Essais Chapitre 12

(Livre III, p. 459-470).Michel de MontaigneVLivre III12. De la physionomieMontaigne - Essais, Éd de Bordeaux, 3.djvuMontaigne - Essais, Éd de Bordeaux, 3.djvu/1459-470

De la Phisionomie. Chap. XII.

QVASI toutes les opinions que nous avons sont prinses par authorité et à credit. Il n’y a point de mal : nous ne sçaurions pirement choisir que par nous, en un siecle si foible. Cette image des discours de Socrates que ses amys nous ont laissée, nous ne l’approuvons que pour la reverence de l’approbation publique ; ce n’est pas par nostre cognoissance : ils ne sont pas selon nostre usage. S’il naissoit à cette heure quelque chose de pareil, il est peu d’hommes qui le prisassent. Nous n’apercevons les graces que pointues, bouffies et enflées d’artifice. Celles qui coulent soubs la nayfveté et la simplicité eschapent ayséement à une veue grossiere comme est la nostre : elles ont une beauté delicate et cachée ; il faut la veue nette et bien purgée pour descouvrir cette secrette lumiere. Est pas la naifveté, selon nous, germeine à la sottise, et qualité de reproche ? Socrates faict mouvoir son ame d’un mouvement naturel et commun. Ainsi dict un paysan, ainsi dict une femme. Il n’a jamais en la bouche que cochers, menuisiers, savetiers et maçons. Ce sont inductions et similitudes tirées des plus vulgaires et cogneues actions des hommes ; chacun l’entend. Soubs une si vile forme nous n’eussions jamais choisi la noblesse et splendeur de ses conceptions admirables, nous, qui estimons plates et basses toutes celles que la doctrine ne releve, qui n’apercevons la richesse qu’en montre et en pompe. Nostre monde n’est formé qu’à l’ostentation : les hommes ne s’enflent que de vent, et se manient à bonds, comme les balons. Cettuy-cy ne se propose point des vaines fantasies : sa fin fut nous fournir de choses et de preceptes qui reelement et plus jointement servent à la vie,

xxxxxxx servare modum, finemque tenere,

Naturamque sequi.

Il fut aussi tousjours un et pareil, et se monta, non par saillies mais par complexion, au dernier poinct de vigueur. Ou, pour mieux dire, il ne monta rien, mais ravala plustost et ramena à son point originel et naturel, et lui soubmit la vigueur, les aspretez et les difficultez. Car, en Caton, on void bien à clair que c’est une alleure tendue bien loing au dessus des
communes : aux braves exploits de sa vie, et en sa mort, on le sent tousjours monté sur ses grands chevaux. Cettuy-cy ralle à terre, et d’un pas mol et ordinaire traicte les plus utiles discours ; et se conduict et à la mort et aux plus espineuses traverses qui se puissent presenter au trein de la vie humaine. Il est bien advenu que le plus digne homme d’estre cogneu et d’estre presenté au monde pour exemple, ce soit celuy duquel nous ayons plus certaine cognoissance. Il a esté esclairé par les plus clair voyans hommes qui furent onques : les tesmoins que nous avons de luy sont admirables en fidelité et en suffisance. C’est grand cas d’avoir peu donner tel ordre aux pures imaginations d’un enfant, que, sans les alterer ou estirer, il en ait produict les plus beaux effects de nostre ame. Il ne la represente ny eslevée ny riche ; il ne la represente que saine, mais certes d’une bien allegre et nette santé. Par ces vulguaires ressorts et naturels, par ces fantasies ordinaires et communes, sans s’esmouvoir et sans se piquer, il dressa non seulement les plus reglées, mais les plus hautes et vigoreuses creances, actions et meurs qui furent onques. C’est luy qui ramena du ciel, où elle perdoit son temps, la sagesse humaine, pour la rendre à l’homme, où est sa plus juste et plus laborieuse besoigne, et plus utile. Voyez le plaider devant ses juges, voyez par qu’elles raisons il esveille son courage aux hazards de la guerre, quels arguments fortifient sa patience contre la calomnie, la tyrannie, la mort et contre la teste de sa femme : il n’y a rien d’emprunté de l’art et des sciences ; les plus simples y recognoissent leurs moyens et leur force ; il n’est possible d’aller plus arriere et plus bas. Il a faict grand faveur à l’humaine nature de montrer combien elle peut d’elle mesme. Nous sommes chacun plus riche que nous ne pensons ; mais on nous dresse à l’emprunt et à la queste : on nous duict à nous servir plus de l’autruy que du nostre. En aucune chose l’homme ne sçait s’arrester au point de son besoing : de volupté, de richesse, de puissance, il en embrasse plus qu’il n’en peut estreindre ; son avidité est incapable de moderation. Je trouve qu’en curiosité de sçavoir il en est de mesme : il se taille de la besongne bien plus qu’il n’en peut faire et bien plus qu’il n’en a affaire, estendant l’utilité du sçavoir autant qu’est sa matiere. Ut omnium rerum, sic literarum quoque intemperantia laboramus. Et Tacitus a raison de louer la mere d’Agricola d’avoir bridé en son fils un appetit trop bouillant de science. C’est un bien, à le regarder d’yeux fermes, qui a, comme les autres biens des hommes, beaucoup de vanité et foiblesse propre et naturelle, et d’un cher coust. L’emploite en est bien plus hazardeuse que de toute autre viande ou boisson. Car au reste, ce que nous avons achetté nous l’emportons au logis en quelque vaisseau ; et là avons loy d’en examiner la valeur, combien et à quelle heure nous en prendrons. Mais les sciences, nous ne les pouvons d’arrivée mettre en autre vaisseau qu’en nostre ame : nous les avallons en les achettant, et sortons du marché ou infects desjà ou amendez. Il y en a qui ne font que nous empescher et charger au lieu de nourrir, et telles encore qui, sous tiltre de nous guerir, nous empoisonnent. J’ay pris plaisir de voir en quelque lieu des hommes, par devotion, faire veu d’ignorance, comme de chasteté, de pauvreté, de poenitence. C’est aussi chastrer nos appetits desordonnez, d’esmousser cette cupidité qui nous espoinçonne à l’estude des livres, et priver l’ame de cette complaisance voluptueuse qui nous chatouille par l’opinion de science. Et est richement accomplir le vœu de pauvreté, d’y joindre encore celle de l’esprit. Il ne nous faut guiere de doctrine pour vivre à nostre aise. Et Socrates nous aprend qu’elle est en nous, et la manière de l’y trouver et de s’en ayder. Toute cette nostre suffisance, qui est au delà de la naturelle, est à peu pres vaine et superflue. C’est beaucoup si elle ne nous charge et trouble plus qu’elle ne nous sert. Paucis opus est litteris ad mentem bonam. Ce sont des excez fievreux de nostre esprit, instrument brouillon et inquiete. Recueillez vous ; vous trouverez en vous les arguments de la nature contre la mort, vrais, et les plus propres à vous servir à la necessité : ce sont ceux qui font mourir un paisan et des peuples entiers aussi constamment qu’un philosophe. Fussé je mort moins allegrement avant qu’avoir veu les Tusculanes ? J’estime que non. Et quand je me trouve au propre, je sens que ma langue s’est enrichie, mon courage de rien ; il est comme Nature me le forgea, et se targue pour le conflict d’une marche populaire et commune. Les livres m’ont servi non tant d’instruction que d’exercitation. Quoy ? si la science, essayant de nous armer de nouvelles deffences contre les inconveniens naturels, nous a plus imprimé en la fantasie leur grandeur et leur pois, qu’elle n’a ses raisons et subtilitez à nous en couvrir. Ce sont voirement subtilitez, par où elle nous esveille souvent bien vainement. Les autheurs, mesmes plus serrez et plus sages, voiez autour d’un bon argument combien ils en sement d’autres legers et, qui y regarde de pres, incorporels. Ce ne sont qu’arguties verbales, qui nous trompent. Mais d’autant que ce peut estre utilement, je ne les veux pas autrement esplucher. Il y en a ceans assez de cette condition en divers lieux, ou par emprunt ou par imitation. Si se faut-il prendre un peu garde de n’appeller pas force ce qui n’est que gentillesse, et ce qui n’est qu’aigu, solide, ou bon ce qui n’est que beau : quae magis gustata quam potata delectant. Tout ce qui plaist ne paist pas. Ubi non ingenii sed animi negotium agitur. A voir les efforts que Seneque se donne pour se preparer contre la mort, à le voir suer d’ahan pour se roidir et pour s’asseurer et se desbatre si long temps en cette perche, j’eusse esbranlé sa reputation, s’il ne l’eut en mourant tres-vaillamment maintenue. Son agitation si ardante, si frequente, montre qu’il estoit chaud et impetueux luy mesmes. Magnus animus remissius loquitur et securius. Non est alius ingenio, alius animo color. Il le faut convaincre à ses despens. Et montre aucunement qu’il estoit pressé de son adversaire. La façon de Plutarque, d’autant qu’elle est plus desdaigneuse et plus destendue, elle est, selon moy, d’autant plus virile et persuasive : je croyrois ayséement que son ame avoit les mouvements plus asseurez et plus reiglés. L’un, plus vif, nous pique et eslance en sursaut, touche plus l’esprit. L’autre, plus rassis, nous informe, establit et conforte constamment, touche plus l’entendement. Celuy là ravit nostre jugement, cestuy-cy le gaigne. J’ay veu pareillement d’autres escrits encore plus reverez, qui, en la peinture du conflit qu’ils soutiennent contre les aiguillons de la chair, les representent si cuisants, si puissants et invincibles que nous mesmes, qui sommes de la voirie du peuple, avons autant à admirer l’estrangeté et vigueur incognue de leur tentation que leur resistance. A quoi faire nous allons nous gendarmant par ces efforts de la science ? Regardons à terre les pauvres gens que nous y voyons espandus, la teste penchante apres leur besongne, qui ne sçavent ny Aristote ny Caton, ny exemple, ny precepte : de ceux là tire nature tous les jours des effects de constance et de patience, plus purs et plus roides que ne sont ceux que nous estudions si curieusement en l’escole. Combien en vois je ordinairement, qui mescognoissent la pauvreté ? combien qui desirent la mort, ou qui la passent sans alarme et sans affliction ? Celuy là qui fouyt mon jardin, il a ce matin enterré son pere ou son fils. Les noms mesme de quoy ils appellent les maladies en adoucissent et amollissent l’aspreté : la phtisie c’est la tous pour eux ; la dysenterie, devoyement d’estomac ; un pleuresis, c’est un morfondement ; et selon qu’ils les nomment doucement, ils les supportent aussi. Elles sont bien griefves quand elles rompent leur travail ordinaire ; ils ne s’allitent que pour mourir. Simplex illa et aperta virtus in obscuram et solertem scientiam versa est. J’escrivois cecy environ le temps qu’une forte charge de nos troubles se croupit plusieurs mois, de tout son pois, droict sur moy. J’avois d’une part les ennemys à ma porte, d’autre part les picoreurs, pires ennemys : non armis sed vitiis certatur ; et essayois toute sorte d’injures militaires à la fois.

Hostis adest dextra levaque à parte timendus,

xxxxxxxx Vicinoque malo terret utrumque latus.

Monstrueuse guerre : les autres agissent au dehors ; cette-cy encore contre soy se ronge et se desfaict par son propre venin. Elle est de nature si maligne et ruineuse qu’elle se ruine quand et quand le reste, et se deschire et desmembre de rage. Nous la voyons plus souvent se dissoudre par elle mesme que par disette d’aucune chose necessaire, ou par la force ennemye. Toute discipline la fuyt. Elle vient guarir la sedition et en est pleine, veut chastier la desobeyssance et en montre l’exemple ; et, employée à la deffence des loix, faict sa part de rebellion à l’encontre des siennes propres. Où en sommes nous ? Nostre medecine porte infection,

Nostre mal s’empoisonne

Du secours qu’on luy donne.

xxxxxxxx exuperat magis aegrescitque medendo.

Omnia fanda, nefanda, malo permista furore,

Justificam nobis mentem avertere Deorum.

En ces maladies populaires, on peut distinguer sur le commencement les sains des malades ; mais quand elles viennent à durer, comme la nostre, tout le corps s’en sent, et la teste et les talons ; aucune partye n’est exempte de corruption. Car il n’est air qui se hume si gouluement, qui s’espande et penetre, comme faict la licence. Nos armées ne se lient et tiennent plus que par simant estranger ; des françois on ne sçait plus faire un corps d’armée constant et reglé. Qu’elle honte ! Il n’y a qu’autant de discipline que nous en font voir des soldats empruntez ; quant à nous, nous nous conduisons à discretion, et non pas du chef, chacun selon la sienne : il a plus affaire au dedans qu’au dehors. C’est au commandant de suivre, courtizer et plier, à luy seul d’obeir ; tout le reste est libre et dissolu. Il me plaist de voir combien il y a de lascheté et de pusillanimité en l’ambition, par combien d’abjection et de servitude il luy faut arriver à son but. Mais cecy me deplaist il de voir des natures debonnaires et capables de justice, se corrompre tous les jours au maniement et commandement de cette confusion. La longue souffrance engendre la coustume, la coustume le consentement et l’imitation. Nous avions assez d’ames mal nées sans gaster les bonnes et genereuses. Si que, si nous continuons, il restera mal-ayséement à qui fier la santé de cet estat, au cas que fortune nous la redonne.

Hunc saltem everso Juvenem succurrere seclo

Ne prohibite.

