Essays of Michael, seigneur de Montaigne in three books : with marginal notes and quotations and an account of the author's life : with a short character of the author and translator, by a person of honour / made English by Charles Cotton ...

A VINDICATION OF Montagne's Essays.

THe Essays of Michel de Montagne are justly ranked amongst Miscellaneous Books: for they are on various sub∣jects, without order and connexion; and the very body of the discourses has still a greater variety. This sort of confusion does not however hinder people of all qualities to ex∣tol these Essays above all the Books that ever they read, and they make them their chief study. They think that other Miscellanies of ancient and modern Books are nothing but an unnecessary heap of quotations, whereas we find in this authorities to the purpose, intermixed with the Authors own thoughts; which being bold and extraordinary, are ve∣ry effectual to cure men of their Weakness

and Vanity, and induce them to seek Virtue and Felicity by lawful means. But because every body is not of this opinion, we must take notice here of what is said against, and in favour of these Essays, to know what we should believe of 'em; and this is the more necessary, because one meets with fre∣quent opportunities to talk of this Author, his Book being almost in the hands of all people.

The enemies of Montagne tell us, that his Book is so far from inspiring his Rea∣ders with the love of Virtue, that on the contrary, some of his discourses being stuff'd with free and licentious words, they teach them some Vices of which they were igno∣rant, or else are the occasion that they take a pleasure in speaking thereof, and at last in∣duce them to fall into the same. That his Discourses upon several effects of Nature are rather fit to divert their thoughts from true Religion, than to convince them of the truth of it, and are altogether unbecoming a Chri∣stian Philosopher. That notwithstanding his Propositions and Assertions are for the most part weak and false, yet they are very dange∣rous for several persons, who either want Learning, or have too great a byass for Li∣bertinism. That besides an indifferent know∣ledge of practical Morals and History, which Montagne had acquir'd in reading Seneca and Plutarch, having conversed with few other Books, as he owns himself, he had hardly a tincture of other Sciences and Arts, even not

of the Theory of Moral Philosophy. That he was as ignorant in other Parts of Philoso∣phy, as Physick, Metaphysick and Logick; which does sufficiently appear by his wrong inferences on several things. That he under∣stood very little what we call Humanity, or Belles Lettres, as one may see by his unpolite stile, and the confusion of his discourses, which shew him a very ill Grammarian, and a bad Rhetorician; and as he talks as posi∣tively and boldly as the most learned men, Scaliger was used to stile him a bold Ignorant. These angry Gentlemen do likewise pretend, that what is most admir'd in Montagne is stole from some ancient Authors, and that if those quotations and the little stories he tells us about his Temper and Inclinations were taken out of his Book, the rest would be very little or nothing at all.

This is the substance of the most material objections made against Montagne; not to mention here several Authors, who have pur∣posely written against his opinions, as Mr de Silhon in his Book of the Immortality of the Soul, wherein he confutes what Montagne has alledg'd to prove that Brutes are capable of thinking. Chanet in his Treatise of the operations of the Understanding, quotes Montagne's Essays, as a work wherein Judgment had no share, Because, says he, every judicious man loves order, and there is nothing but confusion in that whole Book.

Having thus impartially related what is urged against Montagne, we proceed now to mention what is said in his vindication. And we might here, in the first place, make use of the long Preface Mademoiselle de Gournay has prefixed to the French Folio Edition of his Es∣says, 1652, wherein she does not only give a full answer to all the objections made, or that can be made against Montagne, but also talks of him as of a man whose works have revived Truth in his Age, and which there∣fore she calls the quintessence of Philosophy, the Hellebore of Mans Folly, the Setter at Liberty of Understanding, and the Iudicial Throne of Reason. But we do not think fit to insist upon her Evidence, for notwithstanding the solid ar∣guments her opinion is grounded upon, she may be suspected to be blindfolded with the passionate Love she had for her excellent Fa∣ther: and besides, we have so many great men to produce in favour of Montagne, that we may without any prejudice to his Cause, wave the evidence of Mademoiselle de Gournay. These will tell you, that if he has handled a∣ny matters with an uncommon freedom, this is an effect of his generous Temper, which was free from any base or servile compli∣ance; and as to his Love for Virtue, and his Religion, they appeal to his very Book itself, whereby that truth will appear, if the passages alledged to prove the contrary are examined without partiality, and not by themselves, but according to the connexion they have with what precedes or follows.

