settled course； and that he merely proposed to himself to pay visits to
places which he had not seen； and so long as they could not convict him
of traversing the same path twice； or revisiting a point already seen； he
could perceive no harm in his plan。 As to Rome； he cared less to go
there； inasmuch as everybody went there； and he said that he never had a
lacquey who could not tell him all about Florence or Ferrara。 He also
would say that he seemed to himself like those who are reading some
pleasant story or some fine book； of which they fear to come to the end：
he felt so much pleasure in travelling that he dreaded the moment of
arrival at the place where they were to stop for the night。
We see that Montaigne travelled； just as he wrote； completely at his
ease； and without the least constraint； turning； just as he fancied； from
the common or ordinary roads taken by tourists。 The good inns； the soft
beds； the fine views； attracted his notice at every point； and in his
observations on men and things he confines himself chiefly to the
practical side。 The consideration of his health was constantly before
him； and it was in consequence of this that； while at Venice； which
disappointed him； he took occasion to note； for the benefit of readers；
that he had an attack of colic； and that he evacuated two large stones
after supper。 On quitting Venice； he went in succession to Ferrara；
Rovigo； Padua； Bologna （where he had a stomach…ache）； Florence； &c。； and
everywhere； before alighting； he made it a rule to send some of his
servants to ascertain where the best accommodation was to be had。 He
pronounced the Florentine women the finest in the world； but had not an
equally good opinion of the food； which was less plentiful than in
Germany； and not so well served。 He lets us understand that in Italy
they send up dishes without dressing； but in Germany they were much
better seasoned； and served with a variety of sauces and gravies。 He
remarked further； that the glasses were singularly small and the wines
insipid。
After dining with the Grand…Duke of Florence； Montaigne passed rapidly
over the intermediate country； which had no fascination for him； and
arrived at Rome on the last day of November； entering by the Porta del
Popolo； and putting up at Bear。 But he afterwards hired； at twenty
crowns a month； fine furnished rooms in the house of a Spaniard； who
included in these terms the use of the kitchen fire。 What most annoyed
him in the Eternal City was the number of Frenchmen he met； who all
saluted him in his native tongue； but otherwise he was very comfortable；
and his stay extended to five months。 A mind like his； full of grand
classical reflections； could not fail to be profoundly impressed in the
presence of the ruins at Rome； and he has enshrined in a magnificent
passage of the Journal the feelings of the moment： 〃He said；〃 writes his
secretary； 〃that at Rome one saw nothing but the sky under which she had
been built； and the outline of her site： that the knowledge we had of her
was abstract； contemplative； not palpable to the actual senses： that
those who said they beheld at least the ruins of Rome； went too far； for
the ruins of so gigantic a structure must have commanded greater
reverence…it was nothing but her sepulchre。 The world； jealous of her；
prolonged empire； had in the first place broken to pieces that admirable
body； and then； when they perceived that the remains attracted worship
and awe； had buried the very wreck itself。 ＇Compare a passage in one
of Horace Walpole's letters to Richard West； 22 March 1740 （Cunningham's
edit。 i。 41）； where Walpole； speaking of Rome； describes her very ruins
as ruined。＇ As to those small fragments which were still to be seen on
the surface； notwithstanding the assaults of time and all other attacks；
again and again repeated； they had been favoured by fortune to be some
slight evidence of that infinite grandeur which nothing could entirely
extingish。 But it was likely that these disfigured remains were the
least entitled to attention； and that the enemies of that immortal
renown； in their fury； had addressed themselves in the first instance to
the destruction of what was most beautiful and worthiest of preservation；
and that the buildings of this bastard Rome； raised upon the ancient
productions； although they might excite the admiration of the present
age； reminded him of the crows' and sparrows' nests built in the walls
and arches of the old churches； destroyed by the Huguenots。 Again； he
was apprehensive； seeing the space which this grave occupied； that the
whole might not have been recovered； and that the burial itself had been
buried。 And； moreover； to see a wretched heap of rubbish； as pieces of
tile and pottery； grow （as it had ages since） to a height equal to that
of Mount Gurson；＇In Perigord。＇and thrice the width of it； appeared to
show a conspiracy of destiny against the glory and pre…eminence of that
city； affording at the same time a novel and extraordinary proof of its
departed greatness。 He （Montaigne） observed that it was difficult to
