the essays of montaigne, v17-第4部分

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me　the　worst　of　all　vices；　that　I　have　not　the　heart　to　think　of　them
without　horror；　and　almost　as　much　admire　as　I　detest　them：　the　exercise
of　these　signal　villainies　carries　with　it　as　great　signs　of　vigour　and
force　of　soul；　as　of　error　and　disorder。　　Necessity　reconciles　and　brings
men　together；　and　this　accidental　connection　afterwards　forms　itself　into
laws：　for　there　have　been　such；　as　savage　as　any　human　opinion　could
conceive；　who；　nevertheless；　have　maintained　their　body　with　as　much
health　and　length　of　life　as　any　Plato　or　Aristotle　could　invent。　　And
certainly；　all　these　descriptions　of　polities；　feigned　by　art；　are　found
to　be　ridiculous　and　unfit　to　be　put　in　practice。

These　great　and　tedious　debates　about　the　best　form　of　society；　and　the
most　commodious　rules　to　bind　us；　are　debates　only　proper　for　the
exercise　of　our　wits；　as　in　the　arts　there　are　several　subjects　which
have　their　being　in　agitation　and　controversy；　and　have　no　life　but
there。　　Such　an　idea　of　government　might　be　of　some　value　in　a　new　world；
but　we　take　a　world　already　made；　and　formed　to　certain　customs；　we　do
not　beget　it；　as　Pyrrha　or　Cadmus　did。　　By　what　means　soever　we　may　have
the　privilege　to　redress　and　reform　it　anew；　we　can　hardly　writhe　it　from
its　wonted　bent；　but　we　shall　break　all。　　Solon　being　asked　whether　he
had　established　the　best　laws　he　could　for　the　Athenians；　〃Yes；〃　said　he；
〃of　those　they　would　have　received。〃　　Varro　excuses　himself　after　the
same　manner：　〃that　if　he　were　to　begin　to　write　of　religion；　he　would　say
what　he　believed；　but　seeing　it　was　already　received；　he　would　write
rather　according　to　use　than　nature。〃

Not　according　to　opinion；　but　in　truth　and　reality；　the　best　and　most
excellent　government　for　every　nation　is　that　under　which　it　is
maintained：　its　form　and　essential　convenience　depend　upon　custom。
We　are　apt　to　be　displeased　at　the　present　condition；　but　I；
nevertheless；　maintain　that　to　desire　command　in　a　few＇an　oligarchy。＇
in　a　republic；　or　another　sort　of　government　in　monarchy　than　that
already　established；　is　both　vice　and　folly：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Ayme　l'estat；　tel　que　to　le　veois　estre
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　S'il　est　royal　ayme　la　royaute；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　S'il　est　de　peu；　ou　biers　communaute；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ayme　l'aussi；　car　Dieu　t'y　a　faict　naistre。〃

　　　　　＇〃Love　the　government；　such　as　you　see　it　to　be。　　If　it　be　royal；
　　　　　love　royalty；　if　it　is　a　republic　of　any　sort；　still　love　it；　for
　　　　　God　himself　created　thee　therein。〃＇

So　wrote　the　good　Monsieur　de　Pibrac；　whom　we　have　lately　lost；　a　man　of
so　excellent　a　wit；　such　sound　opinions；　and　such　gentle　manners。　　This
loss；　and　that　at　the　same　time　we　have　had　of　Monsieur　de　Foix；　are　of
so　great　importance　to　the　crown；　that　I　do　not　know　whether　there　is
another　couple　in　France　worthy　to　supply　the　places　of　these　two　Gascons
in　sincerity　and　wisdom　in　the　council　of　our　kings。　　They　were　both
variously　great　men；　and　certainly；　according　to　the　age；　rare　and　great；
each　of　them　in　his　kind：　but　what　destiny　was　it　that　placed　them　in
these　times；　men　so　remote　from　and　so　disproportioned　to　our　corruption
and　intestine　tumults？

