the essays of montaigne, v16-第9章

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　　　　　for　a　laughing…stock　for　the　tables。〃
　　　　　Claudian；　in　Eutrop。；　i　303。＇

Neither　is　it　enough　for　those　who　govern　and　command　us；　and　have　all
the　world　in　their　hands；　to　have　a　common　understanding；　and　to　be　able
to　do　the　same　that　we　can；　they　are　very　much　below　us；　if　they　be　not
infinitely　above　us：　as　they　promise　more；　so　they　are　to　perform　more。

And　yet　silence　is　to　them；　not　only　a　countenance　of　respect　and
gravity；　but　very　often　of　good　advantage　too：　for　Megabyzus；　going　'to
see　Apelles　in　his　painting…room；　stood　a　great　while　without　speaking　a
word；　and　at　last　began　to　talk　of　his　paintings；　for　which　he　received
this　rude　reproof：　〃Whilst　thou　wast　silent；　thou　seemedst　to　be　some
great　thing；　by　reason　of　thy　chains　and　rich　habit；　but　now　that　we　have
heard　thee　speak；　there　is　not　the　meanest　boy　in　my　workshop　that　does
not　despise　thee。〃　　Those　princely　ornaments；　that　mighty　state；　did　not
permit　him　to　be　ignorant　with　a　common　ignorance；　and　to　speak
impertinently　of　painting；　he　ought　to　have　kept　this　external　and
presumptive　knowledge　by　silence。　　To　how　many　foolish　fellows　of　my　time
has　a　sullen　and　silent　mien　procured　the　credit　of　prudence　and
capacity！

Dignities　and　offices　are　of　necessity　conferred　more　by　fortune　than
upon　the　account　of　merit；　and　we　are　often　to　blame；　to　condemn　kings
when　these　are　misplaced：　on　the　contrary；　'tis　a　wonder　they　should　have
so　good　luck；　where　there　is　so　little　skill：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Principis　est　virtus　maxima　nosse　suos；〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃'Tis　the　chief　virtue　of　a　prince　to　know　his　people。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Martial；　viii。　15。＇

for　nature　has　not　given　them　a　sight　that　can　extend　to　so　many　people；
to　discern　which　excels　the　rest；　nor　to　penetrate　into　our　bosoms；　where
the　knowledge　of　our　wills　and　best　value　lies　they　must　choose　us　by
conjecture　and　by　groping；　by　the　family；　wealth；　learning；　and　the　voice
of　the　people；　which　are　all　very　feeble　arguments。　　Whoever　could　find
out　a　way　by　which　they　might　judge　by　justice；　and　choose　men　by　reason；
would；　in　this　one　thing；　establish　a　perfect　form　of　government。

〃Ay；　but　he　brought　that　great　affair　to　a　very　good　pass。〃　　This　is；
indeed；　to　say　something；　but　not　to　say　enough：　for　this　sentence　is
justly　received；　〃That　we　are　not　to　judge　of　counsels　by　events。〃
The　Carthaginians　punished　the　ill　counsels　of　their　captains；　though
they　were　rectified　by　a　successful　issue；　and　the　Roman　people　often
denied　a　triumph　for　great　and　very　advantageous　victories　because　the
conduct　of　their　general　was　not　answerable　to　his　good　fortune。
We　ordinarily　see；　in　the　actions　of　the　world；　that　Fortune；　to　shew
us　her　power　in　all　things；　and　who　takes　a　pride　in　abating　our
presumption；　seeing　she　could　not　make　fools　wise；　has　made　them
fortunate　in　emulation　of　virtue；　and　most　favours　those　operations　the
web　of　which　is　most　purely　her　own；　whence　it　is　that　the　simplest
amongst　us　bring　to　pass　great　business；　both　public　and　private；　and；
as　Seiramnes；　the　Persian；　answered　those　who　wondered　that　his　affairs
succeeded　so　ill；　considering　that　his　deliberations　were　so　wise；　〃that
he　was　sole　master　of　his　designs；　but　that　success　was　wholly　in　the
power　of　fortune〃；　　these　may　answer　the　same；　but　with　a　contrary　turn。
Most　worldly　affairs　are　performed　by　themselves