Qu’est devenu cet ancien praecepte, que les soldats ont plus à craindre leur chef que a l’ennemy ? et ce merveilleux exemple, qu’un pommier s’estant trouvé enfermé dans le pourpris du camp de l’armée Romaine, elle fut veue l’endemain en desloger, laissant au possesseur le comte entier de ses pommes meures et delicieuses ? J’aymeroy bien que nostre jeunesse, au lieu du temps qu’elle employe à des peregrinations moins utiles et apprentissages moins honorables, elle le mist moitié à veoir de la guerre sur mer, sous quelque bon capitaine commandeur de Rhodes, moitié à recognoistre la discipline des armées Turkesques, car elle a beaucoup de differences et d’advantages sur la nostre. Cecy en est, que nos soldats deviennent plus licencieux aux expeditions, là plus retenus et craintifs ; car les offences ou larrecins sur le menu peuple, qui se punissent de bastonades en la paix, sont capitales en guerre ; pour un oeuf prins sans payer ce sont, de conte prefix, cinquante coups de baston ; pour toute autre chose, tant legere soit elle, non propre à la nourriture, on les empale ou decapite sans deport. Je me suis estonné en l’histoire de Selim, le plus cruel conquerant qui fut onques, veoir, lorsqu’il subjugua l’Aegypte, que les admirables jardins, qui sont autour de la ville de Damas en abondance et delicatesse, restarent vierges des mains de ses soldats, tous ouvers et non clos comme ils sont. Mais est-il quelque mal en une police qui vaille estre combatu par une drogue si mortelle ? Non pas, disoit Faonius, l’usurpation de la possession tyrannique d’un estat. Platon de mesme ne consent pas qu’on face violence au repos de son pays pour le guerir, et n’accepte pas l’amendement, qui couste le sang et ruine des citoyens, establissant l’office d’un homme de bien, en ce cas, de laisser tout là ; seulement de prier Dieu qu’il y porte sa main extraordinaire. Et semble sçavoir mauvais gré à Dion, son grand amy, d’y avoir un peu autrement procedé. J’estois Platonicien de ce costé là, avant que je sçeusse qu’il y eust de Platon au monde. Et si ce personnage doit purement estre refusé de nostre consorce, luy qui, par la sincerité de sa conscience, merita envers la faveur divine de penetrer si avant en la Chrestienne lumiere, au travers des tenebres publiques du monde de son temps, je ne pense pas qu’il nous siese bien de nous laisser instruire à un payen. Combien c’est d’impieté de n’attendre de Dieu nul secours simplement sien et sans nostre cooperation. Je doubte souvent si, entre tant de gens qui se meslent de telle besoigne, nul s’est rencontré d’entendement si imbecille, à qui on aye en bon escient persuadé qu’il alloit vers la reformation par la derniere des difformations, qu’il tiroit vers son salut par les plus expresses causes que nous ayons de tres-certaine damnation, que, renversant la police, le magistrat et les loix en la tutelle desquelles Dieu l’a colloqué, desmembrant sa mere et en donnant à ronger les pieces à ses anciens ennemis, remplissant des haines parricides les courages fraternels, appellant à son ayde les diables et les furies, il puisse apporter secours à la sacrosaincte douceur et justice de la parole divine. L’ambition, l’avarice, la cruauté, la vengeance n’ont point assez de propre et naturelle impetuosité ; amorchons les et les attisons par le glorieux titre de justice et devotion. Il ne se peut imaginer un pire visage des choses qu’où la meschanceté vient à estre legitime, et prendre, avec le congé du magistrat, le manteau de la vertu. Nihil in speciem fallacius quam prava relligio, ubi deorum numen praetenditur sceleribus. L’extreme espece d’injustice, selon Platon, c’est que ce qui est injuste soit tenu pour juste. Le peuple y souffrit bien largement lors, non les dommages presens seulement,

undique totis

Usque adeo turbatur agris,

mais les futurs aussi. Les vivans y eurent à patir ; si eurent ceux qui n’estoient encore nays. On le pilla, et à moy par consequent, jusques à l’esperance, luy ravissant tout ce qu’il avoit à s’aprester à vivre pour longues années.

Quae nequeunt secum ferre aut abducere perdunt,

Et cremat insontes turba scelesta casas.

Muris nulla fides, squallent populatibus agri.

Outre cette secousse, j’en souffris d’autres. J’encorus les inconveniens que la moderation aporte en telles maladies. Je fus pelaudé à toutes mains : au Gibelin j’estois Guelphe, au Guelphe Gibelin ; quelqu’un de mes poetes dict bien cela, mais je ne sçay où c’est. La situation de ma maison et l’acointance des hommes de mon voisinage me presentoient d’un visage, ma vie et mes actions d’un autre. Il ne s’en faisoit point des accusations formées, car il n’y avoit où mordre ; je ne desempare jamais les loix ; et qui m’eust recerché, m’en eust deu de reste. C’estoyent suspitions muettes qui couroient sous main, ausquelles il n’y a jamais faute d’apparence en un meslange si confus ; non plus que d’espris ou envieux ou ineptes. J’ayde ordinairement aux presomptions injurieuses que la Fortune seme contre moy par une façon que j’ay dés tousjours de fuir à me justifier, excuser et interpreter, estimant que c’est mettre ma conscience en compromis de playder pour elle. Perspicuitas enim argumentatione elevatur. Et comme si chacun voyoit en moy aussi clair que je fay, au lieu de me tirer arriere de l’accusation, je m’y avance et la renchery plustost par une confession ironique et moqueuse ; si je ne m’en tais tout à plat, comme de chose indigne de responce. Mais ceux qui le prennent pour une trop hautaine confiance ne m’en veulent gueres moins que ceux qui le prennent pour foiblesse d’une cause indefensible, nomméement les grands, envers lesquels faute de summission est l’extreme faute, rudes à toute justice qui se cognoist, qui se sent non demise, humble et suppliante. J’ay souvent heurté à ce pilier. Tant y a que de ce qui m’advint lors, un ambitieux s’en fut pandu ; si eust faict un avaritieux. Je n’ay soing quelconque d’acquerir.

Sit mihi quod nunc est, etiam minus, ut mihi vivam

Quod superest aevi, si quid superesse volent dii.

Mais les pertes qui me viennent par l’injure d’autruy, soit larrecin, soit violence, me pinsent environ comme à un homme malade et geiné d’avarice. L’offence a sans mesure plus d’aigreur que n’a la perte. Mille diverses sortes de maux accoureurent à moy à la file ; je les eusse plus gaillardement souffers à la foule. Je pensay desjà, entre mes amys, à qui je pourrois commettre une vieillesse necessiteuse et disgratiée ; apres avoir rodé les yeux partout, je me trouvay en pourpoint. Pour se laisser tomber à plomb, et de si haut, il faut que ce soit entre les bras d’une affection solide, vigoreuse et fortunée ; elles sont rares, s’il y en a. En fin je cogneuz que le plus seur estoit de me fier à moy-mesme de moy et de ma necessité, et s’il m’advenoit d’estre froidement en la grace de la fortune, que je me recommandasse de plus fort à la mienne, m’atachasse, regardasse de plus pres à moy. En toutes choses les hommes se jettent aux appuis estrangers pour espargner les propres, seuls certains et seuls puissans, qui sçait s’en armer. Chacun court ailleurs et à l’advenir, d’autant que nul n’est arrivé à soy. Et me resolus que c’estoyent utiles inconveniens. D’autant premierement qu’il faut avertir à coups de foyt les mauvais disciples, quand la rayson n’y peut assez, comme par le feu et violence des coins nous ramenons un bois tortu à sa droicteur. Je me presche il y a si long temps de me tenir à moy, et separer des choses estrangeres ; toutesfois je tourne encores tousjours les yeux à costé : l’inclination, un mot favorable d’un grand, un bon visage me tente. Dieu sçait s’il en est cherté en ce temps, et quel sens il porte J’oys encore sans rider le front les subornemens qu’on me faict pour me tirer en place marchande, et m’en deffens si mollement qu’il semble que je souffrisse plus volontiers d’en estre vaincu. Or à un esprit si indocile il faut des bastonnades ; et faut rebattre et resserrer à bons coups de mail ce vaisseau qui se desprent, se descout, qui s’eschape et desrobe de soy. Secondement, que cet accident me servoit d’exercitation pour me preparer à pis, si moy, qui, et par le benefice de la fortune et par la condition de mes meurs, esperois estre des derniers, venois à estre des premiers attrapé de cette tempeste : m’instruisant de bonne heure à contraindre ma vie et la renger pour un nouvel estat. La vraye liberté c’est pouvoir toute chose sur soy. Potentissimus est qui se habet in potestate. En un temps ordinaire et tranquille, on se prepare à des accidens moderez et communs ; mais en cette confusion où nous sommes dépuis trente ans, tout homme françois, soit en particulier soit en general, se voit à chaque heure sur le point de l’entier renversement de sa fortune. D’autant faut-il tenir son courage fourny de provisions plus fortes et vigoureuses. Sçachons gré au sort de nous avoir fait vivre en un siecle non mol, languissant ny oisif : tel, qui ne l’eut esté par autre moyen, se rendra fameux par son malheur. Comme je ne ly guere és histoires ces confusions des autres estats que je n’aye regret de ne les avoir peu mieux considerer présent, ainsi faict ma curiosité que je m’aggrée aucunement de veoir de mes yeux ce notable spectacle de nostre mort publique, ses symptomes et sa forme. Et puis que je ne la puis retarder, suis content d’estre destiné à y assister et m’en instruire. Si cherchons nous avidement de recognoistre en ombre mesme et en la fable des Theatres la montre des jeux tragiques de l’humaine fortune. Ce n’est pas sans compassion de ce que nous oyons, mais nous nous plaisons d’esveiller nostre desplaisir par la rareté de ces pitoyables evenemens. Rien ne chatouille qui ne pince. Et les bons historiens fuyent comme une eau dormante et mer morte des narrations calmes, pour regaigner les seditions, les guerres, où ils sçavent que nous les appellons. Je doute si je puis assez honnestement advouer à combien vil pris du repos et tranquillité de ma vie, je l’ay plus de moitié passée en la ruine de mon pays. Je me donne un peu trop bon marché de patience és accidens qui ne me saisissent au propre, et pour me plaindre à moy regarde, non tant ce qu’on m’oste, que ce qui me reste de sauve et dedans et dehors. Il y a de la consolation à eschever tantost l’un tantost l’autre des maux qui nous guignent de suite et assenent ailleurs autour de nous. Aussi qu’en matiere d’interests publiques, à mesure que mon affection est plus universellement espandue, elle en est plus foible. Joinct que certes à peu pres tantum ex publicis malis sentimus, quantum ad privatas res pertinet. Et que la santé d’où nous partismes estoit telle qu’elle soulage elle mesme le regret que nous en devrions avoir. C’estoit santé, mais non qu’à la comparaison de la maladie qui l’a suyvie. Nous ne sommes cheus de gueres haut. La corruption et le brigandage qui est en dignité et en ordre me semble le moins supportable. On nous volle moins injurieusement dans un bois qu’en lieu de seureté. C’estoit une jointure universelle de membres gastez en particulier à l’envy les uns des autres, et la plus part d’ulceres envieillis qui ne recevoient plus ny ne demandoient guerison. Ce crollement donq m’anima certes plus qu’il ne m’atterra, à l’aide de ma conscience qui se portoit non paisiblement seulement, mais fierement ; et ne trouvois en quoy me plaindre de moy. Aussi, comme Dieu n’envoie jamais non plus les maux que les biens tous purs aux hommes, ma santé tint bon ce temps là outre son ordinaire ; et, ainsi que sans elle je ne puis rien, il est peu de choses que je ne puisse avec elle. Elle me donna moyen d’esveiller toutes mes provisions et de porter la main au devant de la playe qui eust passé volontiers plus outre. Et esprouvay en ma patience que j’avoys quelque tenue contre la fortune, et qu’à me faire perdre mes arçons il me falloit un grand heurt. Je ne le dis pas pour l’irriter à me faire une charge plus vigoureuse. Je suis son serviteur, je luy tens les mains ; pour Dieu qu’elle se contente ! Si je sens ses assaux ? Si fais. Comme ceux que la tristesse accable et possede se laissent pourtant par intervalles tastonner à quelque plaisir et leur eschappe un soubsrire, je puis aussi assez sur moy pour rendre mon estat ordinaire paisible et deschargé d’ennuyeuse imagination ; mais je me laisse pourtant, à boutades, surprendre des morsures de ces malplaisantes pensées, qui me battent pendant que je m’arme pour les chasser ou pour les luicter. Voicy un autre rengregement de mal qui m’arriva à la suitte du reste. Et dehors et dedans ma maison, je fus accueilly d’une peste vehemente au pris de toute autre. Car, comme les corps sains sont subjects à plus griefves maladies, d’autant qu’ils ne peuvent estre forcez que par celles là, aussi mon air tres-salubre, où d’aucune memoire la contagion, bien que voisine, n’avoit sceu prendre pied, venant à s’empoisonner, produisit des effects estranges.

Mista senum et juvenum densantur funera, nullum

Saeva caput Proserpina fugit.

J’eus à souffrir cette plaisante condition que la veue de ma maison m’estoit effroiable. Tout ce qui y estoit estoit sans garde, et à l’abandon de qui en avoit envie. Moy qui suis si hospitalier, fus en tres penible queste de retraicte pour ma famille ; une famille esgarée, faisant peur à ses amis et à soy-mesme, et horreur où qu’elle cerchast à se placer, ayant à changer de demeure soudain qu’un de la troupe commençoit à se douloir du bout du doigt. Toutes maladies sont prises pour peste ; on ne se donne pas le loisir de les reconnoistre. Et c’est le bon que, selon les reigles de l’art, à tout danger qu’on approche il faut estre quarante jours en transe de ce mal, l’imagination vous exerceant ce pendant à sa mode et enfievrant vostre santé mesme. Tout cela m’eust beaucoup moins touché si je n’eusse eu à me ressentir de la peine d’autruy, et servir six mois miserablement de guide à cette caravane. Car je porte en moy mes preservatifs, qui sont resolution et souffrance. L’apprehension ne me presse guere, laquelle on crainct particulierement en ce mal. Et si, estant seul, je l’eusse voulu prendre, c’eust esté une fuite bien plus gaillarde et plus esloingnée. C’est une mort qui ne me semble des pires : elle est communéement courte, d’estourdissement, sans douleur, consolée par la condition publique, sans ceremonie, sans deuil, sans presse. Mais quant au monde des environs, la centiesme partie des ames ne se peust sauver :

videas desertaque regna

Pastorum, et longè saltus latéque vacantes.