Nothing　presses　so　hard　upon　a　state　as　innovation：　change　only　gives
form　to　injustice　and　tyranny。　　When　any　piece　is　loosened；　it　may　be
proper　to　stay　it；　one　may　take　care　that　the　alteration　and　corruption
natural　to　all　things　do　not　carry　us　too　far　from　our　beginnings　and
principles：　but　to　undertake　to　found　so　great　a　mass　anew；　and　to　change
the　foundations　of　so　vast　a　building；　is　for　them　to　do；　who　to　make
clean；　efface；　who　reform　particular　defects　by　an　universal　confusion；
and　cure　diseases　by　death：

　　　　　　〃Non　tam　commutandarum　quam　evertendarum　rerum　cupidi。〃

　　　　　＇〃Not　so　desirous　of　changing　as　of　overthrowing　things。〃
　　　　　Cicero；　De　0ffic。；　ii。　i。＇

The　world　is　unapt　to　be　cured；　and　so　impatient　of　anything　that　presses
it；　that　it　thinks　of　nothing　but　disengaging　itself　at　what　price
soever。　　We　see　by　a　thousand　examples；　that　it　ordinarily　cures　itself
to　its　cost。　　The　discharge　of　a　present　evil　is　no　cure；　if　there　be　not
a　general　amendment　of　condition。　　The　surgeon's　end　is　not　only　to　cut
away　the　dead　flesh；　that　is　but　the　progress　of　his　cure；　he　has　a　care；
over　and　above；　to　fill　up　the　wound　with　better　and　more　natural　flesh；
and　to　restore　the　member　to　its　due　state。　　Whoever　only　proposes　to
himself　to　remove　that　which　offends　him；　falls　short：　for　good　does　not
necessarily　succeed　evil；　another　evil　may　succeed；　and　a　worse；　as　it
happened　to　Caesar's　murderers；　who　brought　the　republic　to　such　a　pass；
that　they　had　reason　to　repent　the　meddling　with　the　matter。　　The　same
has　since　happened　to　several　others；　even　down　to　our　own　times：　the
French；　my　contemporaries；　know　it　well　enough。　　All　great　mutations
shake　and　disorder　a　state。

Whoever　would　look　direct　at　a　cure；　and　well　consider　of　it　before　he
began；　would　be　very　willing　to　withdraw　his　hands　from　meddling　in　it。
Pacuvius　Calavius　corrected　the　vice　of　this　proceeding　by　a　notable
example。　　His　fellow…citizens　were　in　mutiny　against　their　magistrates；
he　being　a　man　of　great　authority　in　the　city　of　Capua；　found　means　one
day　to　shut　up　the　Senators　in　the　palace；　and　calling　the　people
together　in　the　market…place；　there　told　them　that　the　day　was　now　come
wherein　at　full　liberty　they　might　revenge　themselves　on　the　tyrants　by
whom　they　had　been　so　long　oppressed；　and　whom　he　had　now；　all　alone　and
unarmed；　at　his　mercy。　　He　then　advised　that　they　should　call　these　out；
one　by　one；　by　lot；　and　should　individually　determine　as　to　each；　causing
whatever　should　be　decreed　to　be　immediately　executed；　with　this　proviso；
that　they　should；　at　the　same　time；　depute　some　honest　man　in　the　place
of　him　who　was　condemned；　to　the　end　there　might　be　no　vacancy　in　the
Senate。　　They　had　no　sooner　heard　the　name　of　one　senator　but　a　great　cry
of　universal　dislike　was　raised　up　against　him。　　〃I　see；〃　says　Pacuvius；
〃that　we　must　put　him　out；　he　is　a　wicked　fellow；　let　us　look　out　a　good
one　in　his　room。〃　　Immediately　there　was　a　profound　silence；　every　one
being　at　a　stand　whom　to　choose。　　But　one；　more　impudent　than　the　rest；
having　named　his　man；　there　arose　yet　a　greater　consent　of　voices　against
him；　an　hundred　imperfections　being　laid　to　his　charge；　and　as　many　just
reasons　why　he　should　not　stand。　　These　contradictory　humours　growing
hot；　it　fared　worse　with　the　second　senator　and　the　third；　there　being　as
much　disagreement　in　the　election　of　the　new；　as　consent　in　the　putting
out　of　the　old。　　In　the　end；　growing　weary　of　this　bustle　to　no　purpose；
they　began；　some　one　way　and　some　another；　to　steal　out　of　the　assembly：
every　one　carrying　back　this　resolution　in　his　mind；　that　the　oldest　and
best　known　evil　was　ever　more　supportable　than　one　that　was；　new　and
untried。