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Fata　viam　inveniunt；〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇The　destinies　find　the　way。〃AEneid；　iii。　395＇

the　event　often　justifies　a　very　foolish　conduct；　our　interposition　is
little　more　than　as　it　were　a　running　on　by　rote；　and　more　commonly　a
consideration　of　custom　and　example；　than　of　reason。　　Being　formerly
astonished　at　the　greatness　of　some　affair；　I　have　been　made　acquainted
with　their　motives　and　address　by　those　who　had　performed　it；　and　have
found　nothing　in　it　but　very　ordinary　counsels；　and　the　most　common　and
usual　are　indeed；　perhaps；　the　most　sure　and　convenient　for　practice；　if
not　for　show。　　What　if　the　plainest　reasons　are　the　best　seated？　　the
meanest；　lowest；　and　most　beaten　more　adapted　to　affairs？　　To　maintain
the　authority　of　the　counsels　of　kings；　it　needs　not　that　profane　persons
should　participate　of　them；　or　see　further　into　them　than　the　outmost
barrier；　he　who　will　husband　its　reputation　must　be　reverenced　upon
credit　and　taken　altogether。　　My　consultation　somewhat　rough…hews　the
matter；　and　considers　it　lightly　by　the　first　face　it　presents：　the
stress　and　main　of　the　business　I　have　been　wont　to　refer　to　heaven；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Permitte　divis　caetera。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Leave　the　rest　to　the　gods。〃Horace；　Od。；　i。　　9；　9。＇

Good　and　ill　fortune　are；　in　my　opinion；　two　sovereign　powers；　'tis　folly
to　think　that　human　prudence　can　play　the　part　of　Fortune；　and　vain　is
his　attempt　who　presumes　to　comprehend　both　causes　and　consequences；　and
by　the　hand　to　conduct　the　progress　of　his　design；　and　most　especially
vain　in　the　deliberations　of　war。　　There　was　never　greater　circumspection
and　military　prudence　than　sometimes　is　seen　amongst　us：　can　it　be　that
men　are　afraid　to　lose　themselves　by　the　way；　that　they　reserve
themselves　to　the　end　of　the　game？　　I　moreover　affirm　that　our　wisdom
itself　and　consultation；　for　the　most　part　commit　themselves　to　the
conduct　of　chance；　my　will　and　my　reason　are　sometimes　moved　by　one
breath；　and　sometimes　by　another；　and　many　of　these　movements　there　are
that　govern　themselves　without　me：　my　reason　has　uncertain　and　casual
agitations　and　impulsions：

　　　　　　　　　〃Vertuntur　species　animorum；　et　pectora　motus
　　　　　　　　　　Nunc　alios；　alios；　dum　nubila　ventus　agebat；
　　　　　　　　　　Concipiunt。〃

　　　　　＇The　aspects　of　their　minds　change；　and　they　conceive　now　such
　　　　　ideas；　now　such；　just　so　long　as　the　wind　agitated　the　clouds。〃
　　　　　Virgil；　Georg。；　i。　　42。＇

Let　a　man　but　observe　who　are　of　greatest　authority　in　cities；　and　who
best　do　their　own　business；　we　shall　find　that　they　are　commonly　men　of
the　least　parts：　women；　children；　and　madmen　have　had　the　fortune　to
govern　great　kingdoms　equally　well　with　the　wisest　princes；　and
Thucydides　says；　that　the　stupid　more　ordinarily　do　it　than　those　of
better　understandings；　we　attribute　the　effects　of　their　good　fortune　to
their　prudence：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Ut　quisque　Fortuna　utitur；
　　　　　　　　　　Ita　praecellet；　atque　exinde　sapere　illum　omnes　dicimus；〃

　　　　　＇〃He　makes　his　way　who　knows　how　to　use　Fortune；　and　thereupon　we
　　　　　all　call　him　wise。〃Plautus；　Pseudol。；　ii。　3；　13。＇

wherefore　I　say　unreservedly；　events　are　a　very　poor　testimony　of　our
worth　and　parts。

