the essays of montaigne, v1-第14章

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promises　with　which　your　adversaries　sustain　the　spirits　of　their
followers。　　The　popular　inclinations　resemble　a　tidal　wave；　if　the
current　once　commences　in　your　favour；　it　will　go　on　of　its　own　force　to
the　end。　　I　could　have　desired　much　that　the　private　gain　of　the　soldiers
of　your　army；　and　the　necessity　for　satisfying　them；　had　not　deprived
you；　especially　in　this　principal　town；　of　the　glorious　credit　of　treating
your　mutinous　subjects；　in　the　midst　of　victory；　with　greater　clemency
than　their　own　protectors；　and　that；　as　distinguished　from　a　passing　and
usurped　repute；　you　could　have　shown　them　to　be　really　your　own；　by　the
exercise　of　a　protection　truly　paternal　and　royal。　　In　the　conduct　of
such　affairs　as　you　have　in　hand；　men　are　obliged　to　have　recourse　to
unusual　expedients。　　It　is　always　seen　that　they　are　surmounted　by　their
magnitude　and　difficulty；　it　not　being　found　easy　to　complete　the
conquest　by　arms　and　force；　the　end　has　been　accomplished　by　clemency　and
generosity；　excellent　lures　to　draw　men　particularly　towards　the　just　and
legitimate　side。　　If　there　is　to　be　severity　and　punishment；　let　it　be
deferred　till　success　has　been　assured。　　A　great　conqueror　of　past　times
boasts　that　he　gave　his　enemies　as　great　an　inducement　to　love　him；　as
his　friends。　　And　here　we　feel　already　some　effect　of　the　favourable
impression　produced　upon　our　rebellious　towns　by　the　contrast　between
their　rude　treatment；　and　that　of　those　which　are　loyal　to　you。　　Desiring
your　Majesty　a　happiness　more　tangible　and　less　hazardous；　and　that　you
may　be　beloved　rather　than　feared　by　your　people；　and　believing　that　your
welfare　and　theirs　are　of　necessity　knit　together；　I　rejoice　to　think　that
the　progress　which　you　make　is　one　towards　more　practicable　conditions　of
peace；　as　well　as　towards　victory　！

Sire；　your　letter　of　the　last　of　November　came　to　my　hand　only　just　now；
when　the　time　which　it　pleased　you　to　name　for　meeting　you　at　Tours　had
already　passed。　　I　take　it　as　a　singular　favour　that　you　should　have
deigned　to　desire　a　visit　from　so　useless　a　person；　but　one　who　is　wholly
yours；　and　more　so　even　by　affection　than　from　duty。　　You　have　acted　very
commendably　in　adapting　yourself；　in　the　matter　of　external　forms；　to
your　new　fortunes；　but　the　preservation　of　your　old　affability　and
frankness　in　private　intercourse　is　entitled　to　an　equal　share　of　praise。
You　have　condescended　to　take　thought　for　my　age；　no　less　than　for　the
desire　which　I　have　to　see　you；　where　you　may　be　at　rest　from　these
laborious　agitations。　　Will　not　that　be　soon　at　Paris；　Sire？　　and　may
nothing　prevent　me　from　presenting　myself　there！Your　very　humble　and
very　obedient　servant　and　subject；
MONTAIGNE。

From　Montaigne；　this　18th　of　January　＇1590＇。




XV。
To　the　same。＇　This　letter　is　also　in　the　national　collection；　among　the
Dupuy　papers。　　It　was　first　printed　in　the　〃Journal　de　l'Instruction
Publique；〃　4th　November　1846。＇

SIRE；The　letter　which　it　pleased　your　majesty　to　write　to　me　on　the
20th　of　July；　was　not　delivered　to　me　till　this　morning；　and　found　me
laid　up　with　a　very　violent　tertian　ague；　a　complaint　very　common　in　this
part　of　the　country　during　the　last　month。　　Sire；　I　consider　myself
greatly　honoured　by　the　receipt　of　your　commands；　and　I　have　not　omitted
to　communicate　to　M。　the　Marshal　de　Matignon　three　times　most
emphatically　my　intention　and　obligation　to　proceed　to　him；　and　even　so
far　as　to　indicate　the　route　by　which　I　proposed　to　join　him　secretly；　if
he　thought　proper。　　Having　received　no　answer；　I　consider　that　he　has
weighed　the　difficulty　and　risk　of　the　journey　to　me。　　Sire；　your　Majesty
dill　do　me　the　favour　to　believe；　if　you　please；　that　I　shall　never
complain　of　the　expense　on　occasions　where　I　should　not　hesitate　to
devote　my　life。　　I　have　never　derived　any　substantial　benefit　whatever
from　the　bounty　of　kings；　which　I　have　neither　sought　nor　merited；　nor
have　I　had　any　recompense　for　the　services　which　I　have　performed　for
them：　whereof　your　majesty　is　in　part　aware。　　What　I　have　done　for　your
predecessors　I　shall　do　still　more　readily　for　you。　　I　am　as　rich；　Sire；
as　I　desire　to　be。　　When　I　shall　have　exhausted　my　purse　in　attendance　on
your　Majesty　at　Paris；　I　will　take　the　liberty　to　tell　you；　and　then；　if
you　should　regard　me　as　worthy　of　being　retained　any　longer　in　your
suite；　you　will　find　me　more　modest　in　my　claims　upon　you　than　the
humblest　of　your　officers。

Sire；　I　pray　God　for　your　prosperity　and　health。　　Your　very　humble　and
very　obedient　servant　and　subject；
MONTAIGNE。

From　Montaigne；　this　2d　of　September　＇1590＇。




XVI。

To　the　Governor　of　Guienne。

MONSEIGNEUR；I　have　received　this　morning　your　letter；　which　I　have
communicated　to　M。　de　Gourgues；　and　we　have　dined　together　at　the　house
of　M。＇the　mayor＇　of　Bourdeaux。　　As　to　the　inconvenience　of　transporting
the　money　named　in　your　memorandum；　you　see　how　difficult　a　thing　it　is
to　provide　for；　but　you　may　be　sure　that　we　shall　keep　as　close　a　watch
over　it　as　possible。　　I　used　every　exertion　to　discover　the　man　of　whom
you　spoke。　　He　has　not　been　here；　and　M。　de　Bordeaux　has　shown　me　a
letter　in　which　he　mentions　that　he　could　not　come　to　see　the　Director　of
Bordeaux；　as　he　intended；　having　been　informed　that　you　mistrust　him。
The　letter　is　of　the　day　before　yesterday。　　If　I　could　have　found　him；　I
might　perhaps　have　pursued　the　gentler　course；　being　uncertain　of　your
views；　but　I　entreat　you　nevertheless　to　feel　no　manner　of　doubt　that　I
refuse　to　carry　out　any　wishes　of　yours；　and　that；　where　your　commands
are　concerned；　I　know　no　distinction　of　person　or　matter。　　I　hope　that
you　have　in　Guienne　many　as　well　affected　to　you　as　I　am。　　They　report
that　the　Nantes　galleys　are　advancing　towards　Brouage。　　M。　the　Marshal　de
Biron　has　not　yet　left。　　Those　who　were　charged　to　convey　the　message　to
M。　d'Usee　say　that　they　cannot　find　him；　and　I　believe　that；　if　he　has
been　here；　he　is　so　no　longer。　　We　keep　a　vigilant　eye　on　our　gates　and
guards；　and　we　look　after　them　a　little　more　attentively　in　your　absence；
which　makes　me　apprehensive；　not　merely　on　account　of　the　preservation　of
the　town；　but　likewise　for　your　oven　sake；　knowing　that　the　enemies　of
the　king　feel　how　necessary　you　are　to　his　service；　and　how　ill　we　should
prosper　without　you。　　I　am　afraid　that；　in　the　part　where　you　are；　you
will　be　overtaken　by　so　many　affairs　requiring　your　attention　on　every
side；　that　it　will　take　you　a　long　time　and　involve　great　difficulty
before　you　have　disposed　of　everything。　　If　there　is　any　important　news；
I　will　despatch　an　express　at　once；　and　you　may　conclude　that　nothing　is
stirring　if　you　do　not　hear　from　me：　at　the　same　time　begging　you　to　bear
in　mind　that　movements　of　this　kind　are　wont　to　be　so　sudden　and
unexpected　that；　if　they　occur；　they　will　grasp　me　by　the　throat；　before
they　say　a　word。　　I　will　do　what　I　can　to　collect　news；　and　for　this
purpose　I　will　make　a　point　of　visiting　and　seeing　men　of　every　shade　of
opinion。　　Down　to　the　present　time　nothing　is　stirring。　　M。　de　Londel　has
seen　me　this　morning；　and　we　have　been　arranging　for　some　advances　for
the　place；　where　I　shall　go　to…morrow　morning。　　Since　I　began　this
letter；　I　have　learnt　from　Chartreux　that　two　gentlemen；　describing
themselves　as　in　the　service　of　M。　de　Guise；　and　coming　from　Agen；　have
passed　near　Chartreux；　but　I　was　not　able　to　ascertain　which　road　they
have　taken。　　They　are　expecting　you　at　Agen。　　The　Sieur　de　Mauvesin　came
as　far　as　Canteloup；　and　thence　returned；　having　got　some　intelligence。
I　am　in　search　of　one　Captain　Rous；　to　whom　。　　。　　。　　wrote；　trying　to
draw　him　into　his　cause　by　all　sorts　of　promises。　　The　rumour　of　the　two
Nantes　galleys　ready　to　descend　on　Brouage　is　confirmed　as　certain；　they
carry　two　companies　of　foot。　　M。　de　Mercure　is　at　Nantes。　　The　Sieur　de
la　Courbe　said　to　M。　the　President　Nesmond　that　M。　d'Elbeuf　is　on　this
side　of　Angiers；　and　lodges　with　his　father。　　He　is　drawing　towards　Lower
Poictou　with　4000　foot　and　400　or　500　horse；　having　been　reinforced　by
the　troops　of　M。　de　Brissac　and　others；　and　M。　de　Mercure　is