believe considering the limited area taken up by any of her seven hills
and particularly the two most favoured ones； the Capitoline and the
Palatine； that so many buildings stood on the site。 Judging only from
what is left of the Temple of Concord； along the 'Forum Romanum'； of
which the fall seems quite recent； like that of some huge mountain split
into horrible crags； it does not look as if more than two such edifices
could have found room on the Capitoline； on which there were at one
period from five…and…twenty to thirty temples； besides private dwellings。
But； in point of fact； there is scarcely any probability of the views
which we take of the city being correct； its plan and form having changed
infinitely； for instance； the 'Velabrum'； which on account of its
depressed level； received the sewage of the city； and had a lake； has
been raised by artificial accumulation to a height with the other hills；
and Mount Savello has； in truth； grown simply out of the ruins of the
theatre of Marcellus。 He believed that an ancient Roman would not
recognise the place again。 It often happened that in digging down into
earth the workmen came upon the crown of some lofty column； which； though
thus buried； was still standing upright。 The people there have no
recourse to other foundations than the vaults and arches of the old
houses； upon which； as on slabs of rock； they raise their modern palaces。
It is easy to see that several of the ancient streets are thirty feet
below those at present in use。〃
Sceptical as Montaigne shows himself in his books； yet during his sojourn
at Rome he manifested a great regard for religion。 He solicited the
honour of being admitted to kiss the feet of the Holy Father； Gregory
XIII。； and the Pontiff exhorted him always to continue in the devotion
which he had hitherto exhibited to the Church and the service of the Most
Christian King。
〃After this； one sees；〃 says the editor of the Journal； 〃Montaigne
employing all his time in making excursions bout the neighbourhood on
horseback or on foot； in visits； in observations of every kind。 The
churches； the stations； the processions even； the sermons； then the
palaces； the vineyards； the gardens； the public amusements； as the
Carnival； &c。nothing was overlooked。 He saw a Jewish child
circumcised； and wrote down a most minute account of the operation。 He
met at San Sisto a Muscovite ambassador； the second who had come to Rome
since the pontificate of Paul III。 This minister had despatches from his
court for Venice； addressed to the 'Grand Governor of the Signory'。 The
court of Muscovy had at that time such limited relations with the other
powers of Europe； and it was so imperfect in its information； that it
thought Venice to be a dependency of the Holy See。〃
Of all the particulars with which he has furnished us during his stay at
Rome； the following passage in reference to the Essays is not the least
singular： 〃The Master of the Sacred Palace returned him his Essays；
castigated in accordance with the views of the learned monks。 'He had
only been able to form a judgment of them；' said he； 'through a certain
French monk； not understanding French himself'〃we leave Montaigne
himself to tell the story〃and he received so complacently my excuses
and explanations on each of the passages which had been animadverted upon
by the French monk； that he concluded by leaving me at liberty to revise
the text agreeably to the dictates of my own conscience。 I begged him；
on the contrary； to abide by the opinion of the person who had criticised
me； confessing； among other matters； as； for example； in my use of the
word fortune； in quoting historical poets； in my apology for Julian； in
my animadversion on the theory that he who prayed ought to be exempt from
vicious inclinations for the time being； item； in my estimate of cruelty；
as something beyond simple death； item； in my view that a child ought to
be brought up to do everything； and so on； that these were my opinions；
which I did not think wrong； as to other things； I said that the
corrector understood not my meaning。 The Master； who is a clever man；
made many excuses for me； and gave me to suppose that he did not concur
in the suggested improvements； and pleaded very ingeniously for me in my
presence against another （also an Italian） who opposed my sentiments。〃
Such is what passed between Montaigne and these two personages at that
time； but when the Essayist was leaving； and went to bid them farewell；
they used very different language to him。 〃They prayed me；〃 says he；
〃to pay no attention to the censure passed on my book； in which other
French persons had apprised them that there were many foolish things；
adding； that they honoured my affectionate intention towards the Church；
and my capacity； and had so high an opinion of my candour and
conscientiousness that they should leave it to me to make such
alterations as were proper in the book； when I reprinted it； among other
things； the word fortune。 To excuse themselves for what they had said
against my book； they instanced works of ou