En ce lieu mon meilleur revenu est manuel : ce que cent hommes travailloient pour moy chaume pour longtemps. Or lors, quel exemple de resolution ne vismes nous en la simplicité de tout ce peuple ? Generalement chacun renonçoit au soing de la vie. Les raisins demeurerent suspendus aux vignes, le bien principal du pays, tous indifferemment se preparans et attendans la mort à ce soir, ou au lendemain, d’un visage et d’une voix si peu effroyée qu’il sembloit qu’ils eussent compromis à cette necessité et que ce fut une condemnation universelle et inevitable. Elle est tousjours telle. Mais à combien peu tient la resolution au mourir : la distance et difference de quelques heures, la seule consideration de la compaignie nous en rend l’apprehension diverse. Voyez ceux cy : pour ce qu’ils meurent en mesme mois, enfans, jeunes, vieillards, ils ne s’estonnent plus, ils ne se pleurent plus. J’en vis qui craignoient de demeurer derriere, comme en une horrible solitude ; et n’y conneu communéement autre soing que des sepultures : il leur faschoit de voir les corps espars emmy les champs, à la mercy des bestes, qui y peuplerent incontinent. (Comment les fantasies humaines se decouppent : les Néorites, nation qu’Alexandre subjugua, jettent les corps des morts au plus profond de leurs bois pour y estre mangez, seule sepulture estimée entre eux heureuse). Tel, sain, faisoit desjà sa fosse ; d’autres s’y couchoient encore vivans. Et un maneuvre des miens à tout ses mains et ses pieds attira sur soy la terre en mourant : estoit ce pas s’abrier pour s’endormir plus à son aise ? D’une entreprise en hauteur aucunement pareille à celle des soldats Romains qu’on trouva, apres la journée de Cannes, la teste plongée dans des trous qu’ils avoient faicts et comblez de leurs mains en s’y suffoquant. Somme, toute une nation fut incontinent, par usage, logée en une marche qui ne cede en roideur à aucune resolution estudiée et consultée. La plus part des instructions de la science à nous encourager ont plus de montre que de force, et plus d’ornement que de fruict. Nous avons abandonné nature et luy voulons apprendre sa leçon, elle qui nous menoit si heureusement et si seurement. Et cependant les traces de son instruction et ce peu qui, par le benefice de l’ignorance, reste de son image empreint en la vie de cette tourbe rustique d’hommes impolis, la science est contrainte de l’aller tous les jours empruntant, pour en faire patron à ses disciples de constance, d’innocence et de tranquillité. Il faict beau voir que ceux-cy, plains de tant de belle cognoissance, ayent à imiter cette sotte simplicité, et à l’imiter aux premieres actions de la vertu, et que nostre sapience apreigne des bestes mesmes les plus utiles enseignemens aux plus grandes et necessaires parties de nostre vie : comme il nous faut vivre et mourir, mesnager nos biens, aymer et eslever nos enfans, entretenir justice, singulier tesmoignage de l’humaine maladie ; et que cette raison qui se manie à nostre poste, trouvant tousjours quelque diversité et nouvelleté, ne laisse chez nous aucune trace apparente de la nature. Et en ont faict les hommes comme les parfumiers de l’huile : ils l’ont sophistiquée de tant d’argumentations et de discours appellez du dehors, qu’elle en est devenue variable et particuliere à chacun, et a perdu son propre visage, constant et universel, et nous faut en cercher tesmoignage des bestes, non subject à faveur, corruption, ny à diversité d’opinions. Car il est bien vray qu’elles mesmes ne vont pas tousjours exactement dans la route de nature, mais ce qu’elles en desvoyent c’est si peu que vous en appercevez tousjours l’orniere. Tout ainsi que les chevaux qu’on meine en main font bien des bonds et des escapades, mais c’est la longueur de leurs longes, et suyvent ce neantmoins tousjours les pas de celuy qui les guide ; et comme l’oiseau prend son vol, mais sous la bride de sa filiere. Exilia, tormenta, bella, morbos, naufragia meditare, ut nullo sis malo tiro. A quoy nous sert cette curiosité de preoccuper tous les inconvenients de l’humaine nature, et nous preparer avec tant de peine à l’encontre de ceux mesme qui n’ont à l’avanture point à nous toucher ? Parem passis tristitiam facit, pati posse. Non seulement le coup, mais le vent et le pet nous frappe. Ou comme les plus fievreux, car certes c’est fiévre, aller des à cette heure vous faire donner le fouet, par ce qu’il peut advenir que fortune vous le fera souffrir un jour, et prendre vostre robe fourrée dés la Saint Jean parce que vous en aurez besoing à Noel ? Jettez vous en l’experience des maux qui vous peuvent arriver, nommément des plus extremes : esprouvez vous là, disent-ils, asseurez vous là. Au rebours, le plus facile et plus naturel seroit en descharger mesme sa pensée. Ils ne viendront pas assez tost, leur vray estre ne nous dure pas assez ; il faut que nostre esprit les estende et alonge et qu’avant la main il les incorpore en soy et s’en entretienne, comme s’ils ne poisoient pas raisonnablement à nos sens. Ils poiseront assez quand ils y seront, dit un des maistres, non de quelque tendre secte, mais de la plus dure. Cependant favorise toy ; croy ce que tu aimes le mieux. Que te sert il d’aller recueillant et prevenant ta male fortune, et de perdre le present par la crainte du futur, et estre à cette heure miserable par ce que tu le dois estre avec le temps ? Ce sont ses mots. La science nous faict volontiers un bon office de nous instruire bien exactement des dimentions des maux,

Curis acuens mortalia corda.

Ce seroit dommage si partie de leur grandeur eschapoit à nostre sentiment et cognoissance. Il est certain qu’à la plus part la preparation à la mort a donné plus de tourment que n’a faict la souffrance. Il fut jadis veritablement dict, et par un bien judicieux autheur : minus afficit sensus fatigatio quam cogitatio. Le sentiment de la mort presente nous anime parfois de soy mesme d’une prompte resolution de ne plus eviter chose du tout inevitable. Plusieurs gladiateurs se sont veus, au temps passé, apres avoir couardement combatu, avaller courageusement la mort, offrans leur gosier au fer de l’ennemy et le convians. La veue de la mort advenir a besoing d’une fermeté lente, et difficile par consequent à fournir. Si vous ne sçavez pas mourir, ne vous chaille ; nature vous en informera sur le champ, plainement et suffisamment ; elle fera exactement cette besongne pour vous ; n’en empeschez vostre soing.

Incertam frustra, mortales, funeris horam

Quaeritis, et qua sit mors aditura via.

Paena minor certam subito perferre ruinam,

Quod timeas gravius sustinuisse diu.

Nous troublons la vie par le soing de la mort, et la mort par le soing de la vie. L’une nous ennuye, l’autre nous effraye. Ce n’est pas contre la mort que nous nous preparons ; c’est chose trop momentanée. Un quart d’heure de passion sans consequence, sans nuisance, ne merite pas des preceptes particuliers. A dire vray, nous nous preparons contre les preparations de la mort. La philosophie nous ordonne d’avoir la mort tousjours devant les yeux, de la prevoir et considerer avant le temps, et nous donne apres les reigles et les precautions pour prouvoir à ce que cette prevoiance et cette pensée ne nous blesse. Ainsi font les medecins qui nous jettent aux maladies, affin qu’ils ayent où employer leurs drogues et leur art. Si nous n’avons sçeu vivre, c’est injustice de nous apprendre à mourir, et de difformer la fin de son tout. Si nous avons sçeu vivre constamment et tranquillement, nous sçaurons mourir de mesme. Ils s’en venteront tant qu’il leur plaira. Tota philosoforum vita commentatio mortis est. Mais il m’est advis que c’est bien le bout, non pourtant le but de la vie ; c’est sa fin, son extremité, non pourtant son object. Elle doit estre elle mesme à soy sa visée, son dessein ; son droit estude est se regler, se conduire, se souffrir. Au nombre de plusieurs autres offices que comprend ce general et principal chapitre de sçavoir vivre, est cet article de sçavoir mourir ; et des plus legiers si nostre crainte ne luy donnoit poids. A les juger par l’utilité et par la verité naifve, les leçons de la simplicité ne cedent gueres à celles que nous presche la doctrine au contraire. Les hommes sont divers en goust et en force ; il les faut mener à leur bien selon eux, et par routes diverses. Quo me cunque rapit tempestas, deferor hospes. Je ne vy jamais paysan de mes voisins entrer en cogitation de quelle contenance et asseurance il passeroit cette heure derniere. Nature luy apprend à ne songer à la mort que quand il se meurt. Et lors, il y a meilleure grace qu’Aristote, lequel la mort presse doublement, et par elle, et par une si longue prevoyance. Pourtant fut-ce l’opinion de Caesar que la moins pourpensée mort estoit la plus heureuse et plus deschargée. Plus dolet quam necesse est, qui antè dolet quam necesse est. L’aigreur de cette imagination naist de nostre curiosité. Nous nous empeschons tousjours ainsi, voulans devancer et regenter les prescriptions naturelles. Ce n’est qu’aux docteurs d’en disner plus mal, tous sains, et se refroigner de l’image de la mort. Le commun n’a besoing ny de remede ny de consolation qu’au coup, et n’en considere qu’autant justement qu’il en sent. Est-ce pas ce que nous disons, que la stupidité et faute d’apprehension du vulgaire luy donne cette patience aux maux presens et cette profonde nonchalance des sinistres accidens futurs ? que leur ame, pour estre crasse et obtuse, est moins penetrable et agitable ? Pour Dieu, s’il est ainsi, tenons d’ores en avant escolle de bestise. C’est l’extreme fruict que les sciences nous promettent auquel cette-cy conduict si doucement ses disciples. Nous n’aurons pas faute de bons regens, interpretes de la simplicité naturelle. Socrates en sera l’un. Car, de ce qu’il m’en souvient, il parle environ en ce sens aux juges qui deliberent de sa vie : J’ay peur, messieurs, si je vous prie de ne me faire mourir, que je m’enferre en la delation de mes accusateurs, qui est que je fais plus l’entendu que les autres, comme ayant quelque cognoissance plus cachée des choses qui sont au dessus et au dessous de nous. Je sçay que je n’ay ny frequenté ny recogneu la mort, ny n’ay veu personne qui ayt essayé ses qualitez pour m’en instruire. Ceux qui la craingnent presupposent la cognoistre. Quant à moy, je ne sçay ny quelle elle est, ny quel il faict en l’autre monde. A l’avanture est la mort chose indifferente, à l’avanture desirable. (Il est à croire pourtant, si c’est une transmigration d’une place à autre, qu’il y a de l’amendement d’aller vivre avec tant de grands personnages trespassez, et d’estre exempt d’avoir plus à faire à juges iniques et corrompus. Si c’est un aneantissement de nostre estre, c’est encore amendement d’entrer en une longue et paisible nuit. Nous ne sentons rien de plus doux en la vie qu’un repos et sommeil tranquille et profond, sans songes.) Les choses que je sçay estre mauvaises, comme d’offencer son prochain et desobeir au superieur, soit Dieu soit homme, je les evite songneusement. Celles desquelles je ne sçay si elles sont bonnes ou mauvaises, je ne les sçauroy craindre. Si je m’en vay mourir et vous laisse en vie, les Dieux seuls voyent à qui, de vous ou de moy, il en ira mieux. Par quoy, pour mon regard vous en ordonnerez comme il vous plaira. Mais, selon ma façon de conseiller les choses justes et utiles, je dy bien que, pour vostre conscience, vous ferez mieux de m’eslargir, si vous ne voyez plus avant que moy en ma cause ; et, jugeant selon mes actions passées et publiques et privées, selon mes intentions, et selon le profit que tirent tous les jours de ma conversation tant de nos citoyens et jeunes et vieux, et le fruit que je vous fay à tous, vous ne pouvez duement vous descharger envers mon merite qu’en ordonnant que je sois nourry, attendu ma pauvreté, au Prytanée aux despens publiques, ce que souvent je vous ay veu à moindre raison ottroyer à d’autres. Ne prenez pas à obstination ou à desdain que, suivant la coustume, je n’aille vous suppliant et esmouvant à commiseration. J’ay des amis et des parents (n’estant, comme dict Homere, engendré ny de bois ny de pierre non plus que les autres) capables de se presenter avec des larmes et le deuil, et ay trois enfans esplorez de quoy vous tirer à pitié. Mais je feroy honte à nostre ville, en l’aage que je suis et en telle reputation de sagesse que m’en voicy en prevention, de m’aller desmettre à si laches contenances. Que diroit-on des autres Atheniens ? J’ay tousjours admonneté ceux qui m’ont ouy parler de ne racheter leur vie par une action deshoneste. Et aux guerres de mon pays, à Amphipolis, à Potidée, à Delie et autres où je me suis trouvé, j’ay montré par effect combien j’estoy loing de garentir ma seureté par ma honte. D’avantage j’interesserois vostre devoir et vous convierois à choses laydes ; car ce n’est pas à mes prieres de vous persuader, c’est aux raisons pures et solides de la justice. Vous avez juré aux Dieux d’ainsi vous maintenir : il sembleroit que je vous vousisse soupçoner et recriminer de ne croire pas qu’il y en aye. Et moy mesme tesmoigneroy contre moy de ne croire point en eux comme je doy, me desfiant de leur conduicte et ne remettant purement en leurs mains mon affaire. Je m’y fie du tout et tiens pour certain qu’ils feront en cecy selon qu’il sera plus propre à vous et à moy. Les gens de bien, ny vivans ny morts, n’ont aucunement à se craindre des Dieus. Voylà pas un plaidoyer sec et sain, mais quand et quand naïf et bas, d’une hauteur inimaginable, veritable, franc et juste au delà de tout exemple et employé en quelle necessité ? Vrayement ce fut raison qu’il le preferast à celuy que ce grand orateur Lysias avoit mis par escrit pour luy, excellemment façonné au stile judiciaire, mais indigne d’un si noble criminel. Eust-on ouy de la bouche de Socrates une voix suppliante ? Cette superbe vertu eust elle calé au plus fort de sa montre ? Et sa riche et puissante nature eust elle commis à l’art sa défense, et en son plus haut essay renoncé à la verité et naïfveté, ornemens de son parler, pour se parer du fard des figures et feintes d’une oraison apprinse ? Il feit tres-sagement, et selon luy, de ne corrompre une teneur de vie incorruptible et une si saincte image de l’humaine forme, pour allonger d’un an sa decrepitude et trahir l’immortelle memoire de cette fin glorieuse. Il devoit sa vie, non pas à soy mais à l’exemple du monde ; seroit ce pas dommage publique qu’il l’eust achevée d’une oisifve et obscure façon ? Certes une si nonchallante et molle consideration de sa mort meritoit que la posterité la considerast d’autant plus pour luy : ce qu’elle fit. Et il n’y a rien en la justice si juste que ce que la fortune ordonna pour sa recommandation. Car les Atheniens eurent en telle abomination ceux qui en avoient esté cause qu’on les fuyoit comme personnes excommuniées : on tenoit pollu tout ce à quoy ils avoyent touché ; personne à l’estuve ne lavoit avec eux ; personne ne les saluoit ny accointoit ; si qu’en fin, ne pouvant plus porter cette hayne publique, ils se pendirent eux-mesmes. Si quelqu’un estime que, parmy tant d’autres exemples que j’avois à choisir pour le service de mon propos és dicts de Socrates, j’aye mal trié cettuy-cy, et qu’il juge ce discours estre eslevé au dessus des opinions communes, je l’ay faict à escient. Car je juge autrement, et tiens que c’est un discours en rang et en naifveté bien plus arriere et plus bas que les opinions communes : il représente en une hardiesse inartificielle et niaise, en une securité puérile, la pure et premiere impression et ignorance de nature. Car il est croyable que nous avons naturellement craincte de la douleur, mais non de la mort à cause d’elle mesmes : c’est une partie de nostre estre non moins essentielle que le vivre. A quoy faire nous en auroit nature engendré la hayne et l’horreur, veu qu’elle luy tient rang de tres-grande utilité pour nourrir la succession et vicissitude de ses ouvrages, et qu’en cette republique universelle elle sert plus de naissance et d’augmentation que de perte ou ruyne ?

