the essays of montaigne, v17-第8部分

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is　uncertain；　and　that　the　ills　of　others　ought　not　to　afflict　us　so　much
as　our　own。

I　will　not　here　omit；　that　I　never　mutiny　so　much　against　France；　that　I
am　not　perfectly　friends　with　Paris；　that　city　has　ever　had　my　heart　from
my　infancy；　and　it　has　fallen　out；　as　of　excellent　things；　that　the　more
beautiful　cities　I　have　seen　since；　the　more　the　beauty　of　this　still
wins　upon　my　affection。　　I　love　her　for　herself；　and　more　in　her　own
native　being；　than　in　all　the　pomp　of　foreign　and　acquired
embellishments。　　I　love　her　tenderly；　even　to　her　warts　and　blemishes。
I　am　a　Frenchman　only　through　this　great　city；　great　in　people；　great　in
the　felicity　of　her　situation；　but；　above　all；　great　and　incomparable　in
variety　and　diversity　of　commodities：　the　glory　of　France；　and　one　of　the
most　noble　ornaments　of　the　world。　　May　God　drive　our　divisions　far　from
her。　　Entire　and　united；　I　think　her　sufficiently　defended　from　all　other
violences。　　I　give　her　caution　that；　of　all　sorts　of　people；　those　will
be　the　worst　that　shall　set　her　in　discord；　I　have　no　fear　for　her；　but
of　herself；　and；　certainly；　I　have　as　much　fear　for　her　as　for　any　other
part　of　the　kingdom。　　Whilst　she　shall　continue；　I　shall　never　want　a
retreat；　where　I　may　stand　at　bay；　sufficient　to　make　me　amends　for
parting　with　any　other　retreat。

Not　because　Socrates　has　said　so；　but　because　it　is　in　truth　my　own
humour；　and　peradventure　not　without　some　excess；　I　look　upon　all　men　as
my　compatriots；　and　embrace　a　Polander　as　a　Frenchman；　preferring　the
universal　and　common　tie　to　all　national　ties　whatever。　　I　am　not　much
taken　with　the　sweetness　of　a　native　air：　acquaintance　wholly　new　and
wholly　my　own　appear　to　me　full　as　good　as　the　other　common　and
fortuitous　ones　with　Four　neighbours：　friendships　that　are　purely　of　our
own　acquiring　ordinarily　carry　it　above　those　to　which　the　communication
of　climate　or　of　blood　oblige　us。　　Nature　has　placed　us　in　the　world　free
and　unbound；　we　imprison　ourselves　in　certain　straits；　like　the　kings　of
Persia；　who　obliged　themselves　to　drink　no　other　water　but　that　of　the
river　Choaspes；　foolishly　quitted　claim　to　their　right　in　all　other
streams；　and；　so　far　as　concerned　themselves；　dried　up　all　the　other
rivers　of　the　world。　　What　Socrates　did　towards　his　end；　to　look　upon　a
sentence　of　banishment　as　worse　than　a　sentence　of　death　against　him；　I
shall；　I　think；　never　be　either　so　decrepid　or　so　strictly　habituated　to
my　own　country　to　be　of　that　opinion。　　These　celestial　lives　have　images
enough　that　I　embrace　more　by　esteem　than　affection；　and　they　have　some
also　so　elevated　and　extraordinary　that　I　cannot　embrace　them　so　much　as
by　esteem；　forasmuch　as　I　cannot　conceive　them。　　That　fancy　was　singular
in　a　man　who　thought　the　whole　world　his　city；　it　is　true　that　he
disdained　travel；　and　had　hardly　ever　set　his　foot　out　of　the　Attic
territories。　　What　say　you　to　his　complaint　of　the　money　his　friends
offered　to　save　his　life；　and　that　he　refused　to　come　out　of　prison　by
the　mediation　of　others；　in　order　not　to　disobey　the　laws　in　a　time　when
they　were　otherwise　so　corrupt？　　These　examples　are　of　the　first　kind　for
me；　of　the　second；　there　are　others　that　I　could　find　out　in　the　same
person：　many　of　these　rare　examples　surpass　the　force　of　my　action；　but
some　of　them；　moreover；　surpass　the　force　of　my　judgment。

