the essays of montaigne, v5-第4章
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to hardships and hazards; as they ought to be。 They will not endure to
see them return all dust and sweat from their exercise; to drink cold
drink when they are hot; nor see them mount an unruly horse; nor take a
foil in hand against a rude fencer; or so much as to discharge a carbine。
And yet there is no remedy; whoever will breed a boy to be good for
anything when he comes to be a man; must by no means spare him when
young; and must very often transgress the rules of physic:
〃Vitamque sub dio; et trepidis agat
In rebus。〃
'〃Let him live in open air; and ever in movement about something。〃
Horace; Od。 ii。; 3; 5。'
It is not enough to fortify his soul; you are also to make his sinews
strong; for the soul will be oppressed if not assisted by the members;
and would have too hard a task to discharge two offices alone。 I know
very well to my cost; how much mine groans under the burden; from being
accommodated with a body so tender and indisposed; as eternally leans and
presses upon her; and often in my reading perceive that our masters; in
their writings; make examples pass for magnanimity and fortitude of mind;
which really are rather toughness of skin and hardness of bones; for I
have seen men; women; and children; naturally born of so hard and
insensible a constitution of body; that a sound cudgelling has been less
to them than a flirt with a finger would have been to me; and that would
neither cry out; wince; nor shrink; for a good swinging beating; and when
wrestlers counterfeit the philosophers in patience; 'tis rather strength
of nerves than stoutness of heart。 Now to be inured to undergo labour;
is to be accustomed to endure pain:
〃Labor callum obducit dolori。〃
'〃Labour hardens us against pain。〃Cicero; Tusc。 Quaes。; ii。 15。'
A boy is to be broken in to the toil and roughness of exercise; so as to
be trained up to the pain and suffering of dislocations; cholics;
cauteries; and even imprisonment and the rack itself; for he may come by
misfortune to be reduced to the worst of these; which (as this world
goes) is sometimes inflicted on the good as well as the bad。 As for
proof; in our present civil war whoever draws his sword against the laws;
threatens the honestest men with the whip and the halter。
And; moreover; by living at home; the authority of this governor; which
ought to be sovereign over the boy he has received into his charge; is
often checked and hindered by the presence of parents; to which may also
be added; that the respect the whole family pay him; as their master's
son; and the knowledge he has of the estate and greatness he is heir to;
are; in my opinion; no small inconveniences in these tender years。
And yet; even in this conversing with men I spoke of but now; I have
observed this vice; that instead of gathering observations from others;
we make it our whole business to lay ourselves open to them; and are more
concerned how to expose and set out our own commodities; than how to
increase our stock by acquiring new。 Silence; therefore; and modesty are
very advantageous qualities in conversation。 One should; therefore;
train up this boy to be sparing and an husband of his knowledge when he
has acquired it; and to forbear taking exceptions at or reproving every
idle saying or ridiculous story that is said or told in his presence; for
it is a very unbecoming rudeness to carp at everything that is not
agreeable to our own palate。 Let him be satisfied with correcting
himself; and not seem to condemn everything in another he would not do
himself; nor dispute it as against common customs。
〃Licet sapere sine pompa; sine invidia。〃
'〃Let us be wise without ostentation; without envy。〃
Seneca; Ep。; 103。
Let him avoid these vain and uncivil images of authority; this childish
ambition of coveting to appear better bred and more accomplished; than he
really will; by such carriage; discover himself to be。 And; as if
opportunities of interrupting and reprehending were not to be omitted; to
desire thence to derive the reputation of something more than ordinary。
For as it becomes none but great poets to make use of the poetical
licence; so it is intolerable for any but men of great and illustrious
souls to assume privilege above the authority of custom:
〃Si quid Socrates ant Aristippus contra morem et consuetudinem
fecerunt; idem sibi ne arbitretur licere: magnis enim illi et
divinis bonis hanc licentiam assequebantur。〃
'〃If Socrates and Aristippus have committed any act against manners
and custom; let him not think that he is allowed to do the same; for
it was by great and divine benefits that they obtained this
privilege。〃Cicero; De 0ffic。; i。 41。'
Let him be instructed not to engage in discourse or dispute but with a
champion worthy of him; and; even there; not to make use of all the
little subtleties that may seem pat for his purpose; but only such
arguments as may best serve him。 Let him be taught to be curious in the
election and choice of his reasons; to abominate impertinence; and
consequently; to affect brevity; but; above all; let him be lessoned to
acquiesce and submit to truth so soon as ever he shall discover it;
whether in his opponent's argument; or upon better consideration of his
own; for he shall never be preferred to the chair for a mere clatter of
words and syllogisms; and is no further engaged to any argument whatever;
than as he shall in his own judgment approve it: nor yet is arguing a
trade; where the liberty of recantation and getting off upon better
thoughts; are to be sold for ready money:
〃Neque; ut omnia; qux praescripta et imperata sint;
defendat; necessitate ulla cogitur。〃
'〃Neither is their any necessity upon him; that he should defend
all things that are prescribed and enjoined him。〃
Cicero; Acad。; ii。 3。'
If his governor be of my humour; he will form his will to be a very good
and loyal subject to his prince; very affectionate to his person; and
very stout in his quarrel; but withal he will cool in him the desire of
having any other tie to his service than public duty。 Besides several
other inconveniences that are inconsistent with the liberty every honest
man ought to have; a man's judgment; being bribed and prepossessed by
these particular obligations; is either blinded and less free to exercise
its function; or is blemished with ingratitude and indiscretion。 A man
that is purely a courtier; can neither have power nor will to speak or
think otherwise than favourably and well of a master; who; amongst so
many millions of other subjects; has picked out him with his own hand to
nourish and advance; this favour; and the profit flowing from it; must
needs; and not without some show of reason; corrupt his freedom and
dazzle him; and we commonly see these people speak in another kind of
phrase than is ordinarily spoken by others of the same nation; though
what they say in that courtly language is not much to be believed。
Let his conscience and virtue be eminently manifest in his speaking; and
have only reason for their guide。 Make him understand; that to
acknowledge the error he shall discover in his own argument; though only
found out by himself; is an effect of judgment and sincerity; which are
the principal things he is to seek after; that obstinacy and contention
are common qualities; most appearing in mean souls; that to revise and
correct himself; to forsake an unjust argument in the height and heat of
dispute; are rare; great; and philosophical qualities。
Let him be advised; being in company; to have his eye and ear in every
corner; for I find that the places of greatest honour are commonly seized
upon by men that have least in them; and that the greatest fortunes are
seldom accompanied with the ablest parts。 I have been present when;
whilst they at the upper end of the chamber have been only commenting the
beauty of the arras; or the flavour of the wine; many things that have
been very finely said at the lower end of the table have been lost and
thrown away。 Let him e