Sic rerum summa novatur.

Mille animas una necata dedit.

La deffaillance d’une vie est le passage à mille autres vies. Nature a empreint aux bestes le soing d’elles et de leur conservation. Elles vont jusques là de craindre leur empirement, de se heurter et blesser, que nous les enchevestrons et battons, accidents subjects à leurs sens et experience. Mais que nous les tuons elles ne le peuvent craindre, ny n’ont la faculté d’imaginer et conclurre la mort. Si dict-on encore qu’on les voit non seulement la souffrir gayement (la plus part des chevaux hannissent en mourant, les cignes la chantent), mais de plus la rechercher à leur besoing, comme portent plusieurs exemples des elephans. Outre ce, la façon d’argumenter de laquelle se sert icy Socrates est elle pas admirable esgalement en simplicité et en vehemence ? Vrayment il est bien plus aisé de parler comme Aristote et vivre comme Caesar, qu’il n’est aisé de parler et vivre comme Socrates. Là loge l’extreme degré de perfection et de difficulté : l’art n’y peut joindre. Or nos facultez ne sont pas ainsi dressées. Nous ne les essayons ny ne les cognoissons ; nous nous investissons de celles d’autruy, et laissons chomer les nostres. Comme quelqu’un pourroit dire de moy que j’ay seulement faict icy un amas de fleurs estrangeres, n’y ayant fourny du mien que le filet à les lier. Certes j’ay donné à l’opinion publique que ces parements empruntez m’accompaignent. Mais je n’entends pas qu’ils me couvrent, et qu’ils me cachent : c’est le rebours de mon dessein, qui ne veux faire montre que du mien, et de ce qui est mien par nature ; et si je m’en fusse creu, à tout hazard, j’eusse parlé tout fin seul. Je m’en charge de plus fort tous les jours outre ma proposition et ma forme premiere, sur la fantasie du siecle et enhortemens d’autruy. S’il me messied à moy, comme je le croy, n’importe : il peut estre utile à quelque autre. Tel allegue Platon et Homere, qui ne les veid onques. Et moy ay prins des lieux assez ailleurs qu’en leur source. Sans peine et sans suffisance, ayant mille volumes de livres autour de moy en ce lieu où j’escris, j’emprunteray presentement s’il me plaist d’une douzaine de tels ravaudeurs, gens que je ne feuillette guiere, de quoy esmailler le traicté de la phisionomie. Il ne faut que l’espitre liminaire d’un alemand pour me farcir d’allegations ; et nous allons quester par là une friande gloire, à piper le sot monde. Ces pastissages de lieux communs, dequoy tant de gents mesnagent leur estude, ne servent guere qu’à subjects communs ; et servent à nous montrer non à nous conduire, ridicule fruict de la science, que Socrates exagite si plaisamment contre Euthydeme. J’ay veu faire des livres de choses ny jamais estudiées ny entendues, l’autheur commettant à divers de ses amis sçavants la recherche de cette-cy et de cette autre matiere à le bastir, se contentant pour sa part d’en avoir projetté le dessein et empilé par son industrie ce fagot de provisions incogneues ; au moins est sien l’ancre et le papier. Cela c’est en conscience achetter ou emprunter un livre, non pas le faire. C’est apprendre aux hommes, non qu’on sçait faire un livre, mais, ce dequoy ils pouvoient estre en doute, qu’on ne le sçait pas faire. Un president se vantoit, où j’estois, d’avoir amoncelé deux cens tant de lieux estrangers en un sien arrest presidental. En le preschant à chacun il me sembla effacer la gloire qu’on luy en donnoit. Pusillanime et absurde vanterie à mon gré pour un tel subject et telle personne. Parmy tant d’emprunts je suis bien aise d’en pouvoir desrober quelqu’un, les desguisant et difformant à nouveau service. Au hazard que je laisse dire que c’est par faute d’avoir entendu leur naturel usage, je luy donne quelque particuliere adresse de ma main à ce qu’ils en soient d’autant moins purement estrangers. Ceux-cy mettent leurs larrecins en parade et en conte : aussi ont ils plus de crédit aux loix que moy. Nous autres naturalistes estimons qu’il y aie grande et incomparable preferance de l’honneur de l’invention à l’honneur de l’allegation. Si j’eusse voulu parler par science, j’eusse parlé plus-tost : j’eusse escript du temps plus voisin de mes estudes, que j’avois d’esprit et de memoire ; et me fusse plus fié à la vigueur de cet aage là qu’a cettuy-icy, si j’en eusse voulu faire mestier d’escrire. Davantage, telle faveur gratieuse que la fortune peut m’avoir offerte par l’entremise de cet ouvrage eust lors rencontré une plus propice saison. Deux de mes cognoissans, grands hommes en cette faculté, ont perdu par moitié, à mon advis, d’avoir refusé de se mettre au jour à quarante ans, pour attendre les soixante. La maturité a ses deffauts, comme la verdeur, et pires. Et autant est la vieillesse incommode à cette nature de besongne qu’à toute autre. Quiconque met sa decrepitude soubs la presse faict folie, s’il espere en espreindre des humeurs qui ne sentent le disgratié, le resveur et l’assopi. Nostre esprit se constipe et se croupit en vieillissant. Je dis pompeusement et opulemment l’ignorance, et dys la science megrement et piteusement ; accessoirement cette-cy et accidentalement, celle là expressément et principalement. Et ne traicte à point nommé de rien que du rien, ny d’aucune science que de celle de l’inscience. J’ay choisi le temps où ma vie, que j’ay à peindre, je l’ay toute devant moy : ce qui en reste tient plus de la mort. Et de ma mort seulement, si je la rencontrois babillarde, comme font d’autres, donrrois je encore volontiers advis au peuple en deslogeant. Socrates, qui a esté un exemplaire parfaict en toutes grandes qualitez, j’ay despit qu’il eust rencontré un corps et un visage si vilain, comme ils disent, et disconvenable à la beauté de son ame, luy si amoureux et si affolé de la beauté. Nature luy fit injustice. Il n’est rien plus vraysemblable que la conformité et relation du corps à l’esprit. Ipsi animi magni refert quali in corpore locati sint : multa enim è corpore existunt quae acuant mentem, multa quae obtundant. Cettuycy parle d’une laideur desnaturée et difformité de membres. Mais nous appellons laideur aussi une mesavenance au premier regard, qui loge principallement au visage, et souvent nous desgoute par bien legeres causes : du teint, d’une tache, d’une rude contenance, de quelque cause inexplicable sur des membres bien ordonnez et entiers. La laideur qui revestoit une ame tres-belle en La Boitie estoit de ce predicament. Cette laideur superficielle, qui est pourtant tres imperieuse, est de moindre prejudice à l’estat de l’esprit et a peu de certitude en l’opinion des hommes. L’autre, qui d’un plus propre nom s’apelle difformité, est plus substantielle, porte plus volontiers coup jusques au dedans. Non pas tout soulier de cuir bien lissé, mais tout soulier bien formé montre l’interieure forme du pied. Come Socrates disoit de la sienne qu’elle en accusoit justement autant en son ame, s’il ne l’eust corrigée par institution. Mais en le disant je tiens qu’il se mocquoit suivant son usage, et jamais ame si excellente ne se fit elle mesme. Je ne puis dire assez souvant combien j’estime la beauté, qualité puissante et advantageuse. Il l’appelloit une courte tyrannie, et Platon le privilege de nature. Nous n’en avons point qui la surpasse en credit. Elle tient le premier rang au commerce des hommes : elle se presente au devant, seduict et preoccupe nostre jugement avec grande authorité et merveilleuse impression. Phryné perdoit sa cause entre les mains d’un excellent advocat si, ouvrant sa robbe, elle n’eust corrompu ses juges par l’esclat de sa beauté. Et je trouve que Cyrus, Alexandre, Caesar, ces trois maistres du monde, ne l’ont pas oubliée à faire leurs grands affaires. N’a pas le premier Scipion. Un mesme mot embrasse en Grec le bel et le bon. Et le Saint Esprit appelle souvent bons ceux qu’il veut dire beaux. Je maintiendroy volontiers le rang des biens selon que portoit la chanson, que Platon dict avoir esté triviale, prinse de quelque ancien poete : la santé, la beauté, la richesse. Aristote dict aux beaux appartenir le droict de commander, et quand il en est de qui la beauté approche celle des images des Dieux, que la veneration leur est pareillement deue. A celuy qui luy demandoit pourquoy plus longtemps et plus souvent on hantoit les beaux : Cette demande, dict-il, n’appartient à estre faicte que par un aveugle. La pluspart et les plus grands philosophes payarent leur escholage et acquirent la sagesse par l’entremise et faveur de leur beauté. Non seulement aux hommes qui me servent, mais aux bestes aussi, je la considere à deux doits pres de la bonté. Si me semble il que ce traict et façon de visage, et ces lineaments par lesquels on argumente aucunes complexions internes et nos fortunes à venir, est chose qui ne loge pas bien directement et simplement soubs le chapitre de beauté et de laideur. Non plus que toute bonne odeur et serenité d’air n’en promet pas la santé, ny toute espesseur et puanteur l’infection en temps pestilent. Ceux qui accusent les dames de contre-dire leur beauté par leurs meurs ne rencontrent pas tousjours : car en une face qui ne sera pas trop bien composée, il peut loger quelque air de probité et de fiance ; comme au rebours, j’ay leu par fois entre deux beaux yeux des menasses d’une nature maligne et dangereuse. Il y a des phisionomies favorables ; et en une presse d’ennemys victorieux, vous choisirés incontinent, parmy des hommes incogneus, l’un plustost que l’autre, à qui vous rendre et fier vostre vie ; et non proprement par la consideration de la beauté. C’est une foible garantie que la mine ; toutesfois elle a quelque consideration. Et si j’avois à les foyter, ce seroit plus rudement les meschans qui dementent et trahissent les promesses que nature leur avoit plantées au front : je punirois plus aigrement la malice en une apparence debonnaire. Il semble qu’il y ait aucuns visages heureux, d’autres malencontreux. Et crois qu’il y a quelque art à distinguer les visages debonnaires des nyais, les severes des rudes, les malicieux des chagrins, les desdaigneux des melancholiques, et telles autres qualitez voisines. Il y a des beautez non fieres seulement mais aygres ; il y en a d’autres douces, et encores au delà fades. D’en prognostiquer les avantures futures, ce sont matieres que je laisse indecises. J’ay pris, comme j’ay dict ailleurs, bien simplement et cruement pour mon regard ce precepte ancien : que nous ne sçaurions faillir à suivre nature, que le souverain precepte c’est de se conformer à elle. Je n’ay pas corrigé, comme Socrates, par force de la raison mes complexions naturelles, et n’ay aucunement troublé par art mon inclination. Je me laisse aller, comme je suis venu, je ne combats rien, mes deux maistresses pieces vivent de leur grace en pais et bon accord ; mais le lait de ma nourrice a esté Dieu mercy mediocrement sain et temperé. Diray-je cecy en passant : que je voy tenir en plus de prix qu’elle ne vaut, qui est seule quasi en usage entre nous, certaine image de preud’homie scholastique, serve des preceptes, contraincte soubs l’esperance et la crainte ? Je l’aime telle que les loix et religions non facent mais parfacent et authorisent, qui se sente de quoy se soustenir sans aide, née en nous de ses propres racines par la semence de la raison universelle empreinte en tout homme non desnaturé. Cette raison, qui redresse Socrates de son vicieux ply, le rend obeïssant aux hommes et aux Dieux qui commandent en sa ville, courageux en la mort, non parce que son ame est immortele, mais par ce qu’il est mortel. Ruineuse instruction à toute police, et bien plus dommageable qu’ingenieuse et subtile, qui persuade aux peuples la religieuse creance suffire, seule et sans les meurs, à contenter la divine justice. L’usage nous faict veoir une distinction enorme entre la devotion et la conscience. J’ay un port favorable et en forme et en interpretation,

Quid dixi habere me ? Imo habui, Chreme’

Heu tantum attriti corporis ossa vides,

et qui faict une contraire montre à celuy de Socrates. Il m’est souvant advenu que, sur le simple credit de ma presence et de mon air, des personnes qui n’avoyent aucune cognoissance de moy s’y sont grandement fiées, soit pour leurs propres affaires, soit pour les miennes ; et en ay tiré és pays estrangiers des faveurs singulieres et rares. Mais ces deux experiences valent, à l’avanture, que je les recite particulierement. Un quidam delibera de surprendre ma maison et moy. Son art fut d’arriver seul à ma porte et d’en presser un peu instamment l’entrée ; je le cognoissois de nom, et avois occasion de me fier de luy, comme de mon voisin et aucunement mon alié. Je luy fis ouvrir, comme je fais à chacun. Le voicy tout effroyé, son cheval hors d’haleine, fort harassé. Il m’entretint de cette fable : qu’il venoit d’estre rencontré à une demie lieue de là par un sien ennemy, lequel je cognoissois aussi, et avois ouy parler de leur querelle ; que cet ennemy luy avoit merveilleusement chaussé les esperons et, qu’ayant esté surpris en désarroy et plus foible en nombre, il s’estoit jetté à ma porte à sauveté ; qu’il estoit en grand peine de ses gens, lesquels il disoit tenir pour morts ou prins. J’essayay tout nayfvement de le conforter, asseurer et rafreschir. Tantost apres, voylà quatre ou cinq de ses soldats qui se presentent, en mesme contenance et effroy, pour entrer ; et puis d’autres et d’autres encores apres, bien equipez et bien armez, jusques à vingt cinq ou trante, feingnants avoir leur ennemy aux talons. Ce mystere commençoit à taster ma soupçon. Je n’ignorois pas en quel siecle je vivois, combien ma maison pouvoit estre enviée, et avois plusieurs exemples d’autres de ma cognoissance à qui il estoit mesadvenu de mesme. Tant y a que, trouvant qu’il n’y avoit point d’acquest d’avoir commencé à faire plaisir si je n’achevois, et ne pouvant me desfaire sans tout rompre, je me laissay aller au party le plus naturel et le plus simple, comme je faicts tousjours, commendant qu’ils entrassent.--Aussi à la verité, je suis peu deffiant et soubçonneus de ma nature ; je penche volontiers vers l’excuse et interpretation plus douce ; je prens les hommes selon le commun ordre, et ne croy pas ces inclinations perverses et desnaturées si je n’y suis forcé par grand tesmoignage, non plus que les monstres et miracles. Et suis homme en outre qui me commets volontiers à la fortune et me laisse aller à corps perdu entre ses bras. De quoy, jusques à cette heure, j’ay eu plus d’occasion de me louer que de me plaindre ; et l’ay trouvée et plus avisée et plus amie de mes affaires que je ne suis. Il y a quelques actions en ma vie, desquelles on peut justement nommer la conduite difficile ou, qui voudra, prudente ; de celles là mesmes, posez que la tierce partie soit du mien, certes les deux tierces sont richement à elle. Nous faillons, ce me semble, en ce que nous ne nous fions pas assez au ciel de nous, et pretendons plus de nostre conduite qu’il ne nous appartient. Pourtant fourvoyent si souvent nos desseins. Il est jaloux de l’estendue que nous attribuons aux droicts de l’humaine prudence, au prejudice des siens, et nous les racourcit d’autant que nous les amplifions. --Ceux-cy se tindrent à cheval dans ma cour, le chef avec moy en ma sale, qui n’avoit voulu qu’on establat son cheval, disant avoir à se retirer incontinent qu’il auroit eu nouvelles de ses hommes. Il se veid maistre de son entreprise, et n’y restoit sur ce poinct que l’execution. Souvant depuis il a dict, car il ne craingnoit pas de faire ce compte, que mon visage et ma franchise luy avoient arraché la trahison des poincts. Il remonta à cheval, ses gens ayants continuellement les yeux sur luy pour voir quel signe il leur donneroit, bien estonnez de le voir sortir et abandonner son avantage. Une autre-fois, me fiant à je ne sçay quelle treve qui venoit d’estre publiée en nos armées, je m’acheminai à un voyage, par pays estrangement chatouilleux. Je ne fus pas si tost esventé que voylà trois ou quatre cavalcades de divers lieux pour m’attraper ; l’une me joingnit à la troisiesme journée, où je fus chargé par quinze ou vingt gentils-hommes masquez, suyvis d’une ondée d’argolets. Me voylà pris et rendu, retiré dans l’espais d’une forest voisine, desmonté, devalizé, mes cofres fouilletz, ma boyte prise, chevaux et esquipage desparty à nouveaux maistres. Nous fumes long temps à contester dans ce halier sur le faict de ma rançon, qu’ils me tailloyent si haute qu’il paroissoit bien que je ne leur estois guere cogneu. Ils entrerent en grande contestation de ma vie. De vray, il y avoit plusieurs circonstances qui me menassoyent du dangier où j’en estois.

