the essays of montaigne, v11-第9部分

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and　irregular　way　of　speaking；　a　popular　jargon；　a　proceeding　without
definition；　division；　conclusion；　perplexed　like　that　Amafanius　and
Rabirius。　＇Cicero；　Acad。；　i。　2。＇　I　can　neither　please　nor　delight；
nor　even　tickle　my　readers：　the　best　story　in　the　world　is　spoiled　by　my
handling；　and　becomes　flat；　I　cannot　speak　but　in　rough　earnest；　and　am
totally　unprovided　of　that　facility　which　I　observe　in　many　of　my
acquaintance；　of　entertaining　the　first　comers　and　keeping　a　whole
company　in　breath；　or　taking　up　the　ear　of　a　prince　with　all　sorts　of
discourse　without　wearying　themselves：　they　never　want　matter　by　reason
of　the　faculty　and　grace　they　have　in　taking　hold　of　the　first　thing　that
starts　up；　and　accommodating　it　to　the　humour　and　capacity　of　those　with
whom　they　have　to　do。　　Princes　do　not　much　affect　solid　discourses；　nor　I
to　tell　stories。　　The　first　and　easiest　reasons；　which　are　commonly　the
best　taken；　I　know　not　how　to　employ：　I　am　an　ill　orator　to　the　common
sort。　　I　am　apt　of　everything　to　say　the　extremest　that　I　know。　　Cicero
is　of　opinion　that　in　treatises　of　philosophy　the　exordium　is　the　hardest
part；　if　this　be　true；　I　am　wise　in　sticking　to　the　conclusion。　　And　yet
we　are　to　know　how　to　wind　the　string　to　all　notes；　and　the　sharpest　is
that　which　is　the　most　seldom　touched。　　There　is　at　least　as　much
perfection　in　elevating　an　empty　as　in　supporting　a　weighty　thing。　　A　man
must　sometimes　superficially　handle　things；　and　sometimes　push　them　home。
I　know　very　well　that　most　men　keep　themselves　in　this　lower　form　from
not　conceiving　things　otherwise　than　by　this　outward　bark；　but　I　likewise
know　that　the　greatest　masters；　and　Xenophon　and　Plato　are　often　seen　to
stoop　to　this　low　and　popular　manner　of　speaking　and　treating　of　things；
but　supporting　it　with　graces　which　never　fail　them。

Farther；　my　language　has　nothing　in　it　that　is　facile　and　polished；　'tis
rough；　free；　and　irregular；　and　as　such　pleases；　if　not　my　judgment；　at
all　events　my　inclination；　but　I　very　well　perceive　that　I　sometimes　give
myself　too　much　rein；　and　that　by　endeavouring　to　avoid　art　and
affectation　I　fall　into　the　other　inconvenience：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Brevis　esse　laboro；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Obscurus　fio。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇　Endeavouring　to　be　brief；　I　become　obscure。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Hor。；　Art。　Poet。；　25。＇

Plato　says；　that　the　long　or　the　short　are　not　properties；　that　either
take　away　or　give　value　to　language。　　Should　I　attempt　to　follow　the
other　more　moderate；　united；　and　regular　style；　I　should　never　attain　to
it；　and　though　the　short　round　periods　of　Sallust　best　suit　with　my
humour；　yet　I　find　Caesar　much　grander　and　harder　to　imitate；　and　though
my　inclination　would　rather　prompt　me　to　imitate　Seneca's　way　of　writing；
yet　I　do　nevertheless　more　esteem　that　of　Plutarch。　　Both　in　doing　and
speaking　I　simply　follow　my　own　natural　way；　whence；　peradventure；　it
falls　out　that　I　am　better　at　speaking　than　writing。　　Motion　and　action
animate　words；　especially　in　those　who　lay　about　them　briskly；　as　I　do；
and　grow　hot。　　The　comportment；　the　countenance；　the　voice；　the　robe；　the
place；　will　set　off　some　things　that　of　themselves　would　appear　no　better
than　prating。　　Messalla　complains　in　Tacitus　of　the　straitness　of　some
garments　in　his　time；　and　of　the　fashion　of　the　benches　where　the　orators
were　to　declaim；　that　were　a　disadvantage　to　their　eloquence。

