the essays of montaigne, v1-第9节

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〃Would　it　were　now；　my　brother；〃　was　his　answer。　　〃It　is　now　three　days
since　I　have　been　eager　to　take　my　departure。〃

Being　in　this　extremity；　he　frequently　called　me；　merely　to　satisfy　him
that　I　was　at　his　side。　　At　length；　he　composed　himself　a　little　to　rest；
which　strengthened　our　hopes；　so　much　so；　indeed；　that　I　left　the　room；
and　went　to　rejoice　thereupon　with　Mademoiselle　de　la　Boetie。　　But；　an
hour　or　so　afterwards；　he　called　me　by　name　once　or　twice；　and　then　with
a　long　sigh　expired　at　three　o'clock　on　Wednesday　morning；　the　18th
August　1563；　having　lived　thirty…two　years；　nine　months；　and　seventeen
days。〃




II。

To　Monseigneur；　Monseigneur　de　MONTAIGNE。

＇This　letter　is　prefixed　to　Montaigne's　translation　of　the　〃Natural
Theology　of　Raymond　de　Sebonde；　printed　at　Paris　in　1569。＇

In　pursuance　of　the　instructions　which　you　gave　me　last　year　in　your
house　at　Montaigne；　Monseigneur；　I　have　put　into　a　French　dress；　with　my
own　hand；　Raymond　de　Sebonde；　that　great　Spanish　theologian　and
philosopher；　and　I　have　divested　him；　so　far　as　I　could；　of　that　rough
bearing　and　barbaric　appearance　which　you　saw　him　wear　at　first；　that；　in
my　opinion；　he　is　now　qualified　to　present　himself　in　the　best　company。
It　is　perfectly　possible　that　some　fastidious　persons　will　detect　in　the
book　some　trace　of　Gascon　parentage；　but　it　will　be　so　much　the　more　to
their　discredit；　that　they　allowed　the　task　to　devolve　on　one　who　is
quite　a　novice　in　these　things。　　It　is　only　right；　Monseigneur；　that　the
work　should　come　before　the　world　under　your　auspices；　since　whatever
emendations　and　polish　it　may　have　received；　are　owing　to　you。　　Still　I
see　well　that；　if　you　think　proper　to　balance　accounts　with　the　author；
you　will　find　yourself　much　his　debtor；　for　against　his　excellent　and
religious　discourses；　his　lofty　and；　so　to　speak；　divine　conceptions；　you
will　find　that　you　will　have　to　set　nothing　but　words　and　phraseology；　a
sort　of　merchandise　so　ordinary　and　commonplace；　that　whoever　has　the
most　of　it；　peradventure　is　the　worst　off。

Monseigneur；　I　pray　God　to　grant　you　a　very　long　and　happy　life。　　From
Paris；　this　18th　of　June　1568。　　Your　most　humble　and　most　obedient　son；

MICHEL　DE　MONTAIGNE




III。

To　Monsieur；　Monsieur　de　LANSAC；＇This　letter　appears　to　belong　to
1570。＇　Knight　of　the　King's　Order；　Privy　Councillor；　Sub…controller　of
his　Finance；　and　Captain　of　the　Cent　Gardes　of　his　Household。

MONSIEUR；I　send　you　the　OEconomics　of　Xenophon；　put　into　French　by　the
late　M。　de　la　Boetie；＇Printed　at　Paris；　8vo；　1571；　and　reissued；　with
the　addition　of　some　notes；　in　1572；　with　a　fresh　title…page。＇a　present
which　appears　to　me　to　be　appropriate；　as　well　because　it　is　the　work　of
a　gentleman　of　mark；＇Meaning　Xenophon。＇a　man　illustrious　in　war　and
peace；　as　because　it　has　taken　its　second　shape　from　a　personage　whom　I
know　to　have　been　held　by　you　in　affectionate　regard　during　his　life。
This　will　be　an　inducement　to　you　to　continue　to　cherish　towards　his
memory；　your　good　opinion　and　goodwill。　　And　to　be　bold　with　you；
Monsieur；　do　not　fear　to　increase　these　sentiments　somewhat；　for；　as　you
had　knowledge　of　his　high　qualities　only　in　his　public　capacity；　it　rests
with　me　to　assure　you　how　many　endowments　he　possessed　beyond　your
personal　experience　of　him。　　He　did　me　the　honour；　while　he　lived；　and　I
count　it　amongst　the　most　fortunate　circumstances　in　my　own　career；　to
have　with　me　a　friendship　so　close　and　so　intricately　knit；　that　no
movement；　impulse；　thought；　of　his　mind　was　kept　from　me；　and　if　I　have
not　formed　a　right　judgment　of　him；　I　must　suppose　it　to　be　from　my　own
want　of　scope。　　Indeed；　without　exaggeration；　he　was　so　nearly　a　prodigy；
that　I　am　afraid　of　not　being　credited　when　I　speak　of　him；　even　though　I
should　keep　much　within　the　mark　of　my　own　actual　knowledge。　　And　for
this　time；　Monsieur；　I　shall　content　myself　with　praying　you；　for　the
honour　and　respect　we　owe　to　truth；　to　testify　and　believe　that　our
Guienne　never　beheld　his　peer　among　the　men　of　his　vocation。　　Under　the
hope；　therefore；　that　you　will　pay　him　his　just　due；　and　in　order　to
refresh　him　in　your　memory；　I　present　you　this　book；　which　will　answer
for　me　that；　were　it　not　for　the　insufficiency　of　my　power；　I　would　offer
you　as　willingly　something　of　my　own；　as　an　acknowledgment　of　the
obligations　I　owe　to　you；　and　of　the　ancient　favour　and　friendship　which
you　have　borne　towards　the　members　of　our　house。　　But；　Monsieur；　in
default　of　better　coin；　I　offer　you　in　payment　the　assurance　of　my　desire
to　do　you　humble　service。

