the essays of montaigne, v10-第3部分

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reason；　prudence；　and　address；　is　never　to　be　affected　by　force。　　I
myself　was　brought　up　after　that　manner；　and　they　tell　me　that　in　all　my
first　age　I　never　felt　the　rod　but　twice；　and　then　very　slightly。　　I
practised　the　same　method　with　my　children；　who　all　of　them　died　at
nurse；　except　Leonora；　my　only　daughter；　and　who　arrived　to　the　age　of
five　years　and　upward　without　other　correction　for　her　childish　faults
（her　mother's　indulgence　easily　concurring）　than　words　only；　and　those
very　gentle；　in　which　kind　of　proceeding；　though　my　end　and　expectation
should　be　both　frustrated；　there　are　other　causes　enough　to　lay　the　fault
on　without　blaming　my　discipline；　which　I　know　to　be　natural　and　just；
and　I　should；　in　this；　have　yet　been　more　religious　towards　the　males；　as
less　born　to　subjection　and　more　free；　and　I　should　have　made　it　my
business　to　fill　their　hearts　with　ingenuousness　and　freedom。　　I　have
never　observed　other　effects　of　whipping　than　to　render　boys　more
cowardly；　or　more　wilfully　obstinate。

Do　we　desire　to　be　beloved　of　our　children？　　Will　we　remove　from　them　all
occasion　of　wishing　our　death　though　no　occasion　of　so　horrid　a　wish　can
either　be　just　or　excusable？

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Nullum　scelus　rationem　habet。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　＇〃No　wickedness　has　reason。〃Livy；　xxviii。　28＇

Let　us　reasonably　accommodate　their　lives　with　what　is　in　our　power。　　In
order　to　this；　we　should　not　marry　so　young　that　our　age　shall　in　a
manner　be　confounded　with　theirs；　for　this　inconvenience　plunges　us　into
many　very　great　difficulties；　and　especially　the　gentry　of　the　nation；
who　are　of　a　condition　wherein　they　have　little　to　do；　and　who　live　upon
their　rents　only：　for　elsewhere；　with　people　who　live　by　their　labour；
the　plurality　and　company　of　children　is　an　increase　to　the　common　stock；
they　are　so　many　new　tools　and　instruments　wherewith　to　grow　rich。

I　married　at　three…and…thirty　years　of　age；　and　concur　in　the　opinion　of
thirty…five；　which　is　said　to　be　that　of　Aristotle。　　　Plato　will　have
nobody　marry　before　thirty；　but　he　has　reason　to　laugh　at　those　who
undertook　the　work　of　marriage　after　five…and…fifty；　and　condemns　their
offspring　as　unworthy　of　aliment　and　life。　　Thales　gave　the　truest
limits；　who；　young　and　being　importuned　by　his　mother　to　marry；　answered；
〃That　it　was　too　soon；〃　and；　being　grown　into　years　and　urged　again；
〃That　it　was　too　late。〃　　A　man　must　deny　opportunity　to　every　inopportune
action。　　The　ancient　Gauls'　looked　upon　it　as　a　very　horrid　thing　for　a
man　to　have　society　with　a　woman　before　he　was　twenty　years　of　age；　and
strictly　recommended　to　the　men　who　designed　themselves　for　war　the
keeping　their　virginity　till　well　grown　in　years；　forasmuch　as　courage　is
abated　and　diverted　by　intercourse　with　women：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Ma；　or　congiunto　a　giovinetta　sposa；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　E　lieto　omai　de'　figli；　era　invilito
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Negli　affetti　di　padre　et　di　marito。〃

　　　　　＇〃Now；　married　to　a　young　wife　and　happy　in　children；　he　was
　　　　　demoralised　by　his　love　as　father　and　husband。〃
　　　　　Tasso；　Gierus。；　x。　39。＇

