the essays of montaigne, v16-第8章

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thing；　for　we　are　born　to　inquire　after　truth：　it　belongs　to　a　greater
power　to　possess　it。　　It　is　not；　as　Democritus　said；　hid　in　the　bottom　of
the　deeps；　but　rather　elevated　to　an　infinite　height　in　the　divine
knowledge。　　The　world　is　but　a　school　of　inquisition：　it　is　not　who　shall
enter　the　ring；　but　who　shall　run　the　best　courses。　　He　may　as　well　play
the　fool　who　speaks　true；　as　he　who　speaks　false；　for　we　are　upon　the
manner；　not　the　matter；　of　speaking。　　'Tis　my　humour　as　much　to　regard
the　form　as　the　substance；　and　the　advocate　as　much　as　the　cause；　as
Alcibiades　ordered　we　should：　and　every　day　pass　away　my　time　in　reading
authors　without　any　consideration　of　their　learning；　their　manner　is　what
I　look　after；　not　their　subject：　And　just　so　do　I　hunt　after　the
conversation　of　any　eminent　wit；　not　that　he　may　teach　me；　but　that　I　may
know　him；　and　that　knowing　him；　if　I　think　him　worthy　of　imitation；　I　may
imitate　him。　　Every　man　may　speak　truly；　but　to　speak　methodically；
prudently；　and　fully；　is　a　talent　that　few　men　have。　　The　falsity　that
proceeds　from　ignorance　does　not　offend　me；　but　the　foppery　of　it。　　I
have　broken　off　several　treaties　　that　would　have　been　of　advantage　to
me；　by　reason　of　the　impertinent　contestations　of　those　with　whom　I
treated。　　I　am　not　moved　once　in　a　year　at　the　faults　of　those　over　whom
I　have　authority；　but　upon　the　account　of　the　ridiculous　obstinacy　of
their　allegations；　denials；　excuses；　we　are　every　day　going　together　by
the　ears；　they　neither　understand　what　is　said；　nor　why；　and　answer
accordingly；　'tis　enough　to　drive　a　man　mad。　　I　never　feel　any　hurt　upon
my　head　but　when　'tis　knocked　against　another；　and　more　easily　forgive
the　vices　of　my　servants　than　their　boldness；　importunity；　and　folly；　let
them　do　less；　provided　they　understand　what　they　do：　you　live　in　hope　to
warm　their　affection　to　your　service；　but　there　is　nothing　to　be　had　or
to　be　expected　from　a　stock。

But　what；　if　I　take　things　otherwise　than　they　are？　　Perhaps　I　do；　and
therefore　it　is　that　I　accuse　my　own　impatience；　and　hold；　in　the　first
place；　that　it　is　equally　vicious　both　in　him　that　is　in　the　right；　and
in　him　that　is　in　the　wrong；　for　'tis　always　a　tyrannic　sourness　not　to
endure　a　form　contrary　to　one's　own：　and；　besides；　there　cannot；　in
truth；　be　a　greater；　more　constant；　nor　more　irregular　folly　than　to　be
moved　and　angry　at　the　follies　of　the　world；　for　it　principally　makes　us
quarrel　with　ourselves；　and　the　old　philosopher　never　wanted　an　occasion
for　his　tears　whilst　he　considered　himself。　　Miso；　one　of　the　seven
sages；　of　a　Timonian　and　Democritic　humour；　being　asked；　　〃what　he
laughed　at；　being　alone？〃〃That　I　do　laugh　alone；〃　answered　he。　　How
many　ridiculous　things；　in　my　own　opinion；　do　I　say　and　answer　every　day
that　comes　over　my　head？　　and　then　how　many　more；　according　to　the
opinion　of　others？　　If　I　bite　my　own　lips；　what　ought　others　to　do？　　In
fine；　we　must　live　amongst　the　living；　and　let　the　river　run　under　the
bridge　without　our　care；　or；　at　least；　without　our　interference。　　In
truth；　why　do　we　meet　a　man　with　a　hunch…back；　or　any　other　deformity；
without　being　moved；　and　cannot　endure　the　encounter　of　a　deformed　mind
without　being　angry？　　this　vicious　sourness　sticks　more　to　the　judge　than
to　the　crime。　　Let　us　always　have　this　saying　of　Plato　in　our　mouths：　〃Do
not　I　think　things　unsound；　because　I　am　not　sound　in　myself？　　Am　I　not
myself　in　fault？　　may　not　my　observations　reflect　upon　myself？〃a　wise
and　divine　saying；　that　lashes　the　most　universal　and　common　error　of
mankind。　　Not　only　the　reproaches　that　we　throw　in　the　face　of　one
another；　but　our　reasons　also；　our　arguments　and　controversies；　are
reboundable　upon　us；　and　we　wound　ourselves　with　our　own　weapons：　of
which　antiquity。　　has　left　me　enough　grave　examples。　　It　was　ingeniously
and　home…said　by　him；　who　was　the　inventor　of　this　sentence：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Stercus　cuique　suum　bene　olet。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃To　every　man　his　own　excrements　smell　well。〃Erasmus＇

