the essays of montaigne, v11-第7部分

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other　reward　than　from　their　own　value；　and　especially　to　seek　it　in　the
vanity　of　human　judgments。

If　this　false　opinion；　nevertheless；　be　of　such　use　to　the　public　as　to
keep　men　in　their　duty；　if　the　people　are　thereby　stirred　up　to　virtue；
if　princes　are　touched　to　see　the　world　bless　the　memory　of　Trajan；　and
abominate　that　of　Nero；　if　it　moves　them　to　see　the　name　of　that　great
beast；　once　so　terrible　and　feared；　so　freely　cursed　and　reviled　by　every
schoolboy；　let　it　by　all　means　increase；　and　be　as　much　as　possible
nursed　up　and　cherished　amongst　us；　and　Plato；　bending　his　whole
endeavour　to　make　his　citizens　virtuous；　also　advises　them　not　to　despise
the　good　repute　and　esteem　of　the　people；　and　says　it　falls　out；　by　a
certain　Divine　inspiration；　that　even　the　wicked　themselves　oft…times；　as
well　by　word　as　opinion；　can　rightly　distinguish　the　virtuous　from　the
wicked。　　This　person　and　his　tutor　are　both　marvellous　and　bold
artificers　everywhere　to　add　divine　operations　and　revelations　where
human　force　is　wanting：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Ut　tragici　poetae　confugiunt　ad　deum；
　　　　　　　　　　cum　explicare　argumenti　exitum　non　possunt：〃

　　　　　＇〃As　tragic　poets　fly　to　some　god　when　they　cannot　explain
　　　　　the　issue　of　their　argument。〃Cicero；　De　Nat。　Deor。；　i。　20。＇

and　peradventure；　for　this　reason　it　was　that　Timon；　railing　at　him；
called　him　the　great　forger　of　miracles。　　Seeing　that　men；　by　their
insufficiency；　cannot　pay　themselves　well　enough　with　current　money；　let
the　counterfeit　be　superadded。　　'Tis　a　way　that　has　been　practised　by　all
the　legislators：　and　there　is　no　government　that　has　not　some　mixture
either　of　ceremonial　vanity　or　of　false　opinion；　that　serves　for　a　curb
to　keep　the　people　in　their　duty。　　'Tis　for　this　that　most　of　them　have
their　originals　and　beginnings　fabulous；　and　enriched　with　supernatural
mysteries；　'tis　this　that　has　given　credit　to　bastard　religions；　and
caused　them　to　be　countenanced　by　men　of　understanding；　and　for　this；
that　Numa　and　Sertorius；　to　possess　their　men　with　a　better　opinion　of
them；　fed　them　with　this　foppery；　one；　that　the　nymph　Egeria；　the　other
that　his　white　hind；　brought　them　all　their　counsels　from　the　gods。
And　the　authority　that　Numa　gave　to　his　laws；　under　the　title　of　the
patronage　of　this　goddess；　Zoroaster；　legislator　of　the　Bactrians　and
Persians；　gave　to　his　under　the　name　of　the　God　Oromazis：　Trismegistus；
legislator　of　the　Egyptians；　under　that　of　Mercury；　Xamolxis；　legislator
of　the　Scythians；　under　that　of　Vesta；　Charondas；　legislator　of　the
Chalcidians；　under　that　of　Saturn；　Minos；　legislator　of　the　Candiots；
under　that　of　Jupiter；　Lycurgus；　legislator　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　under
that　of　Apollo；　and　Draco　and　Solon；　legislators　of　the　Athenians；　under
that　of　Minerva。　　And　every　government　has　a　god　at　the　head　of　it；
the　others　falsely；　that　truly；　which　Moses　set　over　the　Jews　at　their
departure　out　of　Egypt。　　The　religion　of　the　Bedouins；　as　the　Sire　de
Joinville　reports；　amongst　other　things；　enjoined　a　belief　that　the　soul
of　him　amongst　them　who　died　for　his　prince；　went　into　another　body　more
happy；　more　beautiful；　and　more　robust　than　the　former；　by　which　means
they　much　more　willingly　ventured　their　lives：

　　　　　　　　　〃In　ferrum　mens　prona　viris；　animaeque　capaces
　　　　　　　　　　Mortis；　et　ignavum　est　rediturae　parcere　vitae。〃

