Pagina 183 de 734

Besides, thanks are given to him who gives, not to him who merely

forbears to receive, and praise even more. Again, forbearing to

receive is easier than giving, the case of being too little

freehanded with one's own being commoner than taking that which

is not one's own.

And again, it is they who give that are denominated Liberal,

while they who forbear to receive are commended, not on the score

of Liberality but of just dealing, while for receiving men are

not, in fact, praised at all.

And the Liberal are liked almost best of all virtuous characters,

because they are profitable to others, and this their

profitableness consists in their giving.