the essays of montaigne, v12-第3部分

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and　hinder　the　people　from　reuniting；　and　consequently　fortifying
themselves　against　him　by　their　unanimous　intelligence　and　concord；
having　experienced　by　the　cruelty　of　some　Christians；　that　there　is　no
beast　in　the　world　so　much　to　be　feared　by　man　as　man；　these　are　very
nearly　his　words。

Wherein　this　is　very　worthy　of　consideration；　that　the　Emperor　Julian
made　use　of　the　same　receipt　of　liberty　of　conscience　to　inflame　the
civil　dissensions　that　our　kings　do　to　extinguish　them。　　So　that　a　man
may　say　on　one　side；　that　to　give　the　people　the　reins　to　entertain　every
man　his　own　opinion；　is　to　scatter　and　sow　division；　and；　as　it　were；　to
lend　a　hand　to　augment　it；　there　being　no　legal　impediment　or　restraint
to　stop　or　hinder　their　career；　but；　on　the　other　side；　a　man　may　also
say；　that　to　give　the　people　the　reins　to　entertain　every　man　his　own
opinion；　is　to　mollify　and　appease　them　by　facility　and　toleration；　and
to　dull　the　point　which　is　whetted　and　made　sharper　by　singularity；
novelty；　and　difficulty：　and　I　think　it　is　better　for　the　honour　of　the
devotion　of　our　kings；　that　not　having　been　able　to　do　what　they　would；
they　have　made　a　show　of　being　willing　to　do　what　they　could。




CHAPTER　XX

THAT　WE　TASTE　NOTHING　PURE

The　feebleness　of　our　condition　is　such　that　things　cannot；　in　their
natural　simplicity　and　purity；　fall　into　our　use；　the　elements　that　we
enjoy　are　changed；　and　so　'tis　with　metals；　and　gold　must　be　debased　with
some　other　matter　to　fit　it　for　our　service。　　Neither　has　virtue；　so
simple　as　that　which　Aristo；　Pyrrho；　and　also　the　Stoics；　made　the　end　of
life；　nor　the　Cyrenaic　and　Aristippic　pleasure；　been　without　mixture
useful　to　it。　　Of　the　pleasure　and　goods　that　we　enjoy；　there　is　not　one
exempt　from　some　mixture　of　ill　and　inconvenience：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Medio　de　fonte　leporum；
　　　　　　　　　　Surgit　amari　aliquid；　quod　in　ipsis　fioribus　angat。〃

　　　　　＇〃From　the　very　fountain　of　our　pleasure；　something　rises　that　is
　　　　　bitter；　which　even　in　flowers　destroys。〃Lucretius；　iv。　1130。＇

Our　extremest　pleasure　has　some　sort　of　groaning　and　complaining　in　it；
would　you　not　say　that　it　is　dying　of　pain？　　Nay；　when　we　frame　the　image
of　it　in　its　full　excellence；　we　stuff　it　with　sickly　and　painful
epithets　and　qualities；　languor；　softness；　feebleness；　faintness；
'morbidezza'：　a　great　testimony　of　their　consanguinity　and
consubstantiality。　　The　most　profound　joy　has　more　of　severity　than
gaiety；　in　it。　　The　highest　and　fullest　contentment　offers　more　of　the
grave　than　of　the　merry：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Ipsa　felicitas；　se　nisi　temperat；　premit。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Even　felicity；　unless　it　moderate　itself；　oppresses？
　　　　　　　　　　　Seneca；　Ep。　74。＇

Pleasure　chews　and　grinds　us；　according　to　the　old　Greek　verse；　which
says　that　the　gods　sell　us　all　the　goods　they　give　us；　that　is　to　say；
that　they　give　us　nothing　pure　and　perfect；　and　that　we　do　not　purchase
but　at　the　price　of　some　evil。

