the essays of montaigne, v3-第13章

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communicates　its　malady　to　those　that　approach　or　live　near　it；　as　we　see
in　the　plague；　the　smallpox；　and　sore　eyes；　that　run　through　whole
families　and　cities：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Dum　spectant　oculi　laesos；　laeduntur　et　ipsi；
　　　　　　　　　　Multaque　corporibus　transitione　nocent。〃

　　　　　＇〃When　we　look　at　people　with　sore　eyes；　our　own　eyes　become　sore。
　　　　　Many　things　are　hurtful　to　our　bodies　by　transition。〃
　　　　　Ovid；　De　Rem。　Amor。；　615。＇

so　the　imagination；　being　vehemently　agitated；　darts　out　infection
capable　of　offending　the　foreign　object。　　The　ancients　had　an　opinion　of
certain　women　of　Scythia；　that　being　animated　and　enraged　against　any
one；　they　killed　him　only　with　their　looks。　　Tortoises　and　ostriches
hatch　their　eggs　with　only　looking　on　them；　which　infers　that　their　eyes
have　in　them　some　ejaculative　virtue。　　And　the　eyes　of　witches　are　said
to　be　assailant　and　hurtful：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Nescio　quis　teneros　oculus　mihi　fascinat　agnos。〃

　　　　　＇〃Some　eye；　I　know　not　whose　is　bewitching　my　tender　lambs。〃
　　　　　Virgil；　Eclog。；　iii。　　103。＇

Magicians　are　no　very　good　authority　with　me。　　But　we　experimentally　see
that　women　impart　the　marks　of　their　fancy　to　the　children　they　carry　in
the　womb；　witness　her　that　was　brought　to　bed　of　a　Moor；　and　there　was
presented　to　Charles　the　Emperor　and　King　of　Bohemia；　a　girl　from　about
Pisa；　all　over　rough　and　covered　with　hair；　whom　her　mother　said　to　be　so
conceived　by　reason　of　a　picture　of　St。　John　the　Baptist；　that　hung
within　the　curtains　of　her　bed。

It　is　the　same　with　beasts；　witness　Jacob's　sheep；　and　the　hares　and
partridges　that　the　snow　turns　white　upon　the　mountains。　　There　was　at　my
house；　a　little　while　ago；　a　cat　seen　watching　a　bird　upon　the　top　of　a
tree：　these；　for　some　time；　mutually　fixing　their　eyes　one　upon　another；
the　bird　at　last　let　herself　fall　dead　into　the　cat's　claws；　either
dazzled　by　the　force　of　its　own　imagination；　or　drawn　by　some　attractive
power　of　the　cat。　　Such　as　are　addicted　to　the　pleasures　of　the　field；
have；　I　make　no　question；　heard　the　story　of　the　falconer；　who　having
earnestly　fixed　his　eyes　upon　a　kite　in　the　air；　laid　a　wager　that　he
would　bring　her　down　with　the　sole　power　of　his　sight；　and　did　so；　as　it
was　said；　for　the　tales　I　borrow　I　charge　upon　the　consciences　of　those
from　whom　I　have　them。　　The　discourses　are　my　own；　and　found　themselves
upon　the　proofs　of　reason；　not　of　experience；　to　which　every　one　has
liberty　to　add　his　own　examples；　and　who　has　none；　let　him　not　forbear；
the　number　and　varieties　of　accidents　considered；　to　believe　that　there
are　plenty　of　them；　if　I　do　not　apply　them　well；　let　some　other　do　it　for
me。　　And；　also；　in　the　subject　of　which　I　treat；　our　manners　and　motions；
testimonies　and　instances；　how　fabulous　soever；　provided　they　are
possible；　serve　as　well　as　the　true；　whether　they　have　really　happened　or
no；　at　Rome　or　Paris；　to　John　or　Peter；　'tis　still　within　the　verge　of
human　capacity；　which　serves　me　to　good　use。　　I　see；　and　make　my
advantage　of　it；　as　well　in　shadow　as　in　substance；　and　amongst　the
various　readings　thereof　in　history；　I　cull　out　the　most　rare　and
memorable　to　fit　my　own　turn。　　There　are　authors　whose　only　end　and
design　it　is　to　give　an　account　of　things　that　have　happened；　mine；　if　I
could　arrive　unto　it；　should　be　to　deliver　of　what　may　happen。　　There　is
a　just　liberty　allowed　in　the　schools；　of　supposing　similitudes；　when
they　have　none　at　hand。　　I　do　not；　however；　make　any　use　of　that
privilege；　and　as　to　that　matter；　in　superstitious　religion；　surpass　all
historical　authority。　　In　the　examples　which　I　here　bring　in；　of　what　I
have　heard；　read；　done；　or　said；　I　have　forbidden　myself　to　dare　to　alter
even　the　most　light　and　indifferent　circumstances；　my　conscience　does　not
falsify　one　tittle；　what　my　ignorance　may　do；　I　cannot　say。

