《后汉书·列传·荀韩钟陈列传》
史官评论说：汉朝自从中世以下，宦官专权，所以风俗就以隐身不仕，假装高尚，放言无制为高，一般士人如果不谈论这些，就要遭到普通人的讥笑。
谌早终。论曰：汉自中世以下，阉竖擅恣，故俗遂以遁身矫洁放言为高。士有不谈此者，则芸夫牧竖已叫呼之矣。
The official historian commented that since the middle age of the Han Dynasty, eunuchs have been in power, so the custom was to take refuge in obscurity, pretend to be noble, and talk nonsense as a virtue. If ordinary scholars did not talk about these things, they would be ridiculed by the common people.