We　see　nothing　behind　us；　we　mock　ourselves　an　hundred　times　a　day；　when
we　deride　our　neighbours；　and　we　detest　in　others　the　defects　which　are
more　manifest　in　us；　and　which　we　admire　with　marvellous　inadvertency　and
impudence。　　It　was　but　yesterday　that　I　heard　a　man　of　understanding　and
of　good　rank；　as　pleasantly　as　justly　scoffing　at　the　folly　of　another；
who　did　nothing　but　torment　everybody　with　the　catalogue　of　his　genealogy
and　alliances；　above　half　of　them　false　（for　they　are　most　apt　to　fall
into　such　ridiculous　discourses；　whose　qualities　are　most　dubious　and
least　sure）；　and　yet；　would　he　have　looked　into　himself；　he　would　have
discerned　himself　to　be　no　less　intemperate　arid　wearisome　in　extolling
his　wife's　pedigree。　　O　importunate　presumption；　with　which　the　wife　sees
herself　armed　by　the　hands　of　her　own　husband。　　Did　he　understand　Latin；
we　should　say　to　him：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Age；　si　hic　non　insanit　satis　sua　sponte；　instiga。〃

　　　　　＇〃Come！　　if　of　himself　he　is　not　mad　enough；　urge　him　on。〃
　　　　　Terence；　And。；　iv。　2；　9。＇

I　do　not　say　that　no　man　should　accuse　another；　who　is　not　clean
himself；for　then　no　one　would　ever　accuse；clean　from　the　same　sort　of
spot；　but　I　mean　that　our　judgment；　falling　upon　another　who　is　then　in
question；　should　not；　at　the　same　time；　spare　ourselves；　but　sentence　us
with　an　inward　and　severe　authority。　　'Tis　an　office　of　charity；　that　he
who　cannot　reclaim　himself　from　a　vice；　should；　nevertheless；　endeavour
to　remove　it　from　another；　in　whom；　peradventure；　it　may　not　have　so　deep
and　so　malignant　a　root；　neither　do　him　who　reproves　me　for　my　fault　that
he　himself　is　guilty　of　the　same。　　What　of　that？　　The　reproof　is；
notwithstanding；　true　and　of　very　good　use。　　Had　we　a　good　nose；　our　own
ordure　would　stink　worse　to　us；　forasmuch　as　it　is　our　own：　and　Socrates
is　of　opinion　that　whoever　should　find　himself；　his　son；　and　a　stranger
guilty　of　any　violence　and　wrong；　ought　to　begin　with　himself；　present
himself　first　to　the　sentence　of　justice；　and　implore；　to　purge　himself；
the　assistance　of　the　hand　of　the　executioner；　in　the　next　place；　he
should　proceed　to　his　son；　and　lastly；　to　the　stranger。　　If　this　precept
seem　too　severe；　he　ought　at　least　to　present　himself　the　first；　to　the
punishment　of　his　own　conscience。

