the essays of montaigne, v5-第12章
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discontinuance I have since lost all manner of use; so that this new way
of education served me to no other end; than only at my first coming to
prefer me to the first forms; for at thirteen years old; that I came out
of the college; I had run through my whole course (as they call it); and;
in truth; without any manner of advantage; that I can honestly brag of;
in all this time。
The first taste which I had for books came to me from the pleasure in
reading the fables of Ovid's Metamorphoses; for; being about seven or
eight years old; I gave up all other diversions to read them; both by
reason that this was my own natural language; the easiest book that I was
acquainted with; and for the subject; the most accommodated to the
capacity of my age: for as for the Lancelot of the Lake; the Amadis of
Gaul; the Huon of Bordeaux; and such farragos; by which children are most
delighted with; I had never so much as heard their names; no more than I
yet know what they contain; so exact was the discipline wherein I was
brought up。 But this was enough to make me neglect the other lessons
that were prescribed me; and here it was infinitely to my advantage;
to have to do with an understanding tutor; who very well knew discreetly
to connive at this and other truantries of the same nature; for by this
means I ran through Virgil's AEneid; and then Terence; and then Plautus;
and then some Italian comedies; allured by the sweetness of the subject;
whereas had he been so foolish as to have taken me off this diversion;
I do really believe; I had brought away nothing from the college but a
hatred of books; as almost all our young gentlemen do。 But he carried
himself very discreetly in that business; seeming to take no notice; and
allowing me only such time as I could steal from my other regular
studies; which whetted my appetite to devour those books。 For the chief
things my father expected from their endeavours to whom he had delivered
me for education; were affability and good…humour; and; to say the truth;
my manners had no other vice but sloth and want of metal。 The fear was
not that I should do ill; but that I should do nothing; nobody
prognosticated that I should be wicked; but only useless; they foresaw
idleness; but no malice; and I find it falls out accordingly:
The complaints I hear of myself are these: 〃He is idle; cold in the
offices of friendship and relation; and in those of the public; too
particular; too disdainful。〃 But the most injurious do not say; 〃Why has
he taken such a thing? Why has he not paid such an one?〃 but; 〃Why does
he part with nothing? Why does he not give?〃 And I should take it for a
favour that men would expect from me no greater effects of supererogation
than these。 But they are unjust to exact from me what I do not owe; far
more rigorously than they require from others that which they do owe。
In condemning me to it; they efface the gratification of the action; and
deprive me of the gratitude that would be my due for it; whereas the
active well…doing ought to be of so much the greater value from my hands;
by how much I have never been passive that way at all。 I can the more
freely dispose of my fortune the more it is mine; and of myself the more
I am my own。 Nevertheless; if I were good at setting out my own actions;
I could; peradventure; very well repel these reproaches; and could give
some to understand; that they are not so much offended; that I do not
enough; as that I am able to do a great deal more than I do。
Yet for all this heavy disposition of mine; my mind; when retired into
itself; was not altogether without strong movements; solid and clear
judgments about those objects it could comprehend; and could also;
without any helps; digest them; but; amongst other things; I do really
believe; it had been totally impossible to have made it to submit by
violence and force。 Shall I here acquaint you with one faculty of my
youth? I had great assurance of countenance; and flexibility of voice
and gesture; in applying myself to any part I undertook to act: for
before
〃Alter ab undecimo tum me vix ceperat annus;〃
'〃I had just entered my twelfth year。〃Virgil; Bucol。; 39。'
I played the chief parts in the Latin tragedies of Buchanan; Guerente;
and Muret; that were presented in our College of Guienne with great
dignity: now Andreas Goveanus; our principal; as in all other parts of
his charge; was; without comparison; the best of that employment in
France; and I was looked upon as one of the best actors。 'Tis an
exercise that I do not disapprove in young people of condition; and I
have since seen our princes; after the example of some of the ancients;
in person handsomely and commendably perform these exercises; it was even
allowed to persons of quality to make a profession of it in Greece。
〃Aristoni tragico actori rem aperit: huic et genus et
fortuna honesta erant: nec ars; quia nihil tale apud
Graecos pudori est; ea deformabat。〃
'〃He imparted this matter to Aristo the tragedian; a man of good
family and fortune; which neither of them receive any blemish by
that profession; nothing of this kind being reputed a disparagement
in Greece。〃Livy; xxiv。 24。'
Nay; I have always taxed those with impertinence who condemn these
entertainments; and with injustice those who refuse to admit such
comedians as are worth seeing into our good towns; and grudge the people
that public diversion。 Well…governed corporations take care to assemble
their citizens; not only to the solemn duties of devotion; but also to
sports and spectacles。 They find society and friendship augmented by it;
and besides; can there possibly be allowed a more orderly and regular
diversion than what is performed m the sight of every one; and very often
in the presence of the supreme magistrate himself? And I; for my part;
should think it reasonable; that the prince should sometimes gratify his
people at his own expense; out of paternal goodness and affection; and
that in populous cities there should be theatres erected for such
entertainments; if but to divert them from worse and private actions。
To return to my subject; there is nothing like alluring the appetite and
affections; otherwise you make nothing but so many asses laden with
books; by dint of the lash; you give them their pocketful of learning to
keep; whereas; to do well you should not only lodge it with them; but
make them espouse it。
CHAPTER XXVI
THAT IT IS FOLLY TO MEASURE TRUTH AND ERROR BY OUR OWN CAPACITY
'Tis not; perhaps; without reason; that we attribute facility of belief
and easiness of persuasion to simplicity and ignorance: for I fancy I
have heard belief compared to the impression of a seal upon the soul;
which by how much softer and of less resistance it is; is the more easy
to be impressed upon。
〃Ut necesse est; lancem in Libra; ponderibus impositis;
deprimi; sic animum perspicuis cedere。〃
'〃As the scale of the balance must give way to the weight that
presses it down; so the mind yields to demonstration。〃
Cicero; Acad。; ii。 12。'
By how much the soul is more empty and without counterpoise; with so much
greater facility it yields under the weight of the first persuasion。 And
this is the reason that children; the common people; women; and sick
folks; are most apt to be led by the ears。 But then; on the other hand;
'tis a foolish presumption to slight and condemn all things for false
that do not appear to us probable; which is the ordinary vice of such as
fancy themselves wiser than their neighbours。 I was myself once one of
those; and if I heard talk of dead folks walking; of prophecies;
enchantments; witchcrafts; or any other story I had no mind to believe:
〃Somnia; terrores magicos; miracula; sagas;
Nocturnos lemures; portentaque Thessala;〃
'〃Dreams; magic terrors; marvels; sorceries; Thessalian prodigies。〃
Horace。 Ep。 ii。 3; 208。'
I presently pitied the poor people that were abused by these follies。
Whereas I now find; that I myself was to be pitied as much; at least;
as they; not