the essays of montaigne, v6-第10章

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enemy；　but　fortune；　against　her　will；　threw　her　into　another　haven；　where
she　landed　in　safety。　　And　that　man　of　old　who；　throwing　a　stone　at　a
dog；　hit　and　killed　his　mother…in…law；　had　he　not　reason　to　pronounce
this　verse：

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Fortune　has　more　judgement　than　we。〃Menander＇

Icetes　had　contracted　with　two　soldiers　to　kill　Timoleon　at　Adrana　in
Sicily。＇Plutarch；　Life　of　Timoleon；　c。　7。＇　They　took　their　time　to　do
it　when　he　was　assisting　at　a　sacrifice；　and　thrusting　into　the　crowd；
as　they　were　making　signs　to　one　another；　that　now　was　a　fit　time　to　do
their　business；　in　steps　a　third；　who；　with　a　sword　takes　one　of　them
full　drive　over　the　pate；　lays　him　dead　upon　the　place　and　runs　away；
which　the　others　see；　and　concluding　himself　discovered　and　lost；　runs　to
the　altar　and　begs　for　mercy；　promising　to　discover　the　whole　truth；
which　as　he　was　doing；　and　laying　open　the　full　conspiracy；　behold　the
third　man；　who　being　apprehended；　was；　as　a　murderer；　thrust　and　hauled
by　the　people　through　the　press；　towards　Timoleon；　and　the　other　most
eminent　persons　of　the　assembly；　before　whom　being　brought；　he　cries　out
for　pardon；　pleading　that　he　had　justly　slain　his　father's　murderer；
which　he；　also；　proving　upon　the　spot；　by　sufficient　witnesses；　whom　his
good　fortune　very　opportunely　supplied　him　withal；　that　his　father　was
really　killed　in　the　city　of　Leontini；　by　that　very　man　on　whom　he　had
taken　his　revenge；　he　was　presently　awarded　ten　Attic　minae；　for　having
had　the　good　fortune；　by　designing　to　revenge　the　death　of　his　father；
to　preserve　the　life　of　the　common　father　of　Sicily。　　Fortune；　truly；　in
her　conduct　surpasses　all　the　rules　of　human　prudence。

But　to　conclude：　is　there　not　a　direct　application　of　her　favour；　bounty；
and　piety　manifestly　discovered　in　this　action？　　Ignatius　the　father　and
Ignatius　the　son　being　proscribed　by　the　triumvirs　of　Rome；　resolved　upon
this　generous　act　of　mutual　kindness；　to　fall　by　the　hands　of　one
another；　and　by　that　means　to　frustrate　and　defeat　the　cruelty　of　the
tyrants；　and　accordingly　with　their　swords　drawn；　ran　full　drive　upon　one
another；　where　fortune　so　guided　the　points；　that　they　made　two　equally
mortal　wounds；　affording　withal　so　much　honour　to　so　brave　a　friendship；
as　to　leave　them　just　strength　enough　to　draw　out　their　bloody　swords；
that　they　might　have　liberty　to　embrace　one　another　in　this　dying
condition；　with　so　close　and　hearty　an　embrace；　that　the　executioner　cut
off　both　their　heads　at　once；　leaving　the　bodies　still　fast　linked
together　in　this　noble　bond；　and　their　wounds　joined　mouth　to　mouth；
affectionately　sucking　in　the　last　blood　and　remainder　of　the　lives　of
each　other。




CHAPTER　XXXIV

OF　ONE　DEFECT　IN　OUR　GOVERNMENT

My　late　father；　a　man　that　had　no　other　advantages　than　experience　and
his　own　natural　parts；　was　nevertheless　of　a　very　clear　judgment；
formerly　told　me　that　he　once　had　thoughts　of　endeavouring　to　introduce
this　practice；　that　there　might　be　in　every　city　a　certain　place　assigned
to　which　such　as　stood　in　need　of　anything　might　repair；　and　have　their
business　entered　by　an　officer　appointed　for　that　purpose。　　As　for
example：　I　want　a　chapman　to　buy　my　pearls；　I　want　one　that　has　pearls　to
sell；　such　a　one　wants　company　to　go　to　Paris；　such　a　one　seeks　a　servant
of　such　a　quality；　such　a　one　a　master；　such　a　one　such　an　artificer；
some　inquiring　for　one　thing；　some　for　another；　every　one　according　to
what　he　wants。　　And　doubtless；　these　mutual　advertisements　would　be　of　no
contemptible　advantage　to　the　public　correspondence　and　intelligence：　for
there　are　evermore　conditions　that　hunt　after　one　another；　and　for　want
of　knowing　one　another's　occasions　leave　men　in　very　great　necessity。

