the essays of montaigne, v11-第12部分

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from　philosophy　was　that　he　spoke　freely　and　openly　to　all。

Memory　is　a　faculty　of　wonderful　use；　and　without　which　the　judgment　can
very　hardly　perform　its　office：　for　my　part　I　have　none　at　all。　　What　any
one　will　propound　to　me；　he　must　do　it　piecemeal；　for　to　answer　a　speech
consisting　of　several　heads　I　am　not　able。　　I　could　not　receive　a
commission　by　word　of　mouth　without　a　note…book。　　And　when　I　have　a
speech　of　consequence　to　make；　if　it　be　long；　I　am　reduced　to　the
miserable　necessity　of　getting　by　heart　word　for　word；　what　I　am　to　say；
I　should　otherwise　have　neither　method　nor　assurance；　being　in　fear　that
my　memory　would　play　me　a　slippery　trick。　　But　this　way　is　no　less
difficult　to　me　than　the　other；　I　must　have　three　hours　to　learn　three
verses。　　And　besides；　in　a　work　of　a　man's　own；　the　liberty　and　authority
of　altering　the　order；　of　changing　a　word；　incessantly　varying　the
matter；　makes　it　harder　to　stick　in　the　memory　of　the　author。　　The　more
I　mistrust　it　the　worse　it　is；　it　serves　me　best　by　chance；　I　must
solicit　it　negligently；　for　if　I　press　it；　'tis　confused；　and　after　it
once　begins　to　stagger；　the　more　I　sound　it；　the　more　it　is　perplexed；
it　serves　me　at　its　own　hour；　not　at　mine。

And　the　same　defect　I　find　in　my　memory；　I　find　also　in　several　other
parts。　　I　fly　command；　obligation；　and　constraint；　that　which　I　can
otherwise　naturally　and　easily　do；　if　I　impose　it　upon　myself　by　an
express　and　strict　injunction；　I　cannot　do　it。　　Even　the　members　of　my
body；　which　have　a　more　particular　jurisdiction　of　their　own；　sometimes
refuse　to　obey　me；　if　I　enjoin　them　a　necessary　service　at　a　certain
hour。　　This　tyrannical　and　compulsive　appointment　baffles　them；　they
shrink　up　either　through　fear　or　spite；　and　fall　into　a　trance。　　Being
once　in　a　place　where　it　is　looked　upon　as　barbarous　discourtesy　not　to
pledge　those　who　drink　to　you；　though　I　had　there　all　liberty　allowed　me；
I　tried　to　play　the　good　fellow；　out　of　respect　to　the　ladies　who　were
there；　according　to　the　custom　of　the　country；　but　there　was　sport　enough
for　this　pressure　and　preparation；　to　force　myself　contrary　to　my　custom
and　inclination；　so　stopped　my　throat　that　I　could　not　swallow　one　drop；
and　was　deprived　of　drinking　so　much　as　with　my　meat；　I　found　myself
gorged；　and　my；　thirst　quenched　by　the　quantity　of　drink　that　my
imagination　had　swallowed。　　This　effect　is　most　manifest　in　such　as　have
the　most　vehement　and　powerful　imagination：　but　it　is　natural；
notwithstanding；　and　there　is　no　one　who　does　not　in　some　measure　feel
it。　　They　offered　an　excellent　archer；　condemned　to　die；　to　save　his
life；　if　he　would　show　some　notable　proof　of　his　art；　but　he　refused　to
try；　fearing　lest　the　too　great　contention　of　his　will　should　make　him
shoot　wide；　and　that　instead　of　saving　his　life；　he　should　also　lose　the
reputation　he　had　got　of　being　a　good　marksman。　　A　man　who　thinks　of
something　else；　will　not　fail　to　take　over　and　over　again　the　same　number
and　measure　of　steps；　even　to　an　inch；　in　the　place　where　he　walks；　but
if　he　made　it　his　business　to　measure　and　count　them；　he　will　find　that
what　he　did　by　nature　and　accident；　he　cannot　so　exactly　do　by　design。

