the essays of montaigne, v3-第4部分

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tried　and　sifted：　'tis　the　master…day；　'tis　the　day　that　is　judge　of　all
the　rest；　〃'tis　the　day；〃　says　one　of　the　ancients；＇Seneca；　Ep。；　102＇
〃that　must　be　judge　of　all　my　foregoing　years。〃　　To　death　do　I　refer　the
assay　of　the　fruit　of　all　my　studies：　we　shall　then　see　whether　my
discourses　came　only　from　my　mouth　or　from　my　heart。　　I　have　seen　many　by
their　death　give　a　good　or　an　ill　repute　to　their　whole　life。　　Scipio；
the　father…in…law　of　Pompey；　in　dying；　well　removed　the　ill　opinion　that
till　then　every　one　had　conceived　of　him。　　Epaminondas　being　asked　which
of　the　three　he　had　in　greatest　esteem；　Chabrias；　Iphicrates；　or　himself。
〃You　must　first　see　us　die；〃　said　he；　〃before　that　question　can　be
resolved。〃　＇Plutarch；　Apoth。＇　And；　in　truth；　he　would　infinitely
wrong　that　man　who　would　weigh　him　without　the　honour　and　grandeur　of　his
end。

God　has　ordered　all　things　as　it　has　best　pleased　Him；　but　I　have；　in　my
time；　seen　three　of　the　most　execrable　persons　that　ever　I　knew　in　all
manner　of　abominable　living；　and　the　most　infamous　to　boot；　who　all　died
a　very　regular　death；　and　in　all　circumstances　composed；　even　to
perfection。　　There　are　brave　and　fortunate　deaths：　I　have　seen　death　cut
the　thread　of　the　progress　of　a　prodigious　advancement；　and　in　the　height
and　flower　of　its　increase；　of　a　certain　person；　＇Montaigne　doubtless
refers　to　his　friend　Etienne　de　la　Boetie；　at　whose　death　in　1563　he　was
present。＇　with　so　glorious　an　end　that；　in　my　opinion；　his　ambitious
and　generous　designs　had　nothing　in　them　so　high　and　great　as　their
interruption。　　He　arrived；　without　completing　his　course；　at　the　place　to
which　his　ambition　aimed；　with　greater　glory　than　he　could　either　have
hoped　or　desired；　anticipating　by　his　fall　the　name　and　power　to　which　he
aspired　in　perfecting　his　career。　　In　the　judgment　I　make　of　another
man's　life；　I　always　observe　how　he　carried　himself　at　his　death；　and　the
principal　concern　I　have　for　my　own　is　that　I　may　die　wellthat　is；
patiently　and　tranquilly。




CHAPTER　XIX

THAT　TO　STUDY　PHILOSOPY　IS　TO　LEARN　TO　DIE

Cicero　says　＇Tusc。；　i。　　31。＇　〃that　to　study　philosophy　is　nothing　but
to　prepare　one's　self　to　die。〃　　The　reason　of　which　is；　because　study　and
contemplation　do　in　some　sort　withdraw　from　us　our　soul；　and　employ　it
separately　from　the　body；　which　is　a　kind　of　apprenticeship　and　a
resemblance　of　death；　or；　else；　because　all　the　wisdom　and　reasoning　in
the　world　do　in　the　end　conclude　in　this　point；　to　teach　us　not　to　fear
to　die。　　And　to　say　the　truth；　either　our　reason　mocks　us；　or　it　ought　to
have　no　other　aim　but　our　contentment　only；　nor　to　endeavour　anything
but；　in　sum；　to　make　us　live　well；　and；　as　the　Holy　Scripture　says；　at
our　ease。　　All　the　opinions　of　the　world　agree　in　this；　that　pleasure　is
our　end；　though　we　make　use　of　divers　means　to　attain　it：　they　would；
otherwise；　be　rejected　at　the　first　motion；　for　who　would　give　ear　to　him
that　should　propose　affliction　and　misery　for　his　end？　　The　controversies
and　disputes　of　the　philosophical　sects　upon　this　point　are　merely
verbal：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Transcurramus　solertissimas　nugas〃

　　　　　＇〃Let　us　skip　over　those　subtle　trifles。〃Seneca；　Ep。；　117。＇

there　is　more　in　them　of　opposition　and　obstinacy　than　is　consistent
with　so　sacred　a　profession；　but　whatsoever　personage　a　man　takes　upon
himself　to　perform；　he　ever　mixes　his　own　part　with　it。

