the essays of montaigne, v16-第10章

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they　lose　the　principal；　dispersing　it　in　the　crowd　of　incidents　after　an
hour　of　tempest；　they　know　not　what　they　seek：　one　is　low；　the　other
high；　and　a　third　wide。　　One　catches　at　a　word　and　a　simile；　another　is
no　longer　sensible　of　what　is　said　in　opposition　to　him；　and　thinks　only
of　going　on　at　his　own　rate；　not　of　answering　you：　another；　finding
himself　too　weak　to　make　good　his　rest；　fears　all；　refuses　all；　at　the
very　beginning；　confounds　the　subject；　or；　in　the　very　height　of　the
dispute；　stops　short　and　is　silent；　by　a　peevish　ignorance　affecting　a
proud　contempt　or　a　foolishly　　modest　avoidance　of　further　debate：
provided　this　man　strikes；　he　cares　not　how　much　he　lays　himself　open；
the　other　counts　his　words；　and　weighs　them　for　reasons；　another　only
brawls；　and　uses　the　advantage　of　his　lungs。　　Here's　one　who　learnedly
concludes　against　himself；　and　another　who　deafens　you　with　prefaces　and
senseless　digressions：　an　other　falls　into　downright　railing；　and　seeks　a
quarrel　after　the　German　fashion；　to　disengage　himself　from　a　wit　that
presses　too　hard　upon　him：　and　a　last　man　sees　nothing　into　the　reason　of
the　thing；　but　draws　a　line　of　circumvallation　about　you　of　dialectic
clauses；　and　the　formulas　of　his　art。

Now；　who　would　not　enter　into　distrust　of　sciences；　and　doubt　whether　he
can　reap　from　them　any　solid　fruit　for　the　service　of　life；　considering
the　use　we　put　them　to？

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Nihil　sanantibus　litteris。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Letters　which　cure　nothing。〃Seneca；　Ep。；　59。＇

Who　has　got　understanding　by　his　logic？　　Where　are　all　her　fair　promises？

　　　　　　　　　　〃Nec　ad　melius　vivendum；　nec　ad　commodius　disserendum。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃It　neither　makes　a　man　live　better　nor　talk　better。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Cicero；　De　Fin。；　i。　19。＇

Is　there　more　noise　or　confusion　in　the　scolding　of　herring…wives　than　in
the　public　disputes　of　men　of　this　profession？　　I　had　rather　my　son
should　learn　in　a　tap…house　to　speak；　than　in　the　schools　to　prate。　　Take
a　master　of　arts；　and　confer　with　him：　why　does　he　not　make　us　sensible
of　this　artificial　excellence？　and　why　does　he　not　captivate　women　and
ignoramuses；　as　we　are；　with　admiration　at　the　steadiness　of　his　reasons
and　the　beauty　of　his　order？　why　does　he　not　sway　and　persuade　us　to　what
he　will？　why　does　a　man；　who　has　so　much　advantage　in　matter　and
treatment；　mix　railing；　indiscretion；　and　fury　in　his　disputations？
Strip　him　of　his　gown；　his　hood；　and　his　Latin；　let　him　not　batter　our
ears　with　Aristotle；　pure　and　simple；　you　will　take　him　for　one　of　us；
or　worse。　　Whilst　they　torment　us　with　this　complication　and　confusion　of
words；　it　fares　with　them；　methinks；　as　with　jugglers；　their　dexterity
imposes　upon　our　senses；　but　does　not　at　all　work　upon　our　belief　this
legerdemain　excepted；　they　perform　nothing　that　is　not　very　ordinary　and
mean：　for　being　the　more　learned；　they　are　none　the　less　fools。

　　　　　＇So　Hobbes　said　that　if　he　had　read　as　much　as　the　academical
　　　　　pedants　he　should　have　known　as　little。＇

I　love　and　honour　knowledge　as　much　as　they　that　have　it；　and　in　its　true
use　'tis　the　most　noble　and　the　greatest　acquisition　of　men；　but　in　such
as　I　speak　of　（and　the　number　of　them　is　infinite）；　who　build　their
fundamental　sufficiency　and　value　upon　it；　who　appeal　from　their
understanding　to　their　memory：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Sub　aliena　umbra　latentes；〃

　　　　　＇〃Sheltering　under　the　shadow　of　others。〃Seneca；　Ep。；　33。＇

and　who　can　do　nothing　but　by　book；　I　hate　it；　if　I　dare　to　say　so；　worse
than　stupidity。　　In　my　country；　and　in　my　time；　learning　improves
fortunes　enough；　but　not　minds；　if　it　meet　with　those　that　are　dull　and
heavy；　it　overcharges　and　suffocates　them；　leaving　them　a　crude　and
undigested　mass；　if　airy　and　fine；　it　purifies；　clarifies；　and　subtilises
them；　even　to　exinanition。　　'Tis　a　thing　of　almost　indifferent　quality；
a　very　useful　accession　to　a　well…born　soul；　but　hurtful　and　pernicious
to　others；　or　rather　a　thing　of　very　precious　use；　that　will　not　suffer
itself　to　be　purchased　at　an　under　rate；　in　the　hand　of　some　'tis　a
sceptre；　in　that　of　others　a　fool's　bauble。

