the essays of montaigne, v10-第10章

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and　imperfect。　　Most　of　the　fables　of　AEsop　have　diverse　senses　and
meanings；　of　which　the　mythologists　chose　some　one　that　quadrates　well　to
the　fable；　but；　for　the　most　part；　'tis　but　the　first　face　that　presents
itself　and　is　superficial　only；　there　yet　remain　others　more　vivid；
essential；　and　profound；　into　which　they　have　not　been　able　to　penetrate；
and　just　so　'tis　with　me。

But；　to　pursue　the　business　of　this　essay；　I　have　always　thought　that；　in
poesy；　Virgil；　Lucretius；　Catullus；　and　Horace　by　many　degrees　excel　the
rest；　and　signally；　Virgil　in　his　Georgics；　which　I　look　upon　as　the　most
accomplished　piece　in　poetry；　and　in　comparison　of　which　a　man　may　easily
discern　that　there　are　some　places　in　his　AEneids；　to　which　the　author
would　have　given　a　little　more　of　the　file；　had　he　had　leisure：　and　the
fifth　book　of　his　AEneids　seems　to　me　the　most　perfect。　　I　also　love
Lucan；　and　willingly　read　him；　not　so　much　for　his　style；　as　for　his　own
worth；　and　the　truth　and　solidity　of　his　opinions　and　judgments。　　As　for
good　Terence；　the　refined　elegance　and　grace　of　the　Latin　tongue；　I　find
him　admirable　in　his　vivid　representation　of　our　manners　and　the
movements　of　the　soul；　our　actions　throw　me　at　every　turn　upon　him；　and
I　cannot　read　him　so　often　that　I　do　not　still　discover　some　new　grace
and　beauty。　　Such　as　lived　near　Virgil's　time　complained　that　some　should
compare　Lucretius　to　him。　　I　am　of　opinion　that　the　comparison　is；　in
truth；　very　unequal：　a　belief　that；　nevertheless；　I　have　much　ado　to
assure　myself　in；　when　I　come　upon　some　excellent　passage　in　Lucretius。
But　if　they　were　so　angry　at　this　comparison；　what　would　they　say　to　the
brutish　and　barbarous　stupidity　of　those　who；　nowadays；　compare　him　with
Ariosto？　　Would　not　Ariosto　himself　say？

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃O　seclum　insipiens　et　inficetum！〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃O　stupid　and　tasteless　age。〃Catullus；　xliii。　8。＇

I　think　the　ancients　had　more　reason　to　be　angry　with　those　who　compared
Plautus　with　Terence；　though　much　nearer　the　mark；　than　Lucretius　with
Virgil。　　It　makes　much　for　the　estimation　and　preference　of　Terence；　that
the　father　of　Roman　eloquence　has　him　so　often；　and　alone　of　his　class；
in　his　mouth；　and　the　opinion　that　the　best　judge　of　Roman　poets
＇Horace；　De　Art。　　Poetica；　279。＇　has　passed　upon　his　companion。　　I
have　often　observed　that　those　of　our　times；　who　take　upon　them　to　write
comedies　（in　imitation　of　the　Italians；　who　are　happy　enough　in　that　way
of　writing）；　take　three　or　four　plots　of　those　of　Plautus　or　Terence　to
make　one　of　their　own；　and　；　crowd　five　or　six　of　Boccaccio's　novels　into
one　single　comedy。　　That　which　makes　them　so　load　themselves　with　matter
is　the　diffidence　they　have　of　being　able　to　support　themselves　with
their　own　strength。　　They　must　find　out　something　to　lean　to；　and　not
having　of　their　own　stuff　wherewith　to　entertain　us；　they　bring　in　the
story　to　supply　the　defect　of　language。　　It　is　quite　otherwise　with　my
author；　the　elegance　and　perfection　of　his　way　of　speaking　makes　us　lose
the　appetite　of　his　plot；　his　refined　grace　and　elegance　of　diction
everywhere　occupy　us：　he　is　so　pleasant　throughout；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Liquidus；　puroque　simillimus　amni；〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Liquid；　and　likest　the　pure　river。〃
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Horace；　Ep。；　ii。　s；　120。＇

and　so　possesses　the　soul　with　his　graces　that　we　forget　those　of　his
fable。　　This　same　consideration　carries　me　further：　　I　observe　that　the
best　of　the　ancient　poets　have　avoided　affectation　and　the　hunting　after；
not　only　fantastic　Spanish　and　Petrarchic　elevations；　but　even　the　softer
and　more　gentle　touches；　which　are　the　ornament　of　all　succeeding　poesy。
And　yet　there　is　no　good　judgment　that　will　condemn　this　in　the　ancients；
and　that　does　not　incomparably　more　admire　the　equal　polish；　and　that
perpetual　sweetness　and　flourishing　beauty　of　Catullus's　epigrams；　than
all　the　stings　with　which　Martial　arms　the　tails　of　his。　　This　is　by　the
same　reason　that　I　gave　before；　and　as　Martial　says　of　himself：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Minus　illi　ingenio　laborandum　fuit；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　in　cujus　locum　materia　successerat：〃