Tunc animis opus, Aenea, tunc pectore firmo.

Je me maintins tousjours sur le titre de ma trefve, à leur quitter seulement le gain qu’ils avoyent faict de ma despouille, qui n’estoit pas à mespriser, sans promesse d’autre rançon. Apres deux ou trois heures que nous eusmes esté là et qu’ils m’eurent faict monter sur un cheval qui n’avoit garde de leur eschaper, et commis ma conduitte particuliere à quinze ou vingt harquebousiers, et dispersé mes gens à d’autres, ayant ordonné qu’on nous menast prisonniers diverses routes, et moy déjà acheminé à deux ou trois harquebousades de là,

Jam prece Pollucis, jam Castoris implorata,

voicy une soudaine et tres-inopinée mutation qui leur print. Je vis revenir à moy le chef avec parolles plus douces, se mettant en peine de recercher en la troupe mes hardes escartées, et m’en faisant rendre selon qu’il s’en pouvoit recouvrer, jusques à ma boyte. Le meilleur present qu’ils me firent ce fut en fin ma liberté ; le reste ne me touchoit guieres en ce temps là. La vraye cause d’un changement si nouveau et de ce ravisement, sans aucune impulsion apparente, et d’un repentir si miraculeux, en tel temps, en une entreprinse pourpensée et deliberée, et devenue juste par l’usage (car d’arrivée je leur confessay ouvertement le party duquel j’estois, et le chemin que je tenois), certes je ne sçay pas bien encores quelle elle est. Le plus apparent, qui se demasqua et me fit cognoistre son nom, me redict lors plusieurs fois que je devoy cette delivrance à mon visage, liberté et fermeté de mes parolles, qui me rendoyent indigne d’une telle mes-adventure, et me demanda asseurance d’une pareille. Il est possible que la bonté divine se voulut servir de ce vain instrument pour ma conservation. Elle me deffendit encore l’endemain d’autres pires embusches, desquelles ceux cy mesme m’avoyent adverty. Le dernier est encore en pieds pour en faire le compte ; le premier fut tué il n’y a pas long temps. Si mon visage ne respondoit pour moy, si on ne lisoit en mes yeux et en ma voix la simplicité de mon intention, je n’eusse pas duré sans querelle et sans offence si long temps, avec cette liberté indiscrete de dire à tort et à droict ce qui me vient en fantasie, et juger temerairement des choses. Cette façon peut paroistre avec raison incivile et mal accommodée à nostre usage ; mais outrageuse et malitieuse, je n’ay veu personne qui l’en ayt jugée, ne qui se soit piqué de ma liberté s’il l’a receue de ma bouche. Les paroles redictes ont, comme autre son, autre sens. Aussi ne hay-je personne ; et suis si lache à offencer que, pour le service de la raison mesme, je ne le puis faire. Et lors que l’occasion m’a convié aux condemnations crimineles, j’ay plustost manqué à la justice Ut magis peccari nolim quam satis animi ad vindicanda peccata habeam. On reprochoit, dict-on, à Aristote d’avoir esté trop misericordieux envers un meschant homme : J’ay esté de vray, dict-il, misericordieux envers l’homme, non envers la meschanceté. Les jugements ordinaires s’exasperent à la vengeance par l’horreur du meffaict. Cela mesme refroidit le mien : l’horreur du premier meurtre m’en faict craindre un second, et la haine de la premiere cruauté m’en faict hayr toute imitation. A moy, qui ne suis qu’escuyer de trefles, peut toucher ce qu’on disoit de Charillus, roy de Sparte : Il ne sçauroit estre bon, puis qu’il n’est pas mauvais aux meschants. Ou bien ainsi, car Plutarque le presente en ces deux sortes, comme mille autres choses, diversement et contrairement : Il faut bien qu’il soit bon, puisqu’il l’est aux meschants mesme. Comme aux actions legitimes je me fasche de m’y employer quand c’est envers ceux qui s’en desplaisent, aussi, à dire verité, aux illegitimes je ne fay pas assez de conscience de m’y employer quand c’est envers ceux qui y consentent.

Chapter XII. Of Physiognomy.

Almost all the opinions we have are taken on authority and trust; and

'tis not amiss; we could not choose worse than by ourselves in so weak an

age. That image of Socrates' discourses, which his friends have

transmitted to us, we approve upon no other account than a reverence to

public sanction: 'tis not according to our own knowledge; they are not

after our way; if anything of the kind should spring up now, few men

would value them. We discern no graces that are not pointed and puffed

out and inflated by art; such as glide on in their own purity and

simplicity easily escape so gross a sight as ours; they have a delicate

and concealed beauty, such as requires a clear and purified sight to

discover its secret light. Is not simplicity, as we take it,

cousin-german to folly and a quality of reproach? Socrates makes his

soul move a natural and common motion: a peasant said this; a woman said

that; he has never anybody in his mouth but carters, joiners, cobblers,

and masons; his are inductions and similitudes drawn from the most common

and known actions of men; every one understands him. We should never

have recognised the nobility and splendour of his admirable conceptions

under so mean a form; we, who think all things low and flat that are not

elevated, by learned doctrine, and who discern no riches but in pomp and

show. This world of ours is only formed for ostentation: men are only

puffed up with wind, and are bandied to and fro like tennis-balls. He

proposed to himself no vain and idle fancies; his design was to furnish

us with precepts and things that more really and fitly serve to the use

of life;

"Servare modum, finemque tenere,

Naturamque sequi."

He was also always one and the same, and raised himself, not by starts

but by complexion, to the highest pitch of vigour; or, to say better,

mounted not at all, but rather brought down, reduced, and subjected all

asperities and difficulties to his original and natural condition; for in

Cato 'tis most manifest that 'tis a procedure extended far beyond the

common ways of men: in the brave exploits of his life, and in his death,

we find him always mounted upon the great horse; whereas the other ever

creeps upon the ground, and with a gentle and ordinary pace, treats of

the most useful matters, and bears himself, both at his death and in the

rudest difficulties that could present themselves, in the ordinary way of

human life.

It has fallen out well that the man most worthy to be known and to be

presented to the world for example should be he of whom we have the most

certain knowledge; he has been pried into by the most clear-sighted men

that ever were; the testimonies we have of him are admirable both in

fidelity and fulness. 'Tis a great thing that he was able so to order

the pure imaginations of a child, that, without altering or wresting

them, he thereby produced the most beautiful effects of our soul: he

presents it neither elevated nor rich; he only represents it sound, but

assuredly with a brisk and full health. By these common and natural

springs, by these ordinary and popular fancies, without being moved or

put out, he set up not only the most regular, but the most high and

vigorous beliefs, actions, and manners that ever were. 'Tis he who

brought again from heaven, where she lost her time, human wisdom, to

restore her to man with whom her most just and greatest business lies.

See him plead before his judges; observe by what reasons he rouses his

courage to the hazards of war; with what arguments he fortifies his

patience against calumny, tyranny, death, and the perverseness of his

wife: you will find nothing in all this borrowed from arts and sciences:

the simplest may there discover their own means and strength; 'tis not

possible more to retire or to creep more low. He has done human nature a

great kindness in showing it how much it can do of itself.

We are all of us richer than we think we are; but we are taught to borrow

and to beg, and brought up more to make use of what is another's than of

our own. Man can in nothing fix himself to his actual necessity: of

pleasure, wealth, and power, he grasps at more than he can hold; his

greediness is incapable of moderation. And I find that in curiosity of

knowing he is the same; he cuts himself out more work than he can do, and

more than he needs to do: extending the utility of knowledge to the full

of its matter:

"Ut omnium rerum, sic litterarum quoque, intemperantia laboramus."

And Tacitus had reason to commend the mother of Agricola for having

restrained her son in his too violent appetite for learning.

Tis a good, if duly considered, which has in it, as the other goods of

men have, a great deal of vanity and weakness, proper and natural to

itself, and that costs very dear. Its acquisition is far more hazardous

than that of all other meat or drink; for, as to other things, what we

have bought we carry home in some vessel, and there have full leisure to

examine our purchase, how much we shall eat or drink of it, and when: but

sciences we can, at the very first, stow into no other vessel than the

soul; we swallow them in buying, and return from the market, either

already infected or amended: there are some that only burden and

overcharge the stomach, instead of nourishing; and, moreover, some that,

under colour of curing, poison us. I have been pleased, in places where

I have been, to see men in devotion vow ignorance as well as chastity,

poverty, and penitence: 'tis also a gelding of our unruly appetites, to

blunt this cupidity that spurs us on to the study of books, and to

deprive the soul of this voluptuous complacency that tickles us with the

opinion of knowledge: and 'tis plenarily to accomplish the vow of

poverty, to add unto it that of the mind. We need little doctrine to

live at our ease; and Socrates teaches us that this is in us, and the way

how to find it, and the manner how to use it: All our sufficiency which

exceeds the natural is well-nigh superfluous and vain: 'tis much if it

does not rather burden and cumber us than do us good:

"Paucis opus est literis ad mentem bonam:"

'tis a feverish excess of the mind; a tempestuous and unquiet instrument.

Do but recollect yourself, and you will find in yourself natural

arguments against death, true, and the fittest to serve you in time of

necessity: 'tis they that make a peasant, and whole nations, die with as

much firmness as a philosopher. Should I have died less cheerfully

before I had read Cicero's Tusculan Quastiones? I believe not; and when

I find myself at the best, I perceive that my tongue is enriched indeed,

but my courage little or nothing elevated by them; that is just as nature

framed it at first, and defends itself against the conflict only after a

natural and ordinary way. Books have not so much served me for

instruction as exercise. What if knowledge, trying to arm us with new

defences against natural inconveniences, has more imprinted in our

fancies their weight and greatness, than her reasons and subtleties to

secure us from them? They are subtleties, indeed, with which she often

alarms us to little purpose. Do but observe how many slight and

frivolous, and, if nearly examined, incorporeal arguments, the closest

and wisest authors scatter about one good one: they are but verbal quirks

and fallacies to amuse and gull us: but forasmuch as it may be with some

profit, I will sift them no further; many of that sort are here and there

dispersed up and down this book, either borrowed or by imitation.

Therefore one ought to take a little heed not to call that force which is

only a pretty knack of writing, and that solid which is only sharp, or

that good which is only fine:

"Quae magis gustata quam potata, delectant,"

everything that pleases does not nourish:

"Ubi non ingenii, sed animi negotium agitur."

To see the trouble that Seneca gives himself to fortify himself against

death; to see him so sweat and pant to harden and encourage himself, and

bustle so long upon this perch, would have lessened his reputation with

me, had he not very bravely held himself at the last. His so ardent and

frequent agitations discover that he was in himself impetuous and

passionate,

"Magnus animus remissius loquitur, et securius . . .

non est alius ingenio, alius ammo color;"

he must be convinced at his own expense; and he in some sort discovers

that he was hard pressed by his enemy. Plutarch's way, by how much it is

more disdainful and farther stretched, is, in my opinion, so much more

manly and persuasive: and I am apt to believe that his soul had more

assured and more regular motions. The one more sharp, pricks and makes

us start, and more touches the soul; the other more constantly solid,

forms, establishes, and supports us, and more touches the understanding.

That ravishes the judgment, this wins it. I have likewise seen other

writings, yet more reverenced than these, that in the representation of

the conflict they maintain against the temptations of the flesh, paint

them, so sharp, so powerful and invincible, that we ourselves, who are of

the common herd, are as much to wonder at the strangeness and unknown

force of their temptation, as at the resisting it.

To what end do we so arm ourselves with this harness of science? Let us

look down upon the poor people that we see scattered upon the face of the

earth, prone and intent upon their business, that neither know Aristotle

nor Cato, example nor precept; from these nature every day extracts

effects of constancy and patience, more pure and manly than those we so

inquisitively study in the schools: how many do I ordinarily see who

slight poverty? how many who desire to die, or who die without alarm or

regret? He who is now digging in my garden, has this morning buried his

father or his son. The very names by which they call diseases sweeten

and mollify the sharpness of them: the phthisic is with them no more than

a cough, dysentery but a looseness, the pleurisy but a stitch; and, as

they gently name them, so they patiently endure them; they are very great

and grievous indeed when they hinder their ordinary labour; they never

keep their beds but to die:

"Simplex illa et aperta virtus in obscuram et solertem

scientiam versa est."

I was writing this about the time when a great load of our intestine

troubles for several months lay with all its weight upon me; I had the

enemy at my door on one side, and the freebooters, worse enemies, on the

other,

"Non armis, sed vitiis, certatur;"

and underwent all sorts of military injuries at once:

"Hostis adest dextra laevaque a parte timendus.

