the essays of montaigne, v1-第4部分

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things；　the　word　fortune。　　To　excuse　themselves　for　what　they　had　said
against　my　book；　they　instanced　works　of　our　time　by　cardinals　and　other
divines　of　excellent　repute　which　had　been　blamed　for　similar　faults；
which　in　no　way　affected　reputation　of　the　author；　or　of　the　publication
as　a　whole；　they　requested　me　to　lend　the　Church　the　support　of　my
eloquence　（this　was　their　fair　speech）；　and　to　make　longer　stay　in　the
place；　where　I　should　be　free　from　all　further　intrusion　on　their　part。
It　seemed　to　me　that　we　parted　very　good　friends。〃

Before　quitting　Rome；　Montaigne　received　his　diploma　of　citizenship；　by
which　he　was　greatly　flattered；　and　after　a　visit　to　Tivoli　he　set　out
for　Loretto；　stopping　at　Ancona；　Fano；　and　Urbino。　　He　arrived　at　the
beginning　of　May　1581；　at　Bagno　della　Villa；　where　he　established
himself；　order　to　try　the　waters。　　There；　we　find　in　the　Journal；　of　his
own　accord　the　Essayist　lived　in　the　strictest　conformity　with　the
regime；　and　henceforth　we　only　hear　of　diet；　the　effect　which　the　waters
had　by　degrees　upon　system；　of　the　manner　in　which　he　took　them；　in　a
word；　he　does　not　omit　an　item　of　the　circumstances　connected　with　his
daily　routine；　his　habit　of　body；　his　baths；　and　the　rest。　　It　was　no
longer　the　journal　of　a　traveller　which　he　kept；　but　the　diary　of　an
invalid；＇〃I　am　reading　Montaigne's　Travels；　which　have　lately　been
found；　there　is　little　in　them　but　the　baths　and　medicines　he　took；　and
what　he　had　everywhere　for　dinner。〃H。　　Walpole　to　Sir　Horace　Mann；　June
8；　1774。＇　attentive　to　the　minutest　details　of　the　cure　which　he　was
endeavouring　to　accomplish：　a　sort　of　memorandum　book；　in　which　he　was
noting　down　everything　that　he　felt　and　did；　for　the　benefit　of　his
medical　man　at　home；　who　would　have　the　care　of　his　health　on　his　return；
and　the　attendance　on　his　subsequent　infirmities。　　Montaigne　gives　it　as
his　reason　and　justification　for　enlarging　to　this　extent　here；　that　he
had　omitted；　to　his　regret；　to　do　so　in　his　visits　to　other　baths；　which
might　have　saved　him　the　trouble　of　writing　at　such　great　length　now；　but
it　is　perhaps　a　better　reason　in　our　eyes；　that　what　he　wrote　he　wrote
for　his　own　use。

We　find　in　these　accounts；　however；　many　touches　which　are　valuable　as
illustrating　the　manners　of　the　place。　　The　greater　part　of　the　entries
in　the　Journal；　giving　the　account　of　these　waters；　and　of　the　travels；
down　to　Montaigne's　arrival　at　the　first　French　town　on　his　homeward
route；　are　in　Italian；　because　he　wished　to　exercise　himself　in　that
language。

The　minute　and　constant　watchfulness　of　Montaigne　over　his　health　and
over　himself　might　lead　one　to　suspect　that　excessive　fear　of　death　which
degenerates　into　cowardice。　　But　was　it　not　rather　the　fear　of　the
operation　for　the　stone；　at　that　time　really　formidable？　　Or　perhaps　he
was　of　the　same　way　of　thinking　with　the　Greek　poet；　of　whom　Cicero
reports　this　saying：　〃I　do　not　desire　to　die；　but　the　thought　of　being
dead　is　indifferent　to　me。〃　　Let　us　hear；　however；　what　he　says　himself
on　this　point　very　frankly：　〃It　would　be　too　weak　and　unmanly　on　my　part
if；　certain　as　I　am　of　always　finding　myself　in　the　position　of　having　to
succumb　in　that　way；＇To　the　stone　or　gravel。＇　and　death　coming　nearer
and　nearer　to　me；　I　did　not　make　some　effort；　before　the　time　came；　to
bear　the　trial　with　fortitude。　　For　reason　prescribes　that　we　should
joyfully　accept　what　it　may　please　God　to　send　us。　　Therefore　the　only
remedy；　the　only　rule；　and　the　sole　doctrine　for　avoiding　the　evils　by
which　mankind　is　surrounded；　whatever　they　are；　is　to　resolve　to　bear
them　so　far　as　our　nature　permits；　or　to　put　an　end　to　them　courageously
and　promptly。〃

