[Sidenote: For, as Aristotle says, if a man were lynx-eyed and could look into the entrails of Alcibiades (so fair outwardly) he would find all foul and loathsome.] For so as aristotil telleþ þat yif þat men hadden eyen of a beest þat hiȝt lynx. so þat þe lokyng of folk myȝt[e] percen þoruȝ þe þinges þ{a}t wiþstonden it. who so lokid 2236 þan in þe entrailes of þe body of alcibiades þat was ful fayr in þe sup{er}fice wiþ oute. it shulde seme ryȝt foule. [Sidenote: Thy nature does not make thee seem beautiful, but the imperfect view of thy admirers.] {and} for þi yif þou semest faire. þi nature ne makiþ nat þat. but þe desceiuau{n}ce of þe fieblesse of þe 2240 eyen þat loken. [Sidenote: Prize bodily perfections as much as you will, yet a three days’ fever will destroy them.] ¶ But p{re}ise þe goodes of þi body as moche as euer þe list. so þat þou know[e] algates þat what so it be. þat is to seyn of þe goodes of þi body whiche þat þ{o}u wondrest vpon may ben destroied or 2244 dessolued by þe hete of a feuere of þre dayes. ¶ Of alle whiche forseide þinges I may reduce{n} þis shortly in a so{m}me. [Sidenote: Worldly goods do not give what they promise, do not comprise every good, are not the paths to felicity, nor can of themselves make any one happy.] ¶ þat þise worldly goodes whiche þat ne mowen nat ȝiuen þat þei byheten. ne ben nat p{er}fit by 2248 þe congregac{i}ou{n} of alle goodes. þat þei ne ben nat weyes ne paþes þat bryngen men to blysfulnesse ne maken men to ben blysful. [Linenotes: 2203 _nis_--is 2204 _mysledyng_--mysledynges 2205 _folke_--folk 2208 _enforcest_--MS. enforced, C. enforcest 2209 _haþ_--MS. haþe _wilt_--wolt 2211 _ȝiuen_--yeuen 2212 _gon_--MS. gone, C. gon _by-fore_--byforn _shalt_--shal 2213 _by_--thorw 2214 _by_--be _be_--ben 2216 _destrat_--MS. destralle, C. destrat _forgone_--forgoon 2217 _wilt_--wolt 2218 _whiȝt_--wyht 2219 _foule_--fowl [_to_]--from C. 2220 _yseen_--seen 2221 _brutel_--brotel 2222 _owen_--owne 2224 _weyȝt_--weyhty _strenger_--strenger{e} 2225 _swifter_--swyfter{e} _biholde_--by-hold 2227 _stynte_--stynt 2228 _whiche_--whych 2230 _whiche_--wych 2231 _seien_--seyn 2234 _as_--omitted 2235 _hiȝt_--hyhte _myȝt[e]_--myhte 2237 _alcibiades_--MS. alcidiades 2238 _fayr_--fayr{e} _þe_--omitted _shulde_--sholde 2239 _foule_--fowl _faire_--fayr _ne_--omitted 2240 _desceiuaunce of þe fieblesse_--deceyuable or the feblesse 2242 _moche_--mochel _know[e]_--knowe 2243 _þe_--omitted _þi body whiche_--the body whych 2247 _a_--omitted] [Headnote: MEN PURSUE FALSE JOYS.]