the essays of montaigne, v1-第12节

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I　can；　that　is；　to　Feuillas；　if　the　malady　has　not　reached　that　place；
where；　as　I　write　to　M。　de　la　Molte；　I　shall　be　very　pleased　to　have　the
honour　of　seeing　one　of　you　to　take　your　directions；　and　relieve　myself
of　the　credentials　which　M。　le　Marechal　will　give　me　for　you　all：
commending　myself　hereupon　humbly　to　your　good　grace；　and　praying　God　to
grant　you；　gentlemen；　long　and　happy　life。　　At　Libourne；　this　30th　of
July　1585。　　Your　humble　servant　and　brother；
MONTAIGNE。




XII。＇〃According　to　Dr。　Payen；　this　letter　belongs　to　1588。　　Its
authenticity　has　been　called　in　question；　but　wrongly；　in　our　opinion。
See　'Documents　inedits'；　1847；　p。　　12。〃Note　in　'Essais'；　ed。　　Paris；
1854；　iv。　　381。　　It　does　not　appear　to　whom　the　letter　was　addressed。＇

MONSEIGNEUR；You　have　heard　of　our　baggage　being　taken　from　us　under　our
eyes　in　the　forest　of　Villebois：　then；　after　a　good　deal　of　discussion
and　delay；　of　the　capture　being　pronounced　illegal　by　the　Prince。　　We
dared　not；　however；　proceed　on　our　way；　from　an　uncertainty　as　to　the
safety　of　our　persons；　which　should　have　been　clearly　expressed　on　our
passports。　　The　League　has　done　this；　M。　de　Barrant　and　M。　de　la
Rochefocault；　the　storm　has　burst　on　me；　who　had　my　money　in　my　box。　　I
have　recovered　none　of　it；　and　most　of　my　papers　and　cash＇The　French
word　is　hardes；　which　St。　John　renders　things。　　But　compare　Chambers's
〃Domestic　Annals　of　Scotland；〃　2d　ed。　　i。　　48。＇remain　in　their
possession。　　I　have　not　seen　the　Prince。　　Fifty　were　lost　。　　。　　。　　as　for
the　Count　of　Thorigny；　he　lost　some　ver　plate　and　a　few　articles　of
clothing。　　He　diverged　from　his　route　to　pay　a　visit　to　the　mourning
ladies　at　Montresor；　where　are　the　remains　of　his　two　brothers　and　his
grandmother；　and　came　to　us　again　in　this　town；　whence　we　shall　resume
our　journey　shortly。　　The　journey　to　Normandy　is　postponed。　　The　King　has
despatched　MM。　De　Bellieure　and　de　la　Guiche　to　M。　de　Guise　to　summon　him
to　court；　we　shall　be　there　on　Thursday。

From　Orleans；　this　16th　of　February；　in　the　morning　＇1588…9？＇。Your　very
humble　servant；
MONTAIGNE。





XIII。

To　Mademoiselle　PAULMIER。＇This　letter；　at　the　time　of　the　publication
of　the　variorum　edition　of　1854；　appears　to　have　been　in　private　hands。
See　vol。　　iv。　　p。　　382。＇

MADEMOISELLE；My　friends　know　that；　from　the　first　moment　of　our
acquaintance；　I　have　destined　a　copy　of　my　book　for　you；　for　I　feel　that
you　have　done　it　much　honour。　　The　courtesy　of　M。　Paulmier　would　deprive
me　of　the　pleasure　of　giving　it　to　you　now；　for　he　has　obliged　me　since　a
great　deal　beyond　the　worth　of　my　book。　　You　will　accept　it　then；　if　you
please；　as　having　been　yours　before　I　owed　it　to　you；　and　will　confer　on
me　the　favour　of　loving　it；　whether　for　its　own　sake　or　for　mine；　and　I
will　keep　my　debt　to　M。　Paulmier　undischarged；　that　I　may　requite　him；　if
I　have　at　some　other　time　the　means　of　serving　him。




XIV。

To　the　KING；　HENRY　IV。＇The　original　is　in　the　French　national　library；
in　the　Dupuy　collection。　　It　was　first　discovered　by　M。　Achille　Jubinal；
who　printed　it　with　a　facsimile　of　the　entire　autograph；　in　1850。　　St。
John　gives　the　date　wrongly　as　the　1st　January　1590。＇

SIRE；　It　is　to　be　above　the　weight　and　crowd　of　your　great　and　important
affairs；　to　know；　as　you　do；　how　to　lend　yourself；　and　attend　to　small
matters　in　their　turn；　according　to　the　duty　of　your　royal　dignity；　which
exposes　you　at　all　times　to　every　description　and　degree　of　person　and
employment。　　Yet；　that　your　Majesty　should　have　deigned　to　consider　my
letter；　and　direct　a　reply　to　be　made　to　it；　I　prefer　to　owe；　less　to
your　strong　understanding；　than　to　your　kindness　of　heart。　　I　have　always
looked　forward　to　your　enjoyment　of　your　present　fortune；　and　you　may
recollect　that；　even　when　I　had　to　make　confession　of　itto　my　cure；　I
viewed　your　successes　with　satisfaction：　now；　with　the　greater　propriety
and　freedom；　I　embrace　them　affectionately。　　They　serve　you　where　you　are
as　positive　matters　of　fact；　but　they　serve　us　here　no　less　by　the　fame
which　they　diffuse　：　the　echo　carries　as　much　weight　as　the　blow。　　We
should　not　be　able　to　derive　from　the　justice　of　your　cause　such　powerful
arguments　for　the　maintenance　and　reduction　of　your　subjects；　as　we　do
from　the　reports　of　the　success　of　your　undertaking；　and　then　I　have　to
assure　your　Majesty；　that　the　recent　changes　to　your　advantage；　which　you
observe　hereabouts；　the　prosperous　issue　of　your　proceedings　at　Dieppe；
have　opportunely　seconded　the　honest　zeal　and　marvellous　prudence　of　M。
the　Marshal　de　Matignon；　from　whom　I　flatter　myself　that　you　do　not
receive　day　by　day　accounts　of　such　good　and　signal　services　without
remembering　my　assurances　and　expectations。　　I　look　to　the　next　summer；
not　only　for　fruits　which　we　may　eat；　but　for　those　to　grow　out　of　our
common　tranquillity；　and　that　it　will　pass　over　our　heads　with　the　same
even　tenor　of　happiness；　dissipating；　like　its　predecessors；　all　the　fine
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。　　Whe