the essays of montaigne, v5-第3章

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true　philosophy；　and　the　other　sciences；　that　are　directed　to　other　ends；
mere　adulterate　paint。　　I　could　wish　that　Paluel　or　Pompey；　those　two
noted　dancers　of　my　time；　could　have　taught　us　to　cut　capers；　by　only
seeing　them　do　it；　without　stirring　from　our　places；　as　these　men　pretend
to　inform　the　understanding　without　ever　setting　it　to　work；　or　that　we
could　learn　to　ride；　handle　a　pike；　touch　a　lute；　or　sing　without　the
trouble　of　practice；　as　these　attempt　to　make　us　judge　and　speak　well；
without　exercising　us　in　judging　or　speaking。　　Now　in　this　initiation　of
our　studies　in　their　progress；　whatsoever　presents　itself　before　us　is
book　sufficient；　a　roguish　trick　of　a　page；　a　sottish　mistake　of　a
servant；　a　jest　at　the　table；　are　so　many　new　subjects。

And　for　this　reason；　conversation　with　men　is　of　very　great　use　and
travel　into　foreign　countries；　not　to　bring　back　（as　most　of　our　young
monsieurs　do）　an　account　only　of　how　many　paces　Santa　Rotonda　＇The
Pantheon　of　Agrippa。＇　is　in　circuit；　or　of　the　richness　of　Signora
Livia's　petticoats；　or；　as　some　others；　how　much　Nero's　face；　in　a　statue
in　such　an　old　ruin；　is　longer　and　broader　than　that　made　for　him　on　some
medal；　but　to　be　able　chiefly　to　give　an　account　of　the　humours；　manners；
customs；　and　laws　of　those　nations　where　he　has　been；　and　that　we　may
whet　and　sharpen　our　wits　by　rubbing　them　against　those　of　others。　　I
would　that　a　boy　should　be　sent　abroad　very　young；　and　first；　so　as　to
kill　two　birds　with　one　stone；　into　those　neighbouring　nations　whose
language　is　most　differing　from　our　own；　and　to　which；　if　it　be　not
formed　betimes；　the　tongue　will　grow　too　stiff　to　bend。

And　also　'tis　the　general　opinion　of　all；　that　a　child　should　not　be
brought　up　in　his　mother's　lap。　　Mothers　are　too　tender；　and　their
natural　affection　is　apt　to　make　the　most　discreet　of　them　all　so
overfond；　that　they　can　neither　find　in　their　hearts　to　give　them　due
correction　for　the　faults　they　may　commit；　nor　suffer　them　to　be　inured
to　hardships　and　hazards；　as　they　ought　to　be。　　They　will　not　endure　to
see　them　return　all　dust　and　sweat　from　their　exercise；　to　drink　cold
drink　when　they　are　hot；　nor　see　them　mount　an　unruly　horse；　nor　take　a
foil　in　hand　against　a　rude　fencer；　or　so　much　as　to　discharge　a　carbine。
And　yet　there　is　no　remedy；　whoever　will　breed　a　boy　to　be　good　for
anything　when　he　comes　to　be　a　man；　must　by　no　means　spare　him　when
young；　and　must　very　often　transgress　the　rules　of　physic：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Vitamque　sub　dio；　et　trepidis　agat
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　In　rebus。〃

　　　　　＇〃Let　him　live　in　open　air；　and　ever　in　movement　about　something。〃
　　　　　Horace；　Od。　ii。；　3；　5。＇

It　is　not　enough　to　fortify　his　soul；　you　are　also　to　make　his　sinews
strong；　for　the　soul　will　be　oppressed　if　not　assisted　by　the　members；
and　would　have　too　hard　a　task　to　discharge　two　offices　alone。　　I　know
very　well　to　my　cost；　how　much　mine　groans　under　the　burden；　from　being
accommodated　with　a　body　so　tender　and　indisposed；　as　eternally　leans　and
presses　upon　her；　and　often　in　my　reading　perceive　that　our　masters；　in
their　writings；　make　examples　pass　for　magnanimity　and　fortitude　of　mind；
which　really　are　rather　toughness　of　skin　and　hardness　of　bones；　for　I
have　seen　men；　women；　and　children；　naturally　born　of　so　hard　and
insensible　a　constitution　of　body；　that　a　sound　cudgelling　has　been　less
to　them　than　a　flirt　with　a　finger　would　have　been　to　me；　and　that　would
neither　cry　out；　wince；　nor　shrink；　for　a　good　swinging　beating；　and　when
wrestlers　counterfeit　the　philosophers　in　patience；　'tis　rather　strength
of　nerves　than　stoutness　of　heart。　　Now　to　be　inured　to　undergo　labour；
is　to　be　accustomed　to　endure　pain：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Labor　callum　obducit　dolori。〃

