MICHEL EYQUEM DE MONTAIGNE (1533-1592) ONTAIGNE'S "Consideration upon Cicero" is an admirable example of the style as an essayist which immortalized him. He is a master of the great art of digression, and when he announces his subject those who know him will know that it is useless to attempt to guess from it what he really means to talk about. In this essay, however, he does make a number of valuable observations not only on Cicero and the eloquence of words, but on the eloquence of silence, and of action. TH A CONSIDERATION UPON CICERO HERE are to be gathered out of the writings of Cicero, and this younger Pliny (but little, in my opinion, resembling his uncle in his humor), infinite testimonies of a beyond-measure ambitious nature; and, amongst others, this for one, that they both, in the sight of all the world, solicit the historians of their time not to forget them in their memoirs; and Fortune, as if in spite, has made the vacancy of those requests live upon record down to this age of ours, when she has long since damned the histories themselves to oblivion. But this exceeds all meanness of spirit in persons of such quality, as they were, to think to derive any great and living renown from babbling and prating; even to the publishing of their private letters to their friends, and so withal, that though some of them were never sent, the opportunity being lost, they, nevertheless, expose them to the light, with this worthy excuse, that they were hereafter unwilling to lose their labors, and have their lucubrations thrown away. Was it not very well becoming two consuls of Rome, sovereign magistrates of the republic that commanded the world, to spend their time in contriving quaint and elegant missives, thence to gain the reputation of being critics, in their own mother tongues: what could a pitiful schoolmaster have done worse, whose trade it was to get his living? If the acts of Xenophon and Cæsar had not far enough transcended their eloquence, I scarce believe they would ever have taken the pains to have writ them. They made it their business to recommend, not their speaking, but their doing. And could the perfection of eloquence have added any lustre proportionable to the merit of a great person, certainly Scipio and Lælius had never resigned the honor of their comedies, with all the luxuriances and delicacies of the Latin tongue, to an African slave; for that that work was theirs the beauty and excellency of it do sufficiently declare; besides, Terence himself confesses as much, and I should take it ill from any one that would dispossess Ime of that belief. 'Tis a kind of injurious mockery and offense to extol a man for qualities misbecoming his merit, and condition, though otherwise commendable in themselves, but such as ought not, however, to be his chiefest talent: as if a man should commend a king for being a good painter, a good architect, a good marks MICHEL EYQUEM DE MONTAIGNE man, or a good runner at the ring,- commendations that add no honor, unless men- Imperet bellante prior jacentem. Lenis in hostem. -Hor. Carm. "First let his empire from his valor flow, And then, by mercy on a prostrate foe." 'Tis not his profession to know either how to hunt, or to dance well. Orabunt causas alii, cœlique meatus Describent radio, et fulgentia sidera dicent, Hic regere imperio populos sciat.* "Let others plead at the litigious bar, Describe the spheers, point out each twinkling star, Let this man rule, a greater art by far." Plutarch says, moreover, that to appear so excellent in these less necessary qualities is to produce witness against a man's self, that he has spent his time and applied his study ill, which ought to have been employed in the acquisition of more necessary and more useful things, so that Philip, King of Macedon, having heard that great Alexander, his son, sing once at a feast to the wonder and envy of the best musicians there: "Art not thou asham'd," said he to him, "to sing so well?» And to the same Philip a musician, with whom he was disputing about some things concerning his art: "Heav'n forbid! Sir," said he, "that so great a misfortune should ever befall you, as to understand these things better than I.» A king should be able to answer as Iphicrates did the orator, who pressed upon him in his invective after this manner: "And what art thou, that thou brav'st it at this rate? Art thou a man at arms, art thou an archer, art thou a pike?» «I am none of all this; but I know how to command all these.» And Antisthenes took it for an argument of little valor, in Ismenas, that he was commended for playing excellently well upon a flute. I know very well that when I hear any one insist upon the language of essays, I had rather a great deal he would say nothing. 'Tis not so much to elevate the style as to depress the sense, and so much the more offensively, as they if any do it disgracefully, and out of the way. I am much deceived if many other essayists deliver more worth nothing as to the matter, and how well, or ill soever, other writer has strewed them either much more material, or thicker upon his paper than myself. To bring the more in, I only muster up the heads; should I annex the sequel, I should strangely multiply this volume; and how many stories have I scattered up and down, in this book, that I only touch upon; which should any one more curiously search into, they would find matter enough to produce infinite essays; * Paraphrased from Virgil. Æneid VI. 849-57. neither those stories nor my allegations do always serve simply for example, authority, or ornament, I do not only regard them for the use I make of them: they carry sometimes besides what I apply them to, the seed of a more rich, and a bolder matter, and sometimes collaterally a more delicate sound both to me myself, who will express no more in this place, and to others who shall happen to be of my ear. But returning to the speaking virtue, I find no great choice betwixt, not knowing to speak anything but very ill, and not knowing to speak anything but very well. "Non est ornamentum virile concinnitas.»