Vicinoque malo terret utrumque latus."

A monstrous war! Other wars are bent against strangers, this against

itself, destroying itself with its own poison. It is of so malignant and

ruinous a nature, that it ruins itself with the rest; and with its own

rage mangles and tears itself to pieces. We more often see it dissolve

of itself than through scarcity of any necessary thing or by force of the

enemy. All discipline evades it; it comes to compose sedition, and is

itself full of it; would chastise disobedience, and itself is the

example; and, employed for the defence of the laws, rebels against its

own. What a condition are we in! Our physic makes us sick!

"Nostre mal s'empoisonne

Du secours qu'on luy donne."

"Exuperat magis, aegrescitque medendo."

"Omnia fanda, nefanda, malo permista furore,

Justificam nobis mentem avertere deorum."

In the beginning of these popular maladies, one may distinguish the sound

from the sick; but when they come to continue, as ours have done, the

whole body is then infected from head to foot; no part is free from

corruption, for there is no air that men so greedily draw in that

diffuses itself so soon and that penetrates so deep as that of licence.

Our armies only subsist and are kept together by the cement of

foreigners; for of Frenchmen there is now no constant and regular army to

be made. What a shame it is! there is no longer any discipline but what

we see in the mercenary soldiers. As to ourselves, our conduct is at

discretion, and that not of the chief, but every one at his own. The

general has a harder game to play within than he has without; he it is

who has to follow, to court the soldiers, to give way to them; he alone

has to obey: all the rest if disolution and free licence. It pleases me

to observe how much pusillanimity and cowardice there is in ambition; by

how abject and servile ways it must arrive at its end; but it displeases

me to see good and generous natures, and that are capable of justice,

every day corrupted in the management and command of this confusion.

Long toleration begets habit; habit, consent and imitation. We had

ill-formed souls enough, without spoiling those that were generous and

good; so that, if we hold on, there will scarcely remain any with whom to

intrust the health of this State of ours, in case fortune chance to

restore it:

"Hunc saltem everso juvenem succurrere seclo,

Ne prohibete."

What has become of the old precept, "That soldiers ought more to fear

their chief than the enemy"? and of that

wonderful example, that an orchard being enclosed within the precincts of

a camp of the Roman army, was seen at their dislodgment the next day in

the same condition, not an apple, though ripe and delicious, being pulled

off, but all left to the possessor? I could wish that our youth, instead

of the time they spend in less fruitful travels and less honourable

employments, would bestow one half of that time in being an eye-witness

of naval exploits, under some good captain of Rhodes, and the other half

in observing the discipline of the Turkish armies; for they have many

differences and advantages over ours; one of these is, that our soldiers

become more licentious in expeditions, theirs more temperate and

circumspect; for the thefts and insolencies committed upon the common

people, which are only punished with a cudgel in peace, are capital in

war; for an egg taken by a Turkish soldier without paying for it, fifty

blows with a stick is the fixed rate; for anything else, of what sort or

how trivial soever, not necessary to nourishment, they are presently

impaled or beheaded without mercy. I am astonished, in the history of

Selim, the most cruel conqueror that ever was, to see that when he

subdued Egypt, the beautiful gardens about Damascus being all open, and

in a conquered land, and his army encamped upon the very place, should be

left untouched by the hands of the soldiers, by reason they had not

received the signal of pillage.

But is there any disease in a government that it is worth while to physic

with such a mortal drug? No, said Favonius, not

even the tyrannical usurpation of a Commonwealth. Plato, likewise, will

not consent that a man should violate the peace of his country in order

to cure it, and by no means approves of a reformation that disturbs and

hazards all, and that is to be purchased at the price of the citizens'

blood and ruin; determining it to be the duty of a good patriot in such a

case to let it alone, and only to pray to God for his extraordinary

assistance: and he seems to be angry with his great friend Dion, for

having proceeded somewhat after another manner. I was a Platonist in

this point before I knew there had ever been such a man as Plato in the

world. And if this person ought absolutely to be rejected from our

society (he who by the sincerity of his conscience merited from the

divine favour to penetrate so far into the Christian light, through the

universal darkness wherein the world was involved in his time), I do not

think it becomes us to suffer ourselves to be instructed by a heathen,

how great an impiety it is not to expect from God any relief simply his

own and without our co-operation. I often doubt, whether amongst so many

men as meddle in such affairs, there is not to be found some one of so

weak understanding as to have been really persuaded that he went towards

reformation by the worst of deformations; and advanced towards salvation

by the most express causes that we have of most assured damnation; that

by overthrowing government, the magistracy, and the laws, in whose

protection God has placed him, by dismembering his good mother, and

giving her limbs to be mangled by her old enemies, filling fraternal

hearts with parricidal hatreds, calling devils and furies to his aid, he

can assist the most holy sweetness and justice of the divine law.

Ambition, avarice, cruelty, and revenge have not sufficient natural

impetuosity of their own; let us bait them with the glorious titles of

justice and devotion. There cannot a worse state of things be imagined

than where wickedness comes to be legitimate, and assumes, with the

magistrates' permission, the cloak of virtue:

"Nihil in speciem fallacius, quam prava religio,

ubi deorum numen prxtenditur sceleribus."

The extremest sort of injustice, according to Plato, is where that which

is unjust should be reputed for just.

The common people then suffered very much, and not present damage only:

"Undique totis

Usque adeo turbatur agris,"

but future too; the living were to suffer, and so were they who were yet

unborn; they stript them, and consequently myself, even of hope, taking

from them all they had laid up in store to live on for many years:

"Quae nequeunt secum ferre aut abducere, perdunt;

Et cremat insontes turba scelesta casas . . .

Muris nulla fides, squalent populatibus agri."

Besides this shock, I suffered others: I underwent the inconveniences

that moderation brings along with it in such a disease: I was robbed on

all hands; to the Ghibelline I was a Guelph, and to the Guelph a

Ghibelline; one of my poets expresses this very well, but I know not

where it is.

The situation of my house, and my friendliness with my neighbours,

presented me with one face; my life and my actions with another. They

did not lay formal accusations to my charge, for they had no foundation

for so doing; I never hide my head from the laws, and whoever would have

questioned me, would have done himself a greater prejudice than me; they

were only mute suspicions that were whispered about, which never want

appearance in so confused a mixture, no more than envious or idle heads.

I commonly myself lend a hand to injurious presumptions that fortune

scatters abroad against me, by a way I have ever had of evading to

justify, excuse, or explain myself; conceiving that it were to compromise

my conscience to plead in its behalf:

"Perspicuitas enim argumentatione elevatur;"

and, as if every one saw as clearly into me as I do myself, instead of

retiring from an accusation, I step up to meet it, and rather give it

some kind of colour by an ironical and scoffing confession, if I do not

sit totally mute, as of a thing not worth my answer. But such as look

upon this kind of behaviour of mine as too haughty a confidence, have as

little kindness for me as they who interpret the weakness of an

indefensible cause; namely, the great folks, towards whom want of

submission is the great fault, harsh towards all justice that knows and

feels itself, and is not submissive humble, and suppliant; I have often

knocked my head against this pillar. So it is that at what then befell

me, an ambitious man would have hanged himself, and a covetous man would

have done the same. I have no manner of care of getting;

"Si mihi, quod nunc est, etiam minus; et mihi vivam

Quod superest aevi, si quid superesse volent dii:"

but the losses that befall me by the injury of others, whether by theft

or violence, go almost as near my heart as they would to that of the most

avaricious man. The offence troubles me, without comparison, more than

the loss. A thousand several sorts of mischiefs fell upon me in the neck

of one another; I could more cheerfully have borne them all at once.

I was already considering to whom, amongst my friends, I might commit a

necessitous and discredited old age; and having turned my eyes quite

round, I found myself bare. To let one's self fall plump down, and from

so great a height, it ought to be in the arms of a solid, vigorous, and

fortunate friendship: these are very rare, if there be any. At last, I

saw that it was safest for me to trust to myself in my necessity; and if

it should so fall out, that I should be but upon cold terms in Fortune's

favour, I should so much the more pressingly recommend me to my own, and

attach myself and look to myself all the more closely. Men on all

occasions throw themselves upon foreign assistance to spare their own,

which is alone certain and sufficient to him who knows how therewith to

arm himself. Every one runs elsewhere, and to the future, forasmuch as

no one is arrived at himself. And I was satisfied that they were

profitable inconveniences; forasmuch as, first, ill scholars are to be

admonished with the rod, when reason will not do, as a crooked piece of

wood is by fire and straining reduced to straightness. I have a great

while preached to myself to stick close to my own concerns, and separate

myself from the affairs of others; yet I am still turning my eyes aside.

A bow, a favourable word, a kind look from a great person tempts me; of

which God knows if there is scarcity in these days, and what they

signify. I, moreover, without wrinkling my forehead, hearken to the

persuasions offered me, to draw me into the marketplace, and so gently

refuse, as if I were half willing to be overcome. Now for so indocile a

spirit blows are required; this vessel which thus chops and cleaves, and

is ready to fall one piece from another, must have the hoops forced down

with good sound strokes of a mallet. Secondly, that this accident served

me for exercise to prepare me for worse, if I, who both by the benefit of

fortune, and by the condition of my manners, hoped to be among the last,

should happen to be one of the first assailed by this storm; instructing

myself betimes to constrain my life, and fit it for a new state. The

true liberty is to be able to do what a man will with himself:

"Potentissimus est, qui se habet in potestate."

In an ordinary and quiet time, a man prepares himself for moderate and

common accidents; but in the confusion wherein we have been for these

thirty years, every Frenchman, whether personal or in general, sees

himself every hour upon the point of the total ruin and overthrow of his

fortune: by so much the more ought he to have his courage supplied with

the strongest and most vigorous provisions. Let us thank fortune, that

has not made us live in an effeminate, idle, and languishing age; some

who could never have been so by other means will be made famous by their

misfortunes. As I seldom read in histories the confusions of other

states without regret that I was not present, the better to consider

them, so does my curiosity make me in some sort please myself in seeing

with my own eyes this notable spectacle of our public death, its form and

symptoms; and since I cannot hinder it, I am content to have been

destined to be present therein, and thereby to instruct myself. So do

we eagerly covet to see, though but in shadow and the fables of theatres,

the pomp of tragic representations of human fortune; 'tis not without

compassion at what we hear, but we please ourselves in rousing our

displeasure, by the rarity of these pitiable events. Nothing tickles

that does not pinch. And good historians skip over, as stagnant water

and dead sea, calm narrations, to return to seditions, to wars, to which

they know that we invite them.

I question whether I can decently confess with how small a sacrifice of

its repose and tranquillity I have passed over above the one half of my

life amid the ruin of my country. I lend myself my patience somewhat too

cheap, in accidents that do not privately assail me; and do not so much

regard what they take from me, as what remains safe, both within and

without. There is comfort in evading, one while this, another while

that, of the evils that are levelled at ourselves too, at last, but at

present hurt others only about us; as also, that in matters of public

interest, the more universally my affection is dispersed, the weaker it

is: to which may be added, that it is half true:

"Tantum ex publicis malis sentimus,

quantum ad privatas res pertinet;"

and that the health from which we fell was so ill, that itself relieves

the regret we should have for it. It was health, but only in comparison

with the sickness that has succeeded it: we are not fallen from any great

height; the corruption and brigandage which are in dignity and office

seem to me the least supportable: we are less injuriously rifled in a

wood than in a place of security. It was an universal juncture of

particular members, each corrupted by emulation of the others, and most

of them with old ulcers, that neither received nor required any cure.

This convulsion, therefore, really more animated than pressed me, by the

assistance of my conscience, which was not only at peace within itself,

but elevated, and I did not find any reason to complain of myself. Also,

as God never sends evils, any more than goods, absolutely pure to men,

my health continued at that time more than usually good; and, as I can

do nothing without it, there are few things that I cannot do with it.

It afforded me means to rouse up all my faculties, and to lay my hand

before the wound that would else, peradventure, have gone farther; and I

experienced, in my patience, that I had some stand against fortune, and

that it must be a great shock could throw me out of the saddle. I do not

say this to provoke her to give me a more vigorous charge: I am her

humble servant, and submit to her pleasure: let her be content, in God's

name. Am I sensible of her assaults? Yes, I am. But, as those who are

possessed and oppressed with sorrow sometimes suffer themselves,

nevertheless, by intervals to taste a little pleasure, and are sometimes

surprised with a smile, so have I so much power over myself, as to make

my ordinary condition quiet and free from disturbing thoughts; yet I

suffer myself, withal, by fits to be surprised with the stings of those

unpleasing imaginations that assault me, whilst I am arming myself to

drive them away, or at least to wrestle with them.

But behold another aggravation of the evil which befell me in the tail of

the rest: both without doors and within I was assailed with a most

violent plague, violent in comparison of all others; for as sound bodies

are subject to more grievous maladies, forasmuch as they, are not to be

forced but by such, so my very healthful air, where no contagion, however

near, in the memory of man, ever took footing, coming to be corrupted,

produced strange effects:

"Mista senum et juvenum densentur funera; nullum

Saeva caput Proserpina fugit;"

I had to suffer this pleasant condition, that the sight of my house, was

frightful to me; whatever I had there was without guard, and left to the

mercy of any one who wished to take it. I myself, who am so hospitable,

was in very great distress for a retreat for my family; a distracted

family, frightful both to its friends and itself, and filling every place

with horror where it attempted to settle, having to shift its abode so

soon as any one's finger began but to ache; all diseases are then

concluded to be the plague, and people do not stay to examine whether

they are so or no. And the mischief on't is that, according to the rules

of art, in every danger that a man comes near, he must undergo a

quarantine in fear of the evil, your imagination all the while tormenting

you at pleasure, and turning even your health itself into a fever. Yet

all this would have much less affected me had I not withal been compelled

to be sensible of the sufferings of others, and miserably to serve six

months together for a guide to this caravan; for I carry my own antidotes

within myself, which are resolution and patience. Apprehension, which is

particularly feared in this disease, does not much trouble me; and, if

being alone, I should have been taken, it had been a less cheerless and

more remote departure; 'tis a kind of death that I do not think of the

worst sort; 'tis commonly short, stupid, without pain, and consoled by

the public condition; without ceremony, without mourning, without a

crowd. But as to the people about us, the hundredth part of them could

not be saved:

"Videas desertaque regna

Pastorum, et longe saltus lateque vacantes."

In this place my largest revenue is manual: what an hundred men ploughed

for me, lay a long time fallow.

