the essays of montaigne, v1-第12章

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far　as　ever　a　man　could；　with　just　and　obvious　opportunities　for
commendation；　I　find　myself　unable　and　unqualified　to　render　it　to　him
I；　who　am　his　debtor　for　so　many　vivid　communications；　and　who　alone　have
it　in　my　power　to　answer　for　a　million　of　accomplishments；　perfections；
and　virtues；　latent　（thanks　to　his　unkind　stars）　in　so　noble　a　soul。　　For
the　nature　of　things　having　（I　know　not　how）　permitted　that　truth；　fair
and　acceptableas　it　may　be　of　itself；　is　only　embraced　where　there　are
arts　of　persuasion；　to　insinuate　it　into　our　minds；　I　see　myself　so
wanting；　both　in　authority　to　support　my　simple　testimony；　and　in　the
eloquence　requisite　for　lending　it　value　and　weight；　that　I　was　on　the
eve　of　relinquishing　the　task；　having　nothing　of　his　which　would　enable
me　to　exhibit　to　the　world　a　proof　of　his　genius　and　knowledge。

In　truth；　sir；　having　been　overtaken　by　his　fate　in　the　flower　of　his
age；　and　in　the　full　enjoyment　of　the　most　vigorous　health；　it　had　been
his　design　to　publish　some　day　works　which　would　have　demonstrated　to
posterity　what　sort　of　a　man　he　was；　and；　peradventure；　he　was
indifferent　enough　to　fame；　having　formed　such　a　plan　in　his　head；　to
proceed　no　further　in　it。　　But　I　have　come　to　the　conclusion；　that　it　was
far　more　excusable　in　him　to　bury　with　him　all　his　rare　endowments；　than
it　would　be　on　my　part　to　bury　also　with　me　the　knowledge　of　them　which　I
had　acquired　from　him；　and；　therefore；　having　collected　with　care　all　the
remains　which　I　found　scattered　here　and　there　among　his　papers；　I　intend
to　distribute　them　so　as　to　recommend　his　memory　to　as　many　persons　as
possible；　selecting　the　most　suitable　and　worthy　of　my　acquaintance；　and
those　whose　testimony　might　do　him　greatest　honour：　such　as　you；　sir；　who
may　very　possibly　have　had　some　knowledge　of　him　during　his　life；　but
assuredly　too　slight　to　discover　the　perfect　extent　of　his　worth。
Posterity　may　credit　me；　if　it　chooses；　when　I　swear　upon　my　conscience；
that　I　knew　and　saw　him　to　be　such　as；　all　things　considered；　I　could
neither　desire　nor　imagine　a　genius　surpassing　his。

I　beg　you　very　humbly；　sir；　not　only　to　take　his　name　under　your　general
protection；　but　also　these　ten　or　twelve　French　stanzas；　which　lay
themselves；　as　of　necessity；　under　shadow　of　your　patronage。　　For　I　will
not　disguise　from　you；　that　their　publication　was　deferred；　upon　the
appearance　of　his　other　writings；　under　the　pretext　（as　it　was　alleged
yonder　at　Paris）　that　they　were　too　crude　to　come　to　light。　　You　will
judge；　sir；　how　much　truth　there　is　in　this；　and　since　it　is　thought　that
hereabout　nothing　can　be　produced　in　our　own　dialect　but　what　is
barbarous　and　unpolished；　it　falls　to　you；　who；　besides　your　rank　as　the
first　house　in　Guienne；　indeed　down　from　your　ancestors；　possess　every
other　sort　of　qualification；　to　establish；　not　merely　by　your　example；
but　by　your　authoritative　testimony；　that　such　is　not　always　the　case：
the　more　so　that；　though　'tis　more　natural　with　the　Gascons　to　act　than
talk；　yet　sometimes　they　employ　the　tongue　more　than　the　arm；　and　wit　in
place　of　valour。

For　my　own　part；　sir；　it　is　not　in　my　way　to　judge　of　such　matters；　but　I
have　heard　persons　who　are　supposed　to　understand　them；　say　that　these
stanzas　are　not　only　worthy　to　be　presented　in　the　market…place；　but；
independently　of　that；　as　regards　beauty　and　wealth　of　invention；　they
are　full　of　marrow　and　matter　as　any　compositions　of　the　kind；　which　have
appeared　in　our　language。　　Naturally　each　workman　feels　himself　more
strong　in　some　special　part　his　art；　and　those　are　to　be　regarded　as　most
fortunate；　who　lay　hands　on　the　noblest；　for　all　the　parts　essential　to
the　construction　of　any　whole　are　not　equally　precious。　　We　find
elsewhere；　perhaps；　greater　delicacy　phrase；　greater　softness　and　harmony
of　language；　but　imaginative　grace；　and　in　the　store　of　pointed　wit；　I　do
not　think　he　has　been　surpassed；　and　we　should　take　the　account　that　he
made　these　things　neither　his　occupation　nor　his　study；　and　that　he
scarcely　took　a　pen　in　his　hand　more　than　once　a　year；　as　is　shown　by　the
very　slender　quantity　of　his　remains。　　For　you　see　here；　sir；　green　wood
and　dry；　without　any　sort　of　selection；　all　that　has　come　into　my
possession；　insomuch　that　there　are　among　the　rest　efforts　even　of　his
boyhood。　　In　point　of　fact；　he　seems　to　have　written　them　merely　to　show
that　he　was　capable　of　dealing　with　all　subjects：　for　otherwise；
thousands　of　times；　in　the　course　of　ordinary　conversation；　I　have　heard
things　drop　from　him　infinitely　more　worthy　of　being　admired；　infinitely
more　worthy　of　being　preserved。

