第32章

UpontheMemoirsofMonsieurduBellayIfindthis:"’Tisalwayspleasanttoreadthingswrittenbythosethathaveexperiencedhowtheyoughttobecarriedon;butwithal，itcannotbedeniedbutthereisamanifestdecadenceinthesetwolords——[MartinduBellayandGuillaumedeLangey，brothers，whojointlywrotetheMemoirs。]——fromthefreedomandlibertyofwritingthatshineintheelderhistorians，suchastheSiredeJoinville，thefamiliarcompanionofSt。Louis;Eginhard，chancellortoCharlemagne;andoflaterdate，PhilipdeCommines。WhatwehavehereisratheranapologyforKingFrancis，againsttheEmperorCharlesV。，thanhistory。Iwillnotbelievethattheyhavefalsifiedanything，astomatteroffact;buttheymakeacommonpracticeoftwistingthejudgmentofevents，veryoftencontrarytoreason，toouradvantage，andofomittingwhatsoeveristicklishtobehandledinthelifeoftheirmaster;witnesstheproceedingsofMessieursdeMontmorencyanddeBiron，whicharehereomitted:nay，somuchastheverynameofMadamed’Estampesisnotheretobefound。Secretactionsanhistorianmayconceal;buttopassoverinsilencewhatalltheworldknowsandthingsthathavedrawnafterthempublicandsuchhighconsequences，isaninexcusabledefect。Infine，whoeverhasamindtohaveaperfectknowledgeofKingFrancisandtheeventsofhisreign，lethimseekitelsewhere，ifmyadvicemayprevail。TheonlyprofitamancanreapfromtheseMemoirsisinthespecialnarrativeofbattlesandotherexploitsofwarwhereinthesegentlemenwerepersonallyengaged;insomewordsandprivateactionsoftheprincesoftheirtime，andinthetreatiesandnegotiationscarriedonbytheSeigneurdeLangey，wherethereareeverywherethingsworthytobeknown，anddiscoursesabovethevulgarstrain。"

CHAPTERXI

OFCRUELTY

Ifancyvirtuetobesomethingelse，andsomethingmorenoble，thangoodnature，andthemerepropensiontogoodness，thatwearebornintotheworldwithal。Well—disposedandwell—descendedsoulspursue，indeed，thesamemethods，andrepresentintheiractionsthesamefacethatvirtueitselfdoes:butthewordvirtueimports，Iknownotwhat，moregreatandactivethanmerelyforamantosufferhimself，byahappydisposition，tobegentlyandquietlydrawntotheruleofreason。Hewho，byanaturalsweetnessandfacility，shoulddespiseinjuriesreceived，woulddoubtlessdoaveryfineandlaudablething;buthewho，provokedandnettledtothequickbyanoffence，shouldfortifyhimselfwiththearmsofreasonagainstthefuriousappetiteofrevenge，andafteragreatconflict，masterhisownpassion，wouldcertainlydoagreatdealmore。

Thefirstwoulddowell;thelattervirtuously:oneactionmightbecalledgoodness，andtheothervirtue;formethinks，theverynameofvirtuepresupposesdifficultyandcontention，andcannotbeexercisedwithoutanopponent。’Tisforthisreason，perhaps，thatwecallGodgood，mighty，liberalandjust;butwedonotcallHimvirtuous，beingthatallHisoperationsarenaturalandwithoutendeavour。——[Rousseau，inhisEmile，bookv。，adoptsthispassagealmostinthesamewords。]——

Ithasbeentheopinionofmanyphilosophers，notonlyStoics，butEpicureans——（andthisaddition——

["MontaignestopsheretomakehisexcuseforthusnamingtheEpicureanswiththeStoics，inconformitytothegeneralopinionthattheEpicureanswerenotsorigidintheirmoralsastheStoics，whichisnottrueinthemain，ashedemonstratesatoneview。ThisinvolvedMontaigneinatediousparenthesis，duringwhichitisproperthatthereaderbeattentive，thathemaynotentirelylosethethreadoftheargument。Insomelatereditionsofthisauthor，ithasbeenattemptedtoremedythisinconvenience，butwithoutobservingthatMontaigne’sargumentisrenderedmorefeebleandobscurebysuchvainrepetitions:itisalicencethatoughtnottobetaken，becausehewhopublishestheworkofanother，oughttogiveitastheothercomposedft。But，inMrCotton’stranslation，bewassopuzzledwiththisenormousparenthesisthathehasquiteleftitout"——Coste。]

