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The Essays of Montaigne； V1
by Michel de Montaigne
Translated by Charles Cotton
Edited by William Carew Hazilitt
1877
CONTENTS OF VOLUME 1。
Preface
The Life of Montaigne
The Letters of Montaigne
PREFACE。
The present publication is intended to supply a recognised deficiency in
our literaturea library edition of the Essays of Montaigne。 This great
French writer deserves to be regarded as a classic； not only in the land
of his birth； but in all countries and in all literatures。 His Essays；
which are at once the most celebrated and the most permanent of his
productions； form a magazine out of which such minds as those of Bacon
and Shakespeare did not disdain to help themselves； and； indeed； as
Hallam observes； the Frenchman's literary importance largely results from
the share which his mind had in influencing other minds； coeval and
subsequent。 But； at the same time； estimating the value and rank of the
essayist； we are not to leave out of the account the drawbacks and the
circumstances of the period： the imperfect state of education； the
comparative scarcity of books； and the limited opportunities of
intellectual intercourse。 Montaigne freely borrowed of others； and he
has found men willing to borrow of him as freely。 We need not wonder at
the reputation which he with seeming facility achieved。 He was； without
being aware of it； the leader of a new school in letters and morals。 His
book was different from all others which were at that date in the world。
It diverted the ancient currents of thought into new channels。 It told
its readers； with unexampled frankness； what its writer's opinion was
about men and things； and threw what must have been a strange kind of new
light on many matters but darkly understood。 Above all； the essayist
uncased himself； and made his intellectual and physical organism public
property。 He took the world into his confidence on all subjects。 His
essays were a sort of literary anatomy； where we get a diagnosis of the
writer's mind； made by himself at different levels and under a large
variety of operating influences。
Of all egotists； Montaigne； if not the greatest； was the most
fascinating； because； perhaps； he was the least affected and most
truthful。 What he did； and what he had professed to do； was to dissect
his mind； and show us； as best he could； how it was made； and what
relation it bore to external objects。 He investigated his mental
structure as a schoolboy pulls his watch to pieces； to examine the
mechanism of the works； and the result； accompanied by illustrations
abounding with originality and force； he delivered to his fellow…men in a
book。
Eloquence； rhetorical effect； poetry； were alike remote from his design。
He did not write from necessity； scarcely perhaps for fame。 But he
desired to leave France； nay； and the world； something to be remembered
by； something which should tell what kind of a man he waswhat he felt；
thought； sufferedand he succeeded immeasurably； I apprehend； beyond his
expectations。
It was reasonable enough that Montaigne should expect for his work a
certain share of celebrity in Gascony； and even； as time went on；
throughout France； but it is scarcely probable that he foresaw how his
renown was to become world…wide； how he was to occupy an almost unique
position as a man of letters and a moralist； how the Essays would be
read； in all the principal languages of Europe； by millions of
intelligent human beings； who never heard of Perigord or the League； and
who are in doubt； if they are questioned； whether the author lived in the
sixteenth or the eighteenth century。 This is true fame。 A man of genius
belongs to no period and no country。 He speaks the language of nature；
which is always everywhere the same。
The text of these volumes is taken from the first edition of Cotton's
version； printed in 3 vols。 8vo； 1685…6； and republished in 1693； 1700；
1711； 1738； and 1743； in the same number of volumes and the same size。
In the earliest impression the errors of the press are corrected merely
as far as page 240 of the first volume； and all the editions follow one
another。 That of 1685…6 was the only one which the translator lived to
see。 He died in 1687； leaving behind him an interesting and little…known
collection of poems； which appeared posthumously； 8vo； 1689。
It was considered imperative to correct Cotton's translation by a careful
