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Great； who sweated in the shade and shivered in the sun？ I have seen
those who have run from the smell of a mellow apple with greater
precipitation than from a harquebuss…shot； others afraid of a mouse；
others vomit at the sight of cream； others ready to swoon at the making
of a feather bed； Germanicus could neither endure the sight nor the
crowing of a cock。 I will not deny； but that there may； peradventure；
be some occult cause and natural aversion in these cases； but； in my
opinion； a man might conquer it； if he took it in time。 Precept has in
this wrought so effectually upon me； though not without some pains on my
part； I confess； that beer excepted； my appetite accommodates itself
indifferently to all sorts of diet。 Young bodies are supple； one should；
therefore； in that age bend and ply them to all fashions and customs： and
provided a man can contain the appetite and the will within their due
limits； let a young man； in God's name； be rendered fit for all nations
and all companies； even to debauchery and excess； if need be； that is；
where he shall do it out of complacency to the customs of the place。
Let him be able to do everything； but love to do nothing but what is
good。 The philosophers themselves do not justify Callisthenes for
forfeiting the favour of his master Alexander the Great； by refusing to
pledge him a cup of wine。 Let him laugh； play； wench with his prince：
nay； I would have him； even in his debauches； too hard for the rest of
the company； and to excel his companions in ability and vigour； and that
he may not give over doing it； either through defect of power or
knowledge how to do it； but for want of will。
〃Multum interest； utrum peccare ali quis nolit； an nesciat。〃
＇〃There is a vast difference betwixt forbearing to sin； and not
knowing how to sin。〃Seneca； Ep。； 90＇
I thought I passed a compliment upon a lord； as free from those excesses
as any man in France； by asking him before a great deal of very good
company； how many times in his life he had been drunk in Germany； in the
time of his being there about his Majesty's affairs； which he also took
as it was intended； and made answer； 〃Three times〃； and withal told us
the whole story of his debauches。 I know some who； for want of this
faculty； have found a great inconvenience in negotiating with that
nation。 I have often with great admiration reflected upon the wonderful
constitution of Alcibiades； who so easily could transform himself to so
various fashions without any prejudice to his health； one while outdoing
the Persian pomp and luxury； and another； the Lacedaemonian austerity and
frugality； as reformed in Sparta； as voluptuous in Ionia：
〃Omnis Aristippum decuit color； et status； et res。〃
＇〃Every complexion of life； and station； and circumstance became
Aristippus。〃Horace； Ep。； xvii。 23。＇
I would have my pupil to be such an one；
〃Quem duplici panno patentia velat；
Mirabor； vitae via si conversa decebit；
Personamque feret non inconcinnus utramque。〃
＇〃I should admire him who with patience bearing a patched garment；
bears well a changed fortune； acting both parts equally well。〃
Horace Ep。； xvii。 25。＇
These are my lessons； and he who puts them in practice shall reap more
advantage than he who has had them read to him only； and so only knows
them。 If you see him； you hear him； if you hear him； you see him。 God
forbid； says one in Plato； that to philosophise were only to read a great
many books； and to learn the arts。
〃Hanc amplissimam omnium artium bene vivendi disciplinam；
vita magis quam literis； persequuti sunt。〃
＇〃They have proceeded to this discipline of living well； which of
all arts is the greatest； by their lives； rather than by their
reading。〃Cicero； Tusc。 Quaes。； iv。 3。＇
Leo； prince of the Phliasians； asking Heraclides Ponticus ＇It was not
Heraclides of Pontus who made this answer； but Pythagoras。＇of what art
or science he made profession： 〃I know；〃 said he； 〃neither art nor
science； but I am a philosopher。〃 One reproaching Diogenes that； being
ignorant； he should pretend to philosophy； 〃I therefore；〃 answered he；
〃pretend to it with so much the more reason。〃 Hegesias entreated that he
would read a certain book to him： 〃You are pleasant；〃 said he； 〃you
choose those figs that are true and natural； and not those that are
painted； why do you not also choose exercises which are naturally true；
rather than those written？〃
