the essays of montaigne, v6-第16部分

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It　appears　to　be　reason；　when　a　man　talks　of　retiring　from　the　world；
that　he　should　look　quite　out　of　＇for＇　himself。　　These　do　it　but　by
halves：　they　design　well　enough　for　themselves　when　they　shall　be　no　more
in　it；　but　still　they　pretend　to　extract　the　fruits　of　that　design　from
the　world；　when　absent　from　it；　by　a　ridiculous　contradiction。

The　imagination　of　those　who　seek　solitude　upon　the　account　of　devotion；
filling　their　hopes　and　courage　with　certainty　of　divine　promises　in　the
other　life；　is　much　more　rationally　founded。　　They　propose　to　themselves
God；　an　infinite　object　in　goodness　and　power；　the　soul　has　there
wherewithal；　at　full　liberty；　to　satiate　her　desires：　afflictions　and
sufferings　turn　to　their　advantage；　being　undergone　for　the　acquisition
of　eternal　health　and　joy；　death　is　to　be　wished　and　longed　for；　where　it
is　the　passage　to　so　perfect　a　condition；　the　asperity　of　the　rules　they
impose　upon　themselves　is　immediately　softened　by　custom；　and　all　their
carnal　appetites　baffled　and　subdued；　by　refusing　to　humour　and　feed
them；　these　being　only　supported　by　use　and　exercise。　　This　sole　end　of
another　happily　immortal　life　is　that　which　really　merits　that　we　should
abandon　the　pleasures　and　conveniences　of　this；　and　he　who　can　really　and
constantly　inflame　his　soul　with　the　ardour　of　this　vivid　faith　and　hope；
erects　for　himself　in　solitude　a　more　voluptuous　and　delicious　life　than
any　other　sort　of　existence。

Neither　the　end；　then；　nor　the　means　of　this　advice　pleases　me；　for　we
often　fall　out　of　the　frying…pan　into　the　fire。　＇or：　we　always　relapse
ill　from　fever　into　fever。＇　　This　　book…employment　is　as　painful　as　any
other；　and　as　great　an　enemy　to　health；　which　ought　to　be　the　first　thing
considered；　neither　ought　a　man　to　be　allured　with　the　pleasure　of　it；
which　is　the　same　that　destroys　the　frugal；　the　avaricious；　the
voluptuous；　and　the　ambitious　man。

　　　　　＇〃This　plodding　occupation　of　bookes　is　as　painfull　as　any　other；
　　　　　and　as　great　an　enemie　vnto　health；　which　ought　principally　to　be
　　　　　considered。　　And　a　man　should　not　suffer　him　selfe　to　be　inveagled
　　　　　by　the　pleasure　he　takes　in　them。〃Florio；　edit。　1613；　p。　122。＇

The　sages　give　us　caution　enough　to　beware　the　treachery　of　our　desires；
and　to　distinguish　true　and　entire　pleasures　from　such　as　are　mixed　and
complicated　with　greater　pain。　　For　the　most　of　our　pleasures；　say　they；
wheedle　and　caress　only　to　strangle　us；　like　those　thieves　the　Egyptians
called　Philistae；　if　the　headache　should　come　before　drunkenness；　we
should　have　a　care　of　drinking　too　much；　but　pleasure；　to　deceive　us；
marches　before　and　conceals　her　train。　　Books　are　pleasant；　but　if；　by
being　over…studious；　we　impair　our　health　and　spoil　our　goodhumour；　the
best　pieces　we　have；　let　us　give　it　over；　I；　for　my　part；　am　one　of　those
who　think；　that　no　fruit　derived　from　them　can　recompense　so　great　a
loss。　　As　men　who　have　long　felt　themselves　weakened　by　indisposition；
give　themselves　up　at　last　to　the　mercy　of　medicine　and　submit　to　certain
rules　of　living；　which　they　are　for　the　future　never　to　transgress；　so　he
who　retires；　weary　of　and　disgusted　with　the　common　way　of　living；　ought
to　model　this　new　one　he　enters　into　by　the　rules　of　reason；　and　to
institute　and　establish　it　by　premeditation　and　reflection。　　He　ought　to
have　taken　leave　of　all　sorts　of　labour；　what　advantage　soever　it　may
promise；　and　generally　to　have　shaken　off　all　those　passions　which
disturb　the　tranquillity　of　body　and　soul；　and　then　choose　the　way　that
best　suits　with　his　own　humour：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Unusquisque　sua　noverit　ire　via。〃

In　husbandry；　study；　hunting；　and　all　other　exercises；　men　are　to　proceed
to　the　utmost　limits　of　pleasure；　but　must　take　heed　of　engaging　further；
where　trouble　begins　to　mix　with　it。　　We　are　to　reserve　so　much
employment　only　as　is　necessary　to　keep　us　in　breath　and　to　defend　us
from　the　inconveniences　that　the　other　extreme　of　a　dull　and　stupid
laziness　brings　along　with　it。　　There　are　sterile　knotty　sciences；
chiefly　hammered　out　for　the　crowd；　let　such　be　left　to　them　who　are
engaged　in　the　world's　service。　　I　for　my　part　care　for　no　other　books；
but　either　such　as　are　pleasant　and　easy；　to　amuse　me；　or　those　that
comfort　and　instruct　me　how　to　regulate　my　life　and　death：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Tacitum　sylvas　inter　reptare　salubres；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Curantem；　quidquid　dignum　sapienti　bonoque　est。〃

　　　　　＇〃Silently　meditating　in　the　healthy　groves；　whatever　is　worthy
　　　　　of　a　wise　and　good　man。〃Horace；　Ep。；　i。　4；　4。＇

