excusable failing to wish it had been twice as long；
〃Sapiens divitiarum naturalium quaesitor acerrimus：〃
＇〃A wise man is the keenest seeker for natural riches。〃
Seneca； Ep。； 119。＇
nor that we should support ourselves by putting only a little of that
drug into our mouths； by which Epimenides took away his appetite and kept
himself alive； nor that we should stupidly beget children with our
fingers or heels； but rather； with reverence be it spoken； that we might
voluptuously beget them with our fingers and heels； nor that the body
should be without desire and without titillation。 These are ungrateful
and wicked complaints。 I accept kindly； and with gratitude； what nature
has done for me； am well pleased with it； and proud of it。 A man does
wrong to that great and omnipotent giver to refuse； annul； or disfigure
his gift： all goodness himself； he has made everything good：
〃Omnia quae secundum naturam sunt； aestimatione digna sunt。〃
＇〃All things that are according to nature are worthy of esteem。〃
Cicero； De Fin。； iii。 6。＇
Of philosophical opinions； I preferably embrace those that are most
solid； that is to say； the most human and most our own： my discourse is；
suitable to my manners； low and humble： philosophy plays the child； to my
thinking； when it puts itself upon its Ergos to preach to us that 'tis a
barbarous alliance to marry the divine with the earthly； the reasonable
with the unreasonable； the severe with the indulgent； the honest with the
dishonest。 That pleasure is a brutish quality； unworthy to be tasted by
a wise man； that the sole pleasure he extracts from the enjoyment of a
fair young wife is a pleasure of his conscience to perform an action
according to order； as to put on his boots for a profitable journey。
Oh； that its followers had no more right； nor nerves； nor vigour in
getting their wives' maidenheads than in its lesson。
This is not what Socrates says； who is its master and ours： he values； as
he ought； bodily pleasure； but he prefers that of the mind as having more
force； constancy； facility； variety； and dignity。 This； according to
him； goes by no means alonehe is not so fantasticbut only it goes
first； temperance with him is the moderatrix； not the adversary of
pleasure。 Nature is a gentle guide； but not more sweet and gentle than
prudent and just。
〃Intrandum est in rerum naturam； et penitus；
quid ea postulet； pervidendum。〃
＇〃A man must search into the nature of things； and fully examine
what she requires。〃Cicero； De Fin。； V。 16。＇
I hunt after her foot throughout： we have confounded it with artificial
traces； and that academic and peripatetic good； which is 〃to live
according to it；〃 becomes on this account hard to limit and explain； and
that of the Stoics； neighbour to it； which is 〃to consent to nature。〃
Is it not an error to esteem any actions less worthy； because they are
necessary？ And yet they will not take it out of my head； that it is not
a very convenient marriage of pleasure with necessity； with which； says
an ancient； the gods always conspire。 To what end do we dismember by
divorce a building united by so close and brotherly a correspondence？
Let us； on the contrary； confirm it by mutual offices； let the mind rouse
and quicken the heaviness of the body； and the body stay and fix the
levity of the soul：
〃Qui； velut summum bonum； laudat animac naturam； et； tanquam malum；
naturam carnis accusat； profectd et animam carnatiter appetit； et
carnem carnaliter fugit； quoniam id vanitate sentit humans； non
veritate divina。〃
＇He who commends the nature of the soul as the supreme good； and
condemns the nature of the flesh as evil； at once both carnally
desires the soul； and carnally flies the flesh； because he feels
thus from human vanity； not from divine truth。〃
St。 Augustin； De Civit。 Dei； xiv。 5。＇
In this present that God has made us； there is nothing unworthy our care；
we stand accountable for it even to a hair； and is it not a commission to
man； to conduct man according to his condition； 'tis express； plain； and
the very principal one； and the Creator has seriously and strictly
prescribed it to us。 Authority has power only to work in regard to
matters of common judgment； and is of more weight in a foreign language；
therefore let us again charge at it in this place：
〃Stultitiae proprium quis non dixerit； ignave et contumaciter
facere； quae facienda sunt； et alio corpus impellere； alio animum；
distrahique inter diversissimos motus？〃
＇〃Who will not say； that it is the property of folly； slothfully and
contumaciously to perform what is to be done； and to bend the body
one way and the mind another； and to be distracted betwixt wholly