Labour　and　pleasure；　very　unlike　in　nature；　associate；　nevertheless；
by　I　know　not　what　natural　conjunction。　　Socrates　says；　that　some　god
tried　to　mix　in　one　mass　and　to　confound　pain　and　pleasure；　but　not　being
able　to　do　it；　he　bethought　him　at　least　to　couple　them　by　the　tail。
Metrodorus　said；　that　in　sorrow　there　is　some　mixture　of　pleasure。　　I
know　not　whether　or　no　he　intended　anything　else　by　that　saying；　but　for
my　part；　I　am　of　opinion　that　there　is　design；　consent；　and　complacency
in　giving　a　man's　self　up　to　melancholy。　I　say；　that　besides　ambition；
which　may　also　have　a　stroke　in　the　business；　there　is　some　shadow　of
delight　and　delicacy　which　smiles　upon　and　flatters　us　even　in　the　very
lap　of　melancholy。　　Are　there　not　some　constitutions　that　feed　upon　it？

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Est　quaedam　flere　voluptas；〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　＇〃'Tis　a　certain　kind　of　pleasure　to　weep。〃
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ovid；　Trist。；　iv。　　3；　27。＇

and　one　Attalus　in　Seneca　says；　that　the　memory　of　our　lost　friends　is　as
grateful　to　us；　as　bitterness　in　wine；　when　too　old；　is　to　the　palate：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Minister　vetuli；　puer；　Falerni
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Inger'　mi　calices　amariores〃

　　　　　＇〃Boy；　when　you　pour　out　old　Falernian　wine；　the　bitterest　put
　　　　　into　my　bowl。〃Catullus；　xxvii。　I。＇

and　as　apples　that　have　a　sweet　tartness。

Nature　discovers　this　confusion　to　us；　painters　hold　that　the　same
motions　and　grimaces　of　the　face　that　serve　for　weeping；　serve　for
laughter　too；　and　indeed；　before　the　one　or　the　other　be　finished；　do　but
observe　the　painter's　manner　of　handling；　and　you　will　be　in　doubt　to
which　of　the　two　the　design　tends；　and　the　extreme　of　laughter　does　at
last　bring　tears：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Nullum　sine　auctoramento　malum　est。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃No　evil　is　without　its　compensation。〃Seneca；　Ep。；　69。＇

When　I　imagine　man　abounding　with　all　the　conveniences　that　are　to　be
desired　（let　us　put　the　case　that　all　his　members　were　always　seized　with
a　pleasure　like　that　of　generation；　in　its　most　excessive　height）　I　feel
him　melting　under　the　weight　of　his　delight；　and　see　him　utterly　unable
to　support　so　pure；　so　continual；　and　so　universal　a　pleasure。　　Indeed；
he　is　running　away　whilst　he　is　there；　and　naturally　makes　haste　to
escape；　as　from　a　place　where　he　cannot　stand　firm；　and　where　he　is
afraid　of　sinking。

When　I　religiously　confess　myself　to　myself；　I　find　that　the　best　virtue
I　have　has　in　it　some　tincture　of　vice；　and　I　am　afraid　that　Plato；　in
his　purest　virtue　（I；　who　am　as　sincere　and　loyal　a　lover　of　virtue　of
that　stamp　as　any　other　whatever）；　if　he　had　listened　and　laid　his　ear
close　to　himself　and　he　did　so　no　doubtwould　have　heard　some　jarring
note　of　human　mixture；　but　faint　and　only　perceptible　to　himself。　　Man　is
wholly　and　throughout　but　patch　and　motley。　　Even　the　laws　of　justice
themselves　cannot　subsist　without　mixture　of　injustice；　insomuch　that
Plato　says；　they　undertake　to　cut　off　the　hydra's　head；　who　pretend　to
clear　the　law　of　all　inconveniences：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Omne　magnum　exemplum　habet　aliquid　ex　iniquo；
　　　　　　　　　　quod　contra　singulos　utilitate　publics　rependitur；〃

　　　　　＇〃Every　great　example　has　in　it　some　mixture　of　injustice；　which
　　　　　recompenses　the　wrong　done　to　particular　men　by　the　public　utility。〃
　　　　　Annals；　xiv。　44。＇

