Montaigne's Essays
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Montaigne's Essays Return to Renascence Editions Montaigne's Essays MICHEL EYQUEM DE MONTAIGNE (1533-1592) Translation by John Florio (1553-1625) Book I. | Book II. | Book III. Note on the e-text: this Renascence Editions text was provided by Professor Emeritus Ben R. Schneider, Lawrence University, Wisconsin. It is in the public domain. "Florio's Translation of Montaigne's Essays was first published in 1603. In 'The World's Classics' the first volume was published in 1904, and reprinted in 1910 and 1924." Additional material was supplied by R.S. Bear from the Everyman's Library edition of 1910. Content unique to this presentation is copyright © 1999 The University of Oregon. For nonprofit and educational uses only. Send comments and corrections to the Publisher, rbear [at]uoregon.edu. CONTENTS THE FIRST BOOKE Florio's Preface To the curteous Reader Dedicatory Poems The Author to the Reader I. By divers Meanes men come unto a like End II. Of Sadnesse or Sorrowe III. Our Affections are transported beyond our selves http://www.uoregon.edu/~rbear/montaigne/index.htm (1 of 18)4/10/2005 3:15:19 AM Montaigne's Essays How the Soule dischargeth her Passions upon false objects, when IV. xx the true faile it Whether the Captaine of a Place Besieged ought to sallie forth to V. Parlie VI. That the Houre of Parlies is dangerous VII. That our Intention judgeth our Actions VIII. Of Idlenesse IX. Of Lyers X. Of Readie or Slow Speech XI. Of Prognostications Xll. Of Constancie XIII. Of Ceremonies in the enterview of Kings Men are punished by too-much opiniating themselves in a place XIV. without reason XV. Of the punishment of Cowardise XVI. A tricke of certaine Ambassadors XVII. Of Feare XVIII. That we should not judge of our Happinesse untill after our Death XIX. That to Philosophise is to learn how to die XX. On the force of Imagination XXI. The profit of one man is the dammage of another XXII. Of customs, and how a received law should not easily be changed XXIII. Divers events from one selfsame counsell XXIV. Of Pedantisme Of the Institution and Education of Children; to the Ladie Diana of XXV. Foix XXVI. It is follie to referre Truth or Falsehood to our sufficiencie XXVII. Of Friendship Nine and twentie Sonnets of Steven de la Boetie, to the Lady of XXVIII. Grammont XXIX. Of Moderation XXX. Of the Caniballes XXXI. That a Man ought soberly to meddle with judging of Divine Lawes http://www.uoregon.edu/~rbear/montaigne/index.htm (2 of 18)4/10/2005 3:15:19 AM Montaigne's Essays XXXII. To avoid Voluptuousnesse in regard of Life XXXIII. That Fortune is oftentimes met withall in pursuit of Reason XXXIV. Of a Defect in our Policies XXXV. Of the Use of Apparell XXXVI. Of Cato the younger XXXVII. How we weepe and laugh at one selfe-same thing XXXVIII. Of Solitarinesse XXXIX. A consideration upon Cicero That the taste of Goods or Evils doth greatly depend on the opinion XL. we have of them XLI. That a Man should not communicate his Glorie XLII. Of the Inequalitie that is betweene us XLIII. Of Sumptuarie Lawes, or Lawes for moderating of Expenses XLIV. Of Sleeping XLV. Of the Battell of Dreux XLVI. Of Names XLVII. Of the uncertaintie of our Judgement XLVIII. Of Steeds, called in French Destriers XLIX. Of ancient Customes L. Of Democritus and Heraclitus LI. Of the Vanitie of Words LII. Of the Parcimonie of our Forefathers LIII. Of a saying of Cæsar LIV. Of vaine Subtlities, or subtill Devices LV. Of Smels and Odors LVI. Of Praiers and Orisons LVII. Of Age THE SECOND BOOKE xx Florio's Preface I. Of the inconstancie of our Actions http://www.uoregon.edu/~rbear/montaigne/index.htm (3 of 18)4/10/2005 3:15:19 AM Montaigne's Essays II. Of Drunkennesse III. A Custome of the Ile of Cea IV. To-morrow is a New Day V. Of Conscience VI. Of Exercise or Practice VII. Of the Recompenses or Rewards of Honour Of the Affections of Fathers to their Children: To the Lady of VIII. Estissac IX. Of the Parthians Armes X. Of Bookes XI. Of Crueltie XII. An Apologie of Raymond Sebond XIII. Of Judging of others' Death XIV. How that our Spirit hindereth itself XV. That our Desires are encreased by Difficultie XVI. Of Glory XVII. Of Presumption XVIII. Of giving the Lie XIX. Of the Liberty of Conscience XX. We taste nothing purely XXI. Against Idlenesse, or doing Nothing XXII. Of Running Posts, or Couriers XXIII. Of Bad Meanes emploied to a Good End XXIV. Of the Roman Greatnesse XXV. How a Man should not Counterfeit to be