Iborrowfromthevulgaropinion，whichisfalse，notwithstandingthewittyconceitofArcesilausinanswertoone，who，beingreproachedthatmanyscholarswentfromhisschooltotheEpicurean，butneveranyfromthencetohisschool，saidinanswer，"Ibelieveitindeed;numbersofcaponsbeingmadeoutofcocks，butneveranycocksoutofcapons。"——

[DiogenesLaertius，LifeofArchesilaus，lib。iv。，43。]——For，intruth，theEpicureansectisnotatallinferiortotheStoicinsteadiness，andtherigourofopinionsandprecepts。AndacertainStoic，showingmorehonestythanthosedisputants，who，inordertoquarrelwithEpicurus，andtothrowthegameintotheirhands，makehimsaywhatheneverthought，puttingawrongconstructionuponhiswords，clothinghissentences，bythestrictrulesofgrammar，withanothermeaning，andadifferentopinionfromthatwhichtheyknewheentertainedinhismindandinhismorals，theStoic，Isay，declaredthatheabandonedtheEpicureansect，uponthisamongotherconsiderations，thathethoughttheirroadtooloftyandinaccessible;

["Andthosearecalledloversofpleasure，beingineffectloversofhonourandjustice，whocultivateandobserveallthevirtues。"——Cicero，Ep。Fam。，xv。i，19。]

Thesephilosopherssaythatitisnotenoughtohavethesoulseatedinagoodplace，ofagoodtemper，andwelldisposedtovirtue;itisnotenoughtohaveourresolutionsandourreasoningfixedaboveallthepoweroffortune，butthatweare，moreover，toseekoccasionswhereintoputthemtotheproof:theywouldseekpain，necessity，andcontempttocontendwiththemandtokeepthesoulinbreath:

"Multumsibiadjicitvirtuslacessita。"

["Virtueismuchstrengthenedbycombats。"

or:"Virtueattackedaddstoitsownforce。"

——Seneca，Ep。，13。]

’TisoneofthereasonswhyEpaminondas，whowasyetofathirdsect，——[ThePythagorean。]——refusedtherichesfortunepresentedtohimbyverylawfulmeans;because，saidhe，Iamtocontendwithpoverty，inwhichextremehemaintainedhimselftothelast。Socratesputhimself，methinks，uponarudertrial，keepingforhisexerciseaconfoundedscoldingwife，whichwasfightingatsharps。Metellushaving，ofalltheRomansenators，aloneattempted，bythepowerofvirtue，towithstandtheviolenceofSaturninus，tribuneofthepeopleatRome，whowould，byallmeans，causeanunjustlawtopassinfavourofthecommons，and，bysodoing，havingincurredthecapitalpenaltiesthatSaturninushadestablishedagainstthedissentient，entertainedthosewho，inthisextremity，ledhimtoexecutionwithwordstothiseffect:Thatitwasathingtooeasyandtoobasetodoill;andthattodowellwheretherewasnodangerwasacommonthing;butthattodowellwheretherewasdangerwastheproperofficeofamanofvirtue。ThesewordsofMetellusveryclearlyrepresenttouswhatIwouldmakeout，viz。，thatvirtuerefusesfacilityforacompanion;andthattheeasy，smooth，anddescendingwaybywhichtheregularstepsofasweetdispositionofnatureareconductedisnotthatofatruevirtue;sherequiresaroughandstormypassage;shewillhaveeitherexoticdifficultiestowrestlewith，likethatofMetellus，bymeanswhereoffortunedelightstointerruptthespeedofhercareer，orinternaldifficulties，thattheinordinateappetitesandimperfectionsofourconditionintroducetodisturbher。

