the essays of montaigne, v16-第1章

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The　Essays　of　Montaigne；　V16

by　Michel　de　Montaigne

Translated　by　Charles　Cotton

Edited　by　William　Carew　Hazilitt

1877







CONTENTS　OF　VOLUME　16。

VI。　　　　　　　Of　Coaches。
VII。　　　　　　Of　the　Inconvenience　of　Greatness。
VIII。　　　　　Of　the　Art　of　Conference。



CHAPTER　VI

OF　COACHES

It　is　very　easy　to　verify；　that　great　authors；　when　they　write　of　causes；
not　only　make　use　of　those　they　think　to　be　the　true　causes；　but　also　of
those　they　believe　not　to　be　so；　provided　they　have　in　them　some　beauty
and　invention：　they　speak　true　and　usefully　enough；　if　it　be　ingeniously。
We　cannot　make　ourselves　sure　of　the　supreme　cause；　and　therefore　crowd　a
great　many　together；　to　see　if　it　may　not　accidentally　be　amongst　them：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Namque　unam　dicere　causam
　　　　　　　　　　Non　satis　est；　verum　plures；　unde　una　tamen　sit。〃

　　　　　＇Lucretius；　vi。　704。　The　sense　is　in　the　preceding　passage。＇

Do　you　ask　me；　whence　comes　the　custom　of　blessing　those　who　sneeze？
We　break　wind　three　several　ways；　that　which　sallies　from　below　is　too
filthy；　that　which　breaks　out　from　the　mouth　carries　with　it　some
reproach　of　gluttony；　the　third　is　sneezing；　which；　because　it　proceeds
from　the　head　and　is　without　offence；　we　give　it　this　civil　reception：　do
not　laugh　at　this　distinction；　they　say　'tis　Aristotle's。

I　think　I　have　seen　in　Plutarch'　（who　of　all　the　authors　I　know；　is　he
who　has　best　mixed　art　with　nature；　and　judgment　with　knowledge）；　his
giving　as　a　reason　for　the；　rising　of　the　stomach　in　those　who　are　at
sea；　that　it　is　occasioned　by　fear；　having　first　found　out　some　reason　by
which　he　proves　that　fear　may　produce　such　an　effect。　　I；　who　am　very
subject　to　it；　know　well　that　this　cause　concerns　not　me；　and　I　know　it；
not　by　argument；　but　by　necessary　experience。　　Without　instancing　what
has　been　told　me；　that　the　same　thing　often　happens　in　beasts；　especially
hogs；　who　are　out　of　all　apprehension　of　danger；　and　what　an　acquaintance
of　mine　told　me　of　himself；　that　though　very　subject　to　it；　the
disposition　to　vomit　has　three　or　four　times　gone　off　him；　being　very
afraid　in　a　violent　storm；　as　it　happened　to　that　ancient：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Pejus　vexabar；　quam　ut　periculum　mihi　succurreret；〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃I　was　too　ill　to　think　of　danger。〃　（Or　the　reverse：）
　　　　　　　　　　〃I　was　too　frightened　to　be　ill。〃Seneca；　Ep。；　53。　2＇

I　was　never　afraid　upon　the　water；　nor　indeed　in　any　other　peril　（and　I
have　had　enough　before　my　eyes　that　would　have　sufficed；　if　death　be
one）；　so　as　to　be　astounded　to　lose　my　judgment。　　Fear　springs　sometimes
as　much　from　want　of　judgment　as　from　want　of　courage。　　All　the　dangers　I
have　been　in　I　have　looked　upon　without　winking；　with　an　open；　sound；　and
entire　sight；　and；　indeed；　a　man　must　have　courage　to　fear。　　It　formerly
served　me　better　than　other　help；　so　to　order　and　regulate　my　retreat；
that　it　was；　if　not　without　fear；　nevertheless　without　affright　and
astonishment；　it　was　agitated；　indeed；　but　not　amazed　or　stupefied。
Great　souls　go　yet　much　farther；　and　present　to　us　flights；　not　only
steady　and　temperate；　but　moreover　lofty。　　Let　us　make　a　relation　of　that
which　Alcibiades　reports　of　Socrates；　his　fellow　in　arms：　〃I　found　him；〃
says　he；　〃after　the　rout　of　our　army；　him　and　Lachez；　last　among　those
who　fled；　and　considered　him　at　my　leisure　and　in　security；　for　I　was
mounted　on　a　good　horse；　and　he　on　foot；　as　he　had　fought。　　I　took
notice；　in　the　first　place；　how　much　judgment　and　resolution　he　showed；
in　comparison　of　Lachez；　and　then　the　bravery　of　his　march；　nothing
different　from　his　ordinary　gait；　his　sight　firm　and　regular；　considering
and　judging　what　passed　about　him；　looking　one　while　upon　those；　and　then
upon　others；　friends　and　enemies；　after　such　a　manner　as　encouraged
those；　and　signified　to　the　others　that　he　would　sell　his　life　dear　to
any　one　who　should　attempt　to　take　it　from　him；　and　so　they　came　off；　for
people　are　not　willing　to　attack　such　kind　of　men；　but　pursue　those　they
see　are　in　a　fright。〃　　That　is　the　testimony　of　this　great　captain；　which
teaches　us；　what　we　every　day　experience；　that　nothing　so　much　throws　us
into　dangers　as　an　inconsiderate　eagerness　of　getting　ourselves　clear　of
them：

