321. Children are astonished to see their comrades respected.

322. To be of noble birth is a great advantage. In eighteen years it places
a man within the select circle, known and respected, as another have merited
in fifty years. It is a gain of thirty years without trouble.

323. What is the Ego?

Suppose a man puts himself at a window to see those who pass by. If I pass
by, can I say that he placed himself there to see me? No; for he does not
think of me in particular. But does he who loves someone on account of
beauty really love that person? No; for the small-pox, which will kill
beauty without killing the person, will cause him to love her no more.

And if one loves me for my judgement, memory, he does not love me, for I can
lose these qualities without losing myself. Where, then, is this Ego, if it
be neither in the body nor in the soul? And how love the body or the soul,
except for these qualities which do not constitute me, since they are
perishable? For it is impossible and would be unjust to love the soul of a
person in the abstract and whatever qualities might be therein. We never,
then, love a person, but only qualities.

Let us, then, jeer no more at those who are honoured on account of rank and
office; for we love a person only on account of borrowed qualities.

324. The people have very sound opinions, for example:

1. In having preferred diversion and hunting to poetry. The half-learned
laugh at it, and glory in being above the folly of the world; but the people
are right for a reason which these do not fathom.

2. In having distinguished men by external marks, as birth or wealth. The
world again exults in showing how unreasonable this is; but it is very
reasonable. Savages laugh at an infant king.

3. In being offended at a blow, or in desiring glory so much. But it is very
desirable on account of the other essential goods