: Have you never heard what Aristotle said? That as some there are who have no use at all of their goods, so there be others who abuse the same; as if he should say: Neither the one nor other was seemly and as it ought to be: for as those get neither profit nor honour by their riches, so these sustain loss and shame thereby. But let us consider a little what is the use of these riches which are thus much esteemed: Is it not (I pray you) to have those things which are necessary for nature? but these who are so rich and wealthy above the rest, what have they more to content nature than those who live in a mean and competent estate? Certes, riches (as Theophrastus saith) is not so great a matter that we should love and admire it so much, if it be true that Callias, the wealthiest person in all Athens, and Ismenias, the richest citizen of Thebes, use the same things that Socrates and Epaminondas did. For like as Agathon banished the flute, comet, and such other pipes from the solemn feasts of men, and sent them to women in their solemnities, supposing that the discourses of men who are present at the table are sufficient to entertain mirth; even so may he as well rid away out of houses, hangings, coverlets and carpets of purple, costly and sumptuous tables, and all such superfluities, who seeth that the great rich worldlings use the very same that poorer men do. I would not as Hesiodus saith:
That plough or helm should hang in smoke to dry.
Or painful tillage now be laid aside,
Nor works of ox and mule for ever die,
Who serve our turns to draw, to till, to ride;
