0. Gracian (1584-1658) was a Spanish prose
writer and Jesuit, whose works deal chiefly with the observation
of character in the various phenomena of life. Schopenhauer, among
others, had a great admiration for his worldly philosophy, and
translated his _Oraculo manual_--a system of rules for the conduct of
life--into German. The same book was translated into English towards
the close of the seventeenth century.]

To show your intelligence and discernment is only an indirect way of
reproaching other people for being dull and incapable. And besides, it
is natural for a vulgar man to be violently agitated by the sight of
opposition in any form; and in this case envy comes in as the secret
cause of his hostility. For it is a matter of daily observation that
people take the greatest pleasure in that which satisfies their
vanity; and vanity cannot be satisfied without comparison with others.
Now, there is nothing of which a man is prouder than of intellectual
ability, for it is this that gives him his commanding place in the
animal world. It is an exceedingly rash thing to let any one see that
you are decidedly superior to him in this respect, and to let other
people see it too; because he will then thirst for vengeance, and
generally look about for an opportunity of taking it by means of
insult, because this is to pass from the sphere of _intellect_ to
that of _will_--and there, all are on an equal footing as regards the
feeling of hostility. Hence, while rank and riches may always reckon
upon deferential treatment in society, that is something which
intellectual ability can never expect; to be ignored is the greatest
favor shown to it; and if people notice it at all, it is because they
regard it as a piece of impertinence, or else as something to which
its possessor has no legitimate right, and upon which he dares to
pride himself; and in retaliation and revenge for his conduct, people
secretly try and humiliate him in some other way; and if they wait to
do this, it is only for a fitting opportunity. A man may be as humble
as possible in his demeanor, and yet hardly ever get people to
overlook his crime in standing intellectually above them. In the
_Garden of Roses_, Sadi makes the remark:--_You should know that
foolish people are a hundredfold more averse to meeting the wise than
the wise are indisposed for the company of the foolish_.

On the other hand, it is a real recommendation to be stupid. For just
as warmth is ag