第54章

IknownotwhetherornoIshallbringitabout。Icouldwishthat，insteadofsomeothermemberofhissuccession，myfatherhadresignedtomethepassionateaffectionhehadinhisoldagetohishouseholdaffairs;hewashappyinthathecouldaccommodatehisdesirestohisfortune，andsatisfyhimselfwithwhathehad;politicalphilosophymaytomuchpurposecondemnthemeannessandsterilityofmyemployment，ifI

canoncecometorelishit，ashedid。Iamofopinionthatthemosthonourablecallingistoservethepublic，andtobeusefultomany，"Fructusenimingeniietvirtutis，omnisquepraestantiae，tummaximuscapitur，quuminproximumquemqueconfertur:"

["Forthegreatestenjoymentofevilandvirtue，andofallexcellence，isexperiencedwhentheyareconferredonsomeonenearest。"——Cicero，DeAmicil。，c。]

formyself，Idisclaimit;partlyoutofconscience（forwhereIseetheweightthatliesuponsuchemployments，IperceivealsothelittlemeansIhavetosupplyit;andPlato，amasterinallpoliticalgovernmenthimself，neverthelesstookcaretoabstainfromit），andpartlyoutofcowardice。Icontentmyselfwithenjoyingtheworldwithoutbustle;

only—toliveanexcusablelife，andsuchasmayneitherbeaburdentomyselfnortoanyother。

NeverdidanymanmorefullyandfeeblysufferhimselftobegovernedbyathirdpersonthanIshoulddo，hadIanyonetowhomtoentrustmyself。

Oneofmywishesatthistimeshouldbe，tohaveason—in—lawthatknewhandsomelyhowtocherishmyoldage，andtorockitasleep;intowhosehandsImightdeposit，infullsovereignty，themanagementanduseofallmygoods，thathemightdisposeofthemasIdo，andgetbythemwhatI

get，providedthatheonhispartweretrulyacknowledging，andafriend。

Butweliveinaworldwhereloyaltyofone’sownchildrenisunknown。

Hewhohasthechargeofmypurseinhistravels，hasitpurelyandwithoutcontrol;hecouldcheatmethoroughly，ifhecametoreckoning;

and，ifheisnotadevil，Iobligehimtodealfaithfullywithmebysoentireatrust:

"Multifalleredocuerunt，dumtimentfalli;

etaliisjuspeccandisuspicandofecerunt。"

["Manyhavetaughtotherstodeceive，whiletheyfeartobedeceived，and，bysuspectingthem，havegiventhematitletodoill。"——Seneca，Epist。，3。]

ThemostcommonsecurityItakeofmypeopleisignorance;IneverpresumeanytobevicioustillIhavefirstfoundthemso;andreposethemostconfidenceintheyoungersort，thatIthinkareleastspoiledbyillexample。Ihadratherbetoldattwomonths’endthatIhavespentfourhundredcrowns，thantohavemyearsbatteredeverynightwiththree，five，seven:andIhavebeen，inthisway，aslittlerobbedasanother。Itistrue，Iamwillingenoughnottoseeit;I，insomesort，purposely，harbourakindofperplexed，uncertainknowledgeofmymoney:

uptoacertainpoint，Iamcontenttodoubt。Onemustleavealittleroomfortheinfidelityorindiscretionofaservant;ifyouhaveleftenough，ingross，todoyourbusiness，lettheoverplusofFortune’sliberalityrunalittlemorefreelyathermercy;’tisthegleaner’sportion。Afterall，IdonotsomuchvaluethefidelityofmypeopleasIcontemntheirinjury。Whatameanandridiculousthingitisforamantostudyhismoney，todelightinhandlingandtellingitoverandoveragain！’Tisbythisavaricemakesitsapproaches。

IneighteenyearsthatIhavehadmyestateinmy，ownhands，Icouldneverprevailwithmyselfeithertoreadovermydeedsorexaminemyprincipalaffairs，whichought，ofnecessity，topassundermyknowledgeandinspection。’Tisnotaphilosophicaldisdainofworldlyandtransitorythings;mytasteisnotpurifiedtothatdegree，andIvaluethematasgreatarate，atleast，astheyareworth;but’tis，intruth，aninexcusableandchildishlazinessandnegligence。WhatwouldInotratherdothanreadacontract？orthan，asaslavetomyownbusiness，tumbleoverthosedustywritings？or，whichisworse，thoseofanotherman，assomanydonowadays，togetmoney？Igrudgenothingbutcareandtrouble，andendeavournothingsomuch，astobecarelessandatease。

Ihadbeenmuchfitter，Ibelieve，couldithavebeenwithoutobligationandservitude，tohaveliveduponanotherman’sfortunethanmyown:and，indeed，Idonotknow，whenIexamineitnearer，whether，accordingtomyhumour，whatIhavetosufferfrommyaffairsandservants，hasnotinitsomethingmoreabject，troublesome，andtormentingthantherewouldbeinservingamanbetterbornthanmyself，whowouldgovernmewithagentlerein，andalittleatmyowncase:

