the essays of montaigne, v1-第9部分

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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　department　or　such　a　choice；　and　in　those　systems；　where
ignorance　and　malice；　favouritism；　intrigue；　and　violence　govern；　if　any
selection　happens　to　be　made　on　the　ground　of　merit　and　regularity；　we
may　doubtless　thank　Fortune；　which；　in　its　capricious　movements；　has　for
once　taken　the　path　of　reason。

This　consideration；　Monseigneur；　often　consoled　me；　when　I　beheld　M。
Etienne　de　la　Boetie；　one　of　the　fittest　men　for　high　office　in　France；
pass　his　whole　life　without　employment　and　notice；　by　his　domestic
hearth；　to　the　singular　detriment　of　the　public；　for；　so　far　as　he　was
concerned；　I　may　assure　you；　Monseigneur；　that　he　was　so　rich　in　those
treasures　which　defy　fortune；　that　never　was　man　more　satisfied　or
content。　　I　know；　indeed；　that　he　was　raised　to　the　dignities　connected
with　his　neighbourhooddignities　accounted　considerable；　and　I　know
also；　that　no　one　ever　acquitted　himself　better　of　them；　and　when　he　died
at　the　age　of　thirty…two；　he　enjoyed　a　reputation　in　that　way　beyond　all
who　had　preceded　him。

But　for　all　that；　it　is　no　reason　that　a　man　should　be　left　a　common
soldier；　who　deserves　to　become　a　captain；　nor　to　assign　mean　functions
to　those　who　are　perfectly　equal　to　the　highest。　　In　truth；　his　powers
were　badly　economised　and　too　sparingly　employed；　insomuch　that；　over　and
above　his　actual　work；　there　was　abundant　capacity　lying　idle　which　might
have　been　called　into　service；　both　to　the　public　advantage　and　his　own
private　glory。

Therefore；　Monseigneur；　since　he　was　so　indifferent　to　his　own　fame　（for
virtue　and　ambition；　unfortunately；　seldom　lodge　together）；　and　since　he
lived　in　an　age　when　others　were　too　dull　or　too　jealous　to　witness　to
his　character；　I　have　it　marvellously　at　heart　that　his　memory；　at　all
events；　to　which　I　owe　the　good　offices　of　a　friend；　should　enjoy　the
recompense　of　his　brave　life；　and　that　it　should　survive　in　the　good
report　of　men　of　honour　and　virtue。　　On　this　account；　sir；　I　have　been
desirous　to　bring　to　light；　and　present　to　you；　such　few　Latin　verses　as
he　left　behind。　　Different　from　the　builder；　who　places　the　most
attractive；　portion　of　his　house　towards　the　street；　and　to　the　draper；
who　displays　in　his　window　his　best　goods；　that　which　was　most　precious
in　my　friend；　the　juice　and　marrow　of　his　genius；　departed　with　him；　and
there　have　remained　to　us　but　the　bark　and　the　leaves。

The　exactly　regulated　movements　of　his　mind；　his　piety；　his　virtue；　his
justice；　his　vivacity；　the　solidity　and　soundness　of　his　judgment；　the
loftiness　of　his　ideas；　raised　so　far　above　the　common　level；　his
learning；　the　grace　which　accompanied　his　most　ordinary　actions；　the
tender　affection　he　had　for　his　miserable　country；　and　his　supreme　and
sworn　detestation　of　all　vice；　but　principally　of　that　villainous　traffic
which　disguises　itself　under　the　honourable　name　of　justice；　should
certainly　impress　all　well…disposed　persons　with　a　singular　love　towards
him；　and　an　extraordinary　regret　for　his　loss。　　But；　sir；　I　am　unable　to
do　justice　to　all　these　qualities；　and　of　the　fruit　of　his　own　studies　it
had　not　entered　into　his　mind　to　leave　any　proof　to　posterity；　all　that
remains；　is　the　little　which；　as　a　pastime；　he　did　at　intervals。

However　this　may　be；　I　beg　you；　sir；　to　receive　it　kindly；　and　as　our
judgment　of　great　things　is　many　times　formed　from　lesser　things；　and　as
even　the　recreations　of　illustrious　men　carry　with　them；　to　intelligent
observers；　some　honourable　traits　of　their　origin；　I　would　have　you　form
from　this；　some　knowledge　of　him；　and　hence　lovingly　cherish　his　name　and
his　memory。　　In　this；　sir；　you　will　only　reciprocate　the　high　opinion
which　he　had　of　your　virtue；　and　realise　what　he　infinitely　desired　in
his　lifetime；　for　there　was　no　one　in　the　world　in　whose　acquaintance　and
friendship　he　would　have　been　so　happy　to　see　himself　established；　as　in
your　own。　　But　if　any　man　is　offended　by　the　freedom　which　I　use　with　the
belongings　of　another；　I　can　tell　him　that　nothing　which　has　been　written
or　been　laid　down；　even　in　the　schools　of　philosophy；　respecting　the
sacred　duties　and　rights　of　friendship；　could　give　an　adequate　idea　of
the　relations　which　subsisted　between　this　personage　and　myself。

Moreover；　sir；　this　slender　gift；　to　make　two　throws　of　one　stone　at　the
same　time；　may　likewise　serve；　if　you　please；　to　testify　the　honour　and
respect　which　I　entertain　for　your　ability　and　high　qualities；　for　as　to
those　gifts　which　are　adventitious　and　accidental；　it　is　not　to　my　taste
to　take　them　into　account。

