第47章

Alcibiades，todiverttheinclinationofcommonrumours，cutofftheearsandtailofhisbeautifuldog，andturnedhimoutintothepublicplace，totheendthat，givingthepeoplethisoccasiontoprate，theymightlethisotheractionsalone。Ihavealsoseen，forthissameendofdivertingtheopinionsandconjecturesofthepeopleandtostoptheirmouths，somewomenconcealtheirrealaffectionsbythosethatwereonlycounterfeit;butIhavealsoseensomeofthem，whoincounterfeitinghavesufferedthemselvestobecaughtindeed，andwhohavequittedthetrueandoriginalaffectionforthefeigned:andsohavelearnedthattheywhofindtheiraffectionswellplacedarefoolstoconsenttothisdisguise:thepublicandfavourablereceptionbeingonlyreservedforthispretendedlover，onemayconcludehimafellowofverylittleaddressandlesswit，ifhedoesnotintheendputhimselfintoyourplace，andyouintohis;thisispreciselytocutoutandmakeupashoeforanothertodrawon。

Alittlethingwillturnanddivertus，becausealittlethingholdsus。

Wedonotmuchconsidersubjectsingrossandsingly;theyarelittleandsuperficialcircumstances，orimagesthattouchus，andtheoutwarduselessrindsthatpeelofffromthesubjectsthemselves:

"FolliculosutnuncteretesaestatecicadaeLinquunt。"

["Ashuskswefindgrasshoppersleavebehindtheminsummer。"

——"Lucretius，v。801。]

EvenPlutarchhimselflamentshisdaughterforthelittleapishtricksofherinfancy。——[ConsolationtohisWifeontheDeathoftheirDaughter，c。I。]——Theremembranceofafarewell，oftheparticulargraceofanaction，ofalastrecommendation，afflictus。ThesightofCaesar’srobetroubledallRome，whichwasmorethanhisdeathhaddone。Eventhesoundofnamesringinginourears，as"mypoormaster，"——"myfaithfulfriend，"——"alas，mydearfather，"or，"mysweetdaughter，"afflictus。

Whentheserepetitionsannoyme，andthatIexamineitalittlenearer，Ifind’tisnootherbutagrammaticalandwordcomplaint;Iamonlywoundedwiththewordandtone，astheexclamationsofpreachersveryoftenworkmoreupontheirauditorythantheirreasons，andasthepitifuleyesofabeastkilledforourservice;withoutmyweighingorpenetratingmeanwhileintothetrueandsolidessenceofmysubject:

"Hissestimulisdoloripselacessit。"

["Withtheseincitementsgriefprovokesitself。"

——Lucretius，ii。42。]

Thesearethefoundationsofourmourning。

Theobstinacyofmystonetoallremediesespeciallythoseinmybladder，hassometimesthrownmeintosolongsuppressionsofurineforthreeorfourdaystogether，andsoneardeath，thatithadbeenfollytohavehopedtoevadeit，anditwasmuchrathertohavebeendesired，consideringthemiseriesIendureinthosecruelfits。Oh，thatgoodemperor，whocausedcriminalstobetiedthattheymightdieforwantofurination，wasagreatmasterinthehangman’s’science！Findingmyselfinthiscondition，Iconsideredbyhowmanylightcausesandobjectsimaginationnourishedinmetheregretoflife;ofwhatatomstheweightanddifficultyofthisdislodgingwascomposedinmysoul;tohowmanyidleandfrivolousthoughtswegivewayinsogreatanaffair;adog，ahorse，abook，aglass，andwhatnot，wereconsideredinmyloss;tootherstheirambitioushopes，theirmoney，theirknowledge，notlessfoolishconsiderationsinmyopinionthanmine。IlookupondeathcarelesslywhenIlookuponituniversallyastheendoflife。Iinsultoveritingross，butindetailitdomineersoverme:thetearsofafootman，thedisposingofmyclothes，thetouchofafriendlyhand，acommonconsolation，discouragesandsoftensme。Sodothecomplaintsintragediesagitateoursoulswithgrief;andtheregretsofDidoandAriadne，impassionateeventhosewhobelievethemnotinVirgilandCatullus。’Tisasymptomofanobstinateandobduratenaturetobesensibleofnoemotion，as’tisreportedforamiracleofPolemon;butthenhedidnotsomuchasalterhiscountenanceatthebitingofamaddogthattoreawaythecalfofhisleg;andnowisdomproceedssofarastoconceivesovividandentireacauseofsorrow，byjudgmentthatitdoesnotsufferincreasebyitspresence，whentheeyesandearshavetheirshare;partsthatarenottobemovedbutbyvainaccidents。

