贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > the essays of montaigne, v15 >

第1章

the essays of montaigne, v15-第1章

小说: the essays of montaigne, v15 字数: 每页4000字

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!







The Essays of Montaigne; V15

by Michel de Montaigne

Translated by Charles Cotton

Edited by William Carew Hazilitt

1877







CONTENTS OF VOLUME 15。

V。  Upon Some verses of Virgil。




CHAPTER V

UPON SOME VERSES OF VIRGIL



CHAPTER  V。

By how much profitable thoughts are more full and solid; by so much are
they also more cumbersome and heavy: vice; death; poverty; diseases; are
grave and grievous subjects。  A man should have his soul instructed in
the means to sustain and to contend with evils; and in the rules of
living and believing well: and often rouse it up; and exercise it in this
noble study; but in an ordinary soul it must be by intervals and with
moderation; it will otherwise grow besotted if continually intent upon
it。  I found it necessary; when I was young; to put myself in mind and
solicit myself to keep me to my duty; gaiety and health do not; they say;
so well agree with those grave and serious meditations: I am at present
in another state: the conditions of age but too much put me in mind; urge
me to wisdom; and preach to me。  From the excess of sprightliness I am
fallen into that of severity; which is much more troublesome; and for
that reason I now and then suffer myself purposely a little to run into
disorder; and occupy my mind in wanton and youthful thoughts; wherewith
it diverts itself。  I am of late but too reserved; too heavy; and too
ripe; years every day read to me lectures of coldness and temperance。
This body of mine avoids disorder and dreads it; 'tis now my body's turn
to guide my mind towards reformation; it governs; in turn; and more
rudely and imperiously than the other; it lets me not an hour alone;
sleeping or waking; but is always preaching to me death; patience; and
repentance。  I now defend myself from temperance; as I have formerly done
from pleasure; it draws me too much back; and even to stupidity。  Now I
will be master of myself; to all intents and purposes; wisdom has its
excesses; and has no less need of moderation than folly。  Therefore; lest
I should wither; dry up; and overcharge myself with prudence; in the
intervals and truces my infirmities allow me:

               〃Mens intenta suis ne seit usque malis。〃

     '〃That my mind may not eternally be intent upon my ills。〃
     Ovid。; Trist。; iv。 i; 4。'

I gently turn aside; and avert my eyes from the stormy and cloudy sky I
have before me; which; thanks be to God; I regard without fear; but not
without meditation and study; and amuse myself in the remembrance of my
better years:

                          〃Animus quo perdidit; optat;
               Atque in praeterita se totus imagine versat。〃

     '〃The mind wishes to have what it has lost; and throws itself
     wholly into memories of the past。〃Petronius; c。 128。'

Let childhood look forward and age backward; was not this the
signification of Janus' double face?  Let years draw me along if they
will; but it shall be backward; as long as my eyes can discern the
pleasant season expired; I shall now and then turn them that way; though
it escape from my blood and veins; I shall not; however; root the image
of it out of my memory:

                                        〃Hoc est
                    Vivere bis; vita posse priore frui。〃

     '〃'Tis to live twice to be able to enjoy one's former life again。〃
     Martial; x。 23; 7。'

Plato ordains that old men should be present at the exercises; dances;
and sports of young people; that they may rejoice in others for the
activity and beauty of body which is no more in themselves; and call to
mind the grace and comeliness of that flourishing age; and wills that in
these recreations the honour of the prize should be given to that young
man who has most diverted the company。  I was formerly wont to mark
cloudy and gloomy days as extraordinary; these are now my ordinary days;
the extraordinary are the clear and bright; I am ready to leap for joy;
as for an unwonted favour; when nothing happens me。  Let me tickle
myself; I cannot force a poor smile from this wretched body of mine;
I am only merry in conceit and in dreaming; by artifice to divert the
melancholy of age; but; in faith; it requires another remedy than a
dream。  A weak contest of art against nature。  'Tis great folly to
lengthen and anticipate human incommodities; as every one does; I had
rather be a less while old than be old before I am really so。' I seize on
even the least occasions of pleasure I can meet。  I know very well; by
hearsay; several sorts of prudent pleasures; effectually so; and glorious
to boot; but opinion has not power enough over me to give me an appetite
to them。  I covet not so much to have them magnanimous; magnificent; and
pompous; as I do to have them sweet; facile; and ready:

               〃A natura discedimus; populo nos damus;
               nullius rei bono auctori。〃

     '〃We depart from nature and give ourselves to the people; who
     understand nothing。〃Seneca; Ep。; 99。'

My philosophy is in action; in natural and present practice; very little
in fancy: what if I should take pleasure in playing at cob…nut or to whip
a top!

               〃Non ponebat enim rumores ante salutem。〃

     '〃He did not sacrifice his health even to rumours: Ennius; apud
     Cicero; De Offic。; i。 24'

Pleasure is a quality of very little ambition; it thinks itself rich
enough of itself without any addition of repute; and is best pleased
where most retired。  A young man should be whipped who pretends to a
taste in wine and sauces; there was nothing which; at that age; I less
valued or knew: now I begin to learn; I am very much ashamed on't; but
what should I do?  I am more ashamed and vexed at the occasions that put
me upon't。  'Tis for us to dote and trifle away the time; and for young
men to stand upon their reputation and nice punctilios; they are going
towards the world and the world's opinion; we are retiring from it:

     〃Sibi arma; sibi equos; sibi hastas; sibi clavam; sibi pilam;
     sibi natationes; et cursus habeant: nobis senibus; ex lusionibus
     multis; talos relinquant et tesseras;〃

     '〃Let them reserve to themselves arms; horses; spears; clubs;
     tennis; swimming; and races; and of all the sports leave to us old
     men cards and dice。〃Cicero; De Senec。; c。 16。'

the laws themselves send us home。  I can do no less in favour of this
wretched condition into which my age has thrown me than furnish it with
toys to play withal; as they do children; and; in truth; we become such。
Both wisdom and folly will have enough to do to support and relieve me by
alternate services in this calamity of age:

               〃Misce stultitiam consiliis brevem。〃

          '〃Mingle with counsels a brief interval of folly。〃
          Horace; Od。; iv。 12; 27。'

I accordingly avoid the lightest punctures; and those that formerly would
not have rippled the skin; now pierce me through and through: my habit of
body is now so naturally declining to ill:

          〃In fragili corpore odiosa omnis offensio est;〃

          '〃In a fragile body every shock is obnoxious。〃
          Cicero; De Senec。; c。  18。'

          〃Mensque pati durum sustinet aegra nihil。〃

     '〃And the infirm mind can bear no difficult exertion。〃
     Ovid; De Ponto。; i。  5; 18。'

I have ever been very susceptibly tender as to offences: I am much more
tender now; and open throughout。

               〃Et minimae vires frangere quassa valent。〃

     '〃And little force suffices to break what was cracked before。〃
     Ovid; De Tris。; iii。 11; 22。'

My judgment restrains me from kicking against and murmuring at the
inconveniences that nature orders me to endure; but it does not take away
my feeling them: I; who have no other thing in my aim but to live and be
merry; would run from one end of the world to the other to seek out one
good year of pleasant and jocund tranquillity。  A melancholic and dull
tranquillity may be enough for me; but it benumbs and stupefies me; I am
not contented with it。  If there be any person; any knot of good company
in country or city; in France or elsewhere; resident or in motion; who

返回目录 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的