I　have　heard；　to　the　great　shame　of　the　age　we　live　in；　that　in　our　very
sight　two　most　excellent　men　for　learning　died　so　poor　that　they　had
scarce　bread　to　put　in　their　mouths：　Lilius　Gregorius　Giraldus　in　Italy
and　Sebastianus　Castalio　in　Germany：　and　I　believe　there　are　a　thousand
men　would　have　invited　them　into　their　families；　with　very　advantageous
conditions；　or　have　relieved　them　where　they　were；　had　they　known　their
wants。　　The　world　is　not　so　generally　corrupted；　but　that　I　know　a　man
that　would　heartily　wish　the　estate　his　ancestors　have　left　him　might　be
employed；　so　long　as　it　shall　please　fortune　to　give　him　leave　to　enjoy
it；　to　secure　rare　and　remarkable　persons　of　any　kind；　whom　misfortune
sometimes　persecutes　to　the　last　degree；　from　the　dangers　of　necessity；
and　at　least　place　them　in　such　a　condition　that　they　must　be　very　hard
to　please；　if　they　are　not　contented。

My　father　in　his　domestic　economy　had　this　rule　（which　I　know　how　to
commend；　but　by　no　means　to　imitate）；　namely；　that　besides　the　day…book
or　memorial　of　household　affairs；　where　the　small　accounts；　payments；　and
disbursements；　which　do　not　require　a　secretary's　hand；　were　entered；　and
which　a　steward　always　had　in　custody；　he　ordered　him　whom　he　employed　to
write　for　him；　to　keep　a　journal；　and　in　it　to　set　down　all　the
remarkable　occurrences；　and　daily　memorials　of　the　history　of　his　house：
very　pleasant　to　look　over；　when　time　begins　to　wear　things　out　of
memory；　and　very　useful　sometimes　to　put　us　out　of　doubt　when　such　a
thing　was　begun；　when　ended；　what　visitors　came；　and　when　they　went；　our
travels；　absences；　marriages；　and　deaths；　the　reception　of　good　or　ill
news；　the　change　of　principal　servants；　and　the　like。　　An　ancient　custom；
which　I　think　it　would　not　be　amiss　for　every　one　to　revive　in　his　own
house；　and　I　find　I　did　very　foolishly　in　neglecting　it。




CHAPTER　XXXV

OF　THE　CUSTOM　OF　WEARING　CLOTHES

Whatever　I　shall　say　upon　this　subject；　I　am　of　necessity　to　invade　some
of　the　bounds　of　custom；　so　careful　has　she　been　to　shut　up　all　the
avenues。　　I　was　disputing　with　myself　in　this　shivering　season；　whether
the　fashion　of　going　naked　in　those　nations　lately　discovered　is　imposed
upon　them　by　the　hot　temperature　of　the　air；　as　we　say　of　the　Indians　and
Moors；　or　whether　it　be　the　original　fashion　of　mankind。　　Men　of
understanding；　forasmuch　as　all　things　under　the　sun；　as　the　Holy　Writ
declares；　are　subject　to　the　same　laws；　were　wont　in　such　considerations
as　these；　where　we　are　to　distinguish　the　natural　laws　from　those　which
have　been　imposed　by　man's　invention；　to　have　recourse　to　the　general
polity　of　the　world；　where　there　can　be　nothing　counterfeit。　　Now；　all
other　creatures　being　sufficiently　furnished　with　all　things　necessary
for　the　support　of　their　being　＇Montaigne's　expression　is；　〃with　needle
and　thread。〃W。C。H。＇　it　is　not　to　be　imagined　that　we　only　are　brought
into　the　world　in　a　defective　and　indigent　condition；　and　in　such　a　state
as　cannot　subsist　without　external　aid。　　Therefore　it　is　that　I　believe；
that　as　plants；　trees；　and　animals；　and　all　things　that　have　life；　are
seen　to　be　by　nature　sufficiently　clothed　and　covered；　to　defend　them
from　the　injuries　of　weather：

　　　　　　　　　〃Proptereaque　fere　res　omnes　ant　corio　sunt；
　　　　　　　　　　Aut　seta；　ant　conchis；　ant　callo；　ant　cortice　tectae；〃