　　　　　＇〃Labour　hardens　us　against　pain。〃Cicero；　Tusc。　Quaes。；　ii。　15。＇

A　boy　is　to　be　broken　in　to　the　toil　and　roughness　of　exercise；　so　as　to
be　trained　up　to　the　pain　and　suffering　of　dislocations；　cholics；
cauteries；　and　even　imprisonment　and　the　rack　itself；　for　he　may　come　by
misfortune　to　be　reduced　to　the　worst　of　these；　which　（as　this　world
goes）　is　sometimes　inflicted　on　the　good　as　well　as　the　bad。　　As　for
proof；　in　our　present　civil　war　whoever　draws　his　sword　against　the　laws；
threatens　the　honestest　men　with　the　whip　and　the　halter。

And；　moreover；　by　living　at　home；　the　authority　of　this　governor；　which
ought　to　be　sovereign　over　the　boy　he　has　received　into　his　charge；　is
often　checked　and　hindered　by　the　presence　of　parents；　to　which　may　also
be　added；　that　the　respect　the　whole　family　pay　him；　as　their　master's
son；　and　the　knowledge　he　has　of　the　estate　and　greatness　he　is　heir　to；
are；　in　my　opinion；　no　small　inconveniences　in　these　tender　years。

And　yet；　even　in　this　conversing　with　men　I　spoke　of　but　now；　I　have
observed　this　vice；　that　instead　of　gathering　observations　from　others；
we　make　it　our　whole　business　to　lay　ourselves　open　to　them；　and　are　more
concerned　how　to　expose　and　set　out　our　own　commodities；　than　how　to
increase　our　stock　by　acquiring　new。　　Silence；　therefore；　and　modesty　are
very　advantageous　qualities　in　conversation。　　One　should；　therefore；
train　up　this　boy　to　be　sparing　and　an　husband　of　his　knowledge　when　he
has　acquired　it；　and　to　forbear　taking　exceptions　at　or　reproving　every
idle　saying　or　ridiculous　story　that　is　said　or　told　in　his　presence；　for
it　is　a　very　unbecoming　rudeness　to　carp　at　everything　that　is　not
agreeable　to　our　own　palate。　　Let　him　be　satisfied　with　correcting
himself；　and　not　seem　to　condemn　everything　in　another　he　would　not　do
himself；　nor　dispute　it　as　against　common　customs。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Licet　sapere　sine　pompa；　sine　invidia。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Let　us　be　wise　without　ostentation；　without　envy。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Seneca；　Ep。；　103。

Let　him　avoid　these　vain　and　uncivil　images　of　authority；　this　childish
ambition　of　coveting　to　appear　better　bred　and　more　accomplished；　than　he
really　will；　by　such　carriage；　discover　himself　to　be。　　And；　as　if
opportunities　of　interrupting　and　reprehending　were　not　to　be　omitted；　to
desire　thence　to　derive　the　reputation　of　something　more　than　ordinary。
For　as　it　becomes　none　but　great　poets　to　make　use　of　the　poetical
licence；　so　it　is　intolerable　for　any　but　men　of　great　and　illustrious
souls　to　assume　privilege　above　the　authority　of　custom：

　　　　　〃Si　quid　Socrates　ant　Aristippus　contra　morem　et　consuetudinem
　　　　　fecerunt；　idem　sibi　ne　arbitretur　licere：　magnis　enim　illi　et
　　　　　divinis　bonis　hanc　licentiam　assequebantur。〃

　　　　　＇〃If　Socrates　and　Aristippus　have　committed　any　act　against　manners
　　　　　and　custom；　let　him　not　think　that　he　is　allowed　to　do　the　same；　for
　　　　　it　was　by　great　and　divine　benefits　that　they　obtained　this
　　　　　privilege。〃Cicero；　De　0ffic。；　i。　41。＇

Let　him　be　instructed　not　to　engage　in　discourse　or　dispute　but　with　a
champion　worthy　of　him；　and；　even　there；　not　to　make　use　of　all　the
little　subtleties　that　may　seem　pat　for　his　purpose；　but　only　such
arguments　as　may　best　serve　him。　　Let　him　be　taught　to　be　curious　in　the
election　and　choice　of　his　reasons；　to　abominate　impertinence；　and
consequently；　to　affect　brevity；　but；　above　all；　let　him　be　lessoned　to
acquiesce　and　submit　to　truth　so　soon　as　ever　he　shall　discover　it；
whether　in　his　opponent's　argument；　or　upon　better　consideration　of　his
own；　for　he　shall　never　be　preferred　to　the　chair　for　a　mere　clatter　of
words　and　syllogisms；　and　is　no　further　engaged　to　any　argument　whatever；
than　as　he　shall　in　his　own　judgment　approve　it：　nor　yet　is　arguing　a
trade；　where　the　liberty　of　recantation　and　getting　off　upon　better
thoughts；　are　to　be　sold　for　ready　money：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Neque；　ut　omnia；　qux　praescripta　et　imperata　sint；
　　　　　　　　　　defendat；　necessitate　ulla　cogitur。〃

