the essays of montaigne, v19-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！
grace and savour。 I； who but crawl upon the earth； hate this inhuman
wisdom； that will have us despise and hate all culture of the body； I
look upon it as an equal injustice to loath natural pleasures as to be
too much in love with them。 Xerxes was a blockhead； who； environed with
all human delights； proposed a reward to him who could find out others；
but he is not much less so who cuts off any of those pleasures that
nature has provided for him。 A man should neither pursue nor avoid them；
but receive them。 I receive them； I confess； a little too warmly and
kindly； and easily suffer myself to follow my natural propensions。 We
have no need to exaggerate their inanity； they themselves will make us
sufficiently sensible of it； thanks to our sick wet…blanket mind； that
puts us out of taste with them as with itself； it treats both itself and
all it receives； one while better； and another worse； according to its
insatiable； vagabond； and versatile essence：
〃Sincerum est nisi vas； quodcunque infundis； acescit。〃
＇〃Unless the vessel be clean； it will sour whatever
you put into it。〃Horace； Ep。； i。 2； 54。＇
I； who boast that I so curiously and particularly embrace the
conveniences of life； find them； when I most nearly consider them； very
little more than wind。 But what？ We are all wind throughout； and；
moreover； the wind itself； more discreet than we； loves to bluster and
shift from corner to corner； and contents itself with its proper offices
without desiring stability and solidity…qualities not its own。
The pure pleasures； as well as the pure displeasures； of the imagination；
say some； are the greatest； as was expressed by the balance of
Critolaiis。 'Tis no wonder； it makes them to its own liking； and cuts
them out of the whole cloth； of this I every day see notable examples；
and； peradventure； to be desired。 But I； who am of a mixed and heavy
condition； cannot snap so soon at this one simple object； but that I
negligently suffer myself to be carried away with the present pleasures
of the； general human law； intellectually sensible； and sensibly
intellectual。 The Cyrenaic philosophers will have it that as corporal
pains； so corporal pleasures are more powerful； both as double and as
more just。 There are some； as Aristotle says； who out of a savage kind
of stupidity dislike them； and I know others who out of ambition do the
same。 Why do they not； moreover； forswear breathing？ why do they not
live of their own？ why not refuse light； because it is gratuitous； and
costs them neither invention nor exertion？ Let Mars； Pallas； or Mercury
afford them their light by which to see； instead of Venus； Ceres； and
Bacchus。 These boastful humours may counterfeit some content； for what
will not fancy do？ But as to wisdom； there is no touch of it。 Will they
not seek the quadrature of the circle； even when on their wives？ I hate
that we should be enjoined to have our minds in the clouds； when our
bodies are at table； I would not have the mind nailed there； nor wallow
there； I would have it take place there and sit； but not lie down。
Aristippus maintained nothing but the body； as if we had no soul； Zeno
comprehended only the soul； as if we had no body： both of them faultily。
Pythagoras； they say； followed a philosophy that was all contemplation；
Socrates one that was all conduct and action； Plato found a mean betwixt
the two； but they only say this for the sake of talking。 The true
temperament is found in Socrates； and； Plato is much more Socratic than
Pythagoric； and it becomes him better。 When I dance； I dance； when I
sleep； I sleep。 Nay； when I walk alone in a beautiful orchard； if my
thoughts are some part of the time taken up with external occurrences；
I some part of the time call them back again to my walk； to the orchard；
to the sweetness of that solitude； and to myself。
Nature has mother…like observed this； that the actions she has enjoined
us for our necessity should be also pleasurable to us； and she invites us
to them； not only by reason； but also by appetite； and 'tis ；injustice to
infringe her laws。 When I see alike Caesar and Alexander； in the midst
of his greatest business； so fully enjoy human and corporal pleasures； I
do not say that he relaxed his mind： I say that he strengthened it； by
vigour of courage subjecting those violent employments and laborious
thoughts to the ordinary usage of life： wise； had he believed the last
was his ordinary； the first his extraordinary； vocation。 We are great
fools。 〃He has passed his life in idleness；〃 say we： 〃I have done
nothing to…day。〃 What？ have you not lived？ that is not only the
fundamental； but the most illustrious； of your occupations。 〃Had I been
put to the management of great affairs； I should have made it seen what I
could do。〃 〃Have you known how to meditate and manage your life？ you
have performed the greatest work of all。〃 In order to shew and develop
herself； nature needs only fortune； she equally manifests herself in all
stages； and behind a curtain as well as without one。 Have you known how
to regulate your conduct； you have done a great deal more than he who has
composed books。 Have you known how to take repose； you have done more
than he who has taken empires and cities。
The glorious masterpiece of man is to live to purpose； all other things：
to reign； to lay up treasure； to build； are but little appendices and
props。 I take pleasure in seeing a general of an army； at the foot of a
breach he is presently to assault； give himself up entire and free at
dinner； to talk and be merry with his friends。 And Brutus； when heaven
and earth were conspired against him and the Roman liberty； stealing some
hour of the night from his rounds to read and scan Polybius in all
security。 'Tis for little souls； buried under the weight of affairs； not
from them to know how clearly to disengage themselves； not to know how to
lay them aside and take them up again：
〃O fortes； pejoraque passi
Mecum saepe viri！ nunc vino pellite curas
Cras ingens iterabimus aequor。〃
＇〃O brave spirits； who have often suffered sorrow with me； drink
cares away； tomorrow we will embark once more on the vast sea。〃
Horace； Od。； i。 7； 30。＇
Whether it be in jest or earnest； that the theological and Sorbonnical
wine； and their feasts； are turned into a proverb； I find it reasonable
they should dine so much more commodiously and pleasantly； as they have
profitably and seriously employed the morning in the exercise of their
schools。 The conscience of having well spent the other hours； is the
just and savoury sauce of the dinner…table。 The sages lived after that
manner； and that inimitable emulation to virtue； which astonishes us both
in the one and the other Cato； that humour of theirs； so severe as even
to be importunate； gently submits itself and yields to the laws of the
human condition； of Venus and Bacchus； according to the precepts of their
sect； that require the perfect sage to be as expert and intelligent in
the use of natural pleasures as in all other duties of life：
〃Cui cor sapiat； ei et sapiat palatus。〃
Relaxation and facility； methinks； wonderfully honour and best become a
strong and generous soul。 Epaminondas did not think that to take part；
and that heartily； in songs and sports and dances with the young men of
his city； were things that in any way derogated from the honour of his
glorious victories and the perfect purity of manners that was in him。
And amongst so many admirable actions of Scipio the grandfather； a person
worthy to be reputed of a heavenly extraction； there is nothing that
gives him a greater grace than to see him carelessly and childishly
trifling at gathering and selecting cockle shells； and playing at quoits；
＇This game； as the 〃Dictionnaire de Trevoux〃 describes it； is one
wherein two persons contend which of them shall soonest pick up some
object。＇
amusing and tickling himself in representing by writing in comedies the
meanest and most popular actions of men。 And his head full of that
wonderful e