Such；　sir；　is　what　justice　and　affection；　forming　in　this　instance　a　rare
conjunction；　oblige　me　to　say　of　this　great　and　good　man；　and　if　I　have
at　all　offended　by　the　freedom　which　I　have　taken　in　addressing　myself　to
you　on　such　a　subject　at　such　a　length；　be　pleased　to　recollect　that　the
principal　result　of　greatness　and　eminence　is　to　lay　one　open　to
importunate　appeals　on　behalf　of　the　rest　of　the　world。　　Herewith；　after
desiring　you　to　accept　my　affectionate　devotion　to　your　service；
I　beseech　God　to　vouchsafe　you；　sir；　a　fortunate　and　prolonged　life。
From　Montaigne；　this　1st　of　September　1570。Your　obedient　servant；

MICHEL　DE　MONTAIGNE。





To　Mademoiselle　de　MONTAIGNE；　my　Wife。＇Printed　as　a　preface　to　the
〃Consolation　of　Plutarch　to　his　Wife；〃　pub。　　fished　by　Montaigne；　with
several　other　tracts　by　La　Boetie；　about　1571。＇

MY　WIFE；You　understand　well　that　it　is　not　proper　for　a　man　of　the
world；　according　to　the　rules　of　this　our　time；　to　continue　to　court　and
caress　you；　for　they　say　that　a　sensible　person　may　take　a　wife　indeed；
but　that　to　espouse　her　is　to　act　like　a　fool。　　Let　them　talk；　I　adhere
for　my　part　the　custom　of　the　good　old　days；　I　also　wear　my　hair　as　it
used　to　be　then；　and；　in　truth；　novelty　costs　this　poor　country　up　to　the
present　moment　so　dear　（and　I　do　not　know　whether　we　have　reached　the
highest　pitch　yet）；　that　everywhere　and　in　everything　I　renounce　the
fashion。　　Let　us　live；　my　wife；　you　and　I；　in　the　old　French　method。
Now；　you　may　recollect　that　the　late　M。　de　la　Boetie；　my　brother　and
inseparable　companion；　gave　me；　on　his　death…bed；　all　his　books　and
papers；　which　have　remained　ever　since　the　most　precious　part　of　my
effects。　　I　do　not　wish　to　keep　them　niggardly　to　myself　alone；　nor　do　I
deserve　to　have　the　exclusive　use　of　them　；　so　that　I　have　resolved　to
communicate　them　to　my　friends；　and　because　I　have　none；　I　believe；　more
particularly　intimate　you；　I　send　you　the　Consolatory　Letter　written　by
Plutarch　to　his　Wife；　translated　by　him　into　French；　regretting　much　that
fortune　has　made　it　so　suitable　a　present　you；　and　that；　having　had　but
one　child；　and　that　a　daughter；　long　looked　for；　after　four　years　of　your
married　life　it　was　your　lot　to　lose　her　in　the　second　year　of　her　age。
But　I　leave　to　Plutarch　the　duty　of　comforting　you；　acquainting　you　with
your　duty　herein；　begging　you　to　put　your　faith　in　him　for　my　sake；　for
he　will　reveal　to　you　my　own　ideas；　and　will　express　the　matter　far
better　than　I　should　myself。　　Hereupon；　my　wife；　I　commend　myself　very
heartily　to　your　good　will；　and　pray　God　to　have　you　in　His　keeping。
From　Paris；　this　10th　September　1570。Your　good　husband；

MICHEL　DE　MONTAIGNE。




VIII。

To　Monsieur　DUPUY；＇This　is　probably　the　Claude　Dupuy；　born　at　Paris　in
1545；　and　one　of　the　fourteen　judges　sent　into　Guienne　after　the　treaty
of　Fleix　in　1580。　　It　was　perhaps　under　these　circumstances　that
Montaigne　addressed　to　him　the　present　letter。＇the　King's　Councillor　in
his　Court　and　Parliament　of　Paris。

MONSIEUR；　The　business　of　the　Sieur　de　Verres；　a　prisoner；　who　is
extremely　well　known　to　me；　deserves；　in　the　arrival　at　a　decision；
the　exercise　of　the　clemency　natural　to　you；　if；　in　the　public　interest；
you　can　fairly　call　it　into　play。　　He　has　done　a　thing　not　only
excusable；　according　to　the　military　laws　of　this　age；　but　necessary　and
（as　we　are　of　opinion）　commendable。　　He　committed　the　act；　without　doubt；
unwillingly　and　under　pressure；　there　is　no　other　passage　of　h