the essays of montaigne, v2-第13章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


hit　him　full　in　the　breast。　　To　say　truth；　I　do　not　think　that　these
evasions　are　performed　upon　the　account　of　judgment；　for　how　can　any　man
living　judge　of　high　or　low　aim　on　so　sudden　an　occasion？　　And　it　is　much
more　easy　to　believe　that　fortune　favoured　their　apprehension；　and　that
it　might　be　as　well　at　another　time　to　make　them　face　the　danger；　as　to
seek　to　avoid　it。　　For　my　own　part；　I　confess　I　cannot　forbear　starting
when　the　rattle　of　a　harquebuse　thunders　in　my　ears　on　a　sudden；　and　in　a
place　where　I　am　not　to　expect　it；　which　I　have　also　observed　in　others；
braver　fellows　than　I。

Neither　do　the　Stoics　pretend　that　the　soul　of　their　philosopher　need　be
proof　against　the　first　visions　and　fantasies　that　surprise　him；　but；　as
to　a　natural　subjection；　consent　that　he　should　tremble　at　the　terrible
noise　of　thunder；　or　the　sudden　clatter　of　some　falling　ruin；　and　be
affrighted　even　to　paleness　and　convulsion；　and　so　in　other　passions；
provided　his　judgment　remain　sound　and　entire；　and　that　the　seat　of　his
reason　suffer　no　concussion　nor　alteration；　and　that　he　yield　no　consent
to　his　fright　and　discomposure。　　To　him　who　is　not　a　philosopher；　a
fright　is　the　same　thing　in　the　first　part　of　it；　but　quite　another　thing
in　the　second；　for　the　impression　of　passions　does　not　remain
superficially　in　him；　but　penetrates　farther；　even　to　the　very　seat　of
reason；　infecting　and　corrupting　it；　so　that　he　judges　according　to　his
fear；　and　conforms　his　behaviour　to　it。　In　this　verse　you　may　see　the
true　state　of　the　wise　Stoic　learnedly　and　plainly　expressed：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Mens　immota　manet；　lachrymae　volvuntur　inanes。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Though　tears　flow；　the　mind　remains　unmoved。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Virgil；　AEneid；　iv。　449＇

The　Peripatetic　sage　does　not　exempt　himself　totally　from　perturbations
of　mind；　but　he　moderates　them。








End