— Sen. Ep. 6. "Neatness of style is no manly ornament.» The sages tell us that as to what concerns knowledge there is nothing but philosophy; and to what concerns effects nothing but virtue, that is generally proper to all degrees, and to all orders. There is something like this in these two other philosophers, for they also promise eternity to the letters they write to their friends; but 'tis after another manner, and by accommodating themselves, for a good end, to the vanity of another; for they write to them that if the concern of making themselves known to future ages, and the thirst of glory, do yet detain them in the management of public affairs, and make them fear the solitude and retirement to which they would persuade them; let them never trouble themselves more about it, forasmuch as they shall have credit enough with posterity to assure them, that were there nothing else but the very letters thus writ to them, those letters will render their names as known, and famous as their own public actions themselves could do. And besides this difference, these are not idle and empty letters that contain nothing but a fine jingle of well-chosen words and finecouched phrases, but rather replete and abounding with grave and learned discourses, by which a man may render himself, not more eloquent, but more wise, and that instruct us not to speak, but to do well; away with that eloquence that so enchants us with its harmony, that we should more study it than things. Unless you will allow that of Cicero to be of so supreme a perfection as to form a complete body of itself; and of him I shall further add one story, we read of him to this purpose, wherein his nature will much more manifestly be laid open to us; he was to make an oration in public, and found himself a little straightened in time, to fit his words to his mouth, as he had a mind to do; when Eros, one of his slaves, brought him word that the audience was deferred till the next day, at which he was so ravished with joy that he enfranchised him for the good news. From the "Essays." Cotton's translation. FRANCIS BACON (BARON VERULAM AND VISCOUNT ST. ALBANS) (1561-1626) RANCIS BACON was born in London, January 22d, 1561, at a time when the revival of classical learning had so multiplied books that England was entering one of its periods of greatest literary activity. He represented the highest intellect of his age more fully than any one else, and in his "Novum Organum" he directed the thought and suggested the method of all scientific investigators who have come after him. He became Lord Chancellor of England in 1618, and in 1621 was charged with bribery and removed. He himself admitted that he had accepted gifts, and he showed the essential greatness of his mind by using its full strength to correct its worst weakness. He died at Highgate a suburb of London, April 9th, 1626, as the result of scientific experimenting while in a fever. He is for modern times what Aristotle was for ancient,the great pathfinder of science. His essays are probably the most eloquent prose written in English, or in any other modern language. S OF DISCOURSE OME in their discourse desire rather commendation of wit, in being able to hold all arguments, than of judgment in discerning what is true, as if it were a praise to know what might be said, and not what should be thought. Some have certain commonplaces and themes, wherein they are good, and want variety, which kind of poverty is for the most part tedious, and, when it is once perceived, ridiculous. The honorablest part of talk is to give the occasion, and again to moderate, and pass to somewhat else, for then a man leads the dance. It is good in discourse and speech of conversation to vary and intermingle speech of the present occasion with arguments, tales with reasons, asking of questions with telling of opinions, and jest with earnest, for it is a dull thing to tire, and, as we say now, to jade anything too far. As for jest, there be certain things which ought to be privileged from it, namely, religion, matters of state, great persons, any man's present business of importance, and any case that deserveth pity. Yet there be some that think their wits have been asleep, except they dart out somewhat that is piquant and to the quick, that is, a vein which would be bridled. "Parce, puer, stimulis, et fortius utere loris.» And generally men ought to find the difference between saltness and bitterness. Certainly he that hath a satirical vein, as he maketh others afraid of his wit, so he had need be afraid of others' memory. He that questioneth much shall learn much and content much; but especially if he apply his questions to the skill of the persons whom he asketh, for he shall give them occasion to please themselves in speaking, and himself shall continually gather knowledge. But let his questions not be troublesome, for that is fit for a poser. And let him be sure to leave other men their turns to speak. Nay, if there be any that would reign, and take up all the time, let him find means to take them off and bring. others on; as musicians used to do with those that danced too long galliards. If you dissemble sometimes your knowledge of that you are thought to know, you shall be thought another time to know that you know not. Speech of a man's self ought to be seldom and well chosen. I knew one was wont to say in scorn, "He must needs be a wise man, he speaks so much of himself." And there is but one case wherein a man may commend himself with good grace, and that is in commending virtue in another, especially if it be such a virtue whereunto himself pretendeth. Speech of touch towards others should be sparingly used, for discourse ought to be as a field, without coming home to any man. I knew two noblemen of the west part of England, whereof the one was given to scoff, but kept ever royal cheer in his house; the other would ask of those that had been at the other's table, "Tell truly, was there never a flout or dry blow given?» To which the guest would answer, such and such a thing passed. The lord would say, "I thought he would mar a good dinner.» Discretion of speech is more than eloquence, and to speak agreeably to him with whom we deal is more than to speak in good words or in good order. A good continued speech, without a good speech of interlocution, shows slowness; and a good reply, or second speech, without a good settled speech, showeth shallowness and weakness. As we see in beasts, that those that are weakest in the course are yet nimblest in the turn, as it is betwixt the grayhound and the hare. Το use too many circumstances ere one come to the matter is wearisome; to use none at all is blunt. From "Essays Civil and Moral." |