　　　　　＇〃He　had　the　less　for　his　wit　to　do　that　the　subject　itself
　　　　　supplied　what　was　necessary。〃Martial；　praef。　　ad　lib。　viii。＇

The　first；　without　being　moved；　or　without　getting　angry；　make　themselves
sufficiently　felt；　they　have　matter　enough　of　laughter　throughout；　they
need　not　tickle　themselves；　the　others　have　need　of　foreign　assistance；
as　they　have　the　less　wit　they　must　have　the　more　body；　they　mount　on
horseback；　because　they　are　not　able　to　stand　on　their　own　legs。　　As　in
our　balls；　those　mean　fellows　who　teach　to　dance；　not　being　able　to
represent　the　presence　and　dignity　of　our　noblesse；　are　fain　to　put
themselves　forward　with　dangerous　jumping；　and　other　strange　motions　and
tumblers　tricks；　and　the　ladies　are　less　put　to　it　in　dance；　where　there
are　various　coupees；　changes；　and　quick　motions　of　body；　than　in　some
other　of　a　more　sedate　kind；　where　they　are　only　to　move　a　natural　pace；
and　to　represent　their　ordinary　grace　and　presence。　　And　so　I　have　seen
good　drolls；　when　in　their　own　everyday　clothes；　and　with　the　same　face
they　always　wear；　give　us　all　the　pleasure　of　their　art；　when　their
apprentices；　not　yet　arrived　at　such　a　pitch　of　perfection；　are　fain　to
meal　their　faces；　put　themselves　into　ridiculous　disguises；　and　make　a
hundred　grotesque　faces　to　give　us　whereat　to　laugh。　　This　conception　of
mine　is　nowhere　more　demonstrable　than　in　comparing　the　AEneid　with
Orlando　Furioso；　of　which　we　see　the　first；　by　dint　of　wing；　flying　in　a
brave　and　lofty　place；　and　always　following　his　point：　the　latter；
fluttering　and　hopping　from　tale　to　tale；　as　from　branch　to　branch；　not
daring　to　trust　his　wings　but　in　very　short　flights；　and　perching　at
every　turn；　lest　his　breath　and　strength　should　fail　。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Excursusque　breves　tentat。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　＇And　he　attempts　short　excursions。〃
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Virgil；　Georgics；　iv。　　194。＇

These；　then；　as　to　this　sort　of　subjects；　are　the　authors　that　best
please　me。

As　to　what　concerns　my　other　reading；　that　mixes　a　little　more　profit
with　the　pleasure；　and　whence　I　learn　how　to　marshal　my　opinions　and
conditions；　the　books　that　serve　me　to　this　purpose　are　Plutarch；　since
he　has　been　translated　into　French；　and　Seneca。　　Both　of　these　have　this
notable　convenience　suited　to　my　humour；　that　the　knowledge　I　there　seek
is　discoursed　in　loose　pieces；　that　do　not　require　from　me　any　trouble　of
reading　long；　of　which　I　am　incapable。　　Such　are　the　minor　works　of　the
first　and　the　epistles　of　the　latter；　which　are　the　best　and　most
profiting　of　all　their　writings。　　'Tis　no　great　attempt　to　take　one　of
them　in　hand；　and　I　give　over　at　pleasure；　for　they　have　no　sequence　or
dependence　upon　one　another。　　These　authors；　for　the　most　part；　concur　in
useful　and　true　opinions；　and　there　is　this　parallel　betwixt　them；　that
fortune　brought　them　into　the　world　about　the　same　century：　they　were
both　tutors　to　two　Roman　emperors：　both　sought　out　from　foreign
countries：　both　rich　and　both　great　men。　　Their　instruction　is　the　cream
of　philosophy；　and　delivered　after　a　plain　and　pertinent　manner。
Plutarch　is　more　uniform　and　constant；　Seneca　more　various　and　waving：
the　last　toiled　and　bent　his　whole　strength　to　fortify　virtue　against
weakness；　fear；　and　vicious　appetites；　the　other　seems　more　to　slight
their　power；　and　to　disdain　to　alter　his　pace　and　to　stand　upon　his
guard。　　Plutarch's　opinions　are　Platonic；　gentle；　and　accommodated　to
civil　society；　those　of　the　other　are　Stoical　and　Epicurean；　more　remote
from　the　common　use；　but；　in　my　opinion；　more　individually　commodious　and
more　firm。　　Seneca　seems　to　lean　a　little　to　the　tyranny　of　the　emperors
of　his　time；　and　only　seems；　for　I　take　it　for　certain　that　he　speaks
against　his　judgment　when　he　condemns　the　action　of　the　generous
murderers　of　Caesar。　　Plutarch　is　frank　throughout：　Seneca　abounds　with
brisk　touches　and　sallies；　Plutarch　with　things　that　warm　and　move　you
more；　this　contents　and　pays　you　better：　he　guides　us；　the　other　pushe