Let　the　philosophers　say　what　they　will；　the　thing　at　which　we　all　aim；
even　in　virtue　is　pleasure。　　It　amuses　me　to　rattle　in　ears　this　word；
which　they　so　nauseate　to　and　if　it　signify　some　supreme　pleasure　and
contentment；　it　is　more　due　to　the　assistance　of　virtue　than　to　any　other
assistance　whatever。　　This　pleasure；　for　being　more　gay；　more　sinewy；
more　robust　and　more　manly；　is　only　the　more　seriously　voluptuous；　and　we
ought　give　it　the　name　of　pleasure；　as　that　which　is　more　favourable；
gentle；　and　natural；　and　not　that　from　which　we　have　denominated　it。　　The
other　and　meaner　pleasure；　if　it　could　deserve　this　fair　name；　it　ought
to　be　by　way　of　competition；　and　not　of　privilege。　　I　find　it　less　exempt
from　traverses　and　inconveniences　than　virtue　itself；　and；　besides　that
the　enjoyment　is　more　momentary；　fluid；　and　frail；　it　has　its　watchings；
fasts；　and　labours；　its　sweat　and　its　blood；　and；　moreover；　has
particular　to　itself　so　many　several　sorts　of　sharp　and　wounding
passions；　and　so　dull　a　satiety　attending　it；　as　equal　it　to　the　severest
penance。　　And　we　mistake　if　we　think　that　these　incommodities　serve　it
for　a　spur　and　a　seasoning　to　its　sweetness　（as　in　nature　one　contrary　is
quickened　by　another）；　or　say；　when　we　come　to　virtue；　that　like
consequences　and　difficulties　overwhelm　and　render　it　austere　and
inaccessible；　whereas；　much　more　aptly　than　in　voluptuousness；　they
ennoble；　sharpen；　and　heighten　the　perfect　and　divine　pleasure　they
procure　us。　　He　renders　himself　unworthy　of　it　who　will　counterpoise　its
cost　with　its　fruit；　and　neither　understands　the　blessing　nor　how　to　use
it。　　Those　who　preach　to　us　that　the　quest　of　it　is　craggy；　difficult；
and　painful；　but　its　fruition　pleasant；　what　do　they　mean　by　that　but　to
tell　us　that　it　is　always　unpleasing？　　For　what　human　means　will　ever
attain　its　enjoyment？　　The　most　perfect　have　been　fain　to　content
themselves　to　aspire　unto　it；　and　to　approach　it　only；　without　ever
possessing　it。　　But　they　are　deceived；　seeing　that　of　all　the　pleasures
we　know；　the　very　pursuit　is　pleasant。　　The　attempt　ever　relishes　of　the
quality　of　the　thing　to　which　it　is　directed；　for　it　is　a　good　part　of；
and　consubstantial　with；　the　effect。　　The　felicity　and　beatitude　that
glitters　in　Virtue；　shines　throughout　all　her　appurtenances　and　avenues；
even　to　the　first　entry　and　utmost　limits。

Now；　of　all　the　benefits　that　virtue　confers　upon　us；　the　contempt　of
death　is　one　of　the　greatest；　as　the　means　that　accommodates　human　life
with　a　soft　and　easy　tranquillity；　and　gives　us　a　pure　and　pleasant　taste
of　living；　without　which　all　other　pleasure　would　be　extinct。　　Which　is
the　reason　why　all　the　rules　centre　and　concur　in　this　one　article。　　And
although　they　all　in　like　manner；　with　common　accord；　teach　us　also　to
despise　pain；　poverty；　and　the　other　accidents　to　which　human　life　is
subject；　it　is　not；　nevertheless；　with　the　same　solicitude；　as　well　by
reason　these　accidents　are　not　of　so　great　necessity；　the　greater　part　of
mankind　passing　over　their　whole　lives　without　ever　knowing　what　poverty
is；　and　some　without　sorrow　or　sickness；　as　Xenophilus　the　musician；　who
lived　a　hundred　and　six　years　in　a　perfect　and　continual　health；　as　also
because；　at　the　worst；　death　can；　whenever　we　please；　cut　short　and　put
an　end　to　all　other　inconveniences。　　But　as　to　death；　it　is　inevitable：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Omnes　eodem　cogimur；　omnium
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Versatur　urna　serius　ocius
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Sors　exitura；　et　nos　in　aeternum
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Exilium　impositura　cymbae。〃

