the essays of montaigne, v19-第3章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Quaerite；　quos　agitat　mundi　labor。〃

　　　　　＇〃Ask　whom　the　cares　of　the　world　trouble〃Lucan；　i。　417。＇

In　this　universality；　I　suffer　myself　to　be　ignorantly　and　negligently
led　by　the　general　law　of　the　world：　I　shall　know　it　well　enough　when　I
feel　it；　my　learning　cannot　make　it　alter　its　course；　it　will　not　change
itself　for　me；　'tis　folly　to　hope　it；　and　a　greater　folly　to　concern
one's　self　about　it；　seeing　it　is　necessarily　alike　public　and　common。
The　goodness　and　capacity　of　the　governor　ought　absolutely　to　discharge
us　of　all　care　of　the　government：　philosophical　inquisitions　and
contemplations　serve　for　no　other　use　but　to　increase　our　curiosity。
The　philosophers；　with　great　reason；　send　us　back　to　the　rules　of　nature；
but　they　have　nothing　to　do　with　so　sublime　a　knowledge；　they　falsify
them；　and　present　us　her　face　painted　with　too　high　and　too　adulterate　a
complexion；　whence　spring　so　many　different　pictures　of　so　uniform　a
subject。　　As　she　has　given　us　feet　to　walk　with；　so　has　she　given　us
prudence　to　guide　us　in　life：　not　so　ingenious；　robust；　and　pompous　a
prudence　as　that　of　their　invention；　but　yet　one　that　is　easy；　quiet；　and
salutary；　and　that　very　well　performs　what　the　other　promises；　in　him　who
has　the　good　luck　to　know　how　to　employ　it　sincerely　and　regularly；　that
is　to　say；　according　to　nature。　　The　most　simply　to　commit　one's　self　to
nature　is　to　do　it　most　wisely。　　Oh；　what　a　soft；　easy；　and　wholesome
pillow　is　ignorance　and　incuriosity；　whereon　to　repose　a　well…ordered
head！

I　had　rather　understand　myself　well　in　myself；　than　in　Cicero。　　Of　the
experience　I　have　of　myself；　I　find　enough　to　make　me　wise；　if　I　were　but
a　good　scholar：　whoever　will　call　to　mind　the　excess　of　his　past　anger；
and　to　what　a　degree　that　fever　transported　him；　will　see　the　deformity
of　this　passion　better　than　in　Aristotle；　and　conceive　a　more　just　hatred
against　it；　whoever　will　remember　the　ills　he　has　undergone；　those　that
have　threatened　him；　and　the　light　occasions　that　have　removed　him　from
one　state　to　another；　will　by　that　prepare　himself　for　future　changes；
and　the　knowledge　of　his　condition。　　The　life　of　Caesar　has　no　greater
example　for　us　than　our　own：　though　popular　and　of　command；　'tis　still　a
life　subject　to　all　human　accidents。　　Let　us　but　listen　to　it；　we　apply
to　ourselves　all　whereof　we　have　principal　need；　whoever　shall　call　to
memory　how　many　and　many　times　he　has　been　mistaken　in　his　own　judgment；
is　he　not　a　great　fool　if　he　does　not　ever　after　suspect　it？　　When　I　find
myself　convinced；　by　the　reason　of　another；　of　a　false　opinion；　I　do　not
so　much　learn　what　he　has　said　to　me　that　is　new　and　the　particular
ignorancethat　would　be　no　great　acquisitionas；　in　general；　I　learn　my
own　debility　and　the　treachery　of　my　understanding；　whence　I　extract　the
reformation　of　the　whole　mass。　　In　all　my　other　errors　I　do　the　same；　and
find　from　this　rule　great　utility　to　life；　I　regard　not　the　species　and
individual　as　a　stone　that　I　have　stumbled　at；　I　learn　to　suspect　my
steps　throughout；　and　am　careful　to　place　them　right。　　To　learn　that　a
man　has　said　or　done　a　foolish　thing　is　nothing：　a　man　must　learn　that　he
is　nothing　but　a　fool；　a　much　more　ample；　and　important　instruction。　　The
false　steps　that　my　memory　has　so　often　made；　even　then　when　it　was　most
secure　and　confident　of　itself；　are　not　idly　thrown　away；　it　vainly
swears　and　assures　me　I　shake　my　ears；　the　first　opposition　that　is　made
to　its　testimony　puts　me　into　suspense；　and　I　durst　not　rely　upon　it　in
anything　of　moment；　nor　warrant　it　in　another　person's　concerns：　and　were
it　not　that　what　I　do　for　want　of　memory；　others　do　more　often　for　want
of　good　faith；　I　should　always；　in　matter　of　fact；　rather　choose　to　take
the　truth　from　another's　mouth　than　from　my　own。　　If　every　one　would　pry
into　the　effects　and　circumstances　of　the　passions　that　sway　him；　as　I
have　done　into　those　which　I　am　most　subject　to；　he　would　see　them
coming；　and　would　a　little　break　their　impetuosity　and　career；　they　do
not　always　seize　us　on　a　sudden；　there　is　threatening　and　degrees