says　Tacitus。

It　is　likewise　true；　that　for　the　use　of　life　and　the　service　of　public
commerce；　there　may　be　some　excesses　in　the　purity　and　perspicacity　of
our　minds；　that　penetrating　light　has　in　it　too　much　of　subtlety　and
curiosity：　we　must　a　little　stupefy　and　blunt　them　to　render　them　more
obedient　to　example　and　practice；　and　a　little　veil　and　obscure　them；　the
better　to　proportion　them　to　this　dark　and　earthly　life。　　And　therefore
common　and　less　speculative　souls　are　found　to　be　more　proper　for　and
more　successful　in　the　management　of　affairs；　and　the　elevated　and
exquisite　opinions　of　philosophy　unfit　for　business。　　This　sharp　vivacity
of　soul；　and　the　supple　and　restless　volubility　attending　it；　disturb　our
negotiations。　　We　are　to　manage　human　enterprises　more　superficially　and
roughly；　and　leave　a　great　part　to　fortune；　it　is　not　necessary　to
examine　affairs　with　so　much　subtlety　and　so　deep：　a　man　loses　himself　in
the　consideration　of　many　contrary　lustres；　and　so　many　various　forms：

　　　　　〃Volutantibus　res　inter　se　pugnantes；　obtorpuerunt。。。。　animi。〃

　　　　　＇〃Whilst　they　considered　of　things　so　indifferent　in　themselves；
　　　　　they　were　astonished；　and　knew　not　what　to　do。〃Livy；　xxxii。　20。＇

'Tis　what　the　ancients　say　of　Simonides；　that　by　reason　his　imagination
suggested　to　him；　upon　the　question　King　Hiero　had　put　to　him　＇What　God
was。Cicero；　De　Nat。　　Deor。；　i。　　22。＇（to　answer　which　he　had　had　many
days　for　thought）；　several　sharp　and　subtle　considerations；　whilst　he
doubted　which　was　the　most　likely；　he　totally　despaired　of　the　truth。

He　who　dives　into　and　in　his　inquisition　comprehends　all　circumstances
and　consequences；　hinders　his　election：　a　little　engine　well　handled　is
sufficient　for　executions；　whether　of　less　or　greater　weight。　　The　best
managers　are　those　who　can　worst　give　account　how　they　are　so；　while　the
greatest　talkers；　for　the　most　part；　do　nothing　to　purpose；　I　know　one　of
this　sort　of　men；　and　a　most　excellent　discourser　upon　all　sorts　of　good
husbandry；　who　has　miserably　let　a　hundred　thousand　livres　yearly　revenue
slip　through　his　hands；　I　know　another　who　talks；　who　better　advises　than
any　man　of　his　counsel；　and　there　is　not　in　the　world　a　fairer　show　of
soul　and　understanding　than　he　has；　nevertheless；　when　he　comes　to　the
test；　his　servants　find　him　quite　another　thing；　not　to　make　any　mention
of　his　misfortunes。




CHAPTER　XXI

AGAINST　IDLENESS

The　Emperor　Vespasian；　being　sick　of　the　disease　whereof　he　died；　did　not
for　all　that　neglect　to　inquire　after　the　state　of　the　empire；　and　even
in　bed　continually　despatched　very　many　affairs　of　great　consequence；　for
which；　being　reproved　by　his　physician；　as　a　thing　prejudicial　to　his
health；　〃An　emperor；〃　said　he；　〃must　die　standing。〃　　A　fine　saying；　in　my
opinion；　and　worthy　a　great　prince。　　The　Emperor　Adrian　since　made　use　of
the　same　words；　and　kings　should　be　often　put　in　mind　of　them；　to　make
them　know　that　the　great　office　conferred　upon　them　of　the　command　of　so
many　men；　is　not　an　employment　of　ease；　and　that　there　is　nothing　can　so
justly　disgust　a　subject；　and　make　him　unwilling　to　expose　himself　to
labour　and　danger　for　the　service　of　his　prince；　than　to　see　him；　in　the
meantime；　devoted　to　his　ease　and　frivolous　amusement；　and　to　be
solicitous　of　his　preservation　who　so　much　neglects　that　of　his　people。

Whoever　will　take　upon　him　to　maintain　that　'tis　better　for　a　prince　to
carry　on　his　wars　by　others；　than　in　his　own　person；　fortune　will　furnish
him　with　examples　enough　of　those　whose　lieutenants　have　brought　great
enterprises　to　a　happy　issue；　and　of　those　also　whose　presence　has　done
more　hurt　than　good：　but　no　virtuous　and　valiant　prince　can　with　patience
endure　so　dishonourable　councils。　　Under　colour　of　saving　his　head；　like
the　statue　of　a　saint；　for　the　happiness　of　his　kingdom；　they　degrade　him