Muley　Hassam；　king　of　Tunis；　he　whom　the　Emperor　Charles　V。　restored　to
his　kingdom；　reproached　the　memory　of　his　father　Mahomet　with　the
frequentation　of　women；　styling　him　loose；　effeminate；　and　a　getter　of
children。＇Of　whom　he　had　thirty…four。＇　The　Greek　history　observes　of
Iccus　the　Tarentine；　of　Chryso；　Astyllus；　Diopompos；　and　others；　that　to
keep　their　bodies　in　order　for　the　Olympic　games　and　such　like　exercises；
they　denied　themselves　during　that　preparation　all　commerce　with　Venus。
In　a　certain　country　of　the　Spanish　Indies　men　were　not　permitted　to
marry　till　after　forty　age；　and　yet　the　girls　were　allowed　at　ten。
'Tis　not　time　for　a　gentleman　of　thirty　years　old　to　give　place　to　his
son　who　is　twenty；　he　is　himself　in　a　condition　to　serve　both　in　the
expeditions　of　war　and　in　the　court　of　his　prince；　has　need　of　all　his
appurtenances；　and　yet；　doubtless；　he　ought　to　surrender　a　share；　but　not
so　great　an　one　as　to　forget　himself　for　others；　and　for　such　an　one　the
answer　that　fathers　have　ordinarily　in　their　mouths；　〃I　will　not　put　off
my　clothes；　before　I　go　to　bed；〃　serves　well。

But　a　father　worn　out　with　age　and　infirmities；　and　deprived　by　weakness
and　want　of　health　of　the　common　society　of　men；　wrongs　himself　and　his
to　amass　a　great　heap　of　treasure。　　He　has　lived　long　enough；　if　he　be
wise；　to　have　a　mind　to　strip　himself　to　go　to　bed；　not　to　his　very
shirt；　I　confess；　but　to　that　and　a　good；　warm　dressing…gown；　the
remaining　pomps；　of　which　he　has　no　further　use；　he　ought　voluntarily　to
surrender　to　those；　to　whom　by　the　order　of　nature　they　belong。　　'Tis
reason　he　should　refer　the　use　of　those　things　to　them；　seeing　that
nature　has　reduced　him　to　such　a　state　that　he　cannot　enjoy　them　himself；
otherwise　there　is　doubtless　malice　and　envy　in　the　case。　　The　greatest
act　of　the　Emperor　Charles　V。　was　that　when；　in　imitation　of　some　of　the
ancients　of　his　own　quality；　confessing　it　but　reason　to　strip　ourselves
when　our　clothes　encumber　and　grow　too　heavy　for　us；　and　to　lie　down　when
our　legs　begin　to　fail　us；　he　resigned　his　possessions；　grandeur；　and
power　to　his　son；　when　he　found　himself　failing　in　vigour；　and　steadiness
for　the　conduct　of　his　affairs　suitable　with　the　glory　he　had　therein
acquired：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Solve　senescentem　mature　sanus　equum；　ne
　　　　　　　　　　Peccet　ad　extremum　ridendus；　et　ilia　ducat。〃

　　　　　＇〃Dismiss　the　old　horse　in　good　time；　lest；　failing　in　the　lists；
　　　　　the　spectators　laugh。〃Horace；　Epist。；　i。；　I；　8。＇

This　fault　of　not　perceiving　betimes　and　of　not　being　sensible　of　the
feebleness　and　extreme　alteration　that　age　naturally　brings　both　upon
body　and　mind；　which；　in　my　opinion；　is　equal；　if　indeed　the　soul　has　not
more　than　half；　has　lost　the　reputation　of　most　of　the　great　men　in　the
world。　　I　have　known　in　my　time；　and　been　intimately　acquainted　with
persons　of　great　authority；　whom　one　might　easily　discern　marvellously
lapsed　from　the　sufficiency　I　knew　they　were　once　endued　with；　by　the
reputation　they　had　acquired　in　their　former　years；　whom　I　could
heartily；　for　their　own　sakes；　have　wished　at　home　at　their　ease；
discharged　of　their　public　or　military　employments；　which　were　now　grown
too　heavy　for　their　shoulders。　　I　have　formerly　been　very　familiar　in　a
gentleman's　house；　a　widower　and　very　old；　though　healthy　and　cheerful
enough：　this　gentleman　had　several　daughters　to　marry　and　a　son　already
of　ripe　age；　which　brought　upon　him　many　visitors；　and　a　great　expense；
neither　of　which　well　pleased　him；　not　only　out　of　consideration　of
frugality；　but　yet　more　for　having；　by　reason　of　his　age；　entered　into　a
course　of　life　far　differing　from　ours。　　I　told　him　one　day　a　little
boldly；　as　I　used　to　do；　that　he　would　do　better　to　give　us　younger　folk
room；　and　to　leave　his　principal　house　（for　he　had　but　that　well　placed
and　furnished）　to　his　son；　and　himself　retire　to　an　estate　he　had　hard
by；　where　nobody　would　trouble　his　repose；　seeing　he　could　not　otherwise
avoid　being　importuned　by　us；　the　condition　of　his　children　considered。
He　took　my　advice　afterwards；　and　found　an　advantage　in　so　doing。

