The History of Court Fools

“I believe that a volume might be very respectably filled with illustrations of the identity of philosopher, or poet, and fool,— in the sense of licensed court wit. My readers will probably be satisfied with a few rather than with a volume-full of proofs. Thus, it will be remembered that it was rather a perilous matter to joke with or to convey rough truths to the mind of the great Alexander. But his favourite philosopher, the light-hearted Anaxarchus, was able to do both, with impunity. What a necessary but disagreeable truth did he impress on his royal master, when the latter was bleeding from a recently received wound. Ah! exclaimed the philosopher, pointing to the place, that shows that, after all, you are only a man, and not a god, as people call you, and as you would like to believe.”