Besides　these　reasons；　travel　is　in　my　opinion　a　very　profitable
exercise；　the　soul　is　there　continually　employed　in　observing　new　and
unknown　things；　and　I　do　not　know；　as　I　have　often　said　a　better　school
wherein　to　model　life　than　by　incessantly　exposing　to　it　the　diversity
of　so　many　other　lives；　fancies；　and　usances；　and　by　making　it　relish　a
perpetual　variety　of　forms　of　human　nature。　　The　body　is；　therein；
neither　idle　nor　overwrought；　and　that　moderate　agitation　puts　it　in
breath。　　I　can　keep　on　horseback；　tormented　with　the　stone　as　I　am；
without　alighting　or　being　weary；　eight　or　ten　hours　together：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Vires　ultra　sorternque　senectae。〃

　　　　　＇〃Beyond　the　strength　and　lot　of　age。〃AEneid；　vi。　114。＇

No　season　is　enemy　to　me　but　the　parching　heat　of　a　scorching　sun；　for
the　umbrellas　made　use　of　in　Italy；　ever　since　the　time　of　the　ancient
Romans；　more　burden　a　man's　arm　than　they　relieve　his　head。　　I　would　fain
know　how　it　was　that　the　Persians；　so　long　ago　and　in　the　infancy　of
luxury；　made　ventilators　where　they　wanted　them；　and　planted　shades；　as
Xenophon　reports　they　did。　　I　love　rain；　and　to　dabble　in　the　dirt；　as
well　as　ducks　do。　　The　change　of　air　and　climate　never　touches　me；　every
sky　is　alike；　I　am　only　troubled　with　inward　alterations　which　I　breed
within　myself；　and　those　are　not　so　frequent　in　travel。　　I　am　hard　to　be
got　out；　but　being　once　upon　the　road；　I　hold　out　as　well　as　the　best。
I　take　as　much　pains　in　little　as　in　great　attempts；　and　am　as　solicitous
to　equip　myself　for　a　short　journey；　if　but　to　visit　a　neighbour；　as　for
the　longest　voyage。　　I　have　learned　to　travel　after　the　Spanish　fashion；
and　to　make　but　one　stage　of　a　great　many　miles；　and　in　excessive　heats
I　always　travel　by　night；　from　sun　set　to　sunrise。　　The　other　method　of
baiting　by　the　way；　in　haste　and　hurry　to　gobble　up　a　dinner；　is；
especially　in　short　days；　very　inconvenient。　　My　horses　perform　the
better；　never　any　horse　tired　under　me　that　was　able　to　hold　out　the
first　day's　journey。　　I　water　them　at　every　brook　I　meet；　and　have　only　a
care　they　have　so　much　way　to　go　before　I　come　to　my　inn；　as　will　digest
the　water　in　their　bellies。　　My　unwillingness　to　rise　in　a　morning　gives
my　servants　leisure　to　dine　at　their　ease　before　they　set　out；　for　my　own
part；　I　never　eat　too　late；　my　appetite　comes　to　me　in　eating；　and　not
else；　I　am　never　hungry　but　at　table。

Some　of　my　friends　blame　me　for　continuing　this　travelling　humour；　being
married　and　old。　　But　they　are　out　in't；　'tis　the　best　time　to　leave　a
man's　house；　when　he　has　put　it　into　a　way　of　continuing　without　him；　and
settled　such　order　as　corresponds　with　its　former　government。　　'Tis　much
greater　imprudence　to　abandon　it　to　a　less　faithful　housekeeper；　and　who
will　be　less　solicitous　to　look　after　your　affairs。

The　most　useful　and　honourable　knowledge　and　employment　for　the　mother　of
a　family　is　the　science　of　good　housewifery。　　I　see　some　that　are
covetous　indeed；　but　very　few　that　are　good　managers。　　'Tis　the　supreme
quality　of　a　woman；　which　a　man　ought　to　seek　before　any　other；　as　the
only　dowry　that　must　ruin　or　preserve　our　houses。　　Let　men　say　what　they
will；　according　to　the　experience　I　have　learned；　I　require　in　married
women　the　economical　virtue　above　all　other　virtues；　I　put　my　wife　to't；
as　a　concern　of　her　own；　leaving　her；　by　my　absence；　the　whole　government
of　my　affairs。　　I　see；　and　am　vexed　to　see；　in　several　families　I　know；
Monsieur　about　noon　come　home　all　jaded　and　ruffled　about　his　affairs；
when　Madame　is　still　dressing　her　hair　and　tricking　up　herself；　forsooth；
in　her　closet：　this　is　for　queens　to　do；　and　that's　a　question；　too：　'tis
ridiculous　and　unjust　that　the　laziness　of　our　wives　should　be　maintained
with　our　sweat　and　labour。　　No　man；　so　far　as　in　me　lie；　shall　have　a
clearer；　a　more　quiet　and　free　fruition　of　his　estate　than　I。　　If　the
husband　bring　matter；　nature　herself　will　that　the　wife　find　the　form。