　　　　　＇〃We　are　all　bound　one　voyage；　the　lot　of　all；　sooner　or　later；　is
　　　　　to　come　out　of　the　urn。　　All　must　to　eternal　exile　sail　away。〃
　　　　　Hor。；　Od。；　ii。　　3；　25。＇

and；　consequently；　if　it　frights　us；　'tis　a　perpetual　torment；　for　which
there　is　no　sort　of　consolation。　　There　is　no　way　by　which　it　may　not
reach　us。　　We　may　continually　turn　our　heads　this　way　and　that；　as　in　a
suspected　country：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Quae；　quasi　saxum　Tantalo；　semper　impendet。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Ever；　like　Tantalus　stone；　hangs　over　us。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Cicero；　De　Finib。；　i。　　18。＇

Our　courts　of　justice　often　send　back　condemned　criminals　to　be　executed
upon　the　place　where　the　crime　was　committed；　but；　carry　them　to　fine
houses　by　the　way；　prepare　for　them　the　best　entertainment　you　can

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Non　Siculae　dapes
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Dulcem　elaborabunt　saporem：
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Non　avium　cyatheaceae　cantus
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Somnum　reducent。〃

　　　　　＇〃Sicilian　dainties　will　not　tickle　their　palates；　nor　the　melody　of
　　　　　birds　and　harps　bring　back　sleep。〃Hor。；　Od。；　iii。　　1；　18。＇

Do　you　think　they　can　relish　it？　and　that　the　fatal　end　of　their　journey
being　continually　before　their　eyes；　would　not　alter　and　deprave　their
palate　from　tasting　these　regalios？

　　　　　　　　　〃Audit　iter；　numeratque　dies；　spatioque　viarum
　　　　　　　　　　Metitur　vitam；　torquetur　peste　futura。〃

　　　　　＇〃He　considers　the　route；　computes　the　time　of　travelling；　measuring
　　　　　his　life　by　the　length　of　the　journey；　and　torments　himself　by
　　　　　thinking　of　the　blow　to　come。〃Claudianus；　in　Ruf。；　ii。　　137。＇

The　end　of　our　race　is　death；　'tis　the　necessary　object　of　our　aim；
which；　if　it　fright　us；　how　is　it　possible　to　advance　a　step　without　a
fit　of　ague？　　The　remedy　the　vulgar　use　is　not　to　think　on't；　but　from
what　brutish　stupidity　can　they　derive　so　gross　a　blindness？　　They　must
bridle　the　ass　by　the　tail：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Qui　capite　ipse　suo　instituit　vestigia　retro；〃

　　　　　＇〃Who　in　his　folly　seeks　to　advance　backwards〃Lucretius；　iv。　474＇

'tis　no　wonder　if　he　be　often　trapped　in　the　pitfall。　　They　affright
people　with　the　very　mention　of　death；　and　many　cross　themselves；　as　it
were　the　name　of　the　devil。　　And　because　the　making　a　man's　will　is　in
reference　to　dying；　not　a　man　will　be　persuaded　to　take　a　pen　in　hand　to
that　purpose；　till　the　physician　has　passed　sentence　upon　and　totally
given　him　over；　and　then　betwixt　and　terror；　God　knows　in　how　fit　a
condition　of　understanding　he　is　to　do　it。

The　Romans；　by　reason　that　this　poor　syllable　death　sounded　so　harshly　to
their　ears　and　seemed　so　ominous；　found　out　a　way　to　soften　and　spin　it
out　by　a　periphrasis；　and　instead　of　pronouncing　such　a　one　is　dead；
said；　〃Such　a　one　has　lived；〃　or　〃Such　a　one　has　ceased　to　live〃
＇Plutarch；　Life　of　Cicero；　c。　　22：＇　for；　provided　there　was　any　mention
of　life　in　the　case；　though　past；　it　carried　yet　some　sound　of
consolation。　　And　from　them　it　is　that　we　have　borrowed　our　expression；
〃The　late　Monsieur　such　and　such　a　one。〃＇〃feu　Monsieur　un　tel。〃＇
Peradventure；　as　the　saying　is；　the　term　we　have　lived　is　worth　our
money。　　I　was　born　betwixt　eleven　and　twelve　o'clock　in　the　forenoon　the
last　day　of　Febru