"Servitusobedientiaestfractianimietabjecti，arbitriocarentissuo。"

["Servitudeistheobedienceofasubduedandabjectmind，wantingitsownfreewill。"——Cicero，Paradox，V。I。]

Cratesdidworse，whothrewhimselfintothelibertyofpoverty，onlytoridhimselfoftheinconveniencesandcaresofhishouse。ThisiswhatI

wouldnotdo;Ihatepovertyequallywithpain;butIcouldbecontenttochangethekindoflifeIliveforanotherthatwashumblerandlesschargeable。

Whenabsentfromhome，Idivestmyselfofallthesethoughts，andshouldbelessconcernedfortheruinofatower，thanIam，whenpresent，atthefallofatile。Mymindiseasilycomposedatdistance，butsuffersasmuchasthatofthemeanestpeasantwhenIamathome;thereinsofmybridlebeingwronglyputon，orastrapflappingagainstmyleg，willkeepmeoutofhumouradaytogether。Iraisemycourage，wellenoughagainstinconveniences:liftupmyeyesIcannot:

"Sensus，osuperi，sensus。"

["Thesenses，Oyegods，thesenses。"]

Iamathomeresponsibleforwhatevergoesamiss。Fewmasters（Ispeakofthoseofmediumconditionsuchasmine），andiftherebeanysuch，theyaremorehappy，canrelysomuchuponanother，butthatthegreatestpartoftheburdenwilllieupontheirownshoulders。Thistakesmuchfrommygraceinentertainingvisitors，sothatIhave，peradventure，detainedsomeratheroutofexpectationofagooddinner，thanbymyownbehaviour;andlosemuchofthepleasureIoughttoreapatmyownhousefromthevisitationandassemblingofmyfriends。Themostridiculouscarriageofagentlemaninhisownhouse，istoseehimbustlingaboutthebusinessoftheplace，whisperingoneservant，andlookinganangrylookatanother:itoughtinsensiblytoslidealong，andtorepresentanordinarycurrent;andIthinkitunhandsometotalkmuchtoourguestsoftheirentertainment，whetherbywayofbraggingorexcuse。Iloveorderandcleanliness——

"EtcantharusetlanxOstenduntmihime"——

["Thedishesandtheglassesshewmemyownreflection。"

——Horace，Ep。，i。5，23]

morethanabundance;andathomehaveanexactregardtonecessity，littletooutwardshow。Ifafootmanfallstocuffsatanotherman’shouse，orstumbleandthrowadishbeforehimasheiscarryingitup，youonlylaughandmakeajeston’t;yousleepwhilstthemasterofthehouseisarrangingabilloffarewithhisstewardforyourmorrow’sentertainment。IspeakaccordingasIdomyself;quiteappreciating，nevertheless，goodhusbandryingeneral，andhowpleasantquietandprosperoushouseholdmanagement，carriedregularlyon，istosomenatures;andnotwishingtofastenmyownerrorsandinconveniencestothething;nortogivePlatothelie，wholooksuponitasthemostpleasantemploymenttoeveryonetodohisparticularaffairswithoutwrongtoanother。

WhenItravelIhavenothingtocareforbutmyself，andthelayingoutmymoney;whichisdisposedofbyonesingleprecept;toomanythingsarerequiredtotherakingittogether;inthatIunderstandnothing;inspending，Iunderstandalittle，andhowtogivesomeshowtomyexpense，whichisindeeditsprincipaluse;butIrelytooambitiouslyuponit，whichrendersitunequalanddifform，and，moreover，immoderateinboththeoneandtheotheraspect;ifitmakesashow，ifitservetheturn，Iindiscreetlyletitrun;andasindiscreetlytieupmypurse—strings，ifitdoesnotshine，anddoesnotpleaseme。Whateveritbe，whetherartornature，thatimprintsinustheconditionoflivingbyreferencetoothers，itdoesusmuchmoreharmthangood;wedepriveourselvesofourownutilities，toaccommodateappearancestothecommonopinion:

wecarenotsomuchwhatourbeingis，astousandinreality，aswhatitistothepublicobservation。Eventhepropertiesofthemind，andwisdomitself，seemfruitlesstous，ifonlyenjoyedbyourselves，andifitproducenotitselftotheviewandapprobationofothers。Thereisasortofmenwhosegoldrunsinstreamsundergroundimperceptibly;othersexposeitallinplatesandbranches;sothattotheonealiardisworthacrown，andtotheotherstheinverse:theworldesteemingitsuseandvalue，accordingtotheshow。Allover—nicesolicitudeaboutrichessmellsofavarice:eventheverydisposingofit，withatoosystematicandartificialliberality，isnotworthapainfulsuperintendenceandsolicitude:he，thatwillorderhisexpensetojustsomuch，makesittoopinchedandnarrow。Thekeepingorspendingare，ofthemselves，indifferentthings，andreceivenocolourofgoodorill，butaccordingtotheapplicationofthewill。

