to judge it to be any motive of glory; for it would be a strange ambition to seek to gain honour by an action my gardener or my groom can perform as well as I. Certainly I have not a heart so tumorous and windy that I should exchange so solid a pleasure as health for an airy and imaginary pleasure. Glory, even that of the four sons of Aymon, is too dear bought to a man of my humour, if it cost him three swinging fits of the stone. Give me health, in God's name! Such as love physic may also have great and convincing considerations; I do not hate opinions contrary to my own; I am so far from being angry to see a disagreement betwixt mine and other men's judgments, and from rendering myself unfit for the society of men, by being of another sense and party than mine, that on the contrary (the most general way that nature has followed being variety, and more in souls than bodies, forasmuch as they are of a more supple substance, and more susceptible of forms), I find it much more rare to see our humours and designs jump and agree. And there never was in the world two opinions alike, no more than two hairs or two grains; the most universal quality is diversity. THE THIRD BOOK. CHAPTER I. OF PROFIT AND HONESTY. No man is free from saying silly things; but the misfortune is when we endeavour to give them an air of importance :Næ iste magno conatu magnas nugas dixerit.1 "The man, in troth, with much ado, Has proved that one and one make two." This no way regards me: mine escape me with as much indifference as they are little worth; and so much the better; I would immediately part with them for what they cost me, and neither buy nor sell them but according to their weight; I write as I speak in common conversation; and that this is true, I here give you an example. To whom ought not perfidy to be hateful, when even TibeTreachery rejected rius himself refused it in an affair of the greatby Tiberius. est importance to him? Advice was sent him from Germany that, if he thought fit, they would rid him of Arminius by poison; 2 Arminius, the greatest and most powerful enemy the Romans had to deal with, who had destroyed their legions under the conduct of Varus, and was the only obstacle to the enlargement of their dominions in that country. But Tiberius made answer, "That the Romans were used to take vengeance on their enemies by open and hon1 Terent. Heaut. iii. 5, 8. 2 Tacitus, Annal, ii. 88. ourable means, with their swords in their hands, and not by fraud and deceit." Here utility and policy gave place to honesty. You will tell me that he was an impudent deceiver himself, and spoke contrary to his sentiments; I believe he did; it is no great miracle in men of his profession. But the acknowledgment due to virtue is not the less valid for being found in the mouth of a bad man; inasmuch as truth wrings it from him, and though he will not receive it in his heart, he at least wears it as a useful disguise. Our outward and inward frame is full of imperfection; but there is nothing useless in nature, not even inutility itself; nothing having slipped into this universe that does not possess some proper place in it. Our being is cemented with sickly qualities; ambition, jealousy, envy, revenge, superstition, and despair, have so natural a possession in us, that the image is discerned in beasts; even that unnatural vice cruelty itself; for, though ever so compassionate, we feel within I know not what tart, sweet, malicious pleasure in seeing others suffer; children themselves feel it : Suave mari magno, turbantibus æquora ventis, "'Tis sweet from land to see a storm at sea, And others sinking, whilst ourselves are free:" vices all governments. whoever should divest man of the seeds of these qualities would destroy the fundamental conditions of human life. So in all governments there are necessary offices, Vices necessary in which are not only vile, but vicious too; have there a place, and help to make up the seam in our piecing, as poisons are useful for the preservation of health. If they become excusable because they are of use to us, and that the common necessity covers their true qualities, we are to resign this part to the most robust and least fearful of the people, who sacrifice their honour and conscience, as others of old sacrificed their lives for the good of their country; we who are weaker take upon us the parts that are both more 8 Lucret. ii. 1. easy and less hazardous. The public good requires that men should betray, and lie, and murder; but let us leave this commission to those that are more pliable and obedient. Certes, I have often been vexed to see judges impudently making use of fraud and false hopes of pardon and favour to cozen a poor criminal into a confession of the fact alleged against him. It would become justice, and Plato himself, who countenances this manner of proceeding, to furnish me with other means more worthy of my approbation: this is a malicious justice, and I look upon it as no less violated by itself, than by others. I replied to one, not long since, that I who should hardly be drawn in to betray my prince for any private man, should be very much ashamed to betray any private man for my prince; and I do not only hate being a deceiver myself, but that any one should deceive me or others by my means; I will neither afford matter nor occasion to any such thing. In the little I have had to negotiate betwixt our princes,1 in the divisions and subdivisions by which we are at this time torn to pieces, I have been very careful Montaigne a very tender conscienced that they should neither be deceived in me, nor negotiator. deceive others by me. People of that sort of trade are very reserved, and pretend to be the most moderate imaginable, and to chime in as much as possible with the opinion of those with whom they have to do; but, for my part, I show myself in my true opinion, and in a form as much my own as I can; a novice and raw negotiator, I had rather fail in the affair I am about, than be wanting to myself. And yet I have hitherto had the good luck (for fortune has doubtless the best share in it), that little has passed from hand to hand with less suspicion, or with more favour and secrecy. I have a free and open way that easily insinuates itself, and obtains belief with those with whom I am to deal, at the first meeting. Sincerity, and pure truth, in what age 1 Between the King of Navarre, afterwards Henry IV. of France, and the Duke of Guise, Henry of Lorraine See De Thou, de Vitâ Sua, iii. 9. soever, find their opportunity and advantage; and besides, the liberty and freedom of a man, who treats without any interest of his own, is never hateful or suspected; and he may very well make use of the answer of Hyperides to the Athenians, who complained of his harsh way of speaking to them: "Gentlemen, do not consider whether or no I am freespoken, but whether I am so without a bribe, and without any advantage to my own affairs."1 My freedom of speech has also easily acquitted me from all suspicion of dissembling; my vehemency leaving nothing unsaid, how home and bitter soever (so that I could not have said worse behind their backs), and carrying along with it a manifest show of simplicity and indifference. I pretend to no other fruit by acting than to act, and add to it no long windings-up nor proposals; every action plays its own game; win if it can. As to the rest, I am not biassed by any passion, either of love or hatred towards the great, nor have my will fettered either by particular injury or obligation. I look upon our kings with an affection simply loyal and respectful, neither prompted on, nor restrained by, any private interest, and I love myself for it. Neither does the general or just cause attract me otherwise than with moderation, and without animosity. I am not subject to all-in-all, thorough-going engagements. Anger and hatred are beyond the duty of justice; and are passions only useful to those who do not keep themselves strictly to their duty by simple reason: Utatur motu animi qui uti ratione non potest.2 "He only employs his passion that can make no use of his reason." All lawful and equitable intentions are moderate and equable of themselves; if otherwise, they degenerate into seditious and unlawful; this is it which makes me walk everywhere with my head erect, my face and heart open. To confess the truth, and I am not afraid to confess it, I should easily, in case of need, light up one candle to St. Michael, and another 1 Plutarch, On the Difference between a Flatterer and a Friend, c. 24. 2 Cicero, Tusc. Quæs. iv. 25. |