Stephen Pasquier, that sincere Writer, deals more fairly with Montagne than Silhon, Bal∣zac, or any other of his opposers, for he does not conceal his faults, nor pass by what may be said to attenuate or excuse them.

Mon∣tagne, says he in one of his Letters, has se∣veral Chapters, whereof the Body is no ways answerable to the Head, witness these following, The History of Spurina; of the Re∣semblance of Children to their Parents, of the Verses of Virgil, of Coaches, of Lame people, of Vanity, and Physiognomy. These are incoherent things, wherein the Author runs from one subject to another, without any order or connexion. But after all, we must take of Montagne what is good, and not look upon his Titles, but into his Dis∣courses, for possibly he designed to laugh at himself, others, and humane capacity, slight∣ing thus the Rules and servile Laws of Au∣thors.

I shall add on this point, that notwith∣standing several of his discourses do contain quite different things from what is promised in the Titles, as Pasquier has observed it, yet it does not always happen so; and when he has done it, methinks it is rather through affectation than inadvertency, to shew that he did not intend to make a regular Work. This does likewise appear, by the odd, or rather fantastical connexion of his dis∣courses, wherein from one matter he makes long digressions upon several others. No doubt but he thought that one might take the

same Liberty in his Meditations, as is assumed in common Conversations, in which, tho there be but two or three Interlocutors, 'tis observed that there is such a variety in their discourses, that if they were set down in writing, it would appear that by digressions they are run away from their first subject, and that the last part of their conversation is very little answerable to the first. This I verily believe was his true intention, that he might present the World with a free and ori∣ginal Work; for Chanct nor any other of his Adversaries will not be able to convince the World, that this proceeded from want of Judgment in a man of such parts as they are oblig'd to own in Montagne.

He designed also sometimes to conceal his design in his Titles; as for instance, in his third Book, when having spent almost a whole Chapter against Physicians, it is most likely that his intention was to conceal it by intitling the same, of the Resemblance of Chil∣dren to their Parents. For this gives him an op∣portunity to tell us that he was afflicted with the Gravel as his Father was, and to discourse of the Cure of several distempers, and at the same time of the uncertainty of Physick, or rather of the ignorance of Physicians; from whence I conclude, that in this whole Chapter, and several others, there is rather a resin'd Art, than Ignorance. It has been al∣so objected against him, that he was so much in love with himself, that he talks of no bo∣dy else in his Writings, as if he intended to

propose himself as a necessary Pattern to the rest of Mankind, tho what he says of himself is for the most part odd and fantastical. To this I answer, that any man may be an exam∣ple to others, either for doing Good, or eschewing evil; and that Montagne does not pretend that what he says of himself should be taken for any other thing than really it is, having a sufficient knowledge of all hu∣mane frailties, and of his own in parti∣cular.

'Tis somewhat surprizing that Montagne should be blamed for quoting ancient Au∣thors, when this quotations are made a pro∣pos, that is, for confirming or illustrating what he says, seeing Plutarch and several other excellent Authors have taken the same liberty; and if it be objected, that the quo∣tations in Plutarch are taken from Greek Au∣thors, and consequently are in the same Lan∣guage as his, whereas Montagne has stuff'd his French Book with Greek, Latin and Italian Verses; I answer that this is trifling, for if Montagne found nothing in his own Lan∣guage worthy of being cited, or else if he thought that Ancient or Foreign Writers had better treated the matter he speaks of, Pray by what Law, is he forbidden to make use of their Authority? I own, that in some places, he has translated some passages of Ancient Authors into French, and has so dexterously incorporated them into his Work, that he has in some manner made them his own, but where is the great Crime in this, especially seeing

he has a World of thoughts of his own, which are more sublime and excellent, than what he has alledged from others?