　　　　　＇〃Men's　minds　are　prone　to　the　sword；　and　their　souls　able　to　bear
　　　　　death；　and　it　is　base　to　spare　a　life　that　will　be　renewed。〃
　　　　　Lucan；　i。　461。＇

This　is　a　very　comfortable　belief；　however　erroneous。　　Every　nation　has
many　such　examples　of　its　own；　but　this　subject　would　require　a　treatise
by　itself。

To　add　one　word　more　to　my　former　discourse；　I　would　advise　the　ladies　no
longer　to　call　that　honour　which　is　but　their　duty：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Ut　enim　consuetudo　loquitur；　id　solum　dicitur
　　　　　　　　　　honestum；　quod　est　populari　fama　gloriosum；〃

　　　　　＇〃As　custom　puts　it；　that　only　is　called　honest　which　is
　　　　　glorious　by　the　public　voice。〃Cicero；　De　Finibus；　ii。　15。＇

their　duty　is　the　mark；　their　honour　but　the　outward　rind。　　Neither　would
I　advise　them　to　give　this　excuse　for　payment　of　their　denial：　for　I
presuppose　that　their　intentions；　their　desire；　and　will；　which　are
things　wherein　their　honour　is　not　at　all　concerned；　forasmuch　as　nothing
thereof　appears　without；　are　much　better　regulated　than　the　effects：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Qux　quia　non　liceat；　non　facit；　illa　facit：〃

　　　　　＇〃She　who　only　refuses；　because　'tis　forbidden；　consents。〃
　　　　　Ovid；　Amor。；　ii。　4；　4。＇

The　offence；　both　towards　God　and　in　the　conscience；　would　be　as　great　to
desire　as　to　do　it；　and；　besides；　they　are　actions　so　private　and　secret
of　themselves；　as　would　be　easily　enough　kept　from　the　knowledge　of
others；　wherein　the　honour　consists；　if　they　had　not　another　respect　to
their　duty；　and　the　affection　they　bear　to　chastity；　for　itself。　　Every
woman　of　honour　will　much　rather　choose　to　lose　her　honour　than　to　hurt
her　conscience。




CHAPTER　XVII

OF　PRESUMPTION

There　is　another　sort　of　glory；　which　is　the　having　too　good　an　opinion
of　our　own　worth。　　'Tis　an　inconsiderate　affection　with　which　we　flatter
ourselves；　and　that　represents　us　to　ourselves　other　than　we　truly　are：
like　the　passion　of　love；　that　lends　beauties　and　graces　to　the　object；
and　makes　those　who　are　caught　by　it；　with　a　depraved　and　corrupt
judgment；　consider　the　thing　which　they　love　other　and　more　perfect　than
it　is。

I　would　not；　nevertheless；　for　fear　of　failing　on　this　side；　that　a　man
should　not　know　himself　aright；　or　think　himself　less　than　he　is；　the
judgment　ought　in　all　things　to　maintain　its　rights；　'tis　all　the　reason
in　the　world　he　should　discern　in　himself；　as　well　as　in　others；　what
truth　sets　before　him；　if　it　be　Caesar；　let　him　boldly　think　himself　the
greatest　captain　in　the　world。　　We　are　nothing　but　ceremony：　ceremony
carries　us　away；　and　we　leave　the　substance　of　things：　we　hold　by　the
branches；　and　quit　the　trunk　and　the　body；　we　have　taught　the　ladies　to
blush　when　they　hear　that　but　named　which　they　are　not　at　all　afraid　to
do：　we　dare　not　call　our　members　by　their　right　names；　yet　are　not　afraid
to　employ　them　in　all　sorts　of　debauchery：　ceremony　forbids　us　to　express
by　words　things　that　are　lawful　and　natural；　and　we　obey　it：　reason
forbids　us　to　do　things　unlawful　and　ill；　and　nobody　obeys　it。　　I　find
myself　here　fettered　by　the　laws　of　ceremony；　for　it　neither　permits　a
man　to　speak　well　of　himself；　nor　ill：　we　will　leave　her　there　for　this
time。

