Is not disease the rule of existence? There is not a lily pad floating on the river but has been riddled by insects. Almost every shrub and tree has its gall, oftentimes esteemed its chief ornament and hardly to be distinguished from the fruit. If misery loves company, misery has company enough. Now, at midsummer, find me a perfect leaf or fruit.

Summary

In this quote, the author suggests that disease and imperfection are natural and prevalent aspects of existence. They argue that nothing is exempt from this reality, as even the smallest lily pad in a river is infested with insects. Most plants also bear galls, which are seen as ornaments and sometimes mistaken for fruit. Therefore, the author concludes that if misery thrives on companionship, there is an abundance of misery in the world. The quote implies that perfection is scarce or even nonexistent during the peak of summer when finding an unblemished leaf or fruit is a challenging task.

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