Pagina 187 de 734

It is not easy for the Liberal man to be rich, since he is

neither apt to receive nor to keep but to lavish, and values not

wealth for its own sake but with a view to giving it away. Hence

it is commonly charged upon fortune that they who most deserve to

be rich are least so. Yet this happens reasonably enough; it is

impossible he should have wealth who does not take any care to

have it, just as in any similar case.

Yet he will not give to improper people, nor at wrong times, and

so on: because he would not then be acting in accordance with

Liberality, and if he spent upon such objects, would have nothing

to spend on those on which he ought: for, as I have said before,

he is Liberal who spends in proportion to his means, and on

proper objects, while he who does so in excess is prodigal (this

is the reason why we never call despots prodigal, because it does

not seem to be easy for them by their gifts and expenditure to go

beyond their immense possessions).