按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Persia； who obliged themselves to drink no other water but that of the
river Choaspes； foolishly quitted claim to their right in all other
streams； and； so far as concerned themselves； dried up all the other
rivers of the world。 What Socrates did towards his end； to look upon a
sentence of banishment as worse than a sentence of death against him； I
shall； I think； never be either so decrepid or so strictly habituated to
my own country to be of that opinion。 These celestial lives have images
enough that I embrace more by esteem than affection； and they have some
also so elevated and extraordinary that I cannot embrace them so much as
by esteem； forasmuch as I cannot conceive them。 That fancy was singular
in a man who thought the whole world his city； it is true that he
disdained travel； and had hardly ever set his foot out of the Attic
territories。 What say you to his complaint of the money his friends
offered to save his life； and that he refused to come out of prison by
the mediation of others； in order not to disobey the laws in a time when
they were otherwise so corrupt？ These examples are of the first kind for
me； of the second； there are others that I could find out in the same
person： many of these rare examples surpass the force of my action； but
some of them； moreover； surpass the force of my judgment。
Besides these reasons； travel is in my opinion a very profitable
exercise； the soul is there continually employed in observing new and
unknown things； and I do not know； as I have often said a better school
wherein to model life than by incessantly exposing to it the diversity
of so many other lives； fancies； and usances； and by making it relish a
perpetual variety of forms of human nature。 The body is； therein；
neither idle nor overwrought； and that moderate agitation puts it in
breath。 I can keep on horseback； tormented with the stone as I am；
without alighting or being weary； eight or ten hours together：
〃Vires ultra sorternque senectae。〃
＇〃Beyond the strength and lot of age。〃AEneid； vi。 114。＇
No season is enemy to me but the parching heat of a scorching sun； for
the umbrellas made use of in Italy； ever since the time of the ancient
Romans； more burden a man's arm than they relieve his head。 I would fain
know how it was that the Persians； so long ago and in the infancy of
luxury； made ventilators where they wanted them； and planted shades； as
Xenophon reports they did。 I love rain； and to dabble in the dirt； as
well as ducks do。 The change of air and climate never touches me； every
sky is alike； I am only troubled with inward alterations which I breed
within myself； and those are not so frequent in travel。 I am hard to be
got out； but being once upon the road； I hold out as well as the best。
I take as much pains in little as in great attempts； and am as solicitous
to equip myself for a short journey； if but to visit a neighbour； as for
the longest voyage。 I have learned to travel after the Spanish fashion；
and to make but one stage of a great many miles； and in excessive heats
I always travel by night； from sun set to sunrise。 The other method of
baiting by the way； in haste and hurry to gobble up a dinner； is；
especially in short days； very inconvenient。 My horses perform the
better； never any horse tired under me that was able to hold out the
first day's journey。 I water them at every brook I meet； and have only a
care they have so much way to go before I come to my inn； as will digest
the water in their bellies。 My unwillingness to rise in a morning gives
my servants leisure to dine at their ease before they set out； for my own
part； I never eat too late； my appetite comes to me in eating； and not
else； I am never hungry but at table。
Some of my friends blame me for continuing this travelling humour； being
married and old。 But they are out in't； 'tis the best time to leave a
man's house； when he has put it into a way of continuing without him； and
settled such order as corresponds with its former government。 'Tis much
greater imprudence to abandon it to a less faithful housekeeper； and who
will be less solicitous to look after your affairs。
The most useful and honourable knowledge and employment for the mother of
a family is the science of good housewifery。 I see some that are
covetous indeed； but very few that are good managers。 'Tis the supreme
quality of a woman； which a man ought to seek before any other； as the
only dowry that must ruin or preserve our houses。 Let men say what they
will； according to the experience I have learned； I require in married
women the economical virtue above all other virtues； I put my wife to't；
as a concern of her own； leaving her； by my absence； the whole government
of my affairs。 I see； and am vexed to see； in several families I know；
Monsieur about noon come home all jaded and ruffled about his affairs；
when Madame is still dressing her hair and tricking up herself； forsooth；
in her closet： this is for queens to do； and that's a question； too： 'tis
ridiculous and unjust that the laziness of our wives should be maintained
with our sweat and labour。 No man； so far as in me lie； shall have a
clearer； a more quiet and free fruition of his estate than I。 If the
husband bring matter； nature herself will that the wife find the form。
As to the duties of conjugal friendship； that some think to be impaired
by these absences； I am quite of another… opinion。 It is； on the
contrary； an intelligence that easily cools by a too frequent and
assiduous companionship。 Every strange woman appears charming； and we
all find by experience that being continually together is not so pleasing
as to part for a time and meet again。 These interruptions fill me with
fresh affection towards my family； and render my house more pleasant to
me。 Change warms my appetite to the one and then to the other。 I know
that the arms of friendship are long enough to reach from the one end of
the world to the other； and especially this； where there is a continual
communication of offices that rouse the obligation and remembrance。 The
Stoics say that there is so great connection and relation amongst the
sages； that he who dines in France nourishes his companion in Egypt； and
that whoever does but hold out his finger； in what part of the world
soever； all the sages upon the habitable earth feel themselves assisted
by it。 Fruition and possession principally appertain to the imagination；
it more fervently and constantly embraces what it is in quest of； than
what we hold in our arms。 Cast up your daily amusements； you will find
that you are most absent from your friend when he is present with you；
his presence relaxes your attention； and gives you liberty to absent
yourself at every turn and upon every occasion。 When I am away at Rome；
I keep and govern my house； and the conveniences I there left； see my
walls rise； my trees shoot； and my revenue increase or decrease； very
near as well as when I am there：
〃Ante oculos errat domus； errat forma locorum。〃
＇〃My house and the forms of places float before my eyes〃
Ovid； Trist； iii。 4； 57。＇
If we enjoy nothing but what we touch； we may say farewell to the money
in our chests； and to our sons when they are gone a hunting。 We will
have them nearer to us： is the garden； or half a day's journey from home；
far？ What is ten leagues： far or near？ If near； what is eleven； twelve；
or thirteen； and so by degrees。 In earnest； if there be a woman who can
tell her husband what step ends the near and what step begins the remote；
I would advise her to stop between；
〃Excludat jurgia finis 。 。 。 。
Utor permisso； caudaeque pilos ut equinae
Paulatim vello； et demo unum； demo etiam unum
Dum cadat elusus ratione ruentis acervi：〃
＇〃Let the end shut out all disputes 。 。 。 。 I use what is
permitted； I pluck out the hairs of the horse's tail one by one；
while I thus outwit my opponent。〃Horace； Ep。； ii； I； 38； 45＇
and let them boldly call philosophy to their assistance； in whose teeth
it may be cast that； seeing it neither discerns the one nor the other end
of the joint； betwixt the too much and the little； the long and the
short； the light and the heavy； the near and the remote； that seeing it
discovers neither the beginning nor the end； it must needs judge very
uncertainly of the middle：
〃Rerum natura nullam nobis dedit cognitionem finium。〃
＇〃Nature has green to us no knowledge of the end of things。〃
Cicero； Acad。； ii。 29。＇
Are they not still wives and friends to the dead who are not at the end
of this but in the other world？ We embrace not only the absent； but
those who have been； and those who are not yet。 We do not promise in
marriage to be continually twisted and linked together； like some little
animals that we see； or； like the bewitched folks of Karenty；＇Karantia；
a town in the isle of Rugen。 See Saxo…Grammaticus； Hist。 of Denmark；
book xiv。＇ tied together like dogs； and a wife ought not to be so
greedily enamoured of her husband's foreparts； that she cannot endure to
see h