Iamcomethusfaratmyease;buthereitcomesintomyheadthatthesoulofSocrates，themostperfectthatevercametomyknowledge，shouldbythisrulebeofverylittlerecommendation;forIcannotconceiveinthatpersonanytheleastmotionofaviciousinclination:Icannotimaginetherecouldbeanydifficultyorconstraintinthecourseofhisvirtue:Iknowhisreasontobesopowerfulandsovereignoverhimthatshewouldneverhavesufferedaviciousappetitesomuchastospringinhim。Toavirtuesoelevatedashis，Ihavenothingtooppose。MethinksIseehimmarch，withavictoriousandtriumphantpace，inpompandathisease，withoutoppositionordisturbance。Ifvirtuecannotshinebright，butbytheconflictofcontraryappetites，shallwethensaythatshecannotsubsistwithouttheassistanceofvice，andthatitisfromherthatshederivesherreputationandhonour？Whatthen，also，wouldbecomeofthatbraveandgenerousEpicureanpleasure，whichmakesaccountthatitnourishesvirtuetenderlyinherlap，andtheremakesitplayandwanton，givingitfortoystoplaywithal，shame，fevers，poverty，death，andtorments？IfIpresupposethataperfectvirtuemanifestsitselfincontending，inpatientenduringofpain，andundergoingtheuttermostextremityofthegout;withoutbeingmovedinherseat;ifIgivehertroublesanddifficultyforhernecessaryobjects:whatwillbecomeofavirtueelevatedtosuchadegree，asnotonlytodespisepain，but，moreover，torejoiceinit，andtobetickledwiththethroesofasharpcolic，suchastheEpicureanshaveestablished，andofwhichmanyofthem，bytheiractions，havegivenmostmanifestproofs？Ashaveseveralothers，whoIfindtohavesurpassedineffectseventheveryrulesoftheirdiscipline。WitnesstheyoungerCato:WhenIseehimdie，andtearingouthisownbowels，Iamnotsatisfiedsimplytobelievethathehadthenhissoultotallyexemptfromalltroubleandhorror:IcannotthinkthatheonlymaintainedhimselfinthesteadinessthattheStoicalrulesprescribedhim;temperate，withoutemotion，andimperturbed。Therewas，methinks，somethinginthevirtueofthismantoosprightlyandfreshtostopthere;Ibelievethat，withoutdoubt，hefeltapleasureanddelightinsonobleanaction，andwasmorepleasedinitthaninanyotherofhislife:

"Sicabiitavita，utcausammoriendinactumseessegauderet。"

["Hequittedliferejoicingthatareasonfordyinghadarisen。"

——Cicero，Tusc。Quaes。，i。30。]

IbelieveitsothoroughlythatIquestionwhetherhewouldhavebeencontenttohavebeendeprivedoftheoccasionofsobraveanexploit;andifthegoodnessthatmadehimembracethepublicconcernmorethanhisown，withheldmenot，Ishouldeasilyfallintoanopinionthathethoughthimselfobligedtofortuneforhavingputhisvirtueuponsobraveatrial，andforhavingfavouredthattheif——[Caesar]——intreadingunderfoottheancientlibertyofhiscountry。MethinksIreadinthisactionIknownotwhatexaltationinhissoul，andanextraordinaryandmanlyemotionofpleasure，whenhelookeduponthegenerosityandheightofhisenterprise:

"Deliberatemorteferocior，"

["Themorecourageousfromthedeliberationtodie。"

——Horace，Od。，i。37，29。]

notstimulatedwithanyhopeofglory，asthepopularandeffeminatejudgmentsofsomehaveconcluded（forthatconsiderationwastoomeanandlowtopossesssogenerous，sohaughty，andsodeterminedaheartashis），butfortheverybeautyofthethinginitself，whichhewhohadthehandlingofthespringsdiscernedmoreclearlyandinitsperfectionthanweareabletodo。PhilosophyhasobligedmeindeterminingthatsobraveanactionhadbeenindecentlyplacedinanyotherlifethanthatofCato;andthatitonlyappertainedtohistoendso;notwithstanding，andaccordingtoreason，hecommandedhissonandthesenatorswhoaccompaniedhimtotakeanothercourseintheiraffairs:

"Catoni，quumincredibilemnaturatribuissetgravitatem，eamqueipseperpetueconstantiaroboravisset，semperqueinpropositoconsiliopermansisset，moriendumpotius，quamtyrannivultusaspiciendus，erat。"

["Cato，whomnaturehadgivenincredibledignity，whichhehadfortifiedbyperpetualconstancy，everremainingofhispredeterminedopinion，preferredtodieratherthantolookonthecountenanceofatyrant。"——Cicero，DeOfc。，i。31。]

Everydeathoughttoholdproportionwiththelifebeforeit;wedonotbecomeothersfordying。Ialwaysinterpretthedeathbythelifepreceding;andifanyonetellmeofadeathstrongandconstantinappearance，annexedtoafeeblelife，Iconcludeitproducedbysomefeeblecause，andsuitabletothelifebefore。Theeasinessthenofhisdeathandthefacilityofdyinghehadacquiredbythe