The first does much harm to
mankind, and a little good too, to some few. The second does good
to none; no, not to himself. The first can make no excuse to God,
or angels, or rational men for his actions. The second can give no
reason or colour, not to the devil himself, for what he does: he is
a slave to Mammon without wages. The first makes a shift to be
beloved; aye, and envied, too, by some people. The second is the
universal object of hatred and contempt. There is no vice has been
so pelted with good sentences, and especially by the poets, who have
pursued it with stories and fables, and allegories and allusions;
and moved, as we say, every stone to fling at it, among all which, I
do not remember a more fine and gentlemen-like correction than that
which was given it by one line of Ovid's.
Desunt luxuriae malta, avaritiae omnia.
Much is wanting to luxury; all to avarice
To which saying I have a mind to add one member and render it thus:-
Poverty wants some, luxury many, avarice all things.
Somebody says of a virtuous and wise man, that having nothing, he
has all. This is just his antipode, who, having all things, yet has
nothing.
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