They who would be great in our little government seem as ridiculous to me
as schoolboys whoclimb a crab- tree, venturing
their necks for fruit which solid pigs would disdain if
they were not starving.
-JohnWilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester c.1676 Letter to Henry Savile. InTheLetters ofJohnWilmot,
Earl of Rochester, edited
byJeremyTreglown (1980).