　　　　　〃Quo　timoris　minus　est；　eo　minus　ferme　periculi　est。〃

　　　　　＇〃When　there　is　least　fear；　there　is　for　the　most　part　least
　　　　　danger。〃Livy；　xxii。　5。＇

Our　people　are　to　blame　who　say　that　such　an　one　is　afraid　of　death；　when
they　would　express　that　he　thinks　of　it　and　foresees　it：　foresight　is
equally　convenient　in　what　concerns　us；　whether　good　or　ill。　　To　consider
and　judge　of　danger　is；　in　some　sort；　the　reverse　to　being　astounded。
I　do　not　find　myself　strong　enough　to　sustain　the　force　and　impetuosity
of　this　passion　of　fear；　nor　of　any　other　vehement　passion　whatever：　if　I
was　once　conquered　and　beaten　down　by　it；　I　should　never　rise　again　very
sound。　　Whoever　should　once　make　my　soul　lose　her　footing；　would　never
set　her　upright　again：　she　retastes　and　researches　herself　too
profoundly；　and　too　much　to　the　quick；　and　therefore　would　never　let　the
wound　she　had　received　heal　and　cicatrise。　　It　has　been　well　for　me　that
no　sickness　has　yet　discomposed　her：　at　every　charge　made　upon　me；　I
preserve　my　utmost　opposition　and　defence；　by　which　means　the　first　that
should　rout　me　would　keep　me　from　ever　rallying　again。　　I　have　no　after…
game　to　play：　on　which　side　soever　the　inundation　breaks　my　banks；　I　lie
open；　and　am　drowned　without　remedy。　　Epicurus　says；　that　a　wise　man　can
never　become　a　fool；　I　have　an　opinion　reverse　to　this　sentence；　which
is；　that　he　who　has　once　been　a　very　fool；　will　never　after　be　very　wise。
God　grants　me　cold　according　to　my　cloth；　and　passions　proportionable　to
the　means　I　have　to　withstand　them：　nature　having　laid　me　open　on　the　one
side；　has　covered　me　on　the　other；　having　disarmed　me　of　strength；　she
has　armed　me　with　insensibility　and　an　apprehension　that　is　regular；　or；
if　you　will；　dull。

I　cannot　now　long　endure　（and　when　I　was　young　could　much　less）　either
coach；　litter；　or　boat；　and　hate　all　other　riding　but　on　horseback；　both
in　town　and　country。　　But　I　can　bear　a　litter　worse　than　a　coach；　and；　by
the　same　reason；　a　rough　agitation　upon　the　water；　whence　fear　is
produced；　better　than　the　motions　of　a　calm。　　At　the　little　jerks　of
oars；　stealing　the　vessel　from　under　us；　I　find；　I　know　not　how；　both　my
head　and　my　stomach　disordered；　neither…can　I　endure　to　sit　upon　a
tottering　chair。　　When　the　sail　or　the　current　carries　us　equally；　or
that　we　are　towed；　the　equal　agitation　does　not　disturb　me　at　all；　'tis
an　interrupted　motion　that　offends　me；　and　most　of　all　when　most　slow：　I
cannot　otherwise　express　it。　　The　physicians　have　ordered　me　to　squeeze
and　gird　myself　about　the　bottom　of　the　belly　with　a　napkin　to　remedy
this　evil；　which　however　I　have　not　tried；　being　accustomed　to　wrestle
with　my　own　defects；　and　overcome　them　myself。