Theothercausethattemptsmeouttothesejourneysis，inaptitudeforthepresentmannersinourstate。Icouldeasilyconsolemyselfforthiscorruptioninregardtothepublicinterest:

"PejoraquesaeculaferriTemporibus，quorumscelerinoninvenitipsaNomen，etanulloposuitnaturametallo;"

["And，worsethantheironages，forwhosecrimesthereisnosimilitudeinanyofNature’smetals。"——Juvenal，xiii。28。]

butnottomyown。Iam，inparticular，toomuchoppressedbythem:for，inmyneighbourhood，weare，oflate，bythelonglicenceofourcivilwars，grownoldinsoriotousaformofstate，"Quippeubifasversumatquenefas，"

["Wherewrongandrighthavechangedplaces。"

——Virgil，Georg。，i。504。]

thatinearnest，’tisawonderhowitcansubsist:

"Armatiterramexercent，semperquerecentesConvectarejuvatpraedas;etvivererapto。"

["Menplough，girtwitharms;everdelightinginfreshrobberies，andlivingbyrapine。"——AEneid，vii。748。]

Infine，Iseebyourexample，thatthesocietyofmenismaintainedandheldtogether，atwhatpricesoever;inwhatconditionsoevertheyareplaced，theystillcloseandsticktogether，bothmovingandinheaps;asillunitedbodies，that，shuffledtogetherwithoutorder，findofthemselvesameanstouniteandsettle，oftenbetterthantheycouldhavebeendisposedbyart。KingPhilipmustereduparabbleofthemostwickedandincorrigiblerascalshecouldpickout，andputthemalltogetherintoacityhehadcausedtobebuiltforthatpurpose，whichboretheirname:Ibelievethatthey，evenfromvicesthemselves，erectedagovernmentamongstthem，andacommodiousandjustsociety。Isee，notoneaction，orthree，orahundred，butmanners，incommonandreceiveduse，soferocious，especiallyininhumanityandtreachery，whicharetometheworstofallvices，thatIhavenotthehearttothinkofthemwithouthorror;andalmostasmuchadmireasIdetestthem:theexerciseofthesesignalvillainiescarrieswithitasgreatsignsofvigourandforceofsoul，asoferroranddisorder。Necessityreconcilesandbringsmentogether;andthisaccidentalconnectionafterwardsformsitselfintolaws:fortherehavebeensuch，assavageasanyhumanopinioncouldconceive，who，nevertheless，havemaintainedtheirbodywithasmuchhealthandlengthoflifeasanyPlatoorAristotlecouldinvent。Andcertainly，allthesedescriptionsofpolities，feignedbyart，arefoundtoberidiculousandunfittobeputinpractice。

Thesegreatandtediousdebatesaboutthebestformofsociety，andthemostcommodiousrulestobindus，aredebatesonlyproperfortheexerciseofourwits;asintheartsthereareseveralsubjectswhichhavetheirbeinginagitationandcontroversy，andhavenolifebutthere。Suchanideaofgovernmentmightbeofsomevalueinanewworld;

butwetakeaworldalreadymade，andformedtocertaincustoms;wedonotbegetit，asPyrrhaorCadmusdid。Bywhatmeanssoeverwemayhavetheprivilegetoredressandreformitanew，wecanhardlywritheitfromitswontedbent，butweshallbreakall。SolonbeingaskedwhetherhehadestablishedthebestlawshecouldfortheAthenians;"Yes，"saidhe，"ofthosetheywouldhavereceived。"Varroexcuseshimselfafterthesamemanner:"thatifheweretobegintowriteofreligion，hewouldsaywhathebelieved;butseeingitwasalreadyreceived，hewouldwriteratheraccordingtousethannature。"

Notaccordingtoopinion，butintruthandreality，thebestandmostexcellentgovernmentforeverynationisthatunderwhichitismaintained:itsformandessentialconveniencedependuponcustom。

Weareapttobedispleasedatthepresentcondition;butI，nevertheless，maintainthattodesirecommandinafew——[anoligarchy。]——

inarepublic，oranothersortofgovernmentinmonarchythanthatalreadyestablished，isbothviceandfolly:

"Aymel’estat，telquetoleveoisestreS’ilestroyalaymelaroyaute;

S’ilestdepeu，oubierscommunaute，Aymel’aussi;carDieut’yafaictnaistre。"

["Lovethegovernment，suchasyouseeittobe。Ifitberoyal，loveroyalty;ifitisarepublicofanysort，stillloveit;forGodhimselfcreatedtheetherein。"]

SowrotethegoodMonsieurdePibrac