MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYS.
Since, oce cannot road Montaigne's " Essays " too often, one cannot reprint them too frequently. Thus two new editions have appeared by Messrs. Courbet and Bayer and Messrs. Motheau and Jouatist. Montaigne, like Pascal, incessantly polished his writing, already so perfect, correcting a •word, adding an observation, or modifiying expression. Pascal ruminated for a long time the thoughts be desired to express, returning them in a thousand manners, so that what he wrote was so natural as to require no amendment. Montaigne's early education was taken in hand bjr his own father, who returned from the Italian wars profoundly impressed with the greatness of Italian civilization. It was the sixteenth century when the world seemed to bo born again. Montaigne from his earliest years was surrounded by masters who spoke only Latin and German, so that in playing the boy learned two languages ; nothing was forced, time was passed between study and play, and one was made as attractive as the other. In order to save Montaigne's " strong emotions " his father had him ever awakened by the sound of music ; at the baptismal font the father had his son held by the poorest and humblest of his rassals, in order to establish between them a common tie of affection and from the earliest hour taught him to regard his dependants as men. Kousseau's JEmile was thus largely anticipated. Montaigne was passionately fond of reading, and when he entered college at Bordeaux his masters, one of whom was the celebrated Buchanan, had to gratify hisi taste, convinced that the boy would arrive at nothing. Plutarch and Seneca were his inseparable friends, though he read other, classics. Judud Montaigne educated himself, and like Malieses Sganarelle, he could say on leaving college, " none can pride themselves on having taught me anything.'' He worshipped his father's memory— never alluded to him accept in the most tender accents — preserved religiously his smallest souvenir, and when riding ever wore his mantle "in order to be enveloped by him." He was so sensitive, that he could not bear to see a hare perish between the teeth of a dog, and this at a period when a man's life and ( a hare's were only of equal value. He was humane and tolerant in the midst of the cruelties and fanaticism of parties, of civil wars and religious massacres. He was indolent by nature, and the want of energy impaired his usefulness as a magistrate and a citizen. He withdrew to his estate to philosophize in the struggles of parties; as surgeons are said to contemplate desperate cases in hospitals with a—"there is a splendid subject." It was in this retirement he wrote his " Essays," or memoirs ; not the history of his life, but that of his thoughts; composing only when he felt impelled thereto, with Plutarch to inspire him, with Seneca for oracle, and Virgil for friend. His judgments are all on man ; whom he considers neither entirely good nor entirely bad, much in case defending from the point of view in which he may be placed. Pangloss Tiewed humanity as perfect, Swift as biabolie; both saw from a true side, but only from a side. Moderation was the "base of Montaigne's character, and scepticism with him was only a weapon of war. He did not doubt as Descartes, in order to affirm, or as Voltaire, in order to overthrow. He impartially produces testimony, allows the reader to judge, gives his owe, not as true, but simply as his own. He believed there was but little absolutely certain in .knowledge; that our life was passed in. believing and disbelieving ; all around us was a chaos of contradictions, so many countries, so many laws, religions and wages. A river or a mountain marked the limit where a prejudice expired or another commenced, and human sagacity varied with latitude. According to Montaigne, we ought never to say, "Iknow," or " I don't know," hut rather "What do I know?" Such prudence should rule our mind as our conduct. He is not favorable to innovations, believing they are often more dangerous than abuses consecrated by time, and that societies die less from their maladies than from remedies of their physicians. The misfortune of most men is, to wish to violate nature "by giving her a lesson," when we ought to follow her as the surest of guides. Virtue ought to be loved, not as philosophers present her, aiistere and crabbed, but smiling and gay: that we ought to love life as God has given it to us, and notdisfigure it; being goodness itself. He has made all things good. Montaigne's scepticism is not excessive, but innocent, and amiable; he plays with no fundamentalprinciple; he is only a seeker. His Essays are a seasoning of high taste whicn excites the appetite to know; he piques curiosity and provokes discussion. One is astonished to find difficulties in things previously accepted with closed eyes, and'leading to reflection, the reader experiences the pleasure of resolving them himself. The Essays act upon the mind like mountain air on the nerves, braces them up, imparting vigor of elasticity. Some pages would form a capital tonic for the indolent and enthusiastic. Pascal read Montaigne with a passion mixed with hate, and borrowed arguments from him to combat him. The unity of the Essays is man, as it is in La Bueyere's portrait gallery and in La Bochefoucauld's collection of maxims. Sip the Essays, slowly and savourlyr as yom would old wine or a liqueur. Then they are pictures where the style, is expressive. As, the poets, Montaigne has, like them, the faculty of seeing his ideas; and rendering them risible; he animates abstractions, gives to them a bocy, gestures, and attitude; precipitates his reasonings suddenly, as a
postilion cracks up his team. The important point with him'is not so much elegance, as to bravely and clearly express liis thoughts. He hates all the hypocrisies of language, and bis pen is as frank as his character. —Paris Correspondent.
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Bibliographic details
Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1950, 5 April 1875, Page 4
Word Count
999MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYS. Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1950, 5 April 1875, Page 4
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