Balsac, in his XIX Entretien, reflects upon his Language, tho at the same time he ex∣cuses it.

He lived, says he, in the Reign of the Family of Valois, and was a Gascon by Birth, and therefore it is impossible, but his Lan∣guage must have something of the Vice com∣mon to his Age and Country. However, we must own, that his Soul was eloquent, and that he expressed his thoughts in bold mas∣culine expressions, and that his Stile has some Beauties, above what we could have expected from his Age. I'll say no more on this' Head, and I know that it would be a sort of miracle, that a Person could politely speak French in the Barbary of Quercy and Perigord. Should a Man, beset with bad examples, and depri∣ved of good ones, have courage and strength enough to defend himself alone against a whole Nation? against his own Wife, Re∣lations and Friends, who are as many ene∣mies to the purity of the French Tongue? The Court was likewise as corrupted as the Country, so that it was then lawful to fail, there being then no settled rules for our language; and those faults, which are more ancient than the Laws themselves, are doubt∣less Innocent.

I conclude, says he in ano∣ther place, that I have a great veneration for him, and that in my opinion he is compa∣rable to those Ancients whom we call Maxi∣mos Ingenio, Arte rudes, &c.

What Balzac says in relation to the Court of France in the days of Montagne is true e∣nough, and very much to the purpose; but observe here the vanity and malice of that Hy∣percritick, who must reflect upon Montagne's Country, as if it were impossible that any body born in Perigord or Quercy should write French as politely as he who was not born within a days journey from Montagne. I know Balzac has written more politely than Montagne, and that the French Tongue is much indebt∣ed to him, but he whose excellency was chiefly in the connexion of words, must not for all that pretend to set up for a Judge of the thoughts of Montagne, as he has rashly ventur'd upon in his 18th and 19th Entretien.

'Tis true, Montagne has some provincial ex∣pressions, but they are few in number; and it is to be observed, that several words of his which were at first excepted against, have been since adopted by the best Writers, this being the priviledge of great Authors to in∣troduce new words. The French word En∣joue (Merry) has not been always in use, tho it is now in the mouth of all the Learned and Polite people, and Montagne was the first Author that I know of who made use of it; and so they are obliged to him for this word, which does not only signifie a merry man, but likewise expresses the very effects of mirth in his face, and chiefly upon his cheek, (joues).

Those who tell us that Scaliger was used to call him a bold Ignorant, do certainly a great∣er

Injury to Scaliger than to Montagne, for the reputation of that great man will never so far byass mankind as to make them believe that the Author of a Book wherein there is so much Learning should be an Ignorant Fellow. Scaliger was a better Judge, and as this is not to be found in any one of his Works, I think one may venture to say, that this Ca∣lumny was contrived by some of his Envious Enemies, who having not strength enough to encounter him, made use of this artifice, to run down his merit with that great name.

Monsieur de Plassac, a great admirer of Mon∣tagne, corrected his Chapter of the Vanity of Words into Modern French, but as he owns it himself, it was no more Montagne's, whose similes and proverbial expressions, have a greater strenght, than the nice Politeness of the Modern French Language, and besides Montagne's discourse is every where full of sen∣tences and solid Reason, which do not always admit that smooth but empty way of writing, so much in vogue in France.

I do not however design to defend Montagne in every thing; far from it, I blame his free∣dom in several places, and I cannot abide, that after having discoursed of the exemplary Life of a Holy Man, he should immediately talk as he does of Cuckoldom and Privy Parts, and other things of this nature, which tho perhaps tolerable in another place, cannot be suffered in this; and I wish he had left out these things, that Ladies might not be put to the blush, when his Essays are found in their Libraries, and

that they might improve themselves by read∣ing this excellent Book, without putting their modesty to any torment, as they must needs do, when they come to these places.

As for the rest, there is hardly any humane Book extant, so fit as this to teach Men what they are, and lead them insensibly to a reaso∣nable observation of the most secret Springs of