collation with the 'variorum' edition of the original； Paris； 1854；
4 vols。 8vo or 12mo； and parallel passages from Florin's earlier
undertaking have occasionally been inserted at the foot of the page。 A
Life of the Author and all his recovered Letters； sixteen in number； have
also been given； but； as regards the correspondence； it can scarcely be
doubted that it is in a purely fragmentary state。 To do more than
furnish a sketch of the leading incidents in Montaigne's life seemed； in
the presence of Bayle St。 John's charming and able biography； an attempt
as difficult as it was useless。
The besetting sin of both Montaigne's translators seems to have been a
propensity for reducing his language and phraseology to the language and
phraseology of the age and country to which they belonged； and； moreover；
inserting paragraphs and words； not here and there only； but constantly
and habitually； from an evident desire and view to elucidate or
strengthen their author's meaning。 The result has generally been
unfortunate； and I have； in the case of all these interpolations on
Cotton's part； felt bound； where I did not cancel them； to throw them
down into the notes； not thinking it right that Montaigne should be
allowed any longer to stand sponsor for what he never wrote； and
reluctant； on the other hand； to suppress the intruding matter entirely；
where it appeared to possess a value of its own。
Nor is redundancy or paraphrase the only form of transgression in Cotton；
for there are places in his author which he thought proper to omit； and
it is hardly necessary to say that the restoration of all such matter to
the text was considered essential to its integrity and completeness。
My warmest thanks are due to my father； Mr Registrar Hazlitt； the author
of the well…known and excellent edition of Montaigne published in 1842；
for the important assistance which he has rendered to me in verifying and
retranslating the quotations； which were in a most corrupt state； and of
which Cotton's English versions were singularly loose and inexact； and
for the zeal with which he has co…operated with me in collating the
English text； line for line and word for word； with the best French
edition。
By the favour of Mr F。 W。 Cosens； I have had by me； while at work on this
subject； the copy of Cotgrave's Dictionary； folio； 1650； which belonged
to Cotton。 It has his autograph and copious MSS。 notes； nor is it too
much to presume that it is the very book employed by him in his
translation。
W。 C。 H。
KENSINGTON； November 1877。
BOOK THE FIRST。
CHAP。
I。 That men by various ways arrive at the same end。
II。 Of Sorrow。
III。 That our affections carry themselves beyond us 。
IV。 That the soul discharges her passions upon false objects； where
the true are wanting。
V。 Whether the governor of a place besieged ought himself to go out
to parley。
VI。 That the hour of parley is dangerous。
VII。 That the intention is judge of our actions
VIII。 Of idleness。
IX。 Of liars。
X。 Of quick or slow speech。
XI。 Of prognostications。
XII。 Of constancy。
XIII。 The ceremony of the interview of princes。
XIV。 That men are justly punished for being obstinate in the defence
of a fort that is not in reason to be defended。
XV。 Of the punishment of cowardice。
XVI。 A proceeding of some ambassadors。
XVII。 Of fear。
XVIII。 That men are not to judge of our happiness till after death。
XIX。 That to study philosophy is to learn to die。
XX。 Of the force of imagination。
XXI。 That the profit of one man is the damage of another。
XXII。 Of custom； and that we should not easily change a law received 。
XXIII。 Various events from the same counsel。
XXIV。 Of pedantry。
XXV。 Of the education of children。
XXVI。 That it is folly to measure truth and error by our own capacity。
XXVII。 Of friendship。
XXVIII。 Nine…and…twenty sonnets of Estienne de la Boetie。
XXIX。 Of moderation。
XXX。 Of cannibals；
XXXI。 That a man is soberly to judge of the divine ordinances。
XXXII。 That we are to avoid pleasures； even at the expense of
life。
XXXIII。 That fortune is oftentimes observed to act by the rule of reason。
XXXIV。 Of one defect in our government。
XXXV。 Of the custom of wearing clothes
XXXVI。 Of Cato the Younger。
XXXVII。 That we laugh and cry for the same thing。
XXXVIII。Of solitude。
XXXIX。 A consideration upon Cicero；
XL。 That the relish of good and evil depends in a great measure upon
the opinion we have of them。
XLI。 Not to communicate a man's honour。
XLII。 Of the inequality amo