the essays of montaigne, v3-第1章

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The　Essays　of　Montaigne；　V3

by　Michel　de　Montaigne

Translated　by　Charles　Cotton

Edited　by　William　Carew　Hazilitt

1877






CONTENTS　OF　VOLUME　3。


XIII。　　　　　The　ceremony　of　the　interview　of　princes。
XIV。　　　　　　That　men　are　justly　punished　for　being　obstinate　in　the　defence
　　　　　　　　　　of　a　fort　that　is　not　in　reason　to　be　defended
XV。　　　　　　　Of　the　punishment　of　cowardice。
XVI。　　　　　　A　proceeding　of　some　ambassadors。
XVII。　　　　　Of　fear。
XVIII。　　　　That　men　are　not　to　judge　of　our　happiness　till　after　death。
XIX。　　　　　　That　to　study　philosophy　is　to　learn　to　die。
XX。　　　　　　　Of　the　force　of　imagination。
XXI。　　　　　　That　the　profit　of　one　man　is　the　damage　of　another。






CHAPTER　XIII

THE　CEREMONY　OF　THE　INTERVIEW　OF　PRINCES


There　is　no　subject　so　frivolous　that　does　not　merit　a　place　in　this
rhapsody。　　According　to　our　common　rule　of　civility；　it　would　be　a
notable　affront　to　an　equal；　and　much　more　to　a　superior；　to　fail　being
at　home　when　he　has　given　you　notice　he　will　come　to　visit　you。　　Nay；
Queen　Margaret　of　Navarre　＇Marguerite　de　Valois；　authoress　of　the
'Heptameron'＇　further　adds；　that　it　would　be　a　rudeness　in　a　gentleman
to　go　out；　as　we　so　often　do；　to　meet　any　that　is　coming　to　see　him；　let
him　be　of　what　high　condition　soever；　and　that　it　is　more　respectful　and
more　civil　to　stay　at　home　to　receive　him；　if　only　upon　the　account　of
missing　him　by　the　way；　and　that　it　is　enough　to　receive　him　at　the　door；
and　to　wait　upon　him。　　For　my　part；　who　as　much　as　I　can　endeavour　to
reduce　the　ceremonies　of　my　house；　I　very　often　forget　both　the　one　and
the　other　of　these　vain　offices。　　If；　peradventure；　some　one　may　take
offence　at　this；　I　can't　help　it；　it　is　much　better　to　offend　him　once
than　myself　every　day；　for　it　would　be　a　perpetual　slavery。　　To　what　end
do　we　avoid　the　servile　attendance　of　courts；　if　we　bring　the　same
trouble　home　to　our　own　private　houses？　　It　is　also　a　common　rule　in　all
assemblies；　that　those　of　less　quality　are　to　be　first　upon　the　place；　by
reason　that　it　is　more　due　to　the　better　sort　to　make　others　wait　and
expect　them。

Nevertheless；　at　the　interview　betwixt　Pope　Clement　and　King　Francis　at
Marseilles；＇in　1533。＇　the　King；　after　he　had　taken　order　for　the
necessary　preparations　for　his　reception　and　entertainment；　withdrew　out
of　the　town；　and　gave　the　Pope　two　or　three　days'　respite　for　his　entry；
and　to　repose　and　refresh　himself；　before　he　came　to　him。　　And　in　like
manner；　at　the　assignation　of　the　Pope　and　the　Emperor；＇Charles　V。　　in
1532。＇　at　Bologna；　the　Emperor　gave　the　Pope　opportunity　to　come　thither
first；　and　came　himself　after；　for　which　the　reason　given　was　this；　that
at　all　the　interviews　of　such　princes；　the　greater　ought　to　be　first　at
the　appointed　place；　especially　before　the　other　in　whose　territories　the
interview　is　appointed　to　be；　intimating　thereby　a　kind　of　deference　to
the　other；　it　appearing　proper　for　the　less　to　seek　out　and　to　apply
themselves　to　the　greater；　and　not　the　greater　to　them。

Not　every　country　only；　but　every　city　and　every　society　has　its
particular　forms　of　civility。　　There　was　care　enough　to　this　taken　in　my
education；　and　I　have　lived　in　good　company　enough　to　know　the
formalities　of　our　own　nation；　and　am　able　to　give　lessons　in　it。　　I　love
to　follow　them；　but　not　to　be　so　servilely　tied　to　their　observation　that
my　whole　life　should　be　enslaved　to　ceremonies；　of　which　there　are　some
so　troublesome　that；　provided　a　man　omits　them　out　of　discretion；　and　not
for　want　of　breeding；　it　will　be　every　whit　as　handsome。　　I　have　seen
some　people　rude；　by　being　overcivil　and　troublesome　in　their　courtesy。

Still；　these　excesses　excepted；　the　knowledge　of　courtesy　and　good
manners　is　a　very　necessary　study。　　It　is；　like　grace　and　beauty；　that
which　begets　liking　and　an　inclination　to　love　one　another　at　the　first
sight；　and　in　the　very　beginning　of　acquaintance；　and；　consequently；　that
which　first　opens　the　door　and　intromits　us　to　instruct　ourselves　by　the
example　of　others；　and　to　give　examples　ourselves；　if　we　have　any　worth
taking　notice　of　and　communicating。