But then, what example of resolution did we not see in the simplicity of

all this people? Generally, every one renounced all care of life; the

grapes, the principal wealth of the country, remained untouched upon the

vines; every man indifferently prepared for and expected death, either

to-night or to-morrow, with a countenance and voice so far from fear,

as if they had come to terms with this necessity, and that it was an

universal and inevitable sentence. 'Tis always such; but how slender

hold has the resolution of dying? The distance and difference of a few

hours, the sole consideration of company, renders its apprehension

various to us. Observe these people; by reason that they die in the same

month, children, young people, and old, they are no longer astonished at

it; they no longer lament. I saw some who were afraid of staying behind,

as in a dreadful solitude; and I did not commonly observe any other

solicitude amongst them than that of sepulture; they were troubled to see

the dead bodies scattered about the fields, at the mercy of the wild

beasts that presently flocked thither. How differing are the fancies of

men; the Neorites, a nation subjected by Alexander, threw the bodies of

their dead into the deepest and less frequented part of their woods, on

purpose to have them there eaten; the only sepulture reputed happy

amongst them. Some, who were yet in health, dug their own graves; others

laid themselves down in them whilst alive; and a labourer of mine, in

dying, with his hands and feet pulled the earth upon him. Was not this

to nestle and settle himself to sleep at greater ease? A bravery in some

sort like that of the Roman soldiers who, after the battle of Cannae,

were found with their heads thrust into holes in the earth, which they

had made, and in suffocating themselves, with their own hands pulled the

earth about their ears. In short, a whole province was, by the common

usage, at once brought to a course nothing inferior in undauntedness to

the most studied and premeditated resolution.

Most of the instructions of science to encourage us herein have in them

more of show than of force, and more of ornament than of effect. We have

abandoned Nature, and will teach her what to do; teach her who so happily

and so securely conducted us; and in the meantime, from the footsteps of

her instruction, and that little which, by the benefit of ignorance,

remains of her image imprinted in the life of this rustic rout of

unpolished men, science is constrained every day to borrow patterns for

her disciples of constancy, tranquillity, and innocence. It is pretty to

see that these persons, full of so much fine knowledge, have to imitate

this foolish simplicity, and this in the primary actions of virtue; and

that our wisdom must learn even from beasts the most profitable

instructions in the greatest and most necessary concerns of our life;

as, how we are to live and die, manage our property, love and bring up

our children, maintain justice: a singular testimony of human infirmity;

and that this reason we so handle at our pleasure, finding evermore some

diversity and novelty, leaves in us no apparent trace of nature. Men

have done with nature as perfumers with oils; they have sophisticated her

with so many argumentations and far-fetched discourses, that she is

become variable and particular to each, and has lost her proper,

constant, and universal face; so that we must seek testimony from beasts,

not subject to favour, corruption, or diversity of opinions. It is,

indeed, true that even these themselves do not always go exactly in the

path of nature, but wherein they swerve, it is so little that you may

always see the track; as horses that are led make many bounds and

curvets, but 'tis always at the length of the halter, and still follow

him that leads them; and as a young hawk takes its flight, but still

under the restraint of its tether:

"Exsilia, torments, bells, morbos, naufragia meditare . . .

ut nullo sis malo tiro."

What good will this curiosity do us, to anticipate all the inconveniences

of human nature, and to prepare ourselves with so much trouble against

things which, peradventure, will never befall us?

"Parem passis tristitiam facit, pati posse;"

not only the blow, but the wind of the blow strikes us: or, like

phrenetic people - for certainly it is a phrensy - to go immediately and

whip yourself, because it may so fall out that Fortune may one day make

you undergo it; and to put on your furred gown at Midsummer, because you

will stand in need of it at Christmas! Throw yourselves, say they, into

the experience of all the evils, the most extreme evils that can possibly

befall you, and so be assured of them. On the contrary, the most easy

and most natural way would be to banish even the thoughts of them; they

will not come soon enough; their true being will not continue with us

long enough; our mind must lengthen and extend them; we must incorporate

them in us beforehand, and there entertain them, as if they would not

otherwise sufficiently press upon our senses. "We shall find them heavy

enough when they come," says one of our masters, of none of the tender

sects, but of the most severe; "in the meantime, favour thyself; believe

what pleases thee best; what good will it do thee to anticipate thy ill

fortune, to lose the present for fear of the future: and to make thyself

miserable now, because thou art to be so in time?" These are his words.

Science, indeed, does us one good office in instructing us exactly as to

the dimensions of evils,

"Curis acuens mortalia corda!"

'Twere pity that any part of their greatness should escape our sense and

knowledge.

'Tis certain that for the most part the preparation for death has

administered more torment than the thing itself. It was of old truly

said, and by a very judicious author:

"Minus afficit sensus fatigatio, quam cogitatio."

The sentiment of present death sometimes, of itself, animates us with a

prompt resolution not to avoid a thing that is utterly inevitable: many

gladiators have been seen in the olden time, who, after having fought

timorously and ill, have courageously entertained death, offering their

throats to the enemies' sword and bidding them despatch. The sight of

future death requires a courage that is slow, and consequently hard to be

got. If you know not how to die, never trouble yourself; nature will, at

the time, fully and sufficiently instruct you: she will exactly do that

business for you; take you no care - "Incertam frustra, mortales, funeris horam,

Quaeritis et qua sit mors aditura via....

Poena minor certam subito perferre ruinam;

Quod timeas, gravius sustinuisse diu."

We trouble life by the care of death, and death by the care of life: the

one torments, the other frights us. It is not against death that we

prepare, that is too momentary a thing; a quarter of an hour's suffering,

without consequence and without damage, does not deserve especial

precepts: to say the truth, we prepare ourselves against the preparations

of death. Philosophy ordains that we should always have death before our

eyes, to see and consider it before the time, and then gives us rules and

precautions to provide that this foresight and thought do us no harm;

just so do physicians, who throw us into diseases, to the end they may

have whereon to employ their drugs and their art. If we have not known

how to live, 'tis injustice to teach us how to die, and make the end

difform from all the rest; if we have known how to live firmly and

quietly, we shall know how to die so too. They may boast as much as they

please:

"Tota philosophorum vita commentatio mortis est;"

but I fancy that, though it be the end, it is not the aim of life; 'tis

its end, its extremity, but not, nevertheless, its object; it ought

itself to be its own aim and design; its true study is to order, govern,

and suffer itself. In the number of several other offices, that the

general and principal chapter of Knowing how to live comprehends, is this

article of Knowing how to die; and, did not our fears give it weight,

one of the lightest too.

To judge of them by utility and by the naked truth, the lessons of

simplicity are not much inferior to those which learning teaches us: nay,

quite the contrary. Men differ in sentiment and force; we must lead them

to their own good according to their capacities and by various ways:

"Quo me comque rapit tempestas, deferor hospes."

I never saw any peasant among my neighbours cogitate with what

countenance and assurance he should pass over his last hour; nature

teaches him not to think of death till he is dying; and then he does it

with a better grace than Aristotle, upon whom death presses with a double

weight, both of itself and from so long a premeditation; and, therefore,

it was the opinion of Caesar, that the least premeditated death was the

easiest and the most happy:

"Plus dolet quam necesse est, qui ante dolet, quam necesse est."

The sharpness of this imagination springs from our curiosity: 'tis thus

we ever impede ourselves, desiring to anticipate and regulate natural

prescripts. It is only for the doctors to dine worse for it, when in the

best health, and to frown at the image of death; the common sort stand in

need of no remedy or consolation, but just in the shock, and when the

blow comes; and consider on't no more than just what they endure. Is it

not then, as we say, that the stolidity and want of apprehension in the

vulgar give them that patience m present evils, and that profound

carelessness of future sinister accidents? That their souls, in being

more gross and dull, are less penetrable and not so easily moved? If it

be so, let us henceforth, in God's name, teach nothing but ignorance;

'tis the utmost fruit the sciences promise us, to which this stolidity so

gently leads its disciples.

We have no want of good masters, interpreters of natural simplicity.

Socrates shall be one; for, as I remember, he speaks something to this

purpose to the judges who sat upon his life and death.

"I am afraid, my masters, that if I entreat you not to put me to death, I

shall confirm the charge of my accusers, which is, that I pretend to be

wiser than others, as having some more secret knowledge of things that

are above and below us. I have neither frequented nor known death, nor

have ever seen any person that has tried its qualities, from whom to

inform myself. Such as fear it, presuppose they know it; as for my part,

I neither know what it is, nor what they do in the other world. Death

is, peradventure, an indifferent thing; peradventure, a thing to be

desired. 'Tis nevertheless to be believed, if it be a transmigration

from one place to another, that it is a bettering of one's condition to

go and live with so many great persons deceased, and to be exempt from

having any more to do with unjust and corrupt judges; if it be an

annihilation of our being, 'tis yet a bettering of one's condition to

enter into a long and peaceable night; we find nothing more sweet in life

than quiet repose and a profound sleep without dreams. The things that

I know to be evil, as to injure one's neighbour and to disobey one's

superior, whether it be God or man, I carefully avoid; such as I do not

know whether they be good or evil, I cannot fear them. If I am to die

and leave you alive, the gods alone only know whether it will go better

with you or with me. Wherefore, as to what concerns me, you may do as

you shall think fit. But according to my method of advising just and

profitable things, I say that you will do your consciences more right to

set me at liberty, unless you see further into my cause than I do; and,

judging according to my past actions, both public and private, according

to my intentions, and according to the profit that so many of our

citizens, both young and old, daily extract from my conversation, and the

fruit that you all reap from me, you cannot more duly acquit yourselves

towards my merit than in ordering that, my poverty considered, I should

be maintained at the Prytanaeum, at the public expense, a thing that I

have often known you, with less reason, grant to others. Do not impute

it to obstinacy or disdain that I do not, according to the custom,

supplicate and go about to move you to commiseration. I have both

friends and kindred, not being, as Homer says, begotten of wood or of

stone, no more than others, who might well present themselves before you

with tears and mourning, and I have three desolate children with whom to

move you to compassion; but I should do a shame to our city at the age I

am, and in the reputation of wisdom which is now charged against me, to

appear in such an abject form. What would men say of the other

Athenians? I have always admonished those who have frequented my

lectures, not to redeem their lives by an unbecoming action; and in the

wars of my country, at Amphipolis, Potidea, Delia, and other expeditions

where I have been, I have effectually manifested how far I was from

securing my safety by my shame. I should, moreover, compromise your

duty, and should invite you to unbecoming things; for 'tis not for my

prayers to persuade you, but for the pure and solid reasons of justice.

You have sworn to the gods to keep yourselves upright; and it would seem

as if I suspected you, or would recriminate upon you that I do not

believe that you are so; and I should testify against myself, not to

believe them as I ought, mistrusting their conduct, and not purely

committing my affair into their hands. I wholly rely upon them; and hold

myself assured they will do in this what shall be most fit both for you

and for me: good men, whether living or dead, have no reason to fear the

gods."

Is not this an innocent child's pleading of an unimaginable loftiness,

true, frank, and just, unexampled? - and in what a necessity employed!

Truly, he had very good reason to prefer it before that which the great

orator Lysias had penned for him: admirably couched, indeed, in the

judiciary style, but unworthy of so noble a criminal. Had a suppliant

voice been heard out of the mouth of Socrates, that lofty virtue had

struck sail in the height of its glory; and ought his rich and powerful

nature to have committed her defence to art, and, in her highest proof,

have renounced truth and simplicity, the ornaments of his speaking, to

adorn and deck herself with the embellishments of figures and the

flourishes of a premeditated speech? He did very wisely, and like

himself, not to corrupt the tenor of an incorrupt life, and so sacred an

image of the human form, to spin out his decrepitude another year, and to

betray the immortal memory of that glorious end. He owed his life not to

himself, but to the example of the world; had it not been a public

damage, that he should have concluded it after a lazy and obscure manner?

Assuredly, that careless and indifferent consideration of his death

deserved that posterity should consider it so much the more, as indeed

they did; and there is nothing so just in justice than that which fortune

ordained for his recommendation; for the Athenians abominated all those

who had been causers of his death to such a degree, that they avoided

them as excommunicated persons, and looked upon everything as polluted

that had been touched by them; no one would wash with them in the public

baths, none would salute or own acquaintance with them: so that, at last,

unable longer to support this public hatred, they hanged themselves.

If any one shall think that, amongst so many other examples that I had to

choose out of in the sayings of Socrates for my present purpose, I have

made an ill choice of this, and shall judge this discourse of his

elevated above common conceptions, I must tell them that I have properly

selected it; for I am of another opinion, and hold it to be a discourse,

in rank and simplicity, much below and behind common conceptions. He

represents, in an inartificial boldness and infantine security, the pure

and first impression and ignorance of nature; for it is to be believed

that we have naturally a fear of pain, but not of death, by reason of

itself; 'tis a part of our being, and no less essential than living.

To what end should nature have begotten in us a hatred to it and a horror

of it, considering that it is of so great utility to her in maintaining

the succession and vicissitude of her works? and that in this universal

republic, it conduces more to birth and augmentation than to loss or

ruin?

"Sic rerum summa novatur."

"Mille animas una necata dedit."

"The failing of one life is the passage to a thousand other lives."

Nature has imprinted in beasts the care of themselves and of their

conservation; they proceed so far as hitting or hurting to be timorous of

being worse, of themselves, of our haltering and beating them, accidents

subject to their sense and experience; but that we should kill them, they

cannot fear, nor have they the faculty to imagine and conclude such a

thing as death; it is said, indeed, that we see them not only cheerfully

undergo it, horses for the most part neighing and swans singing when they

die, but, moreover, seek it at need, of which elephants have given many

examples.

Besides, the method of arguing, of which Socrates here makes use, is it

not equally admirable both in simplicity and vehemence? Truly it is much

more easy to speak like Aristotle and to live like Caesar than to speak

and live as Socrates did; there lies the extreme degree of perfection and

difficulty; art cannot reach it. Now, our faculties are not so trained

up; we do not try, we do not know them; we invest ourselves with those of

others, and let our own lie idle; as some one may say of me, that I have

here only made a nosegay of foreign flowers, having furnished nothing of

my own but the thread to tie them.

