the essays of montaigne, v17-第7章

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ancestors；　they　have　here　fixed　their　affection　and　name。　　We　inure
ourselves　to　whatever　we　are　accustomed　to；　and　in　so　miserable　a
condition　as　ours　is；　custom　is　a　great　bounty　of　nature；　which　benumbs
out　senses　to　the　sufferance　of　many　evils。　　A　civil　war　has　this　with　it
worse　than　other　wars　have；　to　make　us　stand　sentinels　in　our　own　houses。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Quam　miserum；　porta　vitam　muroque　tueri；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Vixque　suae　tutum　viribus　esse　domus！〃

　　　　　＇〃'Tis　miserable　to　protect　one's　life　by　doors　and　walls；　and　to　be
　　　　　scarcely　safe　in　one's　own　house。〃Ovid；　Trist。；　iv。　I；　69。＇

'Tis　a　grievous　extremity　for　a　man　to　be　jostled　even　in　his　own　house
and　domestic　repose。　　The　country　where　I　live　is　always　the　first　in
arms　and　the　last　that　lays　them　down；　and　where　there　is　never　an
absolute　peace：

　　　　　　　　　〃Tunc　quoque；　cum　pax　est；　trepidant　formidine　belli。。。。
　　　　　　　　　　Quoties　Romam　fortuna　lacessit；
　　　　　　　　　　Hac　iter　est　bellis。。。。　　Melius；　Fortuna；　dedisses
　　　　　　　　　　Orbe　sub　Eoo　sedem；　gelidaque　sub　Arcto；
　　　　　　　　　　Errantesque　domos。〃

　　　　　＇〃Even　when　there's　peace；　there　is　here　still　the　dear　of　war　when
　　　　　Fortune　troubles　peace；　this　is　ever　the　way　by　which　war　passes。〃
　　　　　Ovid；　Trist。；　iii。　10；　67。＇

　　　　　＇〃We　might　have　lived　happier　in　the　remote　East　or　in　the　icy
　　　　　North；　or　among　the　wandering　tribes。〃Lucan；　i。　255。＇

I　sometimes　extract　the　means　to　fortify　myself　against　these
considerations　from　indifference　and　indolence；　which；　in　some　sort；
bring　us　on　to　resolution。　　It　often　befalls　me　to　imagine　and　expect
mortal　dangers　with　a　kind　of　delight：　I　stupidly　plunge　myself　headlong
into　death；　without　considering　or　taking　a　view　of　it；　as　into　a　deep
and　obscure　abyss　which　swallows　me　up　at　one　leap；　and　involves　me　in　an
instant　in　a　profound　sleep；　without　any　sense　of　pain。　　And　in　these
short　and　violent　deaths；　the　consequence　that　I　foresee　administers　more
consolation　to　me　than　the　effect　does　fear。　　They　say；　that　as　life　is
not　better　for　being　long；　so　death　is　better　for　being　not　long。　　I　do
not　so　much　evade　being　dead；　as　I　enter　into　confidence　with　dying。　　I
wrap　and　shroud　myself　into　the　storm　that　is　to　blind　and　carry　me　away
with　the　fury　of　a　sudden　and　insensible　attack。　　Moreover；　if　it　should
fall　out　that；　as　some　gardeners　say；　roses　and　violets　spring　more
odoriferous　near　garlic　and　onions；　by　reason　that　the　last　suck　and
imbibe　all　the　ill　odour　of　the　earth；　so；　if　these　depraved　natures
should　also　attract　all　the　malignity　of　my　air　and　climate；　and　render
it　so　much　better　and　purer　by　their　vicinity；　I　should　not　lose　all。
That　cannot　be：　but　there　may　be　something　in　this；　that　goodness　is　more
beautiful　and　attractive　when　it　is　rare；　and　that　contrariety　and
diversity　fortify　and　consolidate　well…doing　within　itself；　and　inflame
it　by　the　jealousy　of　opposition　and　by　glory。　　Thieves　and　robbers；　of
their　special　favour；　have　no　particular　spite　at　me；　no　more　have　I　to
them：　I　should　have　my　hands　too　full。　　Like　consciences　are　lodged　under
several　sorts　of　robes；　like　cruelty；　disloyalty；　rapine；　and　so　much　the
worse；　and　more　falsely；　when　the　more　secure　and　concealed　under　colour
of　the　laws。　　I　less　hate　an　open　professed　injury　than　one　that　is
treacherous；　an　enemy　in　arms；　than　an　enemy　in　a　gown。　　Our　fever　has
seized　upon　a　body　that　is　not　much　the　worse　for　it；　there　was　fire
before；　and　now　'tis　broken　out　into　a　flame；　the　noise　is　greater；　not
the　evil。　　I　ordinarily　answer　such　as　ask　me　the　reason　of　my　travels；
〃That　I　know　very　well　what　I　fly　from；　but　not　what　I　seek。〃　　If　they
tell　me　that　there　may　be　as　little　soundness　amongst　foreigners；　and
that　their　manners　are　no　better　than　ours：　I　first　reply；　that　it　is
hard　to　be　believed；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Tam　multa：　scelerum　facies！〃

　　　　　＇〃There　are　so　many　forms　of　crime。〃Virgil；　Georg。；　i。　506。＇

secondly；　that　it　is　always　gain　to　change　an　ill　condition　for　one　that
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　swea