the essays of montaigne, v1-第12部分

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guards；　and　we　look　after　them　a　little　more　attentively　in　your　absence；
which　makes　me　apprehensive；　not　merely　on　account　of　the　preservation　of
the　town；　but　likewise　for　your　oven　sake；　knowing　that　the　enemies　of
the　king　feel　how　necessary　you　are　to　his　service；　and　how　ill　we　should
prosper　without　you。　　I　am　afraid　that；　in　the　part　where　you　are；　you
will　be　overtaken　by　so　many　affairs　requiring　your　attention　on　every
side；　that　it　will　take　you　a　long　time　and　involve　great　difficulty
before　you　have　disposed　of　everything。　　If　there　is　any　important　news；
I　will　despatch　an　express　at　once；　and　you　may　conclude　that　nothing　is
stirring　if　you　do　not　hear　from　me：　at　the　same　time　begging　you　to　bear
in　mind　that　movements　of　this　kind　are　wont　to　be　so　sudden　and
unexpected　that；　if　they　occur；　they　will　grasp　me　by　the　throat；　before
they　say　a　word。　　I　will　do　what　I　can　to　collect　news；　and　for　this
purpose　I　will　make　a　point　of　visiting　and　seeing　men　of　every　shade　of
opinion。　　Down　to　the　present　time　nothing　is　stirring。　　M。　de　Londel　has
seen　me　this　morning；　and　we　have　been　arranging　for　some　advances　for
the　place；　where　I　shall　go　to…morrow　morning。　　Since　I　began　this
letter；　I　have　learnt　from　Chartreux　that　two　gentlemen；　describing
themselves　as　in　the　service　of　M。　de　Guise；　and　coming　from　Agen；　have
passed　near　Chartreux；　but　I　was　not　able　to　ascertain　which　road　they
have　taken。　　They　are　expecting　you　at　Agen。　　The　Sieur　de　Mauvesin　came
as　far　as　Canteloup；　and　thence　returned；　having　got　some　intelligence。
I　am　in　search　of　one　Captain　Rous；　to　whom　。　　。　　。　　wrote；　trying　to
draw　him　into　his　cause　by　all　sorts　of　promises。　　The　rumour　of　the　two
Nantes　galleys　ready　to　descend　on　Brouage　is　confirmed　as　certain；　they
carry　two　companies　of　foot。　　M。　de　Mercure　is　at　Nantes。　　The　Sieur　de
la　Courbe　said　to　M。　the　President　Nesmond　that　M。　d'Elbeuf　is　on　this
side　of　Angiers；　and　lodges　with　his　father。　　He　is　drawing　towards　Lower
Poictou　with　4000　foot　and　400　or　500　horse；　having　been　reinforced　by
the　troops　of　M。　de　Brissac　and　others；　and　M。　de　Mercure　is　to　join　him。
The　report　goes　also　that　M。　du　Maine　is　about　to　take　the　command　of　all
the　forces　they　have　collected　in　Auvergne；　and　that　he　will　cross　Le
Foret　to　advance　on　Rouergue　and　us；　that　is　to　say；　on　the　King　of
Navarre；　against　whom　all　this　is　being　directed。　　M。　de　Lansac　is　at
Bourg；　and　has　two　war　vessels；　which　remain　in　attendance　on　him。　　His
functions　are　naval。　　I　tell　you　what　I　learn；　and　mix　up　together　the
more　or　less　probable　hearsay　of　the　town　with　actual　matter　of　fact；
that　you　may　be　in　possession　of　everything。　　I　beg　you　most　humbly　to
return　directly　affairs　may　allow　you　to　do　so；　and　assure　you　that；
meanwhile；　we　shall　not　spare　our　labour；　or　（if　that　were　necessary）　our
life；　to　maintain　the　king's　authority　throughout。　　Monseigneur；　I　kiss
your　hands　very　respectfully；　and　pray　God　to　have　you　in　His　keeping。
From　Bordeaux；　Wednesday　night；　22d　May　（1590…91）。Your　very　humble
servant；

MONTAIGNE。

I　have　seen　no　one　from　the　king　of　Navarre；　they　say　that　M。　de　Biron
has　seen　him。






　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　AUTHOR　TO　THE　READER


READER；　thou　hast　here　an　honest　book；　it　doth　at　the　outset　forewarn
thee　that；　in　contriving　the　same；　I　have　proposed　to　myself　no　other
than　a　domestic　and　private　end：　I　have　had　no　consideration　at　all
either　to　thy　service　or　to　my　glory。　　My　powers　are　not　capable　of　any
such　design。　　I　have　dedicated　it　to　the　particular　commodity　of　my
kinsfolk　and　friends；　so　that；　having　lost　me　（which　they　must　do
shortly）；　they　may　therein　recover　some　traits　of　my　conditions　and
humours；　and　by　that　means　preserve　more　whole；　and　more　life…like；　the
knowledge　they　had　of　me。　　Had　my　intention　been　to　seek　the　world's
favour；　I　should　surely　have　adorned　myself　with　borrowed　beauties：　I
desire　therein　to　be　viewed　as　I　appear　in　mine　own　genuine；　simple；　and
ordinary　manner；　without　study　and　artifice：　for　it　is　myself　I　paint。
My　defects　are　therein　to　be　read　to　the　life；　and　any　imperfections　and
my　natural　form；　so　far　as　public　reverence　hath　permitted　me。　　If　I　had
lived　among　those　nations；　which　（they　say）　yet　dwell　under　the　sweet
liberty　of　nature's　primitive　laws；　I　assure　thee　I　would　most　willingly
have　painted　myself　quite　fully　and　quite　naked。　　Thus；　reader；　myself　am
the　matter　of　my　book：　there's　no　reason　thou　shouldst　employ　thy　leisure
about　so　frivolous　and　vain　a　subject。　　　Therefore　farewell。

From　Montaigne；　the　12th　June　1580＇So　in　the　edition　of　1595；　the
edition　of　1588　has　12th　June　1588＇






From　Montaigne；　the　1st　March　1580。

　　　　　＇See　Bonnefon；　Montaigne；　1893；　p。　　254。　　The　book　had　been
　　　　　licensed　for　the　press　on　the　9th　May　previous。　　The　edition　of　1588
　　　　　has　12th　June　1588；＇









End