Certainly I have so far yielded to public opinion, that those borrowed

ornaments accompany me; but I do not mean that they shall cover me and

hide me; that is quite contrary to my design, who desire to make a show

of nothing but what is my own, and what is my own by nature; and had I

taken my own advice, I had at all hazards spoken purely alone, I more and

more load myself every day,

beyond my purpose and first method, upon the account of idleness and the

humour of the age. If it misbecome me, as I believe it does, 'tis no

matter; it may be of use to some others. Such there are who quote Plato

and Homer, who never saw either of them; and I also have taken things out

of places far enough distant from their source. Without pains and

without learning, having a thousand volumes about me in the place where I

write, I can presently borrow, if I please, from a dozen such

scrap-gatherers, people about whom I do not much trouble myself, wherewith

to trick up this treatise of Physiognomy; there needs no more but a

preliminary epistle of a German to stuff me with quotations. And so it

is we go in quest of a tickling story to cheat the foolish world. These

lumber pies of commonplaces, wherewith so many furnish their studies, are

of little use but to common subjects, and serve but to show us, and not

to direct us: a ridiculous fruit of learning, that Socrates so pleasantly

discusses against Euthydemus. I have seen books made of things that were

never either studied or understood; the author committing to several of

his learned friends the examination of this and t'other matter to compile

it, contenting himself, for his share, with having projected the design,

and by his industry to have tied together this faggot of unknown

provisions; the ink and paper, at least, are his. This is to buy or

borrow a book, and not to make one; 'tis to show men not that he can make

a book, but that, whereof they may be in doubt, he cannot make one.

A president, where I was, boasted that he had amassed together two

hundred and odd commonplaces in one of his judgments; in telling which,

he deprived himself of the glory he had got by it: in my opinion, a

pusillanimous and absurd vanity for such a subject and such a person.

I do the contrary; and amongst so many borrowed things, am glad if I can

steal one, disguising and altering it for some new service; at the hazard

of having it said that 'tis for want of understanding its natural use;

I give it some particular touch of my own hand, to the end it may not be

so absolutely foreign. These set their thefts in show and value

themselves upon them, and so have more credit with the laws than I have:

we naturalists I think that there is a great and incomparable preference

in the honour of invention over that of allegation.

If I would have spoken by learning, I had spoken sooner; I had written of

the time nearer to my studies, when I had more wit and better memory, and

should sooner have trusted to the vigour of that age than of this, would

I have made a business of writing. And what if this gracious favour

which Fortune has

lately offered me upon the account of this work, had befallen me in that

time of my life, instead of this, wherein 'tis equally desirable to

possess, soon to be lost! Two of my acquaintance, great men in this

faculty, have, in my opinion, lost half, in refusing to publish at forty

years old, that they might stay till threescore. Maturity has its

defects as well as green years, and worse; and old age is as unfit for

this kind of business as any other. He who commits his decrepitude to

the press plays the fool if he think to squeeze anything out thence that

does not relish of dreaming, dotage, and drivelling; the mind grows

costive and thick in growing old. I deliver my ignorance in pomp and

state, and my learning meagrely and poorly; this accidentally and

accessorily, that principally and expressly; and write specifically of

nothing but nothing, nor of any science but of that inscience. I have

chosen a time when my life, which I am to give an account of, lies wholly

before me; what remains has more to do with death; and of my death

itself, should I find it a prating death, as others do, I would willingly

give an account at my departure.

Socrates was a perfect exemplar in all great qualities, and I am vexed

that he had so deformed a face and body as is said, and so unsuitable to

the beauty of his soul, himself being so amorous and such an admirer of

beauty: Nature did him wrong. There is nothing more probable than the

conformity and relation of the body to the soul:

"Ipsi animi magni refert, quali in corpore locati sint: multo enim a

corpore existunt, qux acuant mentem: multa qua obtundant;"

this refers to an unnatural ugliness and deformity of limbs; but we call

ugliness also an unseemliness at first sight, which is principally lodged

in the face, and disgusts us on very slight grounds: by the complexion, a

spot, a rugged countenance, for some reasons often wholly inexplicable,

in members nevertheless of good symmetry and perfect. The deformity,

that clothed a very beautiful soul in La Boetie, was of this predicament:

that superficial ugliness, which nevertheless is always the most

imperious, is of least prejudice to the state of the mind, and of little

certainty in the opinion of men. The other, which is never properly

called deformity, being more substantial, strikes deeper in. Not every

shoe of smooth shining leather, but every shoe well-made, shews the shape

of the foot within. As Socrates said of his, it betrayed equal ugliness

in his soul, had he not corrected it by education; but in saying so, I

hold he was in jest, as his custom was; never so excellent a soul formed

itself.

I cannot often enough repeat how great an esteem I have for beauty, that

potent and advantageous quality; he (La Boetie) called it "a short

tyranny," and Plato, "the privilege of nature." We have nothing that

excels it in reputation; it has the first place in the commerce of men;

it presents itself in the front; seduces and prepossesses our judgments

with great authority and wonderful impression. Phryne had lost her cause

in the hands of an excellent advocate, if, opening her robe, she had not

corrupted her judges by the lustre of her beauty. And I find that Cyrus,

Alexander, and Caesar, the three masters of the world, never neglected

beauty in their greatest affairs; no more did the first Scipio. The same

word in Greek signifies both fair and good; and the Holy Word often says

good when it means fair: I should willingly maintain the priority in good

things, according to the song that Plato calls an idle thing, taken out

of some ancient poet: "health, beauty, riches." Aristotle says that the

right of command appertains to the beautiful; and that, when there is a

person whose beauty comes near the images of the gods, veneration is

equally due to him. To him who asked why people oftener and longer

frequent the company of handsome persons: "That question," said he, "is

only to be asked by the blind." Most of the philosophers, and the

greatest, paid for their schooling, and acquired wisdom by the favour and

mediation of their beauty. Not only in the men that serve me, but also

in the beasts, I consider it within two fingers' breadth of goodness.

And yet I fancy that those features and moulds of face, and those

lineaments, by which men guess at our internal complexions and our

fortunes to come, is a thing that does not very directly and simply lie

under the chapter of beauty and deformity, no more than every good odour

and serenity of air promises health, nor all fog and stink infection in a

time of pestilence. Such as accuse ladies of contradicting their beauty

by their manners, do not always hit right; for, in a face which is none

of the best, there may dwell some air of probity and trust; as, on the

contrary, I have read, betwixt two beautiful eyes, menaces of a dangerous

and malignant nature. There are favourable physiognomies, so that in a

crowd of victorious enemies, you shall presently choose, amongst men you

never saw before, one rather than another to whom to surrender, and with

whom to intrust your life; and yet not properly upon the consideration of

beauty.

A person's look is but a feeble warranty; and yet it is something

considerable too; and if I had to lash them, I would most severely

scourge the wicked ones who belie and betray the promises that nature has

planted in their foreheads; I should with greater severity punish malice

under a mild and gentle aspect. It seems as if there were some lucky and

some unlucky faces; and I believe there is some art in distinguishing

affable from merely simple faces, severe from rugged, malicious from

pensive, scornful from melancholic, and such other bordering qualities.

There are beauties which are not only haughty, but sour, and others that

are not only gentle, but more than that, insipid; to prognosticate from

them future events is a matter that I shall leave undecided.

I have, as I have said elsewhere as to my own concern, simply and

implicitly embraced this ancient rule, "That we cannot fail in following

Nature," and that the sovereign precept is to conform ourselves to her.

I have not, as Socrates did, corrected my natural composition by the

force of reason, and have not in the least disturbed my inclination by

art; I have let myself go as I came: I contend not; my two principal

parts live, of their own accord, in peace and good intelligence, but my

nurse's milk, thank God, was tolerably wholesome and good. Shall I say

this by the way, that I see in greater esteem than 'tis worth, and in use

solely among ourselves, a certain image of scholastic probity, a slave to

precepts, and fettered with hope and fear? I would have it such as that

laws and religions should not make, but perfect and authorise it; that

finds it has wherewithal to support itself without help, born and rooted

in us from the seed of universal reason, imprinted in every man by

nature. That reason which strengthens Socrates from his vicious bend

renders him obedient to the gods and men of authority in his city:

courageous in death, not because his soul is immortal, but because he is

mortal. 'Tis a doctrine ruinous to all government, and much more hurtful

than ingenious and subtle, which persuades the people that a religious

belief is alone sufficient, and without conduct, to satisfy the divine

justice. Use demonstrates to us a vast distinction betwixt devotion and

conscience.

I have a favourable aspect, both in form and in interpretation:

"Quid dixi, habere me? imo habui, Chreme."

"Heu! tantum attriti corporis ossa vides;"

and that makes a quite contrary show to that of Socrates. It has often

befallen me, that upon the mere credit of my presence and air, persons

who had no manner of knowledge of me have put a very great confidence in

me, whether in their own affairs or mine; and I have in foreign parts

thence obtained singular and rare favours. But the two following

examples are, peradventure, worth particular relation. A certain person

planned to surprise my house and me in it; his scheme was to come to my

gates alone, and to be importunate to be let in. I knew him by name,

and had fair reason to repose confidence in him, as being my neighbour

and something related to me. I caused the gates to be opened to him,

as I do to every one. There I found him, with every appearance of alarm,

his horse panting and very tired. He entertained me with this story:

"That, about half a league off, he had met with a certain enemy of his,

whom I also knew, and had heard of their quarrel; that his enemy had

given him a very brisk chase, and that having been surprised in disorder,

and his party being too weak, he had fled to my gates for refuge;

and that he was in great trouble for his followers, whom (he said) he

concluded to be all either dead or taken." I innocently did my best to

comfort, assure, and refresh him. Shortly after came four or five of his

soldiers, who presented themselves in the same countenance and affright,

to get in too; and after them more, and still more, very well mounted and

armed, to the number of five-and-twenty or thirty, pretending that they

had the enemy at their heels. This mystery began a little to awaken my

suspicion; I was not ignorant what an age I lived in, how much my house

might be envied, and I had several examples of others of my acquaintance

to whom a mishap of this sort had happened. But thinking there was

nothing to be got by having begun to do a courtesy, unless I went through

with it, and that I could not disengage myself from them without spoiling

all, I let myself go the most natural and simple way, as I always do, and

invited them all to come in. And in truth I am naturally very little

inclined to suspicion and distrust; I willingly incline towards excuse

and the gentlest interpretation; I take men according to the common

order, and do not more believe in those perverse and unnatural

inclinations, unless convinced by manifest evidence, than I do in

monsters and miracles; and I am, moreover, a man who willingly commit

myself to Fortune, and throw myself headlong into her arms; and I have

hitherto found more reason to applaud than to blame myself for so doing,

having ever found her more discreet about, and a greater friend to, my

affairs than I am myself. There are some actions in my life whereof the

conduct may justly be called difficult, or, if you please, prudent; of

these, supposing the third part to have been my own, doubtless the other

two-thirds were absolutely hers. We make, methinks, a mistake in that we

do not enough trust Heaven with our affairs, and pretend to more from our

own conduct than appertains to us; and therefore it is that our designs

so often miscarry. Heaven is jealous of the extent that we attribute to

the right of human prudence above its own, and cuts it all the shorter by

how much the more we amplify it. The last comers remained on horseback

in my courtyard, whilst their leader, who was with me in the parlour,

would not have his horse put up in the stable, saying he should

immediately retire, so soon as he had news of his men. He saw himself

master of his enterprise, and nothing now remained but its execution.

He has since several times said (for he was not ashamed to tell the story

himself) that my countenance and frankness had snatched the treachery out

of his hands. He again mounted his horse; his followers, who had their

eyes intent upon him, to see when he would give the signal, being very

much astonished to find him come away and leave his prey behind him.

Another time, relying upon some truce just published in the army, I took

a journey through a very ticklish country. I had not ridden far, but I

was discovered, and two or three parties of horse, from various places,

were sent out to seize me; one of them overtook me on the third day, and

I was attacked by fifteen or twenty gentlemen in vizors, followed at a

distance by a band of foot-soldiers. I was taken, withdrawn into the

thick of a neighbouring forest, dismounted, robbed, my trunks rifled, my

money-box taken, and my horses and equipage divided amongst new masters.

We had, in this copse, a very long contest about my ransom, which they

set so high, that it was manifest that I was not known to them. They

were, moreover, in a very great debate about my life; and, in truth,

there were various circumstances that clearly showed the danger I was in:

"Tunc animis opus, AEnea, tunc pectore firmo."

I still insisted upon the truce, too willing they should have the gain of

what they had already taken from me, which was not to be despised,

without promise of any other ransom. After two or three hours that we

had been in this place, and that they had mounted me upon a horse that

was not likely to run from them, and committed me to the guard of fifteen

or twenty harquebusiers, and dispersed my servants to others, having

given order that they should carry us away prisoners several ways, and I

being already got some two or three musket-shots from the place,

"Jam prece Pollucis, jam Castoris, implorata,"

behold a sudden and unexpected alteration; I saw the chief return to me

with gentler language, making search amongst the troopers for my

scattered property, and causing as much as could be recovered to be

restored to me, even to my money-box; but the best present they made was

my liberty, for the rest did not much concern me at that time. The true

cause of so sudden a change, and of this reconsideration, without any

apparent impulse, and of so miraculous a repentance, in such a time, in a

planned and deliberate enterprise, and become just by usage (for, at the

first dash, I plainly confessed to them of what party I was, and whither

I was going), truly, I do not yet rightly understand. The most prominent

amongst them, who pulled off his vizor and told me his name, repeatedly

told me at the time, over and over again, that I owed my deliverance to

my countenance, and the liberty and boldness of my speech, that rendered

me unworthy of such a misadventure, and should secure me from its

repetition. 'Tis possible that the Divine goodness willed to make use of

this vain instrument for my preservation; and it, moreover, defended me

the next day from other and worse ambushes, of which these my assailants

had given me warning. The last of these two gentlemen is yet living

himself to tell the story; the first was killed not long ago.

If my face did not answer for me, if men did not read in my eyes and in

my voice the innocence of intention, I had not lived so long without

quarrels and without giving offence, seeing the indiscreet whatever comes

into my head, and to judge so rashly of things. This way may, with

reason, appear uncivil, and ill adapted to our way of conversation; but

I have never met with any who judged it outrageous or malicious, or that

took offence at my liberty, if he had it from my own mouth; words

repeated have another kind of sound and sense. Nor do I hate any person;

and I am so slow to offend, that I cannot do it, even upon the account of

reason itself; and when occasion has required me to sentence criminals,

I have rather chosen to fail in point of justice than to do it:

"Ut magis peccari nolim, quam satis animi

ad vindicanda peccata habeam."

Aristotle, 'tis said, was reproached for having been too merciful to a

wicked man: "I was indeed," said he, "merciful to the man, but not to his

wickedness." Ordinary judgments exasperate themselves to punishment by

the horror of the fact: but it cools mine; the horror of the first murder

makes me fear a second; and the deformity of the first cruelty makes me

abhor all imitation of it.' That may be applied to me, who am but a

Squire of Clubs, which was said of Charillus, king of Sparta: "He cannot

be good, seeing he is not evil even to the wicked." Or thus - for

Plutarch delivers it both these ways, as he does a thousand other things,

variously and contradictorily - "He must needs be good, because he is so

even to the wicked." Even as in lawful actions I dislike to employ

myself when for such as are displeased at it; so, to say the truth, in

unlawful things I do not make conscience enough of employing myself when

it is for such as are willing.