And　this　it　is　that　makes　me　sometimes　doubt　in　my　own　mind；　whether　a
divine；　or　a　philosopher；　and　such　men　of　exact　and　tender　prudence　and
conscience；　are　fit　to　write　history：　for　how　can　they　stake　their
reputation　upon　a　popular　faith？　how　be　responsible　for　the　opinions　of
men　they　do　not　know？　and　with　what　assurance　deliver　their　conjectures
for　current　pay？　　Of　actions　performed　before　their　own　eyes；　wherein
several　persons　were　actors；　they　would　be　unwilling　to　give　evidence
upon　oath　before　a　judge；　and　there　is　no　man；　so　familiarly　known　to
them；　for　whose　intentions　they　would　become　absolute　caution。　　For　my
part；　I　think　it　less　hazardous　to　write　of　things　past；　than　present；　by
how　much　the　writer　is　only　to　give　an　account　of　things　every　one　knows
he　must　of　necessity　borrow　upon　trust。

I　am　solicited　to　write　the　affairs　of　my　own　time　by　some；　who　fancy　I
look　upon　them　with　an　eye　less　blinded　with　passion　than　another；　and
have　a　clearer　insight　into　them　by　reason　of　the　free　access　fortune　has
given　me　to　the　heads　of　various　factions；　but　they　do　not　consider；　that
to　purchase　the　glory　of　Sallust；　I　would　not　give　myself　the　trouble；
sworn　enemy　as　I　am　to　obligation；　assiduity；　or　perseverance：　that　there
is　nothing　so　contrary　to　my　style；　as　a　continued　narrative；　I　so　often
interrupt　and　cut　myself　short　in　my　writing　for　want　of　breath；　I　have
neither　composition　nor　explanation　worth　anything；　and　am　ignorant；
beyond　a　child；　of　the　phrases　and　even　the　very　words　proper　to　express
the　most　common　things；　and　for　that　reason　it　is；　that　I　have　undertaken
to　say　only　what　I　can　say；　and　have　accommodated　my　subject　to　my
strength。　　Should　I　take　one　to　be　my　guide；　peradventure　I　should　not　be
able　to　keep　pace　with　him；　and　in　the　freedom　of　my　liberty　might
deliver　judgments；　which　upon　better　thoughts；　and　according　to　reason；
would　be　illegitimate　and　punishable。　　Plutarch　would　say　of　what　he　has
delivered　to　us；　that　it　is　the　work　of　others：　that　his　examples　are　all
and　everywhere　exactly　true：　that　they　are　useful　to　posterity；　and　are
presented　with　a　lustre　that　will　light　us　the　way　to　virtue；　is　his　own
work。　　It　is　not　of　so　dangerous　consequence；　as　in　a　medicinal　drug；
whether　an　old　story　be　so　or　so。




CHAPTER　XXI

THAT　THE　PROFIT　OF　ONE　MAN　IS　THE　DAMAGE　OF　ANOTHER

Demades　the　Athenian＇Seneca；　De　Beneficiis；　vi。　38；　whence　nearly　the
whole　of　this　chapter　is　taken。＇　condemned　one　of　his　city；　whose　trade
it　was　to　sell　the　necessaries　for　funeral　ceremonies；　upon　pretence　that
he　demanded　unreasonable　profit；　and　that　that　profit　could　not　accrue　to
him；　but　by　the　death　of　a　great　number　of　people。　　A　judgment　that
appears　to　be　ill　grounded；　forasmuch　as　no　profit　whatever　can　possibly
be　made　but　at　the　expense　of　another；　and　that　by　the　same　rule　he
should　condemn　all　gain　of　what　kind　soever。　　The　merchant　only　thrives
by　the　debauchery　of　youth；　the　husband　man　by　the　dearness　of　grain；　the
architect　by　the　ruin　of　buildings；　lawyers　and　officers　of　justice　by
the　suits　and　contentions　of　men：　nay；　even　the　honour　and　office　of
divines　are　derived　from　our　death　and　vices。　　A　physician　takes　no
pleasure　in　the　health　even　of　his　friends；　says　the　ancient　Greek　comic
writer；　nor　a　soldier　in　the　peace　of　his　country；　and　so　of　the　rest。
And；　which　is　yet　worse；　let　every　one　but　dive　into　his　own　bosom；　and
he　will　find　his　private　wishes　spring　and　his　secret　hopes　grow　up　at
another's　expense。　　Upon　which　consideration　it　comes　into　my　head；　that
nature　does　not　in　this　swerve　from　her　general　polity；　for　physicians
hold；　that　the　birth；　nourishment；　and　increase　of　every　thing　is　the
dissolution　and　corruption　of　another：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Nam　quodcumque　suis　mutatum　finibus　exit；
　　　　　　　　　　Continuo　hoc　mors　est　illius；　quod　fuit　ante。〃

　　　　　＇〃For；　whatever　from　its　own　confines　passes　changed；　this　is　at
　　　　　once　the　death　of　that　which　before　it　was。〃Lucretius；　ii。　752。＇









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