Monsieur；　I　pray　God　to　have　you　in　His　keeping。　　Your　obedient　servant；
MICHEL　DE　MONTAIGNE。




IV。

To　Monsieur；　Monsieur　de　MESMES；　Lord　of　Roissy　and　Malassize；　Privy
Councillor　to　the　King。

MONSIEUR；It　is　one　of　the　most　conspicuous　follies　committed　by　men；
to　employ　the　strength　of　their　understanding　in　overturning　and
destroying　those　opinions　which　are　commonly　received　among　us；　and　which
afford　us　satisfaction　and　content；　for　while　everything　beneath　heaven
employs　the　ways　and　means　placed　at　its　disposal　by　nature　for　the
advancement　and　commodity　of　its　being；　these；　in　order　to　appear　of　a
more　sprightly　and　enlightened　wit；　not　accepting　anything　which　has　not
been　tried　and　balanced　a　thousand　times　with　the　most　subtle　reasoning；
sacrifice　their　peace　of　mind　to　doubt；　uneasiness；　and　feverish
excitement。　　It　is　not　without　reason　that　childhood　and　simplicity　have
been　recommended　by　holy　writ　itself。　　For　my　part；　I　prefer　to　be　quiet
rather　than　clever：　give　me　content；　even　if　I　am　not　to　be　so　wide　in　my
range。　　This　is　the　reason；　Monsieur；　why；　although　persons　of　an
ingenious　turn　laugh　at　our　care　as　to　what　will　happen　after　our　own
time；　for　instance；　to　our　souls；　which；　lodged　elsewhere；　will　lose　all
consciousness　of　what　goes　on　here　below；　yet　I　consider　it　to　be　a　great
consolation　for　the　frailty　and　brevity　of　life；　to　reflect　that　we　have
the　power　of　prolonging　it　by　reputation　and　fame；　and　I　embrace　very
readily　this　pleasant　and　favourable　notion　original　with　our　being；
without　inquiring　too　critically　how　or　why　it　is。　　Insomuch　that　having
loved；　beyond　everything；　the　late　M。　de　la　Boetie；　the　greatest　man；　in
my　judgment；　of　our　age；　I　should　think　myself　very　negligent　of　my　duty
if　I　failed；　to　the　utmost　of　my　power；　to　prevent　such　a　name　as　his；
and　a　memory　so　richly　meriting　remembrance；　from　falling　into　oblivion；
and　if　I　did　not　use　my　best　endeavour　to　keep　them　fresh。　　I　believe
that　he　feels　something　of　what　I　do　on　his　behalf；　and　that　my　services
touch　and　rejoice　him。　　In　fact；　he　lives　in　my　heart　so　vividly　and　so
wholly；　that　I　am　loath　to　believe　him　committed　to　the　dull　ground；　or
altogether　cast　off　from　communication　with　us。　　Therefore；　Monsieur；
since　every　new　light　I　can　shed　on　him　and　his　name；　is　so　much　added　to
his　second　period　of　existence；　and；　moreover；　since　his　name　is　ennobled
and　honoured　by　the　place　which　receives　it；　it　falls　to　me　not　only　to
extend　it　as　widely　as　I　can；　but　to　confide　it　to　the　keeping　of　persons
of　honour　and　virtue；　among　whom　you　hold　such　a　rank；　that；　to　afford
you　the　opportunity　of　receiving　this　new　guest；　and　giving　him　good
entertainment；　I　decided　on　presenting　to　you　this　little　work；　not　for
any　profit　you　are　likely　to　derive　from　it；　being　well　aware　that　you　do
not　need　to　have　Plutarch　and　his　companions　interpreted　to　youbut　it
is　possible　that　Madame　de　Roissy；　reading　in　it　the　order　of　her
household　management　and　of　your　happy　accord　painted　to　the　life；　will
be　pleased　to　see　how　her　own　natural　inclination　has　not　only　reached
but　surpassed　the　theories　of　the　wisest　philosophers；　regarding　the
duties　and　laws　of　the　wedded　state。　　And；　at　all　events；　it　will　be
always　an　honour　to　me；　to　be　able　to　do　anything　which　shall　be　for　the
pleasure　of　you　and　yours；　on　account　of　the　obligation　under　which　I　lie
to　serve　you。

Monsieur；　I　pray　God　to　grant　you　a　long　and　happy　life。　　From　Montaigne；
this　30th　April　1570。　　Your　humble　servant；
MICHEL　DE　MONTAIGNE。




V。

To　Monsieur；　Monsieur　de　L'HOSPITAL；　Chancellor　of　France

MONSEIGNEUR；I　am　of　the　opinion　that　persons　such　as　you；　to　whom
fortune　and　reason　have　committed　the　charge　of　public　affairs；　are　not
more　inquisitive　in　any　point　than　in　ascertaining　the　character　of　those
in　office　under　you；　for　no　society　is　so　poorly　furnished；　but　that；　if
a　proper　distribution　of　authority　be　used；　it　has　persons　sufficient　for
the　discharge　of　all　official　duties；　and　when　this　is　the　case；　nothing
is　wanting　to　make　a　State　perfect　in　its　constitution。　　Now；　in
proportion　as　this　is　so　much　to　be　desired；　so　it　is　the　more　difficult
of　accomplishment；　since　you　cannot　have　eyes　to　embrace　a　multitude　so
large　and　so　widely　extended；　nor　to　see　to　the　bottom　of　hearts；　in
order　that　you　may　discover　intentions　and　consciences；　matters
principally　to　be　considered；　so　that　there　has　never　been　any
commonwealth　so　well　organised；　in　which　we　might　not　detect　often　enough
defect　in　such　a　dep