Isitreasonthateventheartsthemselvesshouldmakeanadvantageofournaturalstupidityandweakness？Anorator，saysrhetoricinthefarceofhispleading，shallbemovedwiththesoundofhisownvoiceandfeignedemotions，andsufferhimselftobeimposeduponbythepassionherepresents;hewillimprintinhimselfatrueandrealgrief，bymeansofthepartheplays，totransmitittothejudges，whoareyetlessconcernedthanhe:astheydowhoarehiredatfuneralstoassistintheceremonyofsorrow，whoselltheirtearsandmourningbyweightandmeasure;foralthoughtheyactinaborrowedform，nevertheless，byhabituatingandsettlingtheircountenancestotheoccasion，’tismostcertaintheyoftenarereallyaffectedwithanactualsorrow。Iwasone，amongstseveralothersofhisfriends，whoconveyedthebodyofMonsieurdeGrammonttoSpissonsfromthesiegeofLaFere，wherehewasslain;

Iobservedthatinallplaceswepassedthroughwefilledthepeoplewemetwithlamentationsandtearsbythemeresolemnpompofourconvoy，forthenameofthedefunctwasnottheresomuchasknown。Quintilianreportsastohaveseencomedianssodeeplyengagedinamourningpart，thattheystillweptintheretiringroom，andwho，havingtakenuponthemtostiruppassioninanother，havethemselvesespousedittothatdegreeastofindthemselvesinfectedwithit，notonlytotears，but，moreover，withpallorandthecomportmentofmenreallyoverwhelmedwithgrief。

InacountrynearourmountainsthewomenplayPriestMartin，forastheyaugmenttheregretofthedeceasedhusbandbytheremembranceofthegoodandagreeablequalitieshepossessed，theyalsoatthesametimemakearegisterofandpublishhisimperfections;asifofthemselvestoenterintosomecomposition，anddivertthemselvesfromcompassiontodisdain。

Yetwithmuchbettergracethanwe，who，whenweloseanacquaintance，strivetogivehimnewandfalsepraises，andtomakehimquiteanotherthingwhenwehavelostsightofhimthanheappearedtouswhenwedidseehim;asifregretwereaninstructivething，orasiftears，bywashingourunderstandings，clearedthem。Formypart，Ihenceforthrenounceallfavourabletestimoniesmenwouldgiveofme，notbecauseI

shallbeworthyofthem，butbecauseIshallbedead。

Whoevershallaskaman，"Whatinteresthaveyouinthissiege？"——

"Theinterestofexample，"hewillsay，"andofthecommonobediencetomyprince:Ipretendtonoprofitbyit;andforglory，IknowhowsmallapartcanaffectaprivatemansuchasI:Ihavehereneitherpassionnorquarrel。"Andyetyoushallseehimthenextdayquiteanotherman，chafingandredwithfury，rangedinbattlefortheassault;’tistheglitteringofsomuchsteel，thefireandnoiseofourcannonanddrums，thathaveinfusedthisnewrigidityandfuryintohisveins。Afrivolouscause，youwillsay。Howacause？Thereneedsnonetoagitatethemind;

amerewhimsywithoutbodyandwithoutsubjectwillruleandagitateit。

LetmethingofbuildingcastlesinSpain，myimaginationsuggeststomeconveniencesandpleasureswithwhichmysoulisreallytickledandpleased。Howoftendowetormentourmindwithangerorsorrowbysuchshadows，andengageourselvesinfantasticpassionsthatimpairbothsoulandbody？Whatastonished，fleeting，confusedgrimacesdoesthisravingputourfacesinto！whatsalliesandagitationsbothofmembersandvoicesdoesitinspireuswith！Doesitnotseemthatthisindividualmanhasfalsevisionsamidthecrowdofotherswithwhomhehastodo，orthatheispossessedwithsomeinternaldemonthatpersecuteshim？

