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The Essays of Montaigne； V5
by Michel de Montaigne
Translated by Charles Cotton
Edited by William Carew Hazilitt
1877
CONTENTS OF VOLUME 5。
XXV。 Of the education of children。
XXVI。 That it is folly to measure truth and error by our own
capacity。
CHAPTER XXV
OF THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN
TO MADAME DIANE DE FOIX； Comtesse de Gurson
I never yet saw that father； but let his son be never so decrepit or
deformed； would not； notwithstanding； own him： not； nevertheless； if he
were not totally besotted； and blinded with his paternal affection； that
he did not well enough discern his defects； but that with all defaults he
was still his。 Just so； I see better than any other； that all I write
here are but the idle reveries of a man that has only nibbled upon the
outward crust of sciences in his nonage； and only retained a general and
formless image of them； who has got a little snatch of everything and
nothing of the whole； 'a la Francoise'。 For I know； in general； that
there is such a thing as physic； as jurisprudence： four parts in
mathematics； and； roughly； what all these aim and point at； and；
peradventure； I yet know farther； what sciences in general pretend unto；
in order to the service of our life： but to dive farther than that； and
to have cudgelled my brains in the study of Aristotle； the monarch of all
modern learning； or particularly addicted myself to any one science；
I have never done it； neither is there any one art of which I am able to
draw the first lineaments and dead colour； insomuch that there is not a
boy of the lowest form in a school； that may not pretend to be wiser than
I； who am not able to examine him in his first lesson； which； if I am at
any time forced upon； I am necessitated in my own defence； to ask him；
unaptly enough； some universal questions； such as may serve to try his
natural understanding； a lesson as strange and unknown to him； as his is
to me。
I never seriously settled myself to the reading any book of solid
learning but Plutarch and Seneca； and there； like the Danaides； I
eternally fill； and it as constantly runs out； something of which drops
upon this paper； but little or nothing stays with me。 History is my
particular game as to matter of reading； or else poetry； for which I have
particular kindness and esteem： for； as Cleanthes said； as the voice；
forced through the narrow passage of a trumpet； comes out more forcible
and shrill： so； methinks； a sentence pressed within the harmony of verse
darts out more briskly upon the understanding； and strikes my ear and
apprehension with a smarter and more pleasing effect。 As to the natural
parts I have； of which this is the essay； I find them to bow under the
burden； my fancy and judgment do but grope in the dark； tripping and
stumbling in the way； and when I have gone as far as I can； I am in no
degree satisfied； I discover still a new and greater extent of land
before me； with a troubled and imperfect sight and wrapped up in clouds；
that I am not able to penetrate。 And taking upon me to write
indifferently of whatever comes into my head； and therein making use of
nothing but my own proper and natural means； if it befall me； as oft…
times it does； accidentally to meet in any good author； the same heads
and commonplaces upon which I have attempted to write （as I did but just
now in Plutarch's 〃Discourse of the Force of Imagination〃）； to see myself
so weak and so forlorn； so heavy and so flat； in comparison of those
better writers； I at once pity or despise myself。 Yet do I please myself
with this； that my opinions have often the honour and good fortune to
jump with theirs； and that I go in the same path； though at a very great
distance； and can say； 〃Ah； that is so。〃 I am farther satisfied to find
that I have a quality； which every one is not blessed withal； which is；
to discern the vast difference between them and me； and notwithstanding
all that； suffer my own inventions； low and feeble as they are； to run on
in their career； without mending or plastering up the defects that this
comparison has laid open to my own view。 And； in plain truth； a man had
need of a good strong back to keep pace with these people。 The
indiscreet scribblers of our times； who； amongst their laborious
nothings； insert whole sections and pages out of ancient authors； with a
design； by that means； to illustrate their own writings； do quite
contrary； for this infinite dissimilitude of ornaments renders the
complexion of their own compositions so sallow and deformed； that they
lose much more than they get。
The philosophers； Chrysippus and Epicurus； were in this of two quite
contrary humours： the first not only in his books mixed passages and
sayings of other authors； but entire pieces； and； in one； the whole Medea
of Euripides； which gave Apollodorus occasion to say； that should a man
pick out of his writings all that was none of his； he would leave him
nothing but blank paper： whereas the latter； quite on the contrary； in
three hundred volumes that he left behind him； has not so much as one
quotation。＇Diogenes Laertius； Lives of Chyysippus； vii。 181； and
Epicurus； x。 26。＇
I happened the other day upon this piece of fortune； I was reading a
French book； where after I had a long time run dreaming over a great many
words； so dull； so insipid； so void of all wit or common sense； that
indeed they were only French words： after a long and tedious travel； I
came at last to meet with a piece that was lofty； rich； and elevated to
the very clouds； of which； had I found either the declivity easy or the
ascent gradual； there had been some excuse； but it was so perpendicular
a precipice； and so wholly cut off from the rest of the work； that by the
first six words； I found myself flying into the other world； and thence
discovered the vale whence I came so deep and low； that I have never had
since the heart to descend into it any more。 If I should set out one of
my discourses with such rich spoils as these； it would but too evidently
manifest the imperfection of my own writing。 To reprehend the fault in
others that I am guilty of myself； appears to me no more unreasonable；
than to condemn； as I often do； those of others in myself： they are to be
everywhere reproved； and ought to have no sanctuary allowed them。 I know
very well how audaciously I myself； at every turn； attempt to equal
myself to my thefts； and to make my style go hand in hand with them； not
without a temerarious hope of deceiving the eyes of my reader from
discerning the difference； but withal it is as much by the benefit of my
application； that I hope to do it； as by that of my invention or any
force of my own。 Besides； I do not offer to contend with the whole body
of these champions； nor hand to hand with anyone of them： 'tis only by
flights and little light attempts that I engage them； I do not grapple
with them； but try their strength only； and never engage so far as I make
a show to do。 If I could hold them in play； I were a brave fellow； for I
never attack them； but where they are most sinewy and strong。 To cover a
man's self （as I have seen some do） with another man's armour； so as not
to discover so much as his fingers' ends； to carry on a design （as it is
not hard for a man that has anything of a scholar in him； in an ordinary
subject to do） under old inventions patched up here and there with his
own trumpery； and then to endeavour to conceal the theft； and to make it
pass for his own； is first injustice and meanness of spirit in those who
do it； who having nothing in them of their own fit to procure them a
reputation； endeavour to do it by attempting to impose things upon the
world in their own name； which they have no manner of title to； and next；
a ridiculous folly to content themselves with acquiring the ignorant
approbation of the vulgar by such a pitiful cheat； at the price at the
same time of degrading themselves in the eyes of men of understanding；
who turn up their noses at all this borrowed incrustation； yet whose
praise alone is worth the having。 For my own part； there is nothing I
would not sooner do than that； neither have I said so much of others； but
to get a better opportunity to explain myself。 Nor in this do I glance
at the composers of centos； who declare themselves for such； of which
sort of writers I have in my time known many very ingenious； and
particularly one under the name of Capilupus； besides the ancients。
These are really men of wit； and that make it appear they are so； both by
that and other ways of writing； as for example； Lipsius； in that learned
and laborious contexture of his Politics。
But； be it how it will； and how inconsiderable soever these ineptitudes
may be； I will say I never intended to conceal them； no more than my old
bald grizzled likeness before them； where the painter has presented you
not with a perfect face； but with mine。 For these are my own particular
opinions and fancies； and I deliver them as only what I myself believe；
and not for what is to be believed by others。 I have no other end in
this writing； but only to discover myself； who； also shall； peradve