As　to　the　duties　of　conjugal　friendship；　that　some　think　to　be　impaired
by　these　absences；　I　am　quite　of　another…　opinion。　　It　is；　on　the
contrary；　an　intelligence　that　easily　cools　by　a　too　frequent　and
assiduous　companionship。　　Every　strange　woman　appears　charming；　and　we
all　find　by　experience　that　being　continually　together　is　not　so　pleasing
as　to　part　for　a　time　and　meet　again。　　These　interruptions　fill　me　with
fresh　affection　towards　my　family；　and　render　my　house　more　pleasant　to
me。　　Change　warms　my　appetite　to　the　one　and　then　to　the　other。　　I　know
that　the　arms　of　friendship　are　long　enough　to　reach　from　the　one　end　of
the　world　to　the　other；　and　especially　this；　where　there　is　a　continual
communication　of　offices　that　rouse　the　obligation　and　remembrance。　　The
Stoics　say　that　there　is　so　great　connection　and　relation　amongst　the
sages；　that　he　who　dines　in　France　nourishes　his　companion　in　Egypt；　and
that　whoever　does　but　hold　out　his　finger；　in　what　part　of　the　world
soever；　all　the　sages　upon　the　habitable　earth　feel　themselves　assisted
by　it。　　Fruition　and　possession　principally　appertain　to　the　imagination；
it　more　fervently　and　constantly　embraces　what　it　is　in　quest　of；　than
what　we　hold　in　our　arms。　　Cast　up　your　daily　amusements；　you　will　find
that　you　are　most　absent　from　your　friend　when　he　is　present　with　you；
his　presence　relaxes　your　attention；　and　gives　you　liberty　to　absent
yourself　at　every　turn　and　upon　every　occasion。　　When　I　am　away　at　Rome；
I　keep　and　govern　my　house；　and　the　conveniences　I　there　left；　see　my
walls　rise；　my　trees　shoot；　and　my　revenue　increase　or　decrease；　very
near　as　well　as　when　I　am　there：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Ante　oculos　errat　domus；　errat　forma　locorum。〃

　　　　　＇〃My　house　and　the　forms　of　places　float　before　my　eyes〃
　　　　　Ovid；　Trist；　iii。　4；　57。＇

If　we　enjoy　nothing　but　what　we　touch；　we　may　say　farewell　to　the　money
in　our　chests；　and　to　our　sons　when　they　are　gone　a　hunting。　　We　will
have　them　nearer　to　us：　is　the　garden；　or　half　a　day's　journey　from　home；
far？　　What　is　ten　leagues：　far　or　near？　　If　near；　what　is　eleven；　twelve；
or　thirteen；　and　so　by　degrees。　　In　earnest；　if　there　be　a　woman　who　can
tell　her　husband　what　step　ends　the　near　and　what　step　begins　the　remote；
I　would　advise　her　to　stop　between；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Excludat　jurgia　finis　。　　。　　。　　。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Utor　permisso；　caudaeque　pilos　ut　equinae
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Paulatim　vello；　et　demo　unum；　demo　etiam　unum
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Dum　cadat　elusus　ratione　ruentis　acervi：〃

　　　　　＇〃Let　the　end　shut　out　all　disputes　。　　。　　。　　。　　I　use　what　is
　　　　　permitted；　I　pluck　out　the　hairs　of　the　horse's　tail　one　by　one；
　　　　　while　I　thus　outwit　my　opponent。〃Horace；　Ep。；　ii；　I；　38；　45＇

and　let　them　boldly　call　philosophy　to　their　assistance；　in　whose　teeth
it　may　be　cast