Would　my　memory　serve　me；　I　should　not　think　my　time　ill　spent　in　setting
down　here　the　infinite　variety　that　history　presents　us　of　the　use　of
chariots　in　the　service　of　war：　various；　according　to　the　nations　and
according　to　the　age；　in　my　opinion；　of　great　necessity　and　effect；　so
that　it　is　a　wonder　that　we　have　lost　all　knowledge　of　them。　　I　will　only
say　this；　that　very　lately；　in　our　fathers'　time；　the　Hungarians　made
very　advantageous　use　of　them　against　the　Turks；　having　in　every　one　of
them　a　targetter　and　a　musketeer；　and　a　number　of　harquebuses　piled　ready
and　loaded；　and　all　covered　with　a　pavesade　like　a　galliot　＇Canvas
spread　along　the　side　of　a　ship　of　war；　in　action　to　screen　the　movements
of　those　on　board。＇　　They　formed　the　front　of　their　battle　with　three
thousand　such　coaches；　and　after　the　cannon　had　played；　made　them　all
pour　in　their　shot　upon　the　enemy；　who　had　to　swallow　that　volley　before
they　tasted　of　the　rest；　which　was　no　little　advance；　and　that　done；
these　chariots　charged　into　their　squadrons　to　break　them　and　open　a　way
for　the　rest；　besides　the　use　they　might　make　of　them　to　flank　the
soldiers　in　a　place　of　danger　when　marching　to　the　field；　or　to　cover　a
post；　and　fortify　it　in　haste。　　In　my　time；　a　gentleman　on　one　of　our
frontiers；　unwieldy　of　body；　and　finding　no　horse　able　to　carry　his
weight；　having　a　quarrel；　rode　through　the　country　in　a　chariot　of　this
fashion；　and　found　great　convenience　in　it。　　But　let　us　leave　these
chariots　of　war。

As　if　their　effeminacy　＇Which　Cotton　translates：　〃as　if　the
insignificancy　of　coaches。〃　＇had　not　been　sufficiently　known　by　better
proofs；　the　last　kings　of　our　first　race　travelled　in　a　chariot　drawn　by
four　oxen。　　Marc　Antony　was　the　first　at　Rome　who　caused　himself　to　be
drawn　in　a　coach　by　lions；　and　a　singing　wench　with　him。

　　　　　＇Cytheris；　the　Roman　courtezan。Plutarch's　Life　of　Antony；　c。　3。
　　　　　This；　was　the　same　person　who　is　introduced　by　Gallus　under　the　name
　　　　　of　Lycoris。　　Gallus　doubtless　knew　her　personally。＇

Heliogabalus　did　since　as　much；　calling　himself　Cybele；　the　mother　of　the
gods；　and　also　drawn　by　tigers；　taking　upon　him　the　person　of　the　god
Bacchus；　he　also　sometimes　harnessed　two　stags　to　his　coach；　another　time
four　dogs；　and　another　four　naked　wenches；　causing　himself　to　be　drawn　by
them　in　pomp；　stark　naked　too。　　The　Emperor　Firmus　caused　his　chariot　to
be　drawn　by　ostriches　of　a　prodigious　size；　so　that　it　seemed　rather　to
fly　than　roll。

The　strangeness　of　these　inventions　puts　this　other　fancy　in　my　head：
that　it　is　a　kind　of　pusillanimity　in　monarchs；　and　a　testimony　that　they
do　not　sufficiently　understand　themselves　what　they　are；　when　they　study
to　make　themselves　honoured　and　to　appear　great　by　excessive　expense：　it
were　indeed　excusable　in　a　foreign　country；　but　amongst　their　own
subjects；　where　they　are　in　sovereign　command；　and　may　do　what　they
please；　it　derogates　from　their　dignity　the　most　supreme　degree　of　honour
to　which　they　can　arrive：　just　as；　methinks；　it　is　superfluous　in　a
private　gentleman　to　go　finely　dressed　at　home；　his　house；　his
attendants；　and　his　kitchen　sufficiently　answer　for　him。　　The　advice　that
Isocrates　gives　his　king　seems　to　be　grounded　upon　reason：　that　he　should
be　splendid　in　plate　and　furniture；　forasmuch　as　it　is　an　expense　of
duration　that　devolves　on　his　successors；　and　that　he　should　avoid　all
magnificences　that　will　in　a　short　time　be　forgotten。　　I　loved　to　go　fine
when　I　was　a　younger　brother；　for　want　of　other　ornament；　and　it　became
me　well：　there　are　some　upon　whom　their　rich　clothes　weep：　We　have
strange　stories　of　the　frugality　of　our　kings　about　their　own　persons　and
in　their　gifts：　kings　who　were　great　in　reputation；　valour；　and　fortune。
Demosthenes　vehemently　opposes　the　law　of　his　city　that　assigned　the
public　money　for　the　pomp　of　their　public　plays　and　festivals：　he　would
that　their　greatness　should　be　seen　in　numbers　of　ships　well　equipped；
and　good　armies　well　provided　for；　and　there　is　good　reason　to　condemn
Theophrastus；　who；　in　his　Book　on　Riches；　establishes　a　contrary　opinion；
and　maintains　that　sort　of　expense　to　be　the　true　fruit　of　abundance。
They　are　delights；　say