But　let　us　proceed。　　What　greater　victory　do　you　expect　than　to　make　your
enemy　see　and　know　that　he　is　not　able　to　encounter　you？　　When　you　get
the　better　of　your　argument；　'tis　truth　that　wins；　when　you　get　the
advantage　of　form　and　method；'tis　then　you　who　win。　　I　am　of　opinion　that
in；　Plato　and　Xenophon　Socrates　disputes　more　in　favour　of　the　disputants
than　in　favour　of　the　dispute；　and　more　to　instruct　Euthydemus　and
Protagoras　in　the；　knowledge　of　their　impertinence；　than　in　the
impertinence　of　their　art。　　He　takes　hold　of　the　first　subject　like　one
who　has　a　more　profitable　end　than　to　explain　itnamely；　to　clear　the
understandings　that　he　takes　upon　him　to　instruct　and　exercise。　　To　hunt
after　truth　is　properly　our　business；　and　we　are　inexcusable　if　we　carry
on　the　chase　impertinently　and　ill；　to　fail　of　seizing　it　is　another
thing；　for　we　are　born　to　inquire　after　truth：　it　belongs　to　a　greater
power　to　possess　it。　　It　is　not；　as　Democritus　said；　hid　in　the　bottom　of
the　deeps；　but　rather　elevated　to　an　infinite　height　in　the　divine
knowledge。　　The　world　is　but　a　school　of　inquisition：　it　is　not　who　shall
enter　the　ring；　but　who　shall　run　the　best　courses。　　He　may　as　well　play
the　fool　who　speaks　true；　as　he　who　speaks　false；　for　we　are　upon　the
manner；　not　the　matter；　of　speaking。　　'Tis　my　humour　as　much　to　regard
the　form　as　the　substance；　and　the　advocate　as　much　as　the　cause；　as
Alcibiades　ordered　we　should：　and　every　day　pass　away　my　time　in　reading
authors　without　any　consideration　of　their　learning；　their　manner　is　what
I　look　after；　not　their　subject：　And　just　so　do　I　hunt　after　the
conversation　of　any　eminent　wit；　not　that　he　may　teach　me；　but　that　I　may
know　him；　and　that　knowing　him；　if　I　think　him　worthy　of　imitation；　I　may
imitate　him。　　Every　man　may　speak　truly；　but　to　speak　methodically；
prudently；　and　fully；　is　a　talent　that　few　men　have。　　The　falsity　that
proceeds　from　ignorance　does　not　offend　me；　but　the　foppery　of　it。　　I
have　broken　off　several　treaties　　that　would　have　been　of　advantage　to
me；　by　reason　of　the　impertinent　contestations　of　those　with　whom　I
treated。　　I　am　not　moved　once　in　a　year　at　the　faults　of　those　over　whom
I　have　authority；　but　upon　the　account　of　the　ridiculous　obstinacy　of
their　allegations；　denials；　excuses；　we　are　every　day　going　together　by
the　ears；　they　neither　understand　what　is　said；　nor　why；　and　answer
accordingly；　'tis　enough　to　drive　a　man　mad。　　I　never　feel　any　hurt　upon
my　head　but　when　'tis　knocked　against　another；　and　more　easily　forgive
the　vices　of　my　servants　than　their　boldness；　importunity；　and　folly；　let
them　do　less；　provided　they　understand　what　they　do：　you　live　in　hope　to
warm　their　affection　to　your　service；　but　there　is　nothing　to　be　had　or
to　be　expected　from　a　stock。

But　what；　if　I　take　things　otherwise　than　they　are？　　Perhaps　I　do；　and
therefore　it　is　that　I　accuse　my　own　impatience；　and　hold；　in　the　first
place；　that　it　is　equally　vicious　both　in　him　that　is　in　the　right；　and
in　him　that　is　in　the　wrong；　for　'tis　always　a　tyrannic　sourness　not　to
endure　a　form　contrary　to　one's　own：　and；　besides；　there　cannot；　in
truth；　be　a　greater；　more　constant；　nor　more　irregular　folly　than　to　be
moved　and　angry　at　the　follies　of　the　world；　for　it　principally　makes　us
quarrel　with　ourselves；　and　the　old　philosopher　never　wanted　an　occasion
for　his　tears　whilst　he　considered　himself。　　Miso；　one　of　the　seven
sages；　of　a　Timonian　and　Democritic　humour；　being　asked；　　〃what　he
laughed　at；　being　alone？〃〃That　I　do　laugh　alone；〃　answered　he。　　How
many　ridiculous　things；　in　my　own　opinion；　do　I　say　and　answer　every　day
that　comes　over　my　head？　　and　then　how　many　more；　according　to　the
opinion　of　others？　　If　I　bite　my　own　lips；　what　ought　others　to　do？　　In
fine；　we　must　live　amongst　the　living；　and　let　the　river　run　under　the
bridge　without　our　care；　or；　at　least；　without　our　interference。　　In
truth；　why　do　we　meet　a　man　with　a　hunch…back；　or　any　other　deformity；
without　being　moved；　and　cannot