different motions？〃Seneca； Ep。； 74。＇
To make this apparent； ask any one； some day； to tell you what whimsies
and imaginations he put into his pate； upon the account of which he
diverted his thoughts from a good meal； and regrets the time he spends in
eating； you will find there is nothing so insipid in all the dishes at
your table as this wise meditation of his （for the most part we had
better sleep than wake to the purpose we wake）； and that his discourses
and notions are not worth the worst mess there。 Though they were the
ecstasies of Archimedes himself； what then？ I do not here speak of； nor
mix with the rabble of us ordinary men； and the vanity of the thoughts
and desires that divert us； those venerable souls； elevated by the ardour
of devotion and religion； to a constant and conscientious meditation of
divine things； who； by the energy of vivid and vehement hope；
prepossessing the use of the eternal nourishment； the final aim and last
step of Christian desires； the sole constant； and incorruptible pleasure；
disdain to apply themselves to our necessitous； fluid； and ambiguous
conveniences； and easily resign to the body the care and use of sensual
and temporal pasture； 'tis a privileged study。 Between ourselves； I have
ever observed supercelestial opinions and subterranean manners to be of
singular accord。
AEsop； that great man； saw his master piss as he walked： 〃What then；〃
said he； 〃must we drop as we run？〃 Let us manage our time； there yet
remains a great deal idle and ill employed。 The mind has not willingly
other hours enough wherein to do its business； without disassociating
itself from the body； in that little space it must have for its
necessity。 They would put themselves out of themselves； and escape from
being men。 It is folly； instead of transforming themselves into angels；
they transform themselves into beasts； instead of elevating； they lay
themselves lower。 These transcendental humours affright me； like high
and inaccessible places； and nothing is hard for me to digest in the life
of Socrates but his ecstasies and communication with demons； nothing so
human in Plato as that for which they say he was called divine； and of
our sciences； those seem to be the most terrestrial and low that are
highest mounted； and I find nothing so humble and mortal in the life of
Alexander as his fancies about his immortalisation。 Philotas pleasantly
quipped him in his answer； he congratulated him by letter concerning the
oracle of Jupiter Ammon； which had placed him amongst the gods： 〃Upon thy
account I am glad of it； but the men are to be pitied who are to live
with a man； and to obey him； who exceeds and is not contented with the
measure of a man：〃
〃Diis to minorem quod geris； imperas。〃
＇〃Because thou carriest thyself lower than the gods； thou rulest。〃
Horace； Od。； iii。 6； 5。＇
The pretty inscription wherewith the Athenians honoured the entry of
Pompey into their city is conformable to my sense： 〃By so much thou art
a god； as thou confessest thee a man。〃 'Tis an absolute and； as it were；
a divine perfection； for a man to know how loyally to enjoy his being。
We seek other conditions； by reason we do not understand the use of our
own； and go out of ourselves； because we know not how there to reside。
'Tis to much purpose to go upon stilts； for； when upon stilts； we must
yet walk with our legs； and when seated upon the most elevated throne in
the world； we are but seated upon our breech。 The fairest lives； in my
opinion； are those which regularly accommodate themselves to the common
and human model without miracle； without extravagance。 Old age stands a
little in need of a more gentle treatment。 Let us recommend that to God；
the protector of health and wisdom； but let it be gay and sociable：
〃Frui paratis et valido mihi
Latoe； dones； et precor； integra
Cum mente； nec turpem senectam
Degere； nec Cithara carentem。〃
＇〃Grant it to me； Apollo； that I may enjoy my possessions in good
health； let me be sound in mind； let me not lead a dishonourable
old age； nor want the cittern。〃Horace； Od。； i。 31； 17。＇
Or：
＇〃Grant it to me； Apollo； that I may enjoy what I have in good
health； let me be sound in body and mind； let me live in honour when
old； nor let music be wanting。〃＇
APOLOGY：
＇In fact； the first edition of the Essays （Bordeaux； 1580） has very few
quotations。 These became more numerous in the edition of 1588； but the
multitude of classical texts which at times encumber Montaigne's text；
only dates from the posthumous edition of 1595＇ he had made these
collections in the four last years of his life； as an amusement of his
〃idleness。〃Le Clerc。 They grow； however； more sparing in the Third
Book。
End