Inquireofyourselfwhereistheobjectofthismutation？isthereanythingbutusinnaturewhichinanitysustains，overwhichithaspower？Cambyses，fromhavingdreamtthathisbrothershouldbeonedaykingofPersia，puthimtodeath:abelovedbrother，andoneinwhomhehadalwaysconfided。Aristodemus，kingoftheMessenians，killedhimselfoutofafancyofillomen，fromIknownotwhathowlingofhisdogs;

andKingMidasdidasmuchupontheaccountofsomefoolishdreamhehaddreamed。’Tistoprizelifeatitsjustvalue，toabandonitforadream。Andyethearthesoultriumphoverthemiseriesandweaknessofthebody，andthatitisexposedtoallattacksandalterations;truly，ithasreasonsotospeak！

"OprimainfelixfingertiterraPrometheo！

IlleparumcautipectorisegitopusCorporadisponens，mentemnonviditinarte;

Rectaanimiprimumdebuitessevia。"

["Owretchedclay，firstformedbyPrometheus。Inhisattempt，whatlittlewisdomdidheshew！Inframingbodies，hedidnotapplyhisarttoformthemind，whichshouldhavebeenhisfirstcare。"——Propertius，iii。5，7。]

EndTheEssaysofMontaigne，V15

byMicheldeMontaigneTranslatedbyCharlesCottonEditedbyWilliamCarewHazilitt1877

CONTENTSOFVOLUME15。

V。UponSomeversesofVirgil。

CHAPTERV

UPONSOMEVERSESOFVIRGIL

CHAPTERV。

Byhowmuchprofitablethoughtsaremorefullandsolid，bysomucharetheyalsomorecumbersomeandheavy:vice，death，poverty，diseases，aregraveandgrievoussubjects。Amanshouldhavehissoulinstructedinthemeanstosustainandtocontendwithevils，andintherulesoflivingandbelievingwell:andoftenrouseitup，andexerciseitinthisnoblestudy;butinanordinarysoulitmustbebyintervalsandwithmoderation;itwillotherwisegrowbesottedifcontinuallyintentuponit。Ifounditnecessary，whenIwasyoung，toputmyselfinmindandsolicitmyselftokeepmetomyduty;gaietyandhealthdonot，theysay，sowellagreewiththosegraveandseriousmeditations:Iamatpresentinanotherstate:theconditionsofagebuttoomuchputmeinmind，urgemetowisdom，andpreachtome。FromtheexcessofsprightlinessIamfallenintothatofseverity，whichismuchmoretroublesome;andforthatreasonInowandthensuffermyselfpurposelyalittletorunintodisorder，andoccupymymindinwantonandyouthfulthoughts，wherewithitdivertsitself。Iamoflatebuttooreserved，tooheavy，andtooripe;yearseverydayreadtomelecturesofcoldnessandtemperance。

Thisbodyofmineavoidsdisorderanddreadsit;’tisnowmybody’sturntoguidemymindtowardsreformation;itgoverns，inturn，andmorerudelyandimperiouslythantheother;itletsmenotanhouralone，sleepingorwaking，butisalwayspreachingtomedeath，patience，andrepentance。Inowdefendmyselffromtemperance，asIhaveformerlydonefrompleasure;itdrawsmetoomuchback，andeventostupidity。NowI

willbemasterofmyself，toallintentsandpurposes;wisdomhasitsexcesses，andhasnolessneedofmoderationthanfolly。Therefore，lestIshouldwither，dryup，andoverchargemyselfwithprudence，intheintervalsandtrucesmyinfirmitiesallowme:

"Mensintentasuisneseitusquemalis。"

["Thatmymindmaynoteternallybeintentuponmyills。"

——Ovid。，Trist。，iv。i，4。]

Igentlyturnaside，andavertmyeyesfromt