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Fluctus　uti　primo　coepit　cum　albescere　vento；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Paulatim　sese　tollit　mare；　et　altius　undas
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Erigit；　inde　imo　consurgit　ad　aethera　fundo。〃

　　　　　＇〃As　with　the　first　wind　the　sea　begins　to　foam；　and　swells；　thence
　　　　　higher　swells；　and　higher　raises　the　waves；　till　the　ocean　rises
　　　　　from　its　depths　to　the　sky。〃AEneid；　vii。　528。＇

Judgment　holds　in　me　a　magisterial　seat；　at　least　it　carefully　endeavours
to　make　it　so：　it　leaves　my　appetites　to　take　their　own　course；　hatred
and　friendship；　nay；　even　that　I　bear　to　myself；　without　change　or
corruption；　if　it　cannot　reform　the　other　parts　according　to　its　own
model；　at　least　it　suffers　not　itself　to　be　corrupted　by　them；　but　plays
its　game　apart。

The　advice　to　every　one；　〃to　know　themselves；〃　should　be　of　important
effect；　since　that　god　of　wisdom　and　light'　caused　it　to　be　written　on
the　front　of　his　temple；＇At　Delphi＇　as　comprehending　all　he　had　to
advise　us。　　Plato　says　also；　that　prudence　is　no　other　thing　than　the
execution　of　this　ordinance；　and　Socrates　minutely　verifies　it　in
Xenophon。　　The　difficulties　and　obscurity　are　not　discerned　in　any
science　but　by　those　who　are　got　into　it；　for　a　certain　degree　of
intelligence　is　required　to　be　able　to　know　that　a　man　knows　not；　and　we
must　push　against　a　door　to　know　whether　it　be　bolted　against　us　or　no：
whence　this　Platonic　subtlety　springs；　that　〃neither　they　who　know　are　to
enquire；　forasmuch　as　they　know；　nor　they　who　do　not　know；　forasmuch　as
to　inquire　they　must　know　what　they　inquire　of。　　So　in　this；　〃of　knowing
a　man's　self；〃　that　every　man　is　seen　so　resolved　and　satisfied　with
himself；　that　every　man　thinks　himself　sufficiently　intelligent；
signifies　that　every　one　knows　nothing　about　the　matter；　as　Socrates
gives　Euthydemus　to　understand。　　I；　who　profess　nothing　else；　therein
find　so　infinite　a　depth　and　variety；　that　all　the　fruit　I　have　reaped
from　my　learning　serves　only　to　make　me　sensible　how　much　I　have　to
learn。　　To　my　weakness；　so　often　confessed；　I　owe　the　propension　I　have
to　modesty；　to　the　obedience　of　belief　prescribed　me；　to　a　constant
coldness　and　moderation　of　opinions；　and　a　hatred　of　that　troublesome　and
wrangling　arrogance；　wholly　believing　and　trusting　in　itself；　the　capital
enemy　of　discipline　and　truth。　　Do　but　hear　them　domineer；　the　first
fopperies　they　utter；　'tis　in　the　style　wherewith　men　establish　religions
and　laws：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Nihil　est　turpius；　quam　cognitioni　et　perceptions
　　　　　　　　　　assertionem　approbationemque　praecurrere。〃

　　　　　＇〃Nothing　is　worse　than　that　assertion　and　decision　should　precede
　　　　　knowledge　and　perception。〃Cicero；　Acad。；　i。　13。＇

Aristarchus　said　that　anciently　there　were　scarce　seven　sages　to　be　found
in　the　world；　and　in　his　time　scarce　so　many　fools：　have　not　we　more
reason　than　he　to　say　so　in　this　age　of　ours？　　Affirmation　and　obstinacy
are　express　signs　of　want　of　wit。　　This　fellow　may　have　knocked　his　nose
against　the　ground　a　hundred　times　in　a　day；　yet　he　will　be　at　his　Ergo's
as　resolute　and　sturdy　as　before。　　You　would　say　he　had　had　some　new　soul
and　vigour　of　understanding　infused　into　him　since；　and　that　it　happened
to　him；　as　to　that　ancient　son　of　the　earth；　who　took　fresh　courage　and
vigour　by　his　fall；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Cui　cum　tetigere　parentem；
　　　　　　　　　　　　jam　defecta　vigent　renovata　robore　membra：〃

