A man should either be born a king or an idiot, he should be at the top, or at the bottom of the wheel of fortune; at the least, there are men so ambitious, of such high and daring spirits, that they will venture every thing, their fortunes, and their lives, to attain to the highest rank in their country. They will be, «aut Caesar, aut nullus», either kings or beggars. O rico, o pinjada, rich, or hanged, neck, or nothing. Milton makes Lucifer say,
«To reign is worth ambition, though in hell.
Better to reign in hell, than serve in heaven».
But the adage seems to have a special reference to the respect usually paid to idiots. In Turkey, and in other parts of the east, they were held in such veneration, that it was thought to be no less than a sin to oppose, or control them in anything they were disposed to do. They had therefore equal liberty with kings, who say and do whatever they please. To a late period, it was usual with the nobles, in this, as well as in other countries of Europe, to entertain in their houses a fool, for their diversion, who often took the liberty of reproving their masters for their follies, and in much freer language than any other persons were permitted to use. When Jaques, in As you like it, proposed putting on a fool's coat, he says, «[...]I must have liberty Withal, as large a charter as the wind, To blow on whom I please; for so fools have». May it be added, what is currently said, Fools are fortunate. They also may be said to be happy, as they neither anticipate evil, nor even feel the full pressure of it when present. Dieu aide à trois sortes de personnes, aux fous, aux enfans, et aux ivrognes. God protects three sorts of persons, fools, infants, and drunkards, the latter rarely falling, it is said, into any danger, even when full of drink. The French also say, Tete de fou ne blanchit jamais, the head of the fool never becomes grey, which is probably not better founded than the former observation.