the essays of montaigne, v4-第8章

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excuse　my　pedants；　for　to　see　the　low　and　necessitous　fortune　wherewith
they　are　content；　we　have　rather　reason　to　pronounce　that　they　are
neither　wise　nor　prudent。

But　letting　this　first　reason　alone；　I　think　it　better　to　say；　that　this
evil　proceeds　from　their　applying　themselves　the　wrong　way　to　the　study
of　the　sciences；　and　that；　after　the　manner　we　are　instructed；　it　is　no
wonder　if　neither　the　scholars　nor　the　masters　become；　though　more
learned；　ever　the　wiser；　or　more　able。　　In　plain　truth；　the　cares　and
expense　our　parents　are　at　in　our　education；　point　at　nothing；　but　to
furnish　our　heads　with　knowledge；　but　not　a　word　of　judgment　and　virtue。
Cry　out；　of　one　that　passes　by；　to　the　people：　〃O；　what　a　learned　man！〃
and　of　another；　〃O；　what　a　good　man！〃　＇Translated　from　Seneca；　Ep。；
88。＇　they　will　not　fail　to　turn　their　eyes；　and　address　their　respect
to　the　former。　　There　should　then　be　a　third　crier；　〃O；　the　blockheads！〃
Men　are　apt　presently　to　inquire；　does　such　a　one　understand　Greek　or
Latin？　　Is　he　a　poet？　　or　does　he　write　in　prose？　　But　whether　he　be
grown　better　or　more　discreet；　which　are　qualities　of　principal　concern；
these　are　never　thought　of。　　We　should　rather　examine；　who　is　better
learned；　than　who　is　more　learned。

We　only　labour　to　stuff　the　memory；　and　leave　the　conscience　and　the
understanding　unfurnished　and　void。　　Like　birds　who　fly　abroad　to　forage
for　grain；　and　bring　it　home　in　the　beak；　without　tasting　it　themselves；
to　feed　their　young；　so　our　pedants　go　picking　knowledge　here　and　there；
out　of　books；　and　hold　it　at　the　tongue's　end；　only　to　spit　it　out　and
distribute　it　abroad。　　And　here　I　cannot　but　smile　to　think　how　I　have
paid　myself　in　showing　the　foppery　of　this　kind　of　learning；　who　myself
am　so　manifest　an　example；　for；　do　I　not　the　same　thing　throughout　almost
this　whole　composition？　　I　go　here　and　there；　culling　out　of　several
books　the　sentences　that　best　please　me；　not　to　keep　them　（for　I　have　no
memory　to　retain　them　in）；　but　to　transplant　them　into　this；　where；　to
say　the　truth；　they　are　no　more　mine　than　in　their　first　places。　　We　are；
I　conceive；　knowing　only　in　present　knowledge；　and　not　at　all　in　what　is
past；　or　more　than　is　that　which　is　to　come。　　But　the　worst　on't　is；
their　scholars　and　pupils　are　no　better　nourished　by　this　kind　of
inspiration；　and　it　makes　no　deeper　impression　upon　them；　but　passes　from
hand　to　hand；　only　to　make　a　show　to　be　tolerable　company；　and　to　tell
pretty　stories；　like　a　counterfeit　coin　in　counters；　of　no　other　use　or
value；　but　to　reckon　with；　or　to　set　up　at　cards：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Apud　alios　loqui　didicerunt　non　ipsi　secum。〃

　　　　　＇〃They　have　learned　to　speak　from　others；　not　from　themselves。〃
　　　　　Cicero；　Tusc。　Quaes；　v。　36。＇

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Non　est　loquendum；　sed　gubernandum。〃

　　　　　＇〃Speaking　is　not　so　necessary　as　governing。〃　Seneca；　Ep。；　108。＇

Nature；　to　shew　that　there　is　nothing　barbarous　where　she　has　the　sole
conduct；　oftentimes；　in　nations　where　art　has　the　least　to　do；　causes
productions　of　wit；　such　as　may　rival　the　greatest　effect　of　art
whatever。　　In　relation　to　what　I　am　now　speaking　of；　the　Gascon　proverb；
derived　from　a　cornpipe；　is　very　quaint　and　subtle：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Bouha　prou　bouha；　mas　a　remuda　lous　dits　quem。〃

　　　　　＇〃You　may　blow　till　your　eyes　start　out；　but　if　once　you　offer　to
　　　　　stir　your　fingers；　it　is　all　over。〃＇

We　can　say；　Cicero　says　thus；　these　were　the　manners　of　Plato；　these　are
the　very　words　of　Aristotle：　but　what　do　we　say　ourselves？　　What　do　we
judge？　　A　parrot　would　say　as　much　as　that。

