"all papers, that write out of what they presently "find or meet, without choice; by which means it "happens, that what they have discredited and im 66 pugned in one week, they have before or after "extolled the same in another. Such are all the "essayists, even their master Montaigne. These, "in all they write, confess still what books they "have read last; and therein their own folly, so much, that they bring it to the stake raw and undigested: not that the place did need it neither; "but that they thought themselves furnished and "would vent it." What he wanted, indeed, he took without hesitation, and was never particular whence he procured the straw, so that it was capable of being 66 66 66 made into good bricks. "If I wish to give an appearance of reading to this Essay on Physiognomy,'" says he, says he, "I have only to stretch out my “hand and take down a dozen books consisting of "extracts strung together. A single German pre"face would supply me with a store of learning." And he has certainly availed himself of the plan, for the reader will have difficulty in some of the essays in discovering what is meant to be considered original and what borrowed. Towards the decline of his life-at a time of age, however, when with us statesmen and lawyers are considered young men-the little fellow, in 66 HIS COARSENESS. 153 several of his essays, and notably in that on some verses by Virgil, is solicitous to tell us that he is going to be naughty. He is careful to warn us of what is coming, and deprecates blame by giving us examples of others before him who have been as naughty as he intends to be. "Fallen into the ex"treme of severity, more peevish and more untoward," he purposely gave way to licentious allurements, and, now and then, permitted his mind to indulge "in wanton and youthful conceits," for the purpose of recreating itself. He wishes us to understand that, hitherto, he had defended himself from pleasure. Wisdom, however, has her excesses, " and is not less in need of moderation than madness. "Therefore, for fear I should dry, shrivel up, and become ponderous by prudence, in the intervals which "my sufferings grant me, I gently turn aside and escape from the sight of that stormy and cloudy sky "which spreads before me; which, thank God, I con“sider without affright, but not without application "and study." So he wilfully turns away from serious matters, and ceases for a time to contemplate the tempestuous sky which constantly lowered before him. He amused himself and the reader with remembrances of his youthful days; and youthful tricks, long since forgotten, were brought up to the session of sweet silent thought. "For my part," 66 66 says he, "I am displeased with thoughts not to be "published, and am resolved to dare speak whatsothoughts that cannot be pub "ever I dare do; and "lished displease me. "conditions does not The worst of my actions and seem to me so ugly as the "cowardice of not daring to confess it." We look for great things after this avowal, but at last-and this is to his praise-he is never very naughty; but only very coarse. If he is at fault, he is to be blamed, not for calling a spade a spade, but for making a spade the subject of his discourse. Those who dislike to hear things called by their names must not sit under our Gascon preacher. He does not, however, excite the passions; this was not his aim. He is writing about man as man, and will not abstract that which belongs to him as member of a Religious Tract Society from that which belongs to him in common with the other animals. He hates a wayward and sad disposition that glideth over the pleasures of his life and fastens and feeds on the miseries. He will be no voluntary martyr. He loved life and cultivated it, and lamented nothing that gave pleasure. "I do not regret the necessity "of eating and drinking, and should think myself 66 wrong in desiring that necessity to be less." He did not claim for us too high an origin. "We may "mount upon stilts if we will, for on stilts we HIS FRANKNESS. 155 "are still obliged to use our legs; and on the highest "throne in the world we place what we place on the "lowest stool. The finest lives, to my mind, are those "which do agree with the common and human model "with order, without miracle, without extravagance." 66 This is not contemptible philosophy. Montaigne's personal confessions are as inaccurate as those of Goethe; but he has been so communicative and so explicit in speaking of himself, that if we do not know him we know more about him than we do of most other men. He has the credit of being the frankest of all writers. He talks so much about himself that you may be tempted to fancy he gives you a photograph of his peculiarities. But do you believe in the sincerity of his continual self-depreciation ? When he takes you by the button, and, on tip-toe. jabbers away in a loud, shrill voice, sometimes rather too long-windedly, about his inability to dance, or swim, or fence, or wrestle like other people, do you believe he is despising himself for this?* When 66 * "Of addressing, dexteretie, and disposition, I never had any, yet am I the son of a well disposed father, and of so "blithe and merry a disposition, that it continued with him even to his extreamest age. He seldome found any man of 66 he confesses his ignorance of the value of the coinage, and of the difference between barley and oats, or tells you he could not understand why leaven is put into bread, or how the apple gets into the dumpling, and therefore considers himself a lumberheaded old fool, do you take him at his word? Of all these things he was undoubtedly ignorant. But could not any of the retainers on his estate have enlightened him on these heads, and do you suppose Lord Michael de Montaigne, as Florio styles him, of 66 "his condition, and that could match him in all exercises of the body; As I have found few, that have not out-gon me, except it were in running, wherein I was of the middle sort. "As for musicke, were it either in voice, which I have most “harsh, and very unapt, or in instruments, I could never be taught any part of it. As for dancing, playing at tennis, or wrestling; I could never attaine to any indifferent sufficiencie; "but none at all in swimming, in fencing, in vauting, or in 'leaping. My hands are so stiffe and nummie, that I can 66 66 66 hardly write for myselfe, so that what I have once scribled, "I had rather frame it a new, than take the paines to correct "it; and I reade but little better. I perceive how the audi"torie censureth me: Otherwise I am no bad clarke, I cannot very wel close up a letter; nor could I ever make a pen. I was never good carver at the table. I could never make "readie nor arme a Horse: Nor handsomely array a Hawke upon my fist, nor cast her off, or let her flie, nor could I ever "speake to Dogges, to Birds, or to Horses. The conditions of 66 66 my body are, in fine, very well agreeing with those of my "minde.”—On Presumption. Florio's Translation. |