Sir；　I　pray　God　to　grant　you　a　very　happy　and　a　very　long　life。　　From
Montaigne；　this　30th　of　April　1570。Your　humble　and　obedient　servant；

MICHEL　DE　MONTAIGNE。




To　Monsieur；　Monsieur　de　Folx；　Privy　Councillor；　and　Ambassador　of　His
Majesty　to　the　Signory　of　Venice。＇　Printed　before　the　'Vers　Francois'
of　Etienne　de　la　Boetie；　8vo；　Paris；　1572。＇

SIR；Being　on　the　point　of　commending　to　you　and　to　posterity　the　memory
of　the　late　Etienne　de　la　Boetie；　as　well　for　his　extreme　virtue　as　for
the　singular　affection　which　he　bore　to　me；　it　struck　me　as　an
indiscretion　very　serious　in　its　results；　and　meriting　some　coercion　from
our　laws；　the　practice　which　often　prevails　of　robbing　virtue　of　glory；
its　faithful　associate；　in　order　to　confer　it；　in　accordance　with　our
private　interests　and　without　discrimination；　on　the　first　comer；　seeing
that　our　two　principal　guiding　reins　are　reward　and　punishment；　which
only　touch　us　properly；　and　as　men；　through　the　medium　of　honour　and
dishonour；　forasmuch　as　these　penetrate　the　mind；　and　come　home　to　our
most　intimate　feelings：　just　where　animals　themselves　are　susceptible；
more　or　less；　to　all　other　kinds　of　recompense　and　corporal　chastisement。
Moreover；　it　is　well　to　notice　that　the　custom　of　praising　virtue；　even
in　those　who　are　no　longer　with　us；　impalpable　as　it　is　to　them；　serves
as　a　stimulant　to　the　living　to　imitate　their　example；　just　as　capital
sentences　are　carried　out　by　the　law；　more　for　the　sake　of　warning　to
others；　than　in　relation　to　those　who　suffer。　　Now；　commendation　and　its
opposite　being　analogous　as　regards　effects；　we　cannot　easily　deny
the　fact；　that　although　the　law　prohibits　one　man　from　slandering　the
reputation　of　another；　it　does　not　prevent　us　from　bestowing　reputation
without　cause。　　This　pernicious　licence　in　respect　to　the　distribution　of
praise；　has　formerly　been　confined　in　its　area　of　operations；　and　it　may
be　the　reason　why　poetry　once　lost　favour　with　the　more　judicious。
However　this　may　be；　it　cannot　be　concealed　that　the　vice　of　falsehood　is
one　very　unbecoming　in　gentleman；　let　it　assume　what　guise　it　will。

As　for　that　personage　of　whom　I　am　speaking　to　you；　sir　he　leads　me　far
away　indeed　from　this　kind　of　language；　for　the　danger　in　his　case　is
not；　lest　I　should　lend　him　anything；　but　that　I　might　take　something
from　him；　and　it　is　his　ill…fortune　that；　while　he　has　supplied　me；　so
far　as　ever　a　man　could；　with　just　and　obvious　opportunities　for
commendation；　I　find　myself　unable　and　unqualified　to　render　it　to　him
I；　who　am　his　debtor　for　so　many　vivid　communications；　and　who　alone　have
it　in　my　power　to　answer　for　a　million　of　accomplishments；　perfections；
and　virtues；　latent　（thanks　to　his　unkind　stars）　in　so　noble　a　soul。　　For
the　nature　of　things　having　（I　know　not　how）　permitted　that　truth；　fair
and　acceptableas　it　may　be　of　itself；　is　only　embraced　where　there　are
arts　of　persuasion；　to　insinuate　it　into　our　minds；　I　see　myself　so
wanting；　both　in　authority　to　support　my　simple　testimony；　and　in　the
eloquence　requisite　for　lending　it　value　and　weight；　that　I　was　on　the
eve　of　relinquishing　the　task；　having　nothing　of　his　which　would　enable
me　to　exhibit　to　the　world　a　proof　of　his　genius　and　knowledge。

In　truth；　sir；　having　been　overtaken　by　his　fate　in　the　flower　of　his
age；　and　in　the　full　enjoyment　of　the　most　vigorous　health；　it　had　been
his　design　to　publish　some　day　works　which　would　have　demonstrated　to
posterity　what　sort　of　a　man　he　was；　and；　peradventure；　he　was
indifferent　enough　to　fame；　having　formed　such　a　plan　in　his　head；　to
proceed　no　further　in　it。　　But　I　have　come　to　the　conclusion；　that　it　was
far　more　excusable　in　him　to　bury　with　him　all　his　rare　endowments；　than
it　would　be　on　my　part　to　bury　also　with　me　the　knowledge　of　them　which　I
had　acquired　from　him；　and；　therefore；　having　collected　with　care　all　the
remains　which　I　found　scattered　here　and　there　among　his　papers；　I　intend
to　distribute　them　so　as　to　recommend　his　memory　to　as　many　persons　as
possible；　selecting　the　most　suitable　and　worthy　of　my　acquaintance；　and
those　whose　testimony　might　do　him　greatest　honour：　such　as　you；　sir；　who
may　very　possibly　have　had　some　knowledge　of　him　during　his　life；　but
assuredly　too　slight　to　discover　the　perfect　extent　of　his　worth。
Posterity　may　credit　me；　if　it　chooses；　when　I　swear　upon　my　conscience；
that　I　knew　and　saw　him　to　be　such　as；　all　things　considered；　I　could
neither　desire　nor　imagine　a　genius　surpassing　his。

I　beg　you　very　humbly；　sir；　n