the essays of montaigne, v11-第15部分

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we　have　abundance　of　very　good　artificers　in　the　trade：　D'Aurat；　Beza；
Buchanan；　L'Hospital；　Montdore；　Turnebus；　as　to　the　French　poets；　I
believe　they　raised　their　art　to　the　highest　pitch　to　which　it　can　ever
arrive；　and　in　those　parts　of　it　wherein　Ronsard　and　Du　Bellay　excel；　I
find　them　little　inferior　to　the　ancient　perfection。　　Adrian　Turnebus
knew　more；　and　what　he　did　know；　better　than　any　man　of　his　time；　or　long
before　him。　　The　lives　of　the　last　Duke　of　Alva；　and　of　our　Constable　de
Montmorency；　were　both　of　them　great　and　noble；　and　that　had　many　rare
resemblances　of　fortune；　but　the　beauty　and　glory　of　the　death　of　the
last；　in　the　sight　of　Paris　and　of　his　king；　in　their　service；　against
his　nearest　relations；　at　the　head　of　an　army　through　his　conduct
victorious；　and　by　a　sudden　stroke；　in　so　extreme　old　age；　merits
methinks　to　be　recorded　amongst　the　most　remarkable　events　of　our　times。
As　also　the　constant　goodness；　sweetness　of　manners；　and　conscientious
facility　of　Monsieur　de　la　Noue；　in　so　great　an　injustice　of　armed
parties　（the　true　school　of　treason；　inhumanity；　and　robbery）；　wherein　he
always　kept　up　the　reputation　of　a　great　and　experienced　captain。

I　have　taken　a　delight　to　publish　in　several　places　the　hopes　I　have　of
Marie　de　Gournay　le　Jars；

　　　　　＇She　was　adopted　by　him　in　1588。　　See　Leon　Feugere's　Mademoiselle
　　　　　de　Gournay：　'Etude　sur　sa　Vie　et　ses　Ouvrages'。＇

my　adopted　daughter；　and　certainly　beloved　by　me　more　than　paternally；
and　enveloped　in　my　retirement　and　solitude　as　one　of　the　best　parts　of
my　own　being：　I　have　no　longer　regard　to　anything　in　this　world　but　her。
And　if　a　man　may　presage　from　her　youth；　her　soul　will　one　day　be　capable
of　very　great　things；　and　amongst　others；　of　the　perfection　of　that
sacred　friendship；　to　which　we　do　not　read　that　any　of　her　sex　could　ever
yet　arrive；　the　sincerity　and　solidity　of　her　manners　are　already
sufficient　for　it；　and　her　affection　towards　me　more　than　superabundant；
and　such；　in　short；　as　that　there　is　nothing　more　to　be　wished；　if　not
that　the　apprehension　she　has　of　my　end；　being　now　five…and…fifty　years
old；　might　not　so　much　afflict　her。　　The　judgment　she　made　of　my　first
Essays；　being　a　woman；　so　young；　and　in　this　age；　and　alone　in　her　own
country；　and　the　famous　vehemence　wherewith　she　loved　me；　and　desired　my
acquaintance　solely　from　the　esteem　she　had　thence　of　me；　before　she　ever
saw　my　face；　is　an　incident　very　worthy　of　consideration。

Other　virtues　have　had　little　or　no　credit　in　this　age；　but　valour　is
become　popular　by　our　civil　wars；　and　in　this；　we　have　souls　brave　even
to　perfection；　and　in　so　great　number　that　the　choice　is　impossible　to
make。

This　is　all　of　extraordinary　and　uncommon　grandeur　that　has　hitherto
arrived　at　my　knowledge。









End