It is intolerable that a silly fool, with nothing but empty birth to boast of, should in his insolence array himself in the merits of others, and vaunt an honour which does not belong to him. _Boileau._ 240. Ask not a man who his father was but make trial of his qualities, and then conciliate or reject him accordingly. For it is no disgrace to new wine, if only it be sweet, as to its taste, that it was the juice [or daughter] of sour grapes. _Arabic._ 241. The sun opens the lotuses, the moon illumines the beds of water-lilies, the cloud pours forth its water unasked: even so the liberal of their own accord are occupied in benefiting others. _Bhartrihari._ 242. We blame equally him who is too proud to put a proper value on his own merit and him who prizes too highly his spurious worth. _Goethe._ 243. Men are so simple, and yield so much to necessity, that he who will deceive may always find him that will lend himself to be deceived. _Machiavelli._ 244. Obstinate silence implies either a mean opinion of ourselves, or a contempt for our company; and it is the more provoking, as others do not know to which of these causes to attribute it—whether humility or pride. _Hazlitt._ 245. If thou desire not to be poor, desire not to be too rich. He is rich, not that possesses much, but he that covets no more; and he is poor, not that enjoys little, but he that wants too much. The contented mind wants nothing which it hath not; the covetous mind wants, not only what it hath not, but likewise what it hath. _Quarles._ 246. Those noble men who falsehood dread In wealth and glory ever grow, As flames with greater brightness glow With oil in ceaseless flow when fed. But like to flames with water drenched, Which, faintly flickering, die away, So liars day by day decay, Till all their lustre soon is quenched. _Sanskrit._ 247. Watch over thy expenditure, for he who through vain glory spendeth uselessly what he hath on empty follies, will receive neither return nor praise from anyone. _Firdausī._ 248. If thou art a man, speak not much about thine own manliness, for not every champion driveth the ball to the goal. _Sa’dī._ 249. The potter forms what he pleases with soft clay, so a man accomplishes his works by his own act. _Hitopadesa._ 250.