Sicke XXVI. Of Thumbs XXVII. Cowardize the Mother of Cruelty XXVIII. All Things have their Season XXIX. Of Vertue XXX. Of a Monstrous Child XXXI. Of Anger and Choler XXXII. A Defence of Seneca and Plutarke http://www.uoregon.edu/~rbear/montaigne/index.htm (4 of 18)4/10/2005 3:15:19 AM Montaigne's Essays XXXIII. The Historie of Spurina Observations concerning the meanes to warre after the maner of XXXIV. Julius Cæsar XXXV. Of Three Good Women XXXVI. Of the Worthiest and Most Excellent Men XXXVII. Of the Resemblance betweene Children and Fathers THE THIRD BOOKE xx Florio's Preface I. Of Profit and Honesty II. Of Repenting III. Of Three Commerces or Societies IV. Of Diverting and Diversions V. Upon some Verses of Virgil VI. Of Coaches VII. Of the Incommoditie of Greatnesse VIII. Of the Art of Conferring IX. Of Vanitie X. How one ought to governe his Will XI. Of the Lame or Crippel XII. Of Phisiognomy XIII. Of Experience PREFACE To the Right Ho- norable my best-best Benefactors, and most-honored Ladies, Lucie, Countesse of Bedford; and hir best-most loved-loving Mother, Ladie Anne Harrington. http://www.uoregon.edu/~rbear/montaigne/index.htm (5 of 18)4/10/2005 3:15:19 AM Montaigne's Essays trange it may seeme to some, whose seeming is mis-seeming, in one worthlesse patronage to joyne two so severallie all-worthy Ladies. But to any in the right, it would be judged wrong, to disjoyne them in ought, who were neerer in kinde, then ever in kindnesse. None dearer (dearest Ladies) I have seene, and all may say, to your Honorable husbands then you, to you then your Honorable husbands; and then to other, then eyther is to th' other. So as were I to name but the one, I should surely intend the other: but intending this Dedication to two,I could not but name both. To my last Birth, which I held masculine, (as are all mens conceipts that are thier owne, though but by their collecting; and this was to Montaigne like Bacchus, closed in, or loosed from his great Iupiters thigh) I the indulgent father invited two right Honorable Godfathers, with the One of your Noble Ladyshippes to witnesse. So to this defective edition (since all translations are reputed femalls, delivered at second hand; and I in this serve but as Vulcan, to hatchet this Minerva from that Iupiters bigge braine) I yet at least a fondling foster-father, having transported it from France to England; put it in English clothes; taught it to talke our tongue (though many-times with a jerke of the French Iargon) wouldset it forth to the best service I might; and to better I might not, then You that deserve the best. Yet hath it this above your other servants: it may not onely serve you two, to repeate in true English what you reade in fine French, but many thousands more, to tell them in their owne, what they would be taught in an other language. How nobly it is descended, let the father in the ninth Chapter of his third booke by letters testimoniall of the Romane Senate and Citty beare record: How rightly it is his, and his beloved, let him by his discourse in the eigh'th of his second, written to the Lady of Estissac (as if it were to you concerning your sweete heire, most motherly- affected Lady Harrington) and by his acknowledgement in this first to all Readers give evidence, first that ir is de bonne foy, then more than that, c'est moy: how worthily qualified, embellished, furnished it is, let his faire-spoken, and fine-witted Daughter by alliance passe her verdict, which shee need not recant. Heere-hence to offer it into your service, let me for him but do and say, as he did for his other-selfe, his peerlesse paire Steven de Boetie, in the 28. of the first, and thinke hee speakes to praise-surmounting Countesse of Bedford, what hee there speakes to the Lady of Grammont, Countesse of Guissen: Since as his Maister-Poet saide, -----mutato nomine, de te Fabula narratur: -- Hor. ser. lib. i. Sat. i. 69. Do you but change the name, Of you is saide the same: So do hir attributes accord to your demerites; wherof to runne a long-breathed careere, both so faire and large a field might envite mee, and my in-burning spirits would encite mee, if I were not held-in by your sweete reining hand (who have ever helde this desire, sooner to exceede what you are thought, then be thought what you are notor should I not prejudice my premonstration your assured advantage, When your value shall come to the http://www.uoregon.edu/~rbear/montaigne/index.htm (6 of 18)4/10/2005 3:15:19 AM Montaigne's Essays weighing.