He　was　still　at　the　waters　of　La　Villa；　when；　on　the　7th　September　1581；
he　learned　by　letter　that　he　had　been　elected　Mayor　of　Bordeaux　on　the
1st　August　preceding。　　This　intelligence　made　him　hasten　his　departure；
and　from　Lucca　he　proceeded　to　Rome。　　He　again　made　some　stay　in　that
city；　and　he　there　received　the　letter　of　the　jurats　of　Bordeaux；
notifying　to　him　officially　his　election　to　the　Mayoralty；　and　inviting
him　to　return　as　speedily　as　possible。　　He　left　for　France；　accompanied
by　young　D'Estissac　and　several　other　gentlemen；　who　escorted　him　a
considerable　distance；　but　none　went　back　to　France　with　him；　not　even
his　travelling　companion。　　He　passed　by　Padua；　Milan；　Mont　Cenis；　and
Chambery；　thence　he　went　on　to　Lyons；　and　lost　no　time　in　repairing　to
his　chateau；　after　an　absence　of　seventeen　months　and　eight　days。

We　have　just　seen　that；　during　his　absence　in　Italy；　the　author　of　the
Essays　was　elected　mayor　of　Bordeaux。　　〃The　gentlemen　of　Bordeaux；〃　says
he；　〃elected　me　Mayor　of　their　town　while　I　was　at　a　distance　from
France；　and　far　from　the　thought　of　such　a　thing。　　I　excused　myself；　but
they　gave　to　understand　that　I　was　wrong　in　so　doing；　it　being　also　the
command　of　the　king　that　I　should　stand。〃　　This　the　letter　which　Henry
III。　wrote　to　him　on　the　occasion：

MONSIEUR；　DE　MONTAIGNE；Inasmuch　as　I　hold　in　great　esteem　your　fidelity
and　zealous　devotion　to　my　service；　it　has　been　a　pleasure　to　me　to　learn
that　you　have　been　chosen　mayor　of　my　town　of　Bordeaux。　　I　have　had　the
agreeable　duty　of　confirming　the　selection；　and　I　did　so　the　more
willingly；　seeing　that　it　was　made　during　your　distant　absence；　wherefore
it　is　my　desire；　and　I　require　and　command　you　expressly　that　you　proceed
without　delay　to　enter　on　the　duties　to　which　you　have　received　so
legitimate　a　call。　　And　so　you　will　act　in　a　manner　very　agreeable　to　me；
while　the　contrary　will　displease　me　greatly。　　Praying　God；　M。　de
Montaigne；　to　have　you　in　his　holy　keeping。

〃Written　at　Paris；　the　25th　day　of　November　1581。

〃HENRI。

〃A　Monsieur　de　MONTAIGNE；
Knight　of　my　Order；　Gentleman　in　Ordinary　of　my
Chamber；　being　at　present　in　Rome。〃

Montaigne；　in　his　new　employment；　the　most　important　in　the　province；
obeyed　the　axiom；　that　a　man　may　not　refuse　a　duty；　though　it　absorb　his
time　and　attention；　and　even　involve　the　sacrifice　of　his　blood。　　Placed
between　two　extreme　parties；　ever　on　the　point　of　getting　to　blows；　he
showed　himself　in　practice　what　he　is　in　his　book；　the　friend　of　a　middle
and　temperate　policy。　　Tolerant　by　character　and　on　principle；　he
belonged；　like　all　the　great　minds　of　the　sixteenth　century；　to　that
political　sect　which　sought　to　improve；　without　destroying；　institutions；
and　we　may　say　of　him；　what　he　himself　said　of　La　Boetie；　〃that　he　had
that　maxim　indelibly　impressed　on　his　mind；　to　obey　and　submit　himself
religiously　to　the　laws　under　which　he　was　born。　　Affectionately　attached
to　the　repose　of　his　country；　an　enemy　to　changes　and　innovations；　he
would　have　preferred　to　employ　what　means　he　had　towards　their
discouragement　and　suppression；　than　in　promoting　their　success。〃　　Such
was　the　platform　of　his　administration。