They　whom　fortune　（call　it　good　or　ill）　has　made　to；　pass　their　lives　in
some　eminent　degree；　may　by　their　public　actions　manifest　what　they　are；
but　they　whom　she　has　only　employed　in　the　crowd；　and　of　whom　nobody　will
say　a　word　unless　they　speak　themselves；　are　to　be　excused　if　they　take
the　boldness　to　speak　of　themselves　to　such　as　are　interested　to　know
them；　by　the　example　of　Lucilius：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Ille　velut　fidis　arcana　sodalibus　olim
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Credebat　libris；　neque　si　male　cesserat；　usquam
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Decurrens　alio；　neque　si　bene：　quo　fit；　ut　omnis；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Votiva　pateat　veluri　descripta　tabella
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Vita　senis；〃

　　　　　＇〃He　formerly　confided　his　secret　thoughts　to　his　books；　as　to　tried
　　　　　friends；　and　for　good　and　evil；　resorted　not　elsewhere：　hence　it
　　　　　came　to　pass；　that　the　old　man's　life　is　there　all　seen　as　on　a
　　　　　votive　tablet。〃Horace；　Sat。；　ii。　I；　30。＇

he　always　committed　to　paper　his　actions　and　thoughts；　and　there
portrayed　himself　such　as　he　found　himself　to　be：

　　　　　〃Nec　id　Rutilio　et　Scauro　citra　fidem；　aut　obtrectationi　fuit。〃

　　　　　＇〃Nor　was　this　considered　a　breach　of　good　faith　or　a　disparagement
　　　　　to　Rutilius　or　Scaurus。〃Tacitus；　Agricola；　c。　I。＇

I　remember；　then；　that　from　my　infancy　there　was　observed　in　me　I　know
not　what　kind　of　carriage　and　behaviour；　that　seemed　to　relish　of　pride
and　arrogance。　　I　will　say　this；　by　the　way；　that　it　is　not　unreasonable
to　suppose　that　we　have　qualities　and　inclinations　so　much　our　own；　and
so　incorporate　in　us；　that　we　have　not　the　means　to　feel　and　recognise
them：　and　of　such　natural　inclinations　the　body　will　retain　a　certain
bent；　without　our　knowledge　or　consent。　　It　was　an　affectation
conformable　with　his　beauty　that　made　Alexander　carry　his　head　on　one
side；　and　caused　Alcibiades　to　lisp；　Julius　Caesar　scratched　his　head
with　one　finger；　　which　is　the　fashion　of　a　man　full　of　troublesome
thoughts；　and　Cicero；　as　I　remember；　was　wont　to　pucker　up　his　nose；　a
sign　of　a　man　given　to　scoffing；　such　motions　as　these　may　imperceptibly
happen　in　us。　　There　are　other　artificial　ones　which　I　meddle　not　with；
as　salutations　and　congees；　by　which　men　acquire；　for　the　most　part
unjustly；　the　reputation　of　being　humble　and　courteous：　one　may　be　humble
out　of　pride。　　I　am　prodigal　enough　of　my　hat；　especially　in　summer；　and
never　am　so　saluted　but　that　I　pay　it　again　from　persons　of　what　quality
soever；　unless　they　be　in　my　own　service。　　I　should　make　it　my　request　to
some　princes　whom　I　know；　that　they　would　be　more　sparing　of　that
ceremony；　and　bestow　that　courtesy　where　it　is　more　due；　for　being　so
indiscreetly　and　indifferently　conferred　on　all；　it　is　thrown　away　to　no
purpose；　if　it　be　without　respect　of　persons；　it　loses　its　effect。
Amongst　irregular　deportment；　let　us　not　forget　that　haughty　one　of　the
Emperor　Constantius；　who　always　in　public　held　his　head　upright　and
stiff；　without　bending　or　turning　on　either　side；　not　so　much　as　to　look
upon　those　who　saluted　him　on　one　side；　planting　his　body　in　a　rigid
immovable　posture；　without　suffering　it　to　yield　to　the　motion　of　his
coach；　not　daring　so　much　as　to　spit；　blow　his　nose；　or　wipe　his　face
before　people。　　I　know　not　whether　the　gestures　that　were　observed　in　me
were　of　this　first　quality；　and　whether　I　had　really　any　occult　proneness
to　this　vice；　as　it　might　well　be；　and　I　cannot　be　responsible　for　the
motions　of　the　body；　but　as　to　the　motions　of　the　soul；　I　must　here
confess　what　I　think　of　the　matter。

This　glory　consists　of　two　parts；　the　one　in　setting　too　great　a　value
upon　ou