My　French　tongue　is　corrupted；　both　in　the　pronunciation　and　otherwise；
by　the　barbarism　of　my　country。　　I　never　saw　a　man　who　was　a　native　of
any　of　the　provinces　on　this　side　of　the　kingdom　who　had　not　a　twang　of
his　place　of　birth；　and　that　was　not　offensive　to　ears　that　were　purely
French。　　And　yet　it　is　not　that　I　am　so　perfect　in　my　Perigordin：　for　I
can　no　more　speak　it　than　High　Dutch；　nor　do　I　much　care。　　'Tis　a
language　（as　the　rest　about　me　on　every　side；　of　Poitou；　Xaintonge；
Angoumousin；　Limousin；　Auvergne）；　a　poor；　drawling；　scurvy　language。
There　is；　indeed；　above　us　towards　the　mountains　a　sort　of　Gascon　spoken；
that　I　am　mightily　taken　with：　blunt；　brief；　significant；　and　in　truth　a
more　manly　and　military　language　than　any　other　I　am　acquainted　with；　as
sinewy；　powerful；　and　pertinent　as　the　French　is　graceful；　neat；　and
luxuriant。

As　to　the　Latin；　which　was　given　me　for　my　mother　tongue；　I　have　by
discontinuance　lost　the　use　of　speaking　it；　and；　indeed；　of　writing　it
too；　wherein　I　formerly　had　a　particular　reputation；　by　which　you　may　see
how　inconsiderable　I　am　on　that　side。

Beauty　is　a　thing　of　great　recommendation　in　the　correspondence　amongst
men；　'tis　the　first　means　of　acquiring　the　favour　and　good　liking　of　one
another；　and　no　man　is　so　barbarous　and　morose　as　not　to　perceive　himself
in　some　sort　struck　with　its　attraction。　　The　body　has　a　great　share　in
our　being；　has　an　eminent　place　there；　and　therefore　its　structure　and
composition　are　of　very　just　consideration。　　They　who　go　about　to
disunite　and　separate　our　two　principal　parts　from　one　another　are　to
blame；　we　must；　on　the　contrary；　reunite　and　rejoin　them。　　We　must
command　the　soul　not　to　withdraw　and　entertain　itself　apart；　not　to
despise　and　abandon　the　body　（neither　can　she　do　it　but　by　some　apish
counterfeit）；　but　to　unite　herself　close　to　it；　to　embrace；　cherish；
assist；　govern；　and　advise　it；　and　to　bring　it　back　and　set　it　into　the
true　way　when　it　wanders；　in　sum；　to　espouse　and　be　a　husband　to　it；　so
that　their　effects　may　not　appear　to　be　diverse　and　contrary；　but　uniform
and　concurring。　　Christians　have　a　particular　instruction　concerning　this
connection；　for　they　know　that　the　Divine　justice　embraces　this　society
and　juncture　of　body　and　soul；　even　to　the　making　the　body　capable　of
eternal　rewards；　and　that　God　has　an　eye　to　the　whole　man's　ways；　and
wills　that　he　receive　entire　chastisement　or　reward　according　to　his
demerits　or　merits。　　The　sect　of　the　Peripatetics；　of　all　sects　the　most
sociable；　attribute　to　wisdom　this　sole　care　equally　to　provide　for　the
good　of　these　two　associate　parts：　and　the　other　sects；　in　not
sufficiently　applying　themselves　to　the　consideration　of　this　mixture；
show　themselves　to　be　divided；　one　for　the　body　and　the　other　for　the
soul；　with　equal　error；　and　to　have　lost　sight　of　their　subject；　which　is
Man；　and　their　guide；　which　they　generally　confess　to　be　Nature。　　The
first　distinction　that　ever　was　amongst　men；　and　the　first　consideration
that　gave　some　pre…eminence　over　others；　'tis　likely　was　the　advantage　of
beauty：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Agros　divisere　atque　dedere
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Pro　facie　cujusque；　et　viribus　ingenioque；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Nam　facies　multum　valuit；　viresque　vigebant。〃

　　　　　＇〃They　distributed　and　conferred　the　lands　to　every　man　according
　　　　　to　his　beauty　and　strength　and　understanding；　for　beauty　was　much
　　　　　esteemed　and　strength　was　in　favour。〃Lucretius；　V。　1109。＇

