Just tell a man that he is merely

Following the opinions of another

And at once he flushes with anger;

And immediately he flushes with wrath.

And yet, all his life he is merely

Following others and flattering them.

His activity is made to agree with theirs;

His words and phrases are glossed

To win the approbation of the multitudes.

From first to last, from beginning to end,

He finds no fault with the views of majority.

He will let his own clothes hang down,

Just for displaying the colours on them.

He arranges his movements and bearing so

As to win the favour of his age, and yet

Not call himself a flatterer. He is but a follower

Of those others, approving and disapproving

As they do, and yet he says that he is not one of them.

This is the height of self-deceit, I dare to guess. . .