Pagina 190 de 734

The two parts of Prodigality, to be sure, do not commonly go

together; it is not easy, I mean, to give to all if you receive

from none, because private individuals thus giving will soon find

their means run short, and such are in fact thought to be

prodigal. He that should combine both would seem to be no little

superior to the Stingy man: for he may be easily cured, both by

advancing in years, and also by the want of means, and he may

come thus to the mean: he has, you see, already the facts of the

Liberal man, he gives and forbears to receive, only he does

neither in right manner or well. So if he could be wrought upon

by habituation in this respect, or change in any other way, he

would be a real Liberal man, for he will give to those to whom he

should, and will forbear to receive whence he ought not. This is

the reason too why he is thought not to be low in moral

character, because to exceed in giving and in forbearing to

receive is no sign of badness or meanness, but only of folly.