the essays of montaigne, v15-第2章
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in country or city； in France or elsewhere； resident or in motion； who
can like my humour； and whose humours I can like； let them but whistle
and I will run and furnish them with essays in flesh and bone：
Seeing it is the privilege of the mind to rescue itself from old age； I
advise mine to it with all the power I have； let it meanwhile continue
green； and flourish if it can； like mistletoe upon a dead tree。 But I
fear 'tis a traitor； it has contracted so strict a fraternity with the
body that it leaves me at every turn； to follow that in its need。 I
wheedle and deal with it apart in vain； I try in vain to wean it from
this correspondence； to no effect； quote to it Seneca and Catullus； and
ladies and royal masques； if its companion have the stone； it seems to
have it too； even the faculties that are most peculiarly and properly its
own cannot then perform their functions； but manifestly appear stupefied
and asleep； there is no sprightliness in its productions； if there be not
at the same time an equal proportion in the body too。
Our masters are to blame； that in searching out the causes of the
extraordinary emotions of the soul； besides attributing it to a divine
ecstasy； love； martial fierceness； poesy； wine； they have not also
attributed a part to health： a boiling； vigorous； full； and lazy health；
such as formerly the verdure of youth and security； by fits； supplied me
withal； that fire of sprightliness and gaiety darts into the mind flashes
that are lively and bright beyond our natural light； and of all
enthusiasms the most jovial； if not the most extravagant。
It is； then； no wonder if a contrary state stupefy and clog my spirit；
and produce a contrary effect：
〃Ad nullum consurgit opus； cum corpore languet；〃
＇〃When the mind is languishing； the body is good for nothing。〃
（Or：） 〃It rises to no effort； it languishes with the body。〃
Pseudo Gallus； i。 125。
and yet would have me obliged to it for giving； as it wants to make out；
much less consent to this stupidity than is the ordinary case with men of
my age。 Let us； at least； whilst we have truce； drive away incommodities
and difficulties from our commerce：
〃Dum licet； obducta solvatur fronte senectus：〃
＇〃Whilst we can； let us banish old age from the brow。〃
Herod。； Ep。； xiii。 7。＇
〃Tetrica sunt amcenanda jocularibus。〃
＇〃Sour things are to be sweetened with those that are pleasant。〃
Sidonius Apollin。； Ep。； i。 9。＇
I love a gay and civil wisdom； and fly from all sourness and austerity of
manners； all repellent； mien being suspected by me：
〃Tristemque vultus tetrici arrogantiam：〃
＇〃The arrogant sadness of a crabbed face。〃Auctor Incert。＇
〃Et habet tristis quoque turba cinaedos。〃
＇〃And the dull crowd also has its voluptuaries。〃 （Or：）
〃An austere countenance sometimes covers a debauched mind。〃
Idem。＇
I am very much of Plato's opinion； who says that facile or harsh humours
are great indications of the good or ill disposition of the mind。
Socrates had a constant countenance； but serene and smiling； not sourly
austere； like the elder Crassus； whom no one ever saw laugh。 Virtue is a
pleasant and gay quality。
I know very well that few will quarrel with the licence of my writings；
who have not more to quarrel with in the licence of their own thoughts：
I conform myself well enough to their inclinations； but I offend their
eyes。 'Tis a fine humour to strain the writings of Plato； to wrest his
pretended intercourses with Phaedo； Dion； Stella； and Archeanassa：
〃Non pudeat dicere； quod non pudet sentire。〃
＇〃Let us not be ashamed to speak what we are not ashamed to think。〃＇
I hate a froward and dismal spirit； that slips over all the pleasures of
life and seizes and feeds upon misfortunes； like flies； that cannot stick
to a smooth and polished body； but fix and repose themselves upon craggy
and rough places； and like cupping…glasses； that only suck and attract
bad blood。
As to the rest； I have enjoined myself to dare to say all that I dare to
do； even thoughts that are not to be published； displease me； the worst
of my actions and qualities do not appear to me so evil as I find it evil
and base not to dare to own them。 Every one is wary and discreet in
confession； but men ought to be so in action； the boldness of doing ill
is in some sort compensated and restrained by the boldness of confessing
it。 Whoever will oblige himself to tell all； should oblige himself to do
nothing that he must be forced to conceal。 I wish that this excessive
licence of mine may draw men to freedom； above these timorous and mincing
virtues sprung from our imperfections； and that at the expense of my
immoderation I may reduce them to reason。 A man must see and study his
vice to correct it； they who conceal it from others； commonly conceal it
from themselves； and do not think it close enough； if they themselves see
it： they withdraw and disguise it from their own consciences：
〃Quare vitia sua nemo confitetur？ Quia etiam nunc in
illia est； somnium narrare vigilantis est。〃
＇〃Why does no man confess his vices？ because he is yet in them；
'tis for a waking man to tell his dream。〃Seneca； Ep。； 53。＇
The diseases of the body explain themselves by their increase； we find
that to be the gout which we called a rheum or a strain； the diseases of
the soul； the greater they are； keep； themselves the most obscure；
the most sick are the least sensible； therefore it is that with an
unrelenting hand they most often； in full day； be taken to task； opened；
and torn from the hollow of the heart。 As in doing well； so in doing
ill； the mere confession is sometimes satisfaction。 Is there any
deformity in doing amiss； that can excuse us from confessing ourselves？
It is so great a pain to me to dissemble； that I evade the trust of
another's secrets； wanting the courage to disavow my knowledge。 I can
keep silent； but deny I cannot without the greatest trouble and violence
to myself imaginable to be very secret； a man must be so by nature； not
by obligation。 'Tis little worth； in the service of a prince； to be
secret； if a man be not a liar to boot。 If he who asked Thales the
Milesian whether he ought solemnly to deny that he had committed
adultery； had applied himself to me； I should have told him that he ought
not to do it； for I look upon lying as a worse fault than the other。
Thales advised him quite contrary； bidding him swear to shield the
greater fault by the less；
＇Montaigne's memory here serves him ill； for the question being put
to Thales； his answer was： 〃But is not perjury worse than
adultery？〃Diogenes Laertius； in vita； i。 36。＇
nevertheless； this counsel was not so much an election as a
multiplication of vice。 Upon which let us say this in passing； that we
deal liberally with a man of conscience when we propose to him some
difficulty in counterpoise of vice； but when we shut him up betwixt two
vices； he is put to a hard choice as Origen was either to idolatrise or
to suffer himself to be carnally abused by a great Ethiopian slave they
brought to him。 He submitted to the first condition； and wrongly； people
say。 Yet those women of our times are not much out； according to their
error； who protest they had rather burden their consciences with ten men
than one mass。
If it be indiscretion so to publish one's errors； yet there is no great
danger that it pass into example and custom； for Ariston said； that the
winds men most fear are those that lay them open。 We must tuck up this
ridiculous rag that hides our manners： they send their consciences to the
stews； and keep a starched countenance： even traitors and assassins
espouse the laws of ceremony； and there fix their duty。 So that neither
can injustice complain of incivility； nor malice of indiscretion。 'Tis
pity but a bad man should be a fool to boot； and that outward decency
should palliate his vice： this rough…cast only appertains to a good and
sound wall； that deserves to be preserved and whited。
In favour of