The lad will not so much get his lesson by heart as he will practise it：
he will repeat it in his actions。 We shall discover if there be prudence
in his exercises； if there be sincerity and justice in his deportment； if
there be grace and judgment in his speaking； if there be constancy in his
sickness； if there be modesty in his mirth； temperance in his pleasures；
order in his domestic economy； indifference in palate； whether what he
eats or drinks be flesh or fish； wine or water：
〃Qui disciplinam suam non ostentationem scientiae； sed legem vitae
putet： quique obtemperet ipse sibi； et decretis pareat。〃
＇〃Who considers his own discipline； not as a vain ostentation of
science； but as a law and rule of life； and who obeys his own
decrees； and the laws he has prescribed for himself。〃
Cicero； Tusc。 Quaes。； ii。 4。＇
The conduct of our lives is the true mirror of our doctrine。 Zeuxidamus；
to one who asked him； why the Lacedaemonians did not commit their
constitutions of chivalry to writing； and deliver them to their young men
to read； made answer； that it was because they would inure them to
action； and not amuse them with words。 With such a one； after fifteen or
sixteen years' study； compare one of our college Latinists； who has
thrown away so much time in nothing but learning to speak。 The world is
nothing but babble； and I hardly ever yet saw that man who did not rather
prate too much； than speak too little。 And yet half of our age is
embezzled this way： we are kept four or five years to learn words only；
and to tack them together into clauses； as many more to form them into a
long discourse； divided into four or five parts； and other five years； at
least； to learn succinctly to mix and interweave them after a subtle and
intricate manner let us leave all this to those who make a profession of
it。
Going one day to Orleans； I met in that plain on this side Clery； two
pedants who were travelling towards Bordeaux； about fifty paces distant
from one another； and； a good way further behind them； I discovered a
troop of horse； with a gentleman at the head of them； who was the late
Monsieur le Comte de la Rochefoucauld。 One of my people inquired of the
foremost of these masters of arts； who that gentleman was that came after
him； he； having not seen the train that followed after； and thinking his
companion was meant； pleasantly answered； 〃He is not a gentleman； he is a
grammarian； and I am a logician。〃 Now we who； quite contrary； do not
here pretend to breed a grammarian or a logician； but a gentleman； let us
leave them to abuse their leisure； our business lies elsewhere。 Let but
our pupil be well furnished with things； words will follow but too fast；
he will pull them after him if they do not voluntarily follow。 I have
observed some to make excuses； that they cannot express themselves； and
pretend to have their fancies full of a great many very fine things；
which yet； for want of eloquence； they cannot utter； 'tis a mere shift；
and nothing else。 Will you know what I think of it？ I think they are
nothing but shadows of some imperfect images and conceptions that they
know not what to make of within； nor consequently bring out； they do not
yet themselves understand what they would be at； and if you but observe
how they haggle and stammer upon the point of parturition； you will soon
conclude； that their labour is not to delivery； but about conception； and
that they are but licking their formless embryo。 For my part； I hold；
and Socrates commands it； that whoever has in his mind a sprightly and
clear imagination； he will express it well enough in one kind of tongue
or another； and； if he be dumb； by signs
〃Verbaque praevisam rem non invita sequentur；〃
＇〃Once a thing is conceived in the mind； the words to express it
soon present themselves。〃 （〃The words will not reluctantly follow the
thing preconceived。〃）Horace； De Arte Poetica。 v。 311＇
And as another as poetically says in his prose：
〃Quum res animum occupavere； verbs ambiunt；〃
＇〃When things are once in the mind； the words offer themselves
readily。〃 （〃When things have taken possession of the mind； the
words trip。〃）Seneca； Controvers。； iii。 proem。＇
and this other。
〃Ipsae res verbs rapiunt。〃
＇〃The things themselves force the words to express them。〃
Cicero； De Finib。； iii。 5。＇
He knows nothing of ablative； conjunctive； substantive； or grammar； no
more than his lackey； or a fishwife of the Petit Pont； and yet these will
give you a bellyful of talk； if you wil