My　library；　which　is　a　fine　one　among　those　of　the　village　type；　is
situated　in　a　corner　of　my　house；　if　anything　comes　into　my　head　that　I
have　a　mind　to　search　or　to　write；　lest　I　should　forget　it　in　but　going
across　the　court；　I　am　fain　to　commit　it　to　the　memory　of　some　other。
If　I　venture　in　speaking　to　digress　never　so　little　from　my　subject；　I　am
infallibly　lost；　which　is　the　reason　that　I　keep　myself；　in　discourse；
strictly　close。　　I　am　forced　to　call　the　men　who　serve　me　either　by　the
names　of　their　offices　or　their　country；　for　names　are　very　hard　for　me
to　remember。　　I　can　tell　indeed　that　there　are　three　syllables；　that　it
has　a　harsh　sound；　and　that　it　begins　or　ends　with　such　a　letter；　but
that's　all；　and　if　I　should　live　long；　I　do　not　doubt　but　I　should　forget
my　own　name；　as　some　others　have　done。　　Messala　Corvinus　was　two　years
without　any　trace　of　memory；　which　is　also　said　of　Georgius　Trapezuntius。
For　my　own　interest；　I　often　meditate　what　a　kind　of　life　theirs　was；　and
if；　without　this　faculty；　I　should　have　enough　left　to　support　me　with
any　manner　of　ease；　and　prying　narrowly　into　it；　I　fear　that　this
privation；　if　absolute；　destroys　all　the　other　functions　of　the　soul：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Plenus　rimarum　sum；　hac　atque　iliac　perfluo。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃I'm　full　of　chinks；　and　leak　out　every　way。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Ter。；　Eunuchus；　ii。　2；　23。＇

It　has　befallen　me　more　than　once　to　forget　the　watchword　I　had　three
hours　before　given　or　received；　and　to　forget　where　I　had　hidden　my
purse；　whatever　Cicero　is　pleased　to　say；　I　help　myself　to　lose　what　I
have　a　particular　care　to　lock　safe　up：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Memoria　certe　non　modo　Philosophiam　sed　omnis
　　　　　　　　　　vitae　usum；　omnesque　artes；　una　maxime　continet。〃

　　　　　＇〃It　is　certain　that　memory　contains　not　only　philosophy；
　　　　　but　all　the　arts　and　all　that　appertain　to　the　use　of　life。〃
　　　　　Cicero；　Acad。；　ii。　7。＇

Memory　is　the　receptacle　and　case　of　science：　and　therefore　mine　being　so
treacherous；　if　I　know　little；　I　cannot　much　complain。　　I　know；　in
general；　the　names　of　the　arts；　and　of　what　they　treat；　but　nothing　more。
I　turn　over　books；　I　do　not　study　them。　　What　I　retain　I　no　longer
recognise　as　another's；　'tis　only　what　my　judgment　has　made　its　advantage
of；　the　discourses　and　imaginations　in　which　it　has　been　instructed：　the
author；　place；　words；　and　other　circumstances；　I　immediately　forget；　and
I　am　so　excellent　at　forgetting；　that　I　no　less　forget　my　own　writings
and　compositions　than　the　rest。　　I　am　very　often　quoted　to　myself；　and　am
not　aware　of　it。　　Whoever　should　inquire　of　me　where　I　had　the　verses　and
examples；　that　I　have　here　huddled　together；　would　puzzle　me　to　tell　him；
and　yet　I　have　not　borrowed　them　but　from　famous　and　known　authors；　not
contenting　myself　that　they　were　rich；　if　I；　moreover；　had　them　not　from
rich　and　honourable　hands；　where　there　is　a　concurrence　of　authority　with
reason。　　It　is　no　great　wonder　if　my　book　run　the　same　fortune　that　other
books　do；　if　my　memory　lose　what　I　have　written　as　well　as　what　I　have
read；　and　what　I　give；　as　well　as　what　I　receive。

Besides　the　defect　of　memory；　I　have　others　which　very　much　contribute　to
my　ignorance；　I　have　a　slow　and　heavy　wit；　the　least　cloud　stops　its
progress；　so　that；　for　example；　I　never　propose　to　it　any　never　so　easy　a
riddle　that　it　could　find　out；　there　is　not　the　least　idle　subtlety　that
will　not　gravel　me；　in　games；　where　wit　is　required；　as　chess；　draughts；
and　the　like；　I　understand　no　more　than　the　common　movements。　　I　have　a
slow　and　perplexed　apprehension；　but　what　it　once　apprehends；　it
apprehends　well；　for　the　time　it　retains　it。　　My　sight　is　perfect；
entire；　and　discovers　at　a　very　great　distance；　but　is　soon　weary　and
heavy　at　work；　which　occasions　that　I　cannot　read　long；　but　am　forced　to
have　one　to　read　to　me。　　The　younger　Pliny　　can　inform　such　as　have　not
experimented　it　themselves；　how　important　an　impediment　this　is　to　those
who　devote　themselves　to　this　employment。