And　this　puts　me　in　mind　of　that　rich　gentleman　of　Rome；＇Calvisius
Sabinus。　　Seneca；　Ep。；　27。＇　who　had　been　solicitous；　with　very　great
expense；　to　procure　men　that　were　excellent　in　all　sorts　of　science；　whom
he　had　always　attending　his　person；　to　the　end；　that　when　amongst　his
friends　any　occasion　fell　out　of　speaking　of　any　subject　whatsoever；　they
might　supply　his　place；　and　be　ready　to　prompt　him；　one　with　a　sentence
of　Seneca；　another　with　a　verse　of　Homer；　and　so　forth；　every　one
according　to　his　talent；　and　he　fancied　this　knowledge　to　be　his　own；
because　it　was　in　the　heads　of　those　who　lived　upon　his　bounty；　as　they
also　do；　whose　learning　consists　in　having　noble　libraries。　　I　know　one；
who；　when　I　question　him　what　he　knows；　he　presently　calls　for　a　book　to
shew　me；　and　dares　not　venture　to　tell　me　so　much；　as　that　he　has　piles
in　his　posteriors；　till　first　he　has　consulted　his　dictionary；　what　piles
and　what　posteriors　are。

We　take　other　men's　knowledge　and　opinions　upon　trust；　which　is　an　idle
and　superficial　learning。　We　must　make　it　our　own。　　We　are　in　this　very
like　him；　who　having　need　of　fire；　went　to　a　neighbour's　house　to　fetch
it；　and　finding　a　very　good　one　there；　sat　down　to　warm　himself　without
remembering　to　carry　any　with　him　home。＇Plutarch；　How　a　Man　should
Listen。＇　What　good　does　it　do　us　to　have　the　stomach　full　of　meat；　if
it　do　not　digest；　if　it　be　not　incorporated　with　us；　if　it　does　not
nourish　and　support　us？　　Can　we　imagine　that　Lucullus；　whom　letters；
without　any　manner　of　experience；　made　so　great　a　captain；　learned　to　be
so　after　this　perfunctory　manner？　＇Cicero；　Acad。；　ii。　I。＇　We　suffer
ourselves　to　lean　and　rely　so　strongly　upon　the　arm　of　another；　that　we
destroy　our　own　strength　and　vigour。　　Would　I　fortify　myself　against　the
fear　of　death；　it　must　be　at　the　expense　of　Seneca：　would　I　extract
consolation　for　myself　or　my　friend；　I　borrow　it　from　Cicero。　　I　might
have　found　it　in　myself；　had　I　been　trained　to　make　use　of　my　own　reason。
I　do　not　like　this　relative　and　mendicant　understanding；　for　though　we
could　become　learned　by　other　men's　learning；　a　man　can　never　be　wise　but
by　his　own　wisdom：

　　　　　＇〃I　hate　the　wise　man；　who　in　his　own　concern　is　not　wise。〃
　　　　　　Euripides；　ap。　Cicero；　Ep。　Fam。；　xiii。　15。＇

Whence　Ennius：

　　　　　〃Nequidquam　sapere　sapientem；　qui　ipse　sibi　prodesse　non　quiret。〃

　　　　　＇〃That　wise　man　knows　nothing；　who　cannot　profit　himself　by　his
　　　　　wisdom。〃Cicero；　De　Offic。；　iii。　15。＇

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Si　cupidus；　si
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Vanus；　et　Euganea　quantumvis　mollior　agna。〃

　　　　　＇〃If　he　be　grasping；　or　a　boaster；　and　something　softer　than　an
　　　　　Euganean　lamb。〃Juvenal；　Sat。；　viii。　14。＇

　　　　　〃Non　enim　paranda　nobis　solum；　sed　fruenda　sapientia　est。〃

　　　　　＇〃　For　wisdom　is　not　only　to　be　acquired；　but　to　be　utilised。〃
　　　　　Cicero；　De　Finib。；　i。　I。＇

Dionysius　＇It　was　not　Dionysius；　but　Diogenes　the　cynic。　　Diogenes
Laertius；　vi。　27。＇　laughed　at　the　grammarians；　who　set　themselves　to
inquire　into　the　miseries　of　Ulysses；　and　were　ignorant　of　their　own；
at　musicians；　who　were　so　exact　in　tuning　their　instruments；　and　never
tuned　their　manners；　at　orators；　who　made　it　a　study　to　declare　what　is
justice；　but　never　took　care　to　do　it。　　If　the　mind　be　not　better
disposed；　if　the　judgment　be　no　better　settled；　I　had　much　rather　my
scholar　had　spent　his　time　at　tennis；　for；　at　least；　his　body　would　by
that　means　be　in　better　exercise　and　breath。　　Do　but　observe　him　when　he
comes　back　from　school；　after　fifteen　or　sixteen　years　that　he　has　been
there；　there　is　nothing　so　unfit　for　employment；　all　you　shall　find　he
has　got；　is；　that　his　Latin　and　Greek　have　only　made　him　a　greater
coxcomb　than　when　he　went　from　home。　　He　should　bring　back　his　soul
replete　with　good　literature；　and　he　brings　it　only　swelled　and　puffed　up
with　vain　and　empty　shreds　and　patches　of　learning；　and　has　really
nothing　more　in　him　than　he　had　before。＇Plato's　Dialogues：　Protagoras。＇