Seeing　how　miserably　we　are　agitated　（for　what　have　we　not　done！）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Eheu！　cicatricum；　et　sceleris　pudet；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Fratrumque：　quid　nos　dura　refugimus
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　AEtas？　　quid　intactum　nefasti
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Liquimus？　　Unde　manus　inventus
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Metu　Deorum　continuit？　　quibus
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Pepercit　aris。〃

　　　　　＇〃Alas！　our　crimes　and　our　fratricides　are　a　shame　to　us！　　What
　　　　　crime　does　this　bad　age　shrink　from？　　What　wickedness　have　we　left
　　　　　undone？　　What　youth　is　restrained　from　evil　by　the　fear　of　the　gods？
　　　　　What　altar　is　spared？〃Horace；　Od。；　i。　　33；　35＇

I　do　not　presently　conclude；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Ipsa　si　velit　Salus；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Servare　prorsus　non　potest　hanc　familiam；〃

　　　　　＇〃If　the　goddess　Salus　herself　wish　to　save　this　family；　she
　　　　　absolutely　cannot〃Terence；　Adelph。；　iv。　7；　43。＇

we　are　not；　peradventure；　at　our　last　gasp。　　The　conservation　of　states
is　a　thing　that；　in　all　likelihood；　surpasses　our　understanding；a　civil
government　is；　as　Plato　says；　a　mighty　and　puissant　thing；　and　hard　to　be
dissolved；　it　often　continues　against　mortal　and　intestine　diseases；
against　the　injury　of　unjust　laws；　against　tyranny；　the　corruption　and
ignorance　of　magistrates；　the　licence　and　sedition　of　the　people。　　In　all
our　fortunes；　we　compare　ourselves　to　what　is　above　us；　and　still　look
towards　those　who　are　better：　but　let　us　measure　ourselves　with　what　is
below　us：　there　is　no　condition　so　miserable　wherein　a　man　may　not　find　a
thousand　examples　that　will　administer　consolation。　　'Tis　our　vice　that
we　more　unwillingly　look　upon　what　is　above；　than　willingly　upon　what　is
below；　and　Solon　was　used　to　say；　that　〃whoever　would　make　a　heap　of　all
the　ills　together；　there　is　no　one　who　would　not　rather　choose　to　bear
away　the　ills　he　has　than　to　come　to　an　equal　division　with　all　other　men
from　that　heap；　and　take　his　share。〃　　Our　government　is；　indeed；　very
sick；　but　there　have　been　others　more　sick　without　dying。　　The　gods　play
at　ball　with　us　and　bandy　us　every　way：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Enimvero　Dii　nos　homines　quasi　pilas　habent。〃

The　stars　fatally　destined　the　state　of　Rome　for　an　example　of　what　they
could　do　in　this　kind：　in　it　are　comprised　all　the　forms　and　adventures
that　concern　a　state：　all　that　order　or　disorder；　good　or　evil　fortune；
can　do。　　Who；　then；　can　despair　of　his　condition；　seeing　the　shocks　and
commotions　wherewith　Rome　was　tumbled　and　tossed；　and　yet　withstood　them
all？　　If　the　extent　of　dominion　be　the　health　of　a　state　（which　I　by　no
means　think　it　is；　and　Isocrates　pleases　me　when　he　instructs　Nicocles
not　to　envy　princes　who　have　large　dominions；　but　those　who　know　how　to
preserve　those　which　have　fallen　into　their　hands）；　that　of　Rome　was
never　so　sound；　as　when　it　was　most　sick。　　The　worst　of　her　forms　was　the
most　fortunate；　one　can　hardly　discern　any　image　of　government　under　the
first　emperors；　it　is　the　most　horrible　and　tumultuous　confusion　that　can
be　imagined；　it　endured　it；　notwithstanding；　and　therein　continued；
preserving　not　a　monarchy　limited　within　its　own　bounds；　but　so　many
nations　so　differing；　so　remote；　so　disaffected；　so　confusedly　commanded；
and　so　unjustly　conquered：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Nec