　　　　　＇〃Neither　is　their　any　necessity　upon　him；　that　he　should　defend
　　　　　all　things　that　are　prescribed　and　enjoined　him。〃
　　　　　Cicero；　Acad。；　ii。　3。＇

If　his　governor　be　of　my　humour；　he　will　form　his　will　to　be　a　very　good
and　loyal　subject　to　his　prince；　very　affectionate　to　his　person；　and
very　stout　in　his　quarrel；　but　withal　he　will　cool　in　him　the　desire　of
having　any　other　tie　to　his　service　than　public　duty。　　Besides　several
other　inconveniences　that　are　inconsistent　with　the　liberty　every　honest
man　ought　to　have；　a　man's　judgment；　being　bribed　and　prepossessed　by
these　particular　obligations；　is　either　blinded　and　less　free　to　exercise
its　function；　or　is　blemished　with　ingratitude　and　indiscretion。　　A　man
that　is　purely　a　courtier；　can　neither　have　power　nor　will　to　speak　or
think　otherwise　than　favourably　and　well　of　a　master；　who；　amongst　so
many　millions　of　other　subjects；　has　picked　out　him　with　his　own　hand　to
nourish　and　advance；　this　favour；　and　the　profit　flowing　from　it；　must
needs；　and　not　without　some　show　of　reason；　corrupt　his　freedom　and
dazzle　him；　and　we　commonly　see　these　people　speak　in　another　kind　of
phrase　than　is　ordinarily　spoken　by　others　of　the　same　nation；　though
what　they　say　in　that　courtly　language　is　not　much　to　be　believed。

Let　his　conscience　and　virtue　be　eminently　manifest　in　his　speaking；　and
have　only　reason　for　their　guide。　　Make　him　understand；　that　to
acknowledge　the　error　he　shall　discover　in　his　own　argument；　though　only
found　out　by　himself；　is　an　effect　of　judgment　and　sincerity；　which　are
the　principal　things　he　is　to　seek　after；　that　obstinacy　and　contention
are　common　qualities；　most　appearing　in　mean　souls；　that　to　revise　and
correct　himself；　to　forsake　an　unjust　argument　in　the　height　and　heat　of
dispute；　are　rare；　great；　and　philosophical　qualities。

Let　him　be　advised；　being　in　company；　to　have　his　eye　and　ear　in　every
corner；　for　I　find　that　the　places　of　greatest　honour　are　commonly　seized
upon　by　men　that　have　least　in　them；　and　that　the　greatest　fortunes　are
seldom　accompanied　with　the　ablest　parts。　　I　have　been　present　when；
whilst　they　at　the　upper　end　of　the　chamber　have　been　only　commenting　the
beauty　of　the　arras；　or　the　flavour　of　the　wine；　many　things　that　have
been　very　finely　said　at　the　lower　end　of　the　table　have　been　lost　and
thrown　away。　　Let　him　examine　every　man's　talent；　a　peasant；　a
bricklayer；　a　passenger：　one　may　learn　something　from　every　one　of　these
in　their　several　capacities；　and　something　will　be　picked　out　of　their
discourse　whereof　some　use　may　be　made　at　one　time　or　another；　nay；　even
the　folly　and　impertinence　of　others　will　contribute　to　his　instruction。
By　observing　the　graces　and　manners　of　all　he　sees；　he　will　create　to
himself　an　emulation　of　the　good；　and　a　contempt　of　the　bad。

Let　an　honest　curiosity　be　suggested　to　his　fancy　of　being　inquisitive
after　everything；　whatever　there　is　singular　and　rare　near　the　place
where　he　is；　let　him　go　and　see　it；　a　fine　house；　a　noble　fountain；　an
eminent　man；　the　place　where　a　battle　has　been　anciently　fought；　the
passages　of　Caesar　and　Charlemagne：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Qux　tellus　sit　lenta　gelu；　quae　putris　ab　aestu；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ventus　in　Italiam　quis　bene　vela　ferat。〃

　　　　　＇〃What　country　is　bound　in　frost；　what　land　is　friable　with　heat；
　　　　　what　wind　serves　fairest　for　Italy