Now；　I　was　upon　this　point；　that　there　needs　no　more　but　to　see　a　man
promoted　to　dignity；　though　we　knew　him　but　three　days　before　a　man　of
little　regard；　yet　an　image　of　grandeur　of　sufficiency　insensibly　steals
into　our　opinion；　and　we　persuade　ourselves　that；　being　augmented　in
reputation　and　train；　he　is　also　increased　in　merit；　we　judge　of　him；　not
according　to　his　worth；　but　as　we　do　by　counters；　according　to　the
prerogative　of　his　place。　　If　it　happen　so　that　he　fall　again；　and　be
mixed　with　the　common　crowd；　every　one　inquires　with　amazement　into　the
cause　of　his　having　been　raised　so　high。　　〃Is　this　he；〃　say　they；　〃was　he
no　wiser　when　he　was　there？　　Do　princes　satisfy　themselves　with　so
little？　　Truly；　we　were　in　good　hands。〃　　This　is　a　thing　that　I　have
often　seen　in　my　time。　　Nay；　even　the　very　disguise　of　grandeur
represented　in　our　comedies　in　some　sort　moves　and　gulls　us。　　That　which
I　myself　adore　in　kings　is　the　crowd　of　their　adorers；　all　reverence　and
submission　are　due　to　them；　except　that　of　the　understanding：　my　reason
is　not　obliged　to　bow　and　bend；　my　knees　are。　　Melanthius　being　asked
what　he　thought　of　the　tragedy　of　Dionysius；　〃I　could　not　see　it；〃　said
he；　〃it　was　so　clouded　with　language〃；　so　most　of　those　who　judge　of　the
discourses　of　great　men　ought　to　say；　〃I　did　not　understand　his　words；
they　were　so　clouded　with　gravity；　grandeur；　and　majesty。〃　　Antisthenes
one　day　tried　to　persuade　the　Athenians　to　give　order　that　their　asses
might　be　employed　in　tilling　the　ground　as　well　as　the　horses　were；　to
which　it　was　answered　that　that　animal　was　not　destined　for　such　a
service：　〃That's　all　one；〃　replied　he；　〃you　have　only　to　order　it：　for
the　most　ignorant　and　incapable　men　you　employ　in　the　commands　of　your
wars　incontinently　become　worthy　enough；　because　you　employ　them〃；　to
which　the　custom　of　so　many　people；　who　canonise　the　king　they　have
chosen　out　of　their　own　body；　and　are　not　content　only　to　honour；　but
must　adore　them；　comes　very　near。　　Those　of　Mexico；　after　the　ceremonies
of　their　king's　coronation　are　over；　dare　no　more　look　him　in　the　face；
but；　as　if　they　had　deified　him　by　his　royalty。　　Amongst　the　oaths　they
make　him　take　to　maintain　their　religion；　their　laws；　and　liberties；　to
be　valiant；　just；　and　mild；　he　moreover　swears　to　make　the　sun　run　his
course　in　his　wonted　light；　to　drain　the　clouds　at　fit　seasons；　to　make
rivers　run　their　course；　and　to　cause　the　earth　to　bear　all　things
necessary　for　his　people。

I　differ　from　this　common　fashion；　and　am　more　apt　to　suspect　the
capacity　when　I　see　it　accompanied　with　that　grandeur　of　fortune　and
public　applause；　we　are　to　consider　of　what　advantage　it　is　to　speak　when
a　man　pleases；　to　choose　his　subject；　to　interrupt　or　change　it；　with　a
magisterial　authority；　to　protect　himself　from　the　oppositions　of　others
by　a　nod；　a　smile；　or　silence；　in　the　presence　of　an　assembly　that
trembles　with　reverence　and　respect。　　A　man　of　a　prodigious　fortune
coming　to　give　his　judgment　upon　some　slight　dispute　that　was　foolishly
set　on　foot　at　his　table；　began　in　these　words：　〃It　can　be　no　other　but
a　liar　or　a　fool　that　will　say　otherwise　than　so　and　so。〃　　Pursue　this
philosophical　point　with　a　dagger　in　your　hand。

There　is　another　observation　I　have　made；　from　which　I　draw　great
advantage；　which　is；　that　in　conferences　and　disputes；　every　word　that
seems　to　be　good；　is　not　immediately　to　be　accepted。　　Most　men　are　rich
in　borrowed　sufficiency：　a　man　may　say　a　good　thing；　give　a　good　answer；
cite　a　good　sentence；　without　at　all　seeing　the　force　of　either　the　one
or　the　other。　　That　a　man　may　not　understand　all　he　borrows；　may　perhaps
be　verified　in　myself。　　A　man　must　not　always　presently　yield；　what　truth
or　beauty　soever　may　seem　to　be　in　the　opposite　argument；　either　he　must
stoutly　meet　it；　or　retire；　under　colour　of　not　understanding　it；　to　try；
on　all　parts；　how　it　is　lodged　in　the　author。　　It　may　happen　that　we
entangle　ourselves；　and　help　to　strengthen　the　point　itself。　　I　have
sometimes；　in　the　necessity　and　heat　of　the　combat；　made　answers　that
have　gone　through　and　through；　beyond　my　expectation　or　hope；　I　only　gave
them　in　number；　they　were　received　in　weight。　　As；　when　I　contend　with　a
vigorous　man；　I　please　myself　with　anticipating　his　conclusions；　I　ease
him　of　the　trouble　of　explaining　himself；　I　strive　to　forestall　his
imagination　whilst　it　is　yet　springing　and　imperfect；　the　order　and
pertinency　of　his　understanding　warn　and　threaten　me　afar　off：　I　deal
quite　contrary　with　the　others；　I　must