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Plato； study fulness and elegancy of speaking； the Lacedaemonians affect
brevity； and those of Crete to aim more at the fecundity of conception
than the fertility of speech； and these are the best。 Zeno used to say
that he had two sorts of disciples； one that he called cy…ous；
curious to learn things； and these were his favourites； the other；
aoy…ous； that cared for nothing but words。 Not that fine speaking is
not a very good and commendable quality； but not so excellent and so
necessary as some would make it； and I am scandalised that our whole life
should be spent in nothing else。 I would first understand my own
language； and that of my neighbours； with whom most of my business and
conversation lies。
No doubt but Greek and Latin are very great ornaments； and of very great
use； but we buy them too dear。 I will here discover one way； which has
been experimented in my own person； by which they are to be had better
cheap； and such may make use of it as will。 My late father having made
the most precise inquiry that any man could possibly make amongst men of
the greatest learning and judgment； of an exact method of education； was
by them cautioned of this inconvenience then in use； and made to believe；
that the tedious time we applied to the learning of the tongues of them
who had them for nothing； was the sole cause we could not arrive to the
grandeur of soul and perfection of knowledge； of the ancient Greeks and
Romans。 I do not； however； believe that to be the only cause。 So it is；
that the expedient my father found out for this was； that in my infancy；
and before I began to speak； he committed me to the care of a German； who
since died a famous physician in France； totally ignorant of our
language； and very fluent and a great critic in Latin。 This man； whom he
had fetched out of his own country； and whom he entertained with a great
salary for this only one end； had me continually with him； he had with
him also joined two others； of inferior learning； to attend me； and to
relieve him； these spoke to me in no other language but Latin。 As to the
rest of his household； it was an inviolable rule； that neither himself；
nor my mother； nor valet； nor chambermaid； should speak anything in my
company； but such Latin words as each one had learned to gabble with me。
＇These passages are； the basis of a small volume by the Abbe Mangin：
〃Education de Montaigne； ou； L'Art d'enseigner le Latin A 1'instar des
meres latines。＇It is not to be imagined how great an advantage this
proved to the whole family； my father and my mother by this means learned
Latin enough to understand it perfectly well； and to speak it to such a
degree as was sufficient for any necessary use； as also those of the
servants did who were most frequently with me。 In short； we Latined it
at such a rate； that it overflowed to all the neighbouring villages；
where there yet remain； that have established themselves by custom；
several Latin appellations of artisans and their tools。 As for what
concerns myself； I was above six years of age before I understood either
French or Perigordin； any more than Arabic； and without art； book；
grammar； or precept； whipping； or the expense of a tear； I had； by that
time； learned to speak as pure Latin as my master himself； for I had no
means of mixing it up with any other。 If； for example； they were to give
me a theme after the college fashion； they gave it to others in French；
but to me they were to give it in bad Latin； to turn it into that which
was good。 And Nicolas Grouchy； who wrote a book De Comitiis Romanorum；
Guillaume Guerente； who wrote a comment upon Aristotle： George Buchanan；
that great Scottish poet： and Marc Antoine Muret （whom both France and
Italy have acknowledged for the best orator of his time）； my domestic
tutors； have all of them often told me that I had in my infancy that
language so very fluent and ready； that they were afraid to enter into
discourse with me。 And particularly Buchanan； whom I since saw attending
the late Mareschal de Brissac； then told me； that he was about to write a
treatise of education； the example of which he intended to take from
mine； for he was then tutor to that Comte de Brissac who afterward proved
so valiant and so brave a gentleman。
As to Greek； of which I have but a mere smattering； my father also
designed to have it taught me by a device； but a new one； and by way of
sport； tossing our declensions to and fro； after the manner of those who；
by certain games of tables； learn geometry and arithmetic。 For he；
amongst other rules； had been advised to make me relish science and duty
by an unforced will； and of my own voluntary motion； and to educate my
soul in all liberty and delight； without any severity or constraint；
which he was an observer of to such a degree； even of superstition； if I
may say so； that some being of opinion that it troubles and disturbs the
brains of children suddenly to wake them in the morning； and to snatch
them violentlyand over…hastily from sleep （wherein they are much more
profoundly involved than we）； he caused me to be wakened by the sound of
some musical instrument； and was never unprovided of a musician for that
purpose。 By this example you may judge of the rest； this alone being
sufficient to recommend both the prudence and the affection of so good a
father； who is not to be blamed if he did not reap fruits answerable to
so exquisite a culture。 Of this； two things were the cause： first； a
sterile and improper soil； for； though I was of a strong and healthful
constitution； and of a disposition tolerably sweet and tractable； yet I
was； withal； so heavy； idle； and indisposed； that they could not rouse me
from my sloth； not even to get me out to play。 What I saw； I saw clearly
enough； and under this heavy complexion nourished a bold imagination and
opinions above my age。 I had a slow wit that would go no faster than it
was led； a tardy understanding； a languishing invention； and above all；
incredible defect of memory； so that； it is no wonder； if from all these
nothing considerable could be extracted。 Secondly； like those who；
impatient of along and steady cure； submit to all sorts of prescriptions
and recipes； the good man being extremely timorous of any way failing in
a thing he had so wholly set his heart upon； suffered himself at last to
be overruled by the common opinions； which always follow their leader as
a flight of cranes； and complying with the method of the time； having no
more those persons he had brought out of Italy； and who had given him the
first model of education； about him； he sent me at six years of age to
the College of Guienne； at that time the best and most flourishing in
France。 And there it was not possible to add anything to the care he had
to provide me the most able tutors； with all other circumstances of
education； reserving also several particular rules contrary to the
college practice； but so it was； that with all these precautions； it was
a college still。 My Latin immediately grew corrupt； of which also by
discontinuance I have since lost all manner of use； so that this new way
of education served me to no other end； than only at my first coming to
prefer me to the first forms； for at thirteen years old； that I came out
of the college； I had run through my whole course （as they call it）； and；
in truth； without any manner of advantage； that I can honestly brag of；
in all this time。
The first taste which I had for books came to me from the pleasure in
reading the fables of Ovid's Metamorphoses； for； being about seven or
eight years old； I gave up all other diversions to read them； both by
reason that this was my own natural language； the easiest book that I was
acquainted with； and for the subject； the most accommodated to the
capacity of my age： for as for the Lancelot of the Lake； the Amadis of
Gaul； the Huon of Bordeaux； and such farragos； by which children are most
delighted with； I had never so much as heard their names； no more than I
yet know what they contain； so exact was the discipline wherein I was
brought up。 But this was enough to make me neglect the other lessons
that were prescribed me； and here it was infinitely to my advantage；
to have to do with an understanding tutor； who very well knew discreetly
to connive at this and other truantries of the same nature； for by this
means I ran through Virgil's AEneid； and then Terence； and then Plautus；
and then some Italian comedies； allured by the sweetness of the subject；
whereas had he been so foolish as to have taken me off this diversion；
I do really believe； I had brought away nothing from the college but a
hatred of books； as almost all our young gentlemen do。 But he carried
himself very discreetly in that business； seeming to take no notice； and
allowing me only such time as I could steal from my other regular
studies； which whetted my appetite to devour those books。 For the chief
things my father expected from their endeavours to whom he had delivered
me for education； were affability and good…humour； and； to say the truth；
my manners had no other vice but sloth and want of metal。 The fear was
not that I should do ill； but