Now　I　am　of　something　lower　than　the　middle　stature；　a　defect　that　not
only　borders　upon　deformity；　but　carries　withal　a　great　deal　of
inconvenience　along　with　it；　especially　for　those　who　are　in　office　and
command；　for　the　authority　which　a　graceful　presence　and　a　majestic　mien
beget　is　wanting。　　C。　Marius　did　not　willingly　enlist　any　soldiers　who
were　not　six　feet　high。　　The　Courtier　has；　indeed；　reason　to　desire　a
moderate　stature　in　the　gentlemen　he　is　setting　forth；　rather　than　any
other；　and　to　reject　all　strangeness　that　should　make　him　be　pointed　at。
But　if　I　were　to　choose　whether　this　medium　must　be　rather　below　than
above　the　common　standard；　I　would　not　have　it　so　in　a　soldier。　　Little
men；　says　Aristotle；　are　pretty；　but　not　handsome；　and　greatness　of　soul
is　discovered　in　a　great　body；　as　beauty　is　in　a　conspicuous　stature：　the
Ethiopians　and　Indians；　says　he；　in　choosing　their　kings　and　magistrates；
had　regard　to　the　beauty　and　stature　of　their　persons。　　They　had　reason；
for　it　creates　respect　in　those　who　follow　them；　and　is　a　terror　to　the
enemy；　to　see　a　leader　of　a　brave　and　goodly　stature　march　at　the　head　of
a　battalion：

　　　　　　　　　〃Ipse　inter　primos　praestanti　corpore　Turnus
　　　　　　　　　　Vertitur　arma；　tenens；　et　toto　vertice　supra　est。〃

　　　　　＇〃In　the　first　rank　marches　Turnus；　brandishing　his　weapon；
　　　　　taller　by　a　head　than　all　the　rest。〃Virgil；　AEneid；　vii。　783。＇

Our　holy　and　heavenly　king；　of　whom　every　circumstance　is　most　carefully
and　with　the　greatest　religion　and　reverence　to　be　observed；　has　not
himself　rejected　bodily　recommendation；


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Speciosus　forma　prae　filiis　hominum。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃He　is　fairer　than　the　children　of　men。〃Psalm　xiv。　3。＇

And　Plato；　together　with　temperance　and　fortitude；　requires　beauty　in　the
conservators　of　his　republic。　　It　would　vex　you　that　a　man　should　apply
himself　to　you　amongst　your　servants　to　inquire　where　Monsieur　is；　and
that　you　should　only　have　the　remainder　of　the　compliment　of　the　hat　that
is　made　to　your　barber　or　your　secretary；　as　it　happened　to　poor
Philopoemen；　who　arriving　the　first　of　all　his　company　at　an　inn　where　he
was　expected；　the　hostess；　who　knew　him　not；　and　saw　him　an　unsightly
fellow；　employed　him　to　go　help　her　maids　a　little　to　draw　water；　and
make　a　fire　against　Philopoemen's　coming；　the　gentlemen　of　his　train
arriving　presently　after；　and　surprised　to　see　him　busy　in　this　fine
employment；　for　he　failed　not　to　obey　his　landlady's　command；　asked　him
what　he　was　doing　there：　〃I　am；〃　said　he；　〃paying　the　penalty　of　my
ugliness。〃　　The　other　beauties　belong　to　women；　the　beauty　of　stature　is
the　only　beauty　of　men。　　Where　there　is　a　contemptible　stature；　neither
the　largeness　and　roundness　of　the　forehead；　nor　the　whiteness　and
sweetness　of　the　eyes；　nor　the　moderate　proportion　of　the　nose；　nor　the
littleness　of　the　ears　and　mouth；　nor　the　evenness　and　whiteness　of　the
teeth；　nor　the　thickness　of　a　well…set　brown　beard；　shining　like　the　husk
of　a　chestnut；　nor　curled　hair；　nor　the　just　proportion　of　the　head；　nor
a　fresh　complexion；　nor　a　pleasing　air　of　a　face；　nor　a　body　without　any
offensive　scent；　nor　the　just　proportion　of　limbs；　can　make　a　handsome
man。　　I　am；　as　to　the　rest；　strong　and　well　knit；　my　face　is　not　p