I　do　not　mean　that　a　man　should　so　instal　them　as　not　to　reserve　to
himself　a　liberty　to　retract；　I；　who　am　now　arrived　to　the　age　wherein
such　things　are　fit　to　be　done；　would　resign　to　them　the　enjoyment　of　my
house　and　goods；　but　with　a　power　of　revocation　if　they　should　give　me
cause　to　alter　my　mind；　I　would　leave　to　them　the　use；　that　being　no
longer　convenient　for　me；　and；　of　the　general　authority　and　power　over
all；　would　reserve　as　much　asI　thought　good　to　myself；　having　always
held　that　it　must　needs　be　a　great　satisfaction　to　an　aged　father　himself
to　put　his　children　into　the　way　of　governing　his　affairs；　and　to　have
power　during　his　own　life　to　control　their　behaviour；　supplying　them　with
instruction　and　advice　from　his　own　experience；　and　himself　to　transfer
the　ancient　honour　and　order　of　his　house　into　the　hands　of　those　who　are
to　succeed　him；　and　by　that　means　to　satisfy　himself　as　to　the　hopes　he
may　conceive　of　their　future　conduct。　　And　in　order　to　this　I　would　not
avoid　their　company；　I　would　observe　them　near　at　hand；　and　partake；
according　to　the　condition　of　my　age；　of　their　feasts　and　jollities。
If　I　did　not　live　absolutely　amongst　them；　which　I　could　not　do　without
annoying　them　and　their　friends；　by　reason　of　the　morosity　of　my　age　and
the　restlessness　of　my　infirmities；　and　without　violating　also　the　rules
and　order　of　living　I　should　then　have　set　down　to　myself；　I　would；　at
least；　live　near　them　in　some　retired　part　of　my　house；　not　the　best　in
show；　but　the　most　commodious。　　Nor　as　I　saw　some　years　ago；　a　dean　of
St。　Hilary　of　Poitiers　given　up　to　such　a　solitude；　that　at　the　time　I
came　into　his　chamber　it　had　been　two　and　twenty　years　that　he　had　not
stepped　one　foot　out　of　it；　and　yet　had　all　his　motions　free　and　easy；
and　was　in　good　health；　saving　a　cold　that　fell　upon　his　lungs；　he　would；
hardly　once　in　a　week；　suffer　any　one　to　come　in　to　see　him；　he　always
kept　himself　shut　up　in　his　chamber　alone；　except　that　a　servant　brought
him；　once　a　day；　something　to　eat；　and　did　then　but　just　come　in　and　go
out　again。　　His　employment　was　to　walk　up　and　down；　and　read　some　book；
for　he　was　a　bit　of　a　scholar；　but；　as　to　the　rest；　obstinately　bent　to
die　in　this　retirement；　as　he　soon　after　did。　　I　would　endeavour　by
pleasant　conversation　to　create　in　my　children　a　warm　and　unfeigned
friendship　and　good…will　towards　me；　which　in　well…descended　natures　is
not　hard　to　do；　for　if　they　be　furious　brutes；　of　which　this　age　of　ours
produces　thousands；　we　are　then　to　hate　and　avoid　them　as　such。

I　am　angry　at　the　custom　of　forbidding　children　to　call　their　father　by
the　name　of　father；　and　to　enjoin　them　another；　as　more　full　of　respect
and　reverence；　as　if　nature　had　not　sufficiently　provided　for　our
authority。　　We　call　Almighty　God　Father；　and　disdain　to　have　our　children
call　us　so；　I　have　reformed　this　error　in　my　family。＇As　did　Henry　IV。
of　France＇　　And　'tis　also　folly　and　injust