Wiser　men；　having　great　force　and　vigour　of　soul；　may　propose　to
themselves　a　rest　wholly　spiritual　but　for　me；　who　have　a　very　ordinary
soul；　it　is　very　necessary　to　support　myself　with　bodily　conveniences；
and　age　having　of　late　deprived　me　of　those　pleasures　that　were　more
acceptable　to　me；　I　instruct　and　whet　my　appetite　to　those　that　remain；
more　suitable　to　this　other　reason。　　We　ought　to　hold　with　all　our　force；
both　of　hands　and　teeth；　the　use　of　the　pleasures　of　life　that　our　years；
one　after　another；　snatch　away　from　us：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Carpamus　dulcia；　nostrum　est；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Quod　vivis；　cinis；　et　manes；　et　fabula　fies。〃

　　　　　＇〃Let　us　pluck　life's　sweets；　'tis　for　them　we　live：　by　and　by　we
　　　　　shall　be　ashes；　a　ghost；　a　mere　subject　of　talk。〃
　　　　　　Persius；　Sat。；　v。　151。＇

Now；　as　to　the　end　that　Pliny　and　Cicero　propose　to　us　of　glory；　'tis
infinitely　wide　of　my　account。　　Ambition　is　of　all　others　the　most
contrary　humour　to　solitude；　glory　and　repose　are　things　that　cannot
possibly　inhabit　in　one　and　the　same　place。　　For　so　much　as　I　understand；
these　have　only　their　arms　and　legs　disengaged　from　the　crowd；　their　soul
and　intention　remain　confined　behind　more　than　ever：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Tun'；　vetule；　auriculis　alienis　colligis　escas？〃

　　　　　＇〃Dost　thou；　then；　old　man；　collect　food　for　others'　ears？〃
　　　　　Persius；　Sat。；　i。　22。

they　have　only　retired　to　take　a　better　leap；　and　by　a　stronger　motion　to
give　a　brisker　charge　into　the　crowd。　　Will　you　see　how　they　shoot　short？
Let　us　put　into　the　counterpoise　the　advice　of　two　philosophers；　of　two
very　different　sects；　writing；　the　one　to　Idomeneus；　the　other　to
Lucilius；　their　friends；　to　retire　into　solitude　from　worldly　honours　and
affairs。　　〃You　have；〃　say　they；　〃hitherto　lived　swimming　and　floating；
come　now　and　die　in　the　harbour：　you　have　given　the　first　part　of　your
life　to　the　light；　give　what　remains　to　the　shade。　　It　is　impossible　to
give　over　business；　if　you　do　not　also　quit　the　fruit；　therefore
disengage　yourselves　from　all　concern　of　name　and　glory；　'tis　to　be
feared　the　lustre　of　your　former　actions　will　give　you　but　too　much
light；　and　follow　you　into　your　most　private　retreat。　　Quit　with　other
pleasures　that　which　proceeds　from　the　approbation　of　another　man：　and　as
to　your　knowledge　and　parts；　never　concern　yourselves；　they　will　not　lose
their　effect　if　yourselves　be　the　better　for　them。　　Remember　him；　who
being　asked　why　he　took　so　much　pains　in　an　art　that　could　come　to　the
knowledge　of　but　few　persons？　　'A　few　are　enough　for　me；'　replied　he；
'I　have　enough　with　one；　I　have　enough　with　never　an　one。'＇Seneca；　Ep。；
7。＇　He　said　true；　you　and　a　companion　are　theatre　enough　to　one
another；　or　you　to　yourself。　　Let　the　people　be　to　you　one；　and　be　you
one　to　the　whole　people。　　'Tis　an　unworthy　ambition　to　think　to　derive
glory　from　a　man's　sloth　and　privacy：　you　are　to　do　like　the　beasts　of
chase；　who　efface　the　track　at　the　entrance　into　their　den。　　You　are　no
more　to　concern　yourself　how　the　world　talks　of　you；　but　how　you　are　to
talk　to　yourself。　　Retire　yourself　into　yourself；　but　first　prepare
yourself　there　to　receive　yourself：　it　were　a　folly　to　trust　yourself　in
your　own　hands；　if　you　cannot　govern　yourself。　　A　man　may　miscarry　alone
as　well　as　in　company。　　Till　you　have　rendered　yourself　one　before　whom
you　dare　not　trip；　and　till　you　have　a　bashfulness　and　respect　for
yourself；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Obversentur　species　honestae　animo；〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Let　honest　things　be　ever　present　to　the　mind〃
　　　　　　　　　　Cicero；　Tusc。　Quaes。；　ii。　22。＇

present　continually　to　your　imagination　Cato；　Phocion；　and　Aristides；　in
whose　presence　the　fools　themselves　will　hide　their　faults；　and　make　them
controllers　of　all　your　intentions；　should　these　deviate　from　virtue；
your　respect　to　those　will　set　you　right；　they　will　keep　you　in　this　way
to　be　contented　with　yourself；　to　borrow　nothing　of　any　other　but
yourself；　to　stay　and　fix　your　soul　in　certain　and　limited　thoughts；
wherein　she　may　please　herself；　and　having　understood　the　true　and　real
goods；　which　men　the　more　enjoy　the　more　they　understand；　to　rest
satisfied；　without　desire　of　prolongation　of　life　or　name。〃　　This　is　the
precept　of　the　true　and　natural　philosophy；　not　of　a　boasting　and　prating
philosophy；　such　as　that　of　the　two　former。









End