He　applied　himself；　in　an　especial　manner；　to　the　maintenance　of　peace
between　the　two　religious　factions　which　at　that　time　divided　the　town　of
Bordeaux；　and　at　the　end　of　his　two　first　years　of　office；　his　grateful
fellow…citizens　conferred　on　him　（in　1583）　the　mayoralty　for　two　years
more；　a　distinction　which　had　been　enjoyed；　as　he　tells　us；　only　twice
before。　　On　the　expiration　of　his　official　career；　after　four　years'
duration；　he　could　say　fairly　enough　of　himself　that　he　left　behind　him
neither　hatred　nor　cause　of　offence。

In　the　midst　of　the　cares　of　government；　Montaigne　found　time　to　revise
and　enlarge　his　Essays；　which；　since　their　appearance　in　1580；　were
continually　receiving　augmentation　in　the　form　of　additional　chapters　or
papers。　　Two　more　editions　were　printed　in　1582　and　1587；　and　during　this
time　the　author；　while　making　alterations　in　the　original　text；　had
composed　part　of　the　Third　Book。　　He　went　to　Paris　to　make　arrangements
for　the　publication　of　his　enlarged　labours；　and　a　fourth　impression　in
1588　was　the　result。　　He　remained　in　the　capital　some　time　on　this
occasion；　and　it　was　now　that　he　met　for　the　first　time　Mademoiselle　de
Gournay。　　Gifted　with　an　active　and　inquiring　spirit；　and；　above　all；
possessing　a　sound　and　healthy　tone　of　mind；　Mademoiselle　de　Gournay　had
been　carried　from　her　childhood　with　that　tide　which　set　in　with
sixteenth　century　towards　controversy；　learning；　and　knowledge。　　She
learnt　Latin　without　a　master；　and　when；　the　age　of　eighteen；　she
accidentally　became　possessor　of　a　copy　of　the　Essays；　she　was
transported　with　delight　and　admiration。

She　quitted　the　chateau　of　Gournay；　to　come　and　see　him。　　We　cannot　do
better；　in　connection　with　this　journey　of　sympathy；　than　to　repeat　the
words　of　Pasquier：　〃That　young　lady；　allied　to　several　great　and　noble
families　of　Paris；　proposed　to　herself　no　other　marriage　than　with　her
honour；　enriched　with　the　knowledge　gained　from　good　books；　and；　beyond
all　others；　from　the　essays　of　M。　de　Montaigne；　who　making　in　the　year
1588　a　lengthened　stay　in　the　town　of　Paris；　she　went　there　for　the
purpose　of　forming　his　personal　acquaintance；　and　her　mother；　Madame　de
Gournay；　and　herself　took　him　back　with　them　to　their　chateau；　where；　at
two　or　three　different　times；　he　spent　three　months　altogether；　most
welcome　of　visitors。〃　　It　was　from　this　moment　that　Mademoiselle　de
Gournay　dated　her　adoption　as　Montaigne's　daughter；　a　circumstance　which
has　tended　to　confer　immortality　upon　her　in　a　far　greater　measure　than
her　own　literary　productions。

Montaigne；　on　leaving　Paris；　stayed　a　short　time　at　Blois；　to　attend　the
meeting　of　the　States…General。　　We　do　not　know　what　part　he　took　in　that
assembly：　but　it　is　known　that　he　was　commissioned；　about　this　period；　to
negotiate　between　Henry　of　Navarre　（afterwards　Henry　IV。）　and　the　Duke　of
Guise。　　His　political　life　is　almost　a　blank；　but　De　Thou　assures　us　that
Montaigne　enjoyed　the　confidence　of　the　principal　persons　of　his　time。
De　Thou；　who　calls　him　a　frank　man　without　constraint；　tells　us　that；
walking　with　him　and　Pasquier　in　the　court　at　the　Castle　of　Blois；　he
heard　him　pronounce　some　very　remarkable　opinions　on　contemporary　events；
and　he　adds　that　Montaigne　had　foreseen