There　is　no　so　wretched　and　coarse　a　soul；　wherein　some　particular
faculty　is　not　seen　to　shine；　no　soul　so　buried　in　sloth　and　ignorance；
but　it　will　sally　at　one　end　or　another；　and　how　it　comes　to　pass　that　a
man　blind　and　asleep　to　everything　else；　shall　be　found　sprightly；　clear；
and　excellent　in　some　one　particular　effect；　we　are　to　inquire　of　our
masters：　but　the　beautiful　souls　are　they　that　are　universal；　open；　and
ready　for　all　things；　if　not　instructed；　at　least　capable　of　being　so；
which　I　say　to　accuse　my　own；　for　whether　it　be　through　infirmity　or
negligence　（and　to　neglect　that　which　lies　at　our　feet；　which　we　have　in
our　hands；　and　what　nearest　concerns　the　use　of　life；　is　far　from　my
doctrine）　there　is　not　a　soul　in　the　world　so　awkward　as　mine；　and　so
ignorant　of　many　common　things；　and　such　as　a　man　cannot　without　shame
fail　to　know。　　I　must　give　some　examples。

I　was　born　and　bred　up　in　the　country；　and　amongst　husbandmen；　I　have　had
business　and　husbandry　in　my　own　hands　ever　since　my　predecessors；　who
were　lords　of　the　estate　I　now　enjoy；　left　me　to　succeed　them；　and　yet　I
can　neither　cast　accounts；　nor　reckon　my　counters：　most　of　our　current
money　I　do　not　know；　nor　the　difference　betwixt　one　grain　and　another；
either　growing　or　in　the　barn；　if　it　be　not　too　apparent；　and　scarcely
can　distinguish　between　the　cabbage　and　lettuce　in　my　garden。　　I　do　not
so　much　as　understand　the　names　of　the　chief　instruments　of　husbandry；
nor　the　most　ordinary　elements　of　agriculture；　which　the　very　children
know：　much　less　the　mechanic　arts；　traffic；　merchandise；　the　variety　and
nature　of　fruits；　wines；　and　viands；　nor　how　to　make　a　hawk　fly；　nor　to
physic　a　horse　or　a　dog。　　And；　since　I　must　publish　my　whole　shame；　'tis
not　above　a　month　ago；　that　I　was　trapped　in　my　ignorance　of　the　use　of
leaven　to　make　bread；　or　to　what　end　it　was　to　keep　wine　in　the　vat。
They　conjectured　of　old　at　Athens；　　an　aptitude　for　the　mathematics　in
him　they　saw　ingeniously　bavin　up　a　burthen　of　brushwood。　　In　earnest；
they　would　draw　a　quite　contrary　conclusion　from　me；　for　give　me　the
whole　provision　and　necessaries　of　a　kitchen；　I　should　starve。　　By　these
features　of　my　confession　men　may　imagine　others　to　my　prejudice：　but
whatever　I　deliver　myself　to　be；　provided　it　be　such　as　I　really　am；
I　have　my　end；　neither　will　I　make　any　excuse　for　committing　to　paper
such　mean　and　frivolous　things　as　these：　the　meanness　of　the　subject
compells　me　to　it。　　They　may；　if　they　please；　accuse　my　project；　but　not
my　progress：　so　it　is；　that　without　anybody's　needing　to　tell　me；　I
sufficiently　see　of　how　little　weight　and　value　all　this　is；　and　the
folly　of　my　design：　'tis　enough　that　my　judgment　does　not　contradict
itself；　of　which　these　are　the　essays。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Nasutus　sis　usque　licet；　sis　denique　nasus；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Quantum　noluerit　ferre　rogatus　Atlas；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Et　possis　ipsum　to　deridere　Latinum；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Non　pote