the essays of montaigne, v16-第15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！


men　who　lived　in　the　same　time；　and　had　dealings　with　him；　and　to　have
reputed　him　on　a　par　with　Marius　and　Sylla；　excepting　that　he　was　more
close。　　Other　writers　have　not　acquitted　his　intention　in　the　government
of　affairs　from　ambition　and　revenge；　and　even　his　friends　were　afraid
that　victory　would　have　transported　him　beyond　the　bounds　of　reason；　but
not　to　so　immeasurable　a　degree　as　theirs；　nothing　in　his　life　threatened
such　express　cruelty　and　tyranny。　　Neither　ought　we　to　set　suspicion
against　evidence；　and　therefore　I　do　not　believe　Plutarch　in　this　matter。
That　his　narrations　were　genuine　and　straightforward　may；　perhaps；　be
argued　from　this　very　thing；　that　they　do　not　always　apply　to　the
conclusions　of　his　judgments；　which　he　follows　according　to　the　bias　he
has　taken；　very　often　beyond　the　matter　he　presents　us　withal；　which　he
has　not　deigned　to　alter　in　the　least　degree。　　He　needs　no　excuse　for
having　approved　the　religion　of　his　time；　according　as　the　laws　enjoined；
and　to　have　been　ignorant　of　the　true；　this　was　his　misfortune；　not　his
fault。

I　have　principally　considered　his　judgment；　and　am　not　very　well
satisfied　therewith　throughout；　as　these　words　in　the　letter　that
Tiberius；　old　and　sick；　sent　to　the　senate。　〃What　shall　I　write　to　you；
sirs；　or　how　should　I　write　to　you；　or　what　should　I　not　write　to　you　at
this　time？　　May　the　gods　and　goddesses　lay　a　worse　punishment　upon　me
than　I　am　every　day　tormented　with；　if　I　know！〃　　I　do　not　see　why　he
should　so　positively　apply　them　to　a　sharp　remorse　that　tormented　the
conscience　of　Tiberius；　at　least；　when　I　was　in　the　same　condition；　I
perceived　no　such　thing。

And　this　also　seemed　to　me　a　little　mean　in　him　that；　having　to　say　that
he　had　borne　an　honourable　office　in　Rome；　he　excuses　himself　that　he
does　not　say　it　out　of　ostentation；　this　seems；　I　say；　mean　for　such　a
soul　as　his；　for　not　to　speak　roundly　of　a　man's　self　implies　some　want
of　courage；　a　man　of　solid　and　lofty　judgment；　who　judges　soundly　and
surely；　makes　use　of　his　own　example　upon　all　occasions；　as　well　as　those
of　others；　and　gives　evidence　as　freely　of　himself　as　of　a　third　person。
We　are　to　pass　by　these　common　rules　of　civility；　in　favour　of　truth　and
liberty。　　I　dare　not　only　speak　of　myself；　but　to　speak　only　of　myself：
when　I　write　of　anything　else；　I　miss　my　way　and　wander　from　my　subject。
I　am　not　so　indiscreetly　enamoured　of　myself；　so　wholly　mixed　up　with；
and　bound　to　myself；　that　I　cannot　distinguish　and　consider　myself　apart；
as　I　do　a　neighbour　or　a　tree：　'tis　equally　a　fault　not　to　discern　how
far　a　man's　worth　extends；　and　to　say　more　than　a　man　discovers　in
himself。　　We　owe　more　love　to　God　than　to　ourselves；　and　know　Him　less；
and　yet　speak　of　Him　as　much　as　we　will。

If　the　writings　of　Tacitus　indicate　anything　true　of　his　qualities；　he
was　a　great　personage；　upright　and　bold；　not　of　a　superstitious　but　of　a
philosophical　and　generous　virtue。　　One　may　think　him　bold　in　his
relations；　as　where　he　tells　us；　that　a　soldier　carrying　a　burden　of
wood；　his　hands　were　so　frozen　and　so　stuck　to　the　load　that　they　there
remained　closed　and　dead；　being　severed　from　his　arms。　　I　always　in　such
things　bow　to　the　authority　of　so　great　witnesses。

What　also　he　says；　that　Vespasian；　by　the　favour　of　the　god　Serapis；
cured　a　blind　woman　at　Alexandria　by　anointing　her　eyes　with　his　spittle；
and　I　know　not　what　other　miracle；〃　he　says　by　the　example　and　duty　of
all　his　good　historians。　　They　record　all　events　of　importance；　and
amongst　public　incidents　are　the　popular　rumours　and　opinions。　　'Tis
their　part　to　relate　common　beliefs；　not　to　regulate　them：　that　part
concerns　divines　and　philosophers；　directors　of　consciences；　and
therefore　it　was　that　this　companion　of　his；　and　a　great　man　like
himself；　very　wisely　said：

　　　　　〃Equidem　plura　transcribo；　quam　credo：　nam　nec　affirmare
　　　　　sustineo；　de　quibus　dubito；　nec　subducere　quae　accepi；〃

　　　　　＇〃Truly；　I　set　down　more　things　than　I　believe；　for　I　can　neither
　　　　　affirm　things　whereof　I　doubt；　nor　suppress　what　I　have　heard。〃
　　　　　〃Quintus　Curtius；　ix。＇

and　this　other：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Haec　neque　affirmare　neque　refellere　operae
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　pretium　est；　famae　rerum　standum　est。〃

　　　　　＇'Tis　neither　worth　the　while　to　affirm　or　to　refute　these　things；
　　　　　we　must　stand　to　report〃Livy；　i。；　Praef。；　and　viii。　6。＇

And　writing　in　an　age　wherein　the　belief　of　prodigies　began　to　decline；
he　says　he　would　not；　nevertheless；　forbear　to　insert　in　his　Annals；　and
to　give　a　relation　of　things　received　by　so　many　worthy　men；　and　with　so
great　reverence　of　antiquity；　'tis　very　well　said。　　Let　them　deliver　to
us　history；　more　as　they　receive　it　than　as　they　believe　it。　　I；　who　am
monarch　of　the　matter　whereof　I　treat；　and　who　am　accountable　to　none；　do
not；　nevertheless；　always　believe　myself；　I　often　hazard　sallies　of　my
own　wit；　wherein　I　very　much　suspect　myself；　and　certain　verbal　quibbles；
at　which　I　shake　my　ears；　but　I　let　them　go　at　a　venture。　　I　see　that
others　get　reputation　by　such　things：　'tis　not　for　me　alone　to　judge。　　I
present　myself　standing　and　lying；　before　and　behind；　my　right　side　and
my　left；　and；　in　all　my　natural　postures。　　Wits；　though　equal　in　force；
are　not　always　equal　in　taste　and　application。

This　is　what　my　memory　presents　to　me　in　gross；　and　with　uncertainty
enough；　all　judgments　in　gross　are　weak　and　imperfect。









End