　　　　　＇〃And　that　for　this　reason　nearly　all　things　are　clothed　with　skin；
　　　　　or　hair；　or　shells；　or　bark；　or　some　such　thing。〃
　　　　　Lucretius；　iv。　936。＇

so　were　we：　but　as　those　who　by　artificial　light　put　out　that　of　day；　so
we　by　borrowed　forms　and　fashions　have　destroyed　our　own。　　And　'tis　plain
enough　to　be　seen；　that　'tis　custom　only　which　renders　that　impossible
that　otherwise　is　nothing　so；　for　of　those　nations　who　have　no　manner　of
knowledge　of　clothing；　some　are　situated　under　the　same　temperature　that
we　are；　and　some　in　much　colder　climates。　　And　besides；　our　most　tender
parts　are　always　exposed　to　the　air；　as　the　eyes；　mouth；　nose；　and　ears；
and　our　country　labourers；　like　our　ancestors　in　former　times；　go　with
their　breasts　and　bellies　open。　　Had　we　been　born　with　a　necessity　upon
us　of　wearing　petticoats　and　breeches；　there　is　no　doubt　but　nature　would
have　fortified　those　parts　she　intended　should　be　exposed　to　the　fury　of
the　seasons　with　a　thicker　skin；　as　she　has　done　the　finger…ends　and　the
soles　of　the　feet。　　And　why　should　this　seem　hard　to　believe？　　I　observe
much　greater　distance　betwixt　my　habit　and　that　of　one　of　our　country
boors；　than　betwixt　his　and　that　of　a　man　who　has　no　other　covering　but
his　skin。　　How　many　men；　especially　in　Turkey；　go　naked　upon　the　account
of　devotion？　　Some　one　asked　a　beggar；　whom　he　saw　in　his　shirt　in　the
depth　of　winter；　as　brisk　and　frolic　as　he　who　goes　muffled　up　to　the
ears　in　furs；　how　he　was　able　to　endure　to　go　so？　　〃Why；　sir；〃　he
answered；　〃you　go　with　your　face　bare：　I　am　all　face。〃　　The　Italians　have
a　story　of　the　Duke　of　Florence's　fool；　whom　his　master　asking　how；　being
so　thinly　clad；　he　was　able　to　support　the　cold；　when　he　himself；　warmly
wrapped　up　as　he　was；　was　hardly　able　to　do　it？　　〃Why；〃　replied　the　fool；
〃use　my　receipt　to　put　on　all　your　clothes　you　have　at　once；　and　you'll
feel　no　more　cold　than　I。〃　　King　Massinissa；　to　an　extreme　old　age；　could
never　be　prevailed　upon　to　go　with　his　head　covered；　how　cold；　stormy；　or
rainy　soever　the　weather　might　be；　which　also　is　reported　of　the　Emperor
Severus。　　Herodotus　tells　us；　that　in　the　battles　fought　betwixt　the
Egyptians　and　the　Persians；　it　was　observed　both　by　himself　and　by
others；　that　of　those　who　were　left　dead　upon　the　field；　the　heads　of　the
Egyptians　were　without　comparison　harder　than　those　of　the　Persians；　by
reason　that　the　last　had　gone　with　their　heads　always　covered　from　their
infancy；　first　with　biggins；　and　then　with　turbans；　and　the　others　always
shaved　and　bare。　　King　Agesilaus　continued　to　a　decrepit　age　to　wear
always　the　same　clothes　in　winter　that　he　did　in　summer。　　Caesar；　says
Suetonius；　marched　always　at　the　head　of　his　army；　for　the　most　part　on
foot；　with　his　head　bare；　whether　it　was　rain　or　sunshine；　and　as　much　is
said　of　Hannibal：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Tum　vertice　nudo；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Excipere　insanos　imbres；　coelique　ruinam。〃

　　　　　＇〃Bareheaded　he　marched　in　snow；　exposed　to　pouring　rain　and　the
　　　　　utmost　rigour　of　the　weather。〃Silius　Italicus；　i。　250。＇

A　Venetian　who　has　long　lived　in　Pegu；　and　has　lately　returned　thence；
writes　that　the　men　and　women　of　that　kingdom；　though　they　cover　all
their　other　parts；　go　always　barefoot　and　ride　so　too；　and　Plato　very
earnestly　advises　for　the　health　of　the　whole　body；　to　give　the　head　and
the　feet　no　other　clothing　than　what　nature　has　bestowed。　　He　whom　the
Poles　have　elected　for　their　king；＇Stephen　Bathory＇　since　ours　came
thence；　who　is；　indeed；　one　of　the　greatest　princes　of　this　age；　never
wears　any　gloves；　and　in　winter　or　whatever　weather　can　come；　never　wears
other　cap　abroad　than　that　he　wears　at　home。　　Whereas　I　cannot　endure　to
go　unbuttoned　or　untied；　my　neighbouring　labourers　would　think　themselves
in　chains；　if　they　were　so　braced。　　Varro　is　of　opinion；　that　when　it　was
ordained　we　should　be　bare　in　the　presence　of　the　gods　and　before　the
magistrate；　it　was　so　ordered　rather　upon　the　score　of　health；　and　to
inure　us　to　the　injuries　of　weather；　than　up