CHAPTER　XIV

THAT　MEN　ARE　JUSTLY　PUNISHED　FOR　BEING　OBSTINATE　IN　THE　DEFENCE
OF　A　FORT　THAT　IS　NOT　IN　REASON　TO　BE　DEFENDED

Valour　has　its　bounds　as　well　as　other　virtues；　which；　once　transgressed；
the　next　step　is　into　the　territories　of　vice；　so　that　by　having　too
large　a　proportion　of　this　heroic　virtue；　unless　a　man　be　very　perfect　in
its　limits；　which　upon　the　confines　are　very　hard　to　discern；　he　may　very
easily　unawares　run　into　temerity；　obstinacy；　and　folly。　　From　this
consideration　it　is　that　we　have　derived　the　custom；　in　times　of　war；　to
punish；　even　with　death；　those　who　are　obstinate　to　defend　a　place　that
by　the　rules　of　war　is　not　tenable；　otherwise　men　would　be　so　confident
upon　the　hope　of　impunity；　that　not　a　henroost　but　would　resist　and　seek
to　stop　an　army。

The　Constable　Monsieur　de　Montmorenci；　having　at　the　siege　of　Pavia　been
ordered　to　pass　the　Ticino；　and　to　take　up　his　quarters　in　the　Faubourg
St。　Antonio；　being　hindered　by　a　tower　at　the　end　of　the　bridge；　which
was　so　obstinate　as　to　endure　a　battery；　hanged　every　man　he　found　within
it　for　their　labour。　　And　again；　accompanying　the　Dauphin　in　his
expedition　beyond　the　Alps；　and　taking　the　Castle　of　Villano　by　assault；
and　all　within　it　being　put　to　the　sword　by　the　fury　of　the　soldiers；　the
governor　and　his　ensign　only　excepted；　he　caused　them　both　to　be　trussed
up　for　the　same　reason；　as　also　did　the　Captain　Martin　du　Bellay；　then
governor　of　Turin；　with　the　governor　of　San　Buono；　in　the　same　country；
all　his　people　having　been　cut　to　pieces　at　the　taking　of　the　place。

But　forasmuch　as　the　strength　or　weakness　of　a　fortress　is　always
measured　by　the　estimate　and　counterpoise　of　the　forces　that　attack　it
for　a　man　might　reasonably　enough　despise　two　culverins；　that　would　be　a
madman　to　abide　a　battery　of　thirty　pieces　of　cannonwhere　also　the
greatness　of　the　prince　who　is　master　of　the　field；　his　reputation；　and
the　respect　that　is　due　unto　him；　are　also　put　into　the　balance；　there　is
danger　that　the　balance　be　pressed　too　much　in　that　direction。　　And　it
may　happen　that　a　man　is　possessed　with　so　great　an　opinion　of　himself
and　his　power；　that　thinking　it　unreasonable　any　place　should　dare　to
shut　its　gates　against　him；　he　puts　all　to　the　sword　where　he　meets　with
any　opposition；　whilst　his　fortune　continues；　as　is　plain　in　the　fierce
and　arrogant　forms　of　summoning　towns　and　denouncing　war；　savouring　so
much　of　barbarian　pride　and　insolence；　in　use　amongst　the　Oriental
princes；　and　which　their　successors　to　this　day　do　yet　retain　and
practise。　　And　in　that　part　of　the　world　where　the　Portuguese　subdued　the
Indians；　they　found　some　states　where　it　was　a　universal　and　inviolable
law　amongst　them　that　every　enemy　overcome　by　the　king　in　person；　or　by
his　lieutenant；　was　out　of　composition。

So　above　all　both　of　ransom　and　mercy　a　man　should　take　heed；　if　he　can；
of　falling　into　the　hands　of　a　judge　who　is　an　enemy　and　victorious。




CHAPTER　XV

OF　THE　PUNISHMENT　OF　COWARDICE

I　once　heard　of　a　prince；　and　a　great　captain；　having　a　narration　given
him　as　he　sat　at　table　of　the　proceeding　against　Monsieur　de　Vervins；　who
was　sentenced　to　death　for　having　surrendered　Boulogne　to　the　English；
＇To　Henry　VIII。　in　1544＇　openly　maintaining　that　a　soldier　could　not
justly　be　put　to　death　for　want　of　courage。　　And；　in　truth；　'tis　reason
that　a　man　should　make　a　great　difference　betwixt　faults　that　merely
proceed　from　infirmity；　and　those　that　are　visibly　the　effects　of
treachery　and　malice：　for；　in　the　last；　we　act　against　the　rules　of
reason　that　nature　has　imprinted　in　us；　whereas；　in　the　former；　it　seems
as　if　we　might　produce　the　same　nature；　who　left　us　in　such　a　state　of
imperfection　and　weakness　of　courage；　for　our　justification。　　Insomuch
that　many　have　thought　we　are　not　fairly　questionable　for　anything　but
what　we　commit　against　our　conscience；　and　it　is　partly　upon　this　rule
that　those　ground　their　opinion　who　disapprove　of　capital　or　sanguinary
pu