　　　　　＇〃Whose　broken　limbs；　when　they　touched　his　mother　earth；
　　　　　immediately　new　force　acquired。〃Lucan；　iv。　599。＇

does　not　this　incorrigible　coxcomb　think　that　he　assumes　a　new
understanding　by　undertaking　a　new　dispute？　　'Tis　by　my　own　experience
that　I　accuse　human　ignorance；　which　is；　in　my　opinion；　the　surest　part
of　the　world's　school。　　Such　as　will　not　conclude　it　in　themselves；　by　so
vain　an　example　as　mine；　or　their　own；　let　them　believe　it　from　Socrates；
the　master　of　masters；　for　the　philosopher　Antisthenes　said　to　his
disciples；　〃Let　us　go　and　hear　Socrates；　there　I　will　be　a　pupil　with　you〃；
and；　maintaining　this　doctrine　of　the　Stoic　sect；　〃that　virtue　was
sufficient　to　make　a　life　completely　happy；　having　no　need　of　any　other
thing　whatever〃；　except　of　the　force　of　Socrates；　added　he。

That　long　attention　that　I　employ　in　considering　myself；　also　fits　rile
to　judge　tolerably　enough　of　others；　and　there　are　few　things　whereof　I
speak　better　and　with　better　excuse。　　I　happen　very　often　more　exactly　to
see　and　distinguish　the　qualities　of　my　friends　than　they　do　themselves：
I　have　astonished　some　with　the　pertinence　of　my　description；　and　have
given　them　warning　of　themselves。　　By　having　from　my　infancy　been
accustomed　to　contemplate　my　own　life　in　those　of　others；　I　have　acquired
a　complexion　studious　in　that　particular；　and　when　I　am　once　interit　upon
it；　I　let　few　things　about　me；　whether　countenances；　humours；
or　discourses；　that　serve　to　that　purpose；　escape　me。　　I　study　all；
both　what　I　am　to　avoid　and　what　I　am　to　follow。　　Also　in　my　friends；
I　discover　by　their　productions　their　inward　inclinations；　not　by
arranging　this　infinite　variety　of　so　diverse　and　unconnected　actions
into　certain　species　and　chapters；　and　distinctly　distributing　my　parcels
and　divisions　under　known　heads　and　classes；

　　　　　　　　　　〃Sed　neque　quam　multae　species；　nec　nomina　quae　sint；
　　　　　　　　　　Est　numerus。〃

　　　　　＇〃But　neither　can　we　enumerate　how　many　kinds　there　what　are　their
　　　　　names。〃Virgil；　Georg。；　ii。　103。＇

The　wise　speak　and　deliver　their　fancies　more　specifically；　and　piece　by
piece；　I；　who　see　no　further　into　things　than　as　use　informs　me；　present
mine　generally　without　rule　and　experimentally：　I　pronounce　my　opinion　by
disjointed　articles；　as　a　thing　that　cannot　be　spoken　at　once　and　in
gross；　relation　and　conformity　are　not　to　be　found　in　such　low　and　common
souls　as　ours。　　Wisdom　is　a　solid　and　entire　building；　of　which　every
piece　keeps　its　place　and　bears　its　mark：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Sola　sapientia　in　se　tota　conversa　est。〃

　　　　　＇〃Wisdom　only　is　wholly　within　itself〃Cicero；　De　Fin。；　iii。　7。＇

I　leave　it　to　artists；　and　I　know　not　whether　or　no　they　will　be　able　to
bring　it　about；　in　so　perplexed；　minute；　and　fortuitous　a　thing；　to
marshal　into　distinct　bodies　this　infinite　diversity　of　faces；　to　settle
our　inconstancy；　and　set　it　in　order。　　I　do　not　only　find　it　hard　to
piece　our　actions　to　one　another；　but　I　moreover　find　it　hard　properly　to
design　each　by　itself　by　any　principal　quality；　so　ambiguous　and　variform
they　are　with　diverse　lights。　　That　which　is　remarked　for　rare　in
Perseus；　king　of　Macedon；　〃that　his　mind；　fixing　itself　to　no　one
condition；　wandered　in　all　sorts　of　living；　and　represented　manners　so
wild　and　erratic　that　it　was　neither　known　to　himself　or　any　other　what
kind　of　man　he　was；〃　seems　almost　to　fit　all　the　world；　and；　especially；
I　have　seen　another　of　his　make；　to　whom　I　think　this　conclusion　might
more　properly　be　applied；　no　moderate　settledness；　still　running　headlong
from　one　extreme　to　another；　upon　occasions　not　to　be　guessed　at；　no　line
of　p