The　senses　are　our　first　and　proper　judges；　which　perceive　not　things　but
by　external　accidents；　and　'tis　no　wonder；　if　in　all　the　parts　of　the
service　of　our　society；　there　is　so　perpetual　and　universal　a　mixture　of
ceremonies　and　superficial　appearances；　insomuch　that　the　best　and　most
effectual　part　of　our　polities　therein　consist。　　'Tis　still　man　with　whom
we　have　to　do；　of　whom　the　condition　is　wonderfully　corporal。　　Let　those
who；　of　these　late　years；　would　erect　for　us　such　a　contemplative　and
immaterial　an　exercise　of　religion；　not　wonder　if　there　be　some　who　think
it　had　vanished　and　melted　through　their　fingers　had　it　not　more　upheld
itself　among　us　as　a　mark；　title；　and　instrument　of　division　and　faction；
than　by　itself。　　As　in　conference；　the　gravity；　robe；　and　fortune　of　him
who　speaks；　ofttimes　gives　reputation　to　vain　arguments　and　idle　words；
it　is　not　to　be　presumed　but　that　a　man；　so　attended　and　feared；　has　not
in　him　more　than　ordinary　sufficiency；　and　that　he　to　whom　the　king　has
given　so　many　offices　and　commissions　and　charges；　he　so　supercilious　and
proud；　has　not　a　great　deal　more　in　him；　than　another　who　salutes　him　at
so　great　a　distance；　and　who　has　no　employment　at　all。　　Not　only　the
words；　but　the　grimaces　also　of　these　people；　are　considered　and　put　into
the　account；　every　one　making　it　his　business　to　give　them　some　fine　and
solid　interpretation。　　If　they　stoop　to　the　common　conference；　and　that
you　offer　anything　but　approbation　and　reverence；　they　then　knock　you
down　with　the　authority　of　their　experience：　they　have　heard；　they　have
seen；　they　have　done　so　and　so：　you　are　crushed　with　examples。　　I　should
willingly　tell　them；　that　the　fruit　of　a　surgeon's　experience；　is　not　the
history　of　his　practice　and　his　remembering　that　he　has　cured　four　people
of　the　plague　and　three　of　the　gout；　unless　he　knows　how　thence　to
extract　something　whereon　to　form　his　judgment；　and　to　make　us　sensible
that　he　has　thence　become　more　skillful　in　his　art。　　As　in　a　concert　of
instruments；　we　do　not　hear　a　lute；　a　harpsichord；　or　a　flute　alone；　but
one　entire　harmony；　the　result　of　all　together。　　If　travel　and　offices
have　improved　them；　'tis　a　product　of　their　understanding　to　make　it
appear。　　'Tis　not　enough　to　reckon　experiences；　they　must　weigh；　sort　and
distil　them；　to　extract　the　reasons　and　conclusions　they　carry　along　with
them。　　There　were　never　so　many　historians：　it　is；　indeed；　good　and　of
use　to　read　them；　for　they　furnish　us　everywhere　with　excellent　and
laudable　instructions　from　the　magazine　of　their　memory；　which；
doubtless；　is　of　great　concern　to　the　help　of　life；　but　'tis　not　that　we
seek　for　now：　we　examine　whether　these　relaters　and　collectors　of　things
are　commendable　themselves。

I　hate　all　sorts　of　tyranny；　both　in　word　and　deed。　　I　am　very　ready　to
oppose　myself　against　those　vain　circumstances　that　delude　our　judgments
by　the　senses；　and　keeping　my　eye　close　upon　those　extraordinary
greatnesses；　I　find　that　at　best　they　are　men；　as　others　are：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Rarus　enim　ferme　sensus　communis　in　illa
　　　　　　　　　　Fortuna。〃

　　　　　＇〃For　in　those　high　fortunes；　common　sense　is　generally　rare。〃
　　　　　Juvenal；　viii。　73。＇

Peradventure；　we　esteem　and　look　upon　them　for　less　than　they　are；　by
reason　they　undertake　more；　and　more　expose　themselves；　they　do　not
answer　to　the　charge　they　have　undertaken。　　There　must　be　more　vigour　and
strength　in　the　bearer　than　in　the　burden；　he　who　has　not　lifted　as　much
as　he　can；　leaves　you　to　guess　that　he　has　still　a　strength　beyond　that；
and　that　he　has　not　been　tried　to　the　utmost　of　what　he　is　able　to　do；　he
who　sinks　under　his　load；　makes　a　discovery　of　his　best；　and　the　weakness
of　his　shoulders。　　This　is　the　reason　that　we　see　so　many　silly　souls
amongst　the　learned；　and　more　than　those　of　the　better　sort：　they　would
have　made　good　husbandmen；　good　merchants；　and　good　artisans：　their
natural　vigour　was　cut　out　to　that　proportion。　　Knowledge　is　a　thing　of
great　weight；　they　faint　under　it：　their　understanding　has　neither　vigour
nor　dexterity　enough　to　set　forth　and　distribute；　to　employ　or　make　use
of　this　rich　and　powerful　matter；　it　has　no　prevailing　virtue　but　in　a
strong　nature；　and　such　natures　are　very　rareand　the　weak　ones；　says
Socrates；　corrupt　the　dignity　of　philosophy　in　the　handling；　it　appears
useless　and　vicious；　when　lodged　in　an　ill…contrived　mind。　　They　spoil
and　make　fools　of　themselves：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Humani　qualis　simulator　simius　oris；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Quern　puer　arridens　pretioso　stamine　serum
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Velavit；　nudasque　nates　ac　terga　reliquit；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ludibrium　mensis。〃

　　　　　＇〃Just　like　an　ape；　simulator　of　the　human　face；　whom　a　wanton　boy
　　　　　has　dizened　up　in　rich　silks　above；　but　left　the　lower　parts　bare；
　　　　　for　a　laughing…stock　for　the　tables。〃