These　pedants　of　ours；　as　Plato　says　of　the　Sophists；　their　cousin…
germans；　are；　of　all　men；　they　who　most　pretend　to　be　useful　to　mankind；
and　who　alone；　of　all　men；　not　only　do　not　better　and　improve　that　which
is　committed　to　them；　as　a　carpenter　or　a　mason　would　do；　but　make　them
much　worse；　and　make　us　pay　them　for　making　them　worse；　to　boot。　　If　the
rule　which　Protagoras　proposed　to　his　pupils　were　followedeither　that
they　should　give　him　his　own　demand；　or　make　affidavit　upon　oath　in　the
temple　how　much　they　valued　the　profit　they　had　received　under　his
tuition；　and　satisfy　him　accordinglymy　pedagogues　would　find　themselves
sorely　gravelled；　if　they　were　to　be　judged　by　the　affidavits　of　my
experience。　　My　Perigordin　patois　very　pleasantly　calls　these　pretenders
to　learning；　'lettre…ferits'；　as　a　man　should　say；　letter…markedmen　on
whom　letters　have　been　stamped　by　the　blow　of　a　mallet。　　And；　in　truth；
for　the　most　part；　they　appear　to　be　deprived　even　of　common　sense；　for
you　see　the　husbandman　and　the　cobbler　go　simply　and　fairly　about　their
business；　speaking　only　of　what　they　know　and　understand；　whereas　these
fellows；　to　make　parade　and　to　get　opinion；　mustering　this　ridiculous
knowledge　of　theirs；　that　floats　on　the　superficies　of　the　brain；　are
perpetually　perplexing；　and　entangling　themselves　in　their　own　nonsense。
They　speak　fine　words　sometimes；　'tis　true；　but　let　somebody　that　is
wiser　apply　them。　　They　are　wonderfully　well　acquainted　with　Galen；　but
not　at　all　with　the　disease　of　the　patient；　they　have　already　deafened
you　with　a　long　ribble…row　of　laws；　but　understand　nothing　of　the　case　in
hand；　they　have　the　theory　of　all　things；　let　who　will　put　it　in
practice。

I　have　sat　by；　when　a　friend　of　mine；　in　my　own　house；　for　sport…sake；
has　with　one　of　these　fellows　counterfeited　a　jargon　of　Galimatias；
patched　up　of　phrases　without　head　or　tail；　saving　that　he　interlarded
here　and　there　some　terms　that　had　relation　to　their　dispute；　and　held
the　coxcomb　in　play　a　whole　afternoon　together；　who　all　the　while　thought
he　had　answered　pertinently　and　learnedly　to　all　his　objections；　and　yet
this　was　a　man　of　letters；　and　reputation；　and　a　fine　gentleman　of　the
long　robe：

　　　　　　　　　〃Vos；　O　patricius　sanguis；　quos　vivere　par　est
　　　　　　　　　　Occipiti　caeco；　posticae　occurrite　sannae。〃

　　　　　＇〃O　you；　of　patrician　blood；　to　whom　it　is　permitted　to　live
　　　　　with（out）　eyes　in　the　back　of　your　head；　beware　of　grimaces　at　you
　　　　　from　behind。〃Persius；　Sat。；　i。　61。＇

Whosoever　shall　narrowly　pry　into　and　thoroughly　sift　this　sort　of
people；　wherewith　the　world　is　so　pestered；　will；　as　I　have　done；　find；
that　for　the　most　part；　they　neither　understand　others；　nor　themselves；
and　that　their　memories　are　full　enough；　but　the　judgment　totally　void
and　empty；　some　excepted；　whose　own　nature　has　of　itself　formed　them　into
better　fashion。　　As　I　have　observed；　for　example；　in　Adrian　Turnebus；　who
having　never　made　other　profession　than　that　of　mere　learning　only；　and
in　that；　in　my　opinion；　he　was　the　greatest　man　that　has　been　these
thousand　years；　had　nothing　at　all　in　him　of　the　pedant；　but　the　wearing
of　his　gown；　and　a　little　exterior　fashion；　that　could　not　be　civilised
to　courtier　ways；　which　in　themselves　are　nothing。　　I　hate　our　people；
who　can　worse　endure　an　ill…contrived　robe　than　an　ill…contrived　mind；
and　take　their　measure　by　the　leg　a　man　makes；　by　his　behaviour；　and　so
much　as　the　very　fashion　of　his　boots；　what　kind　of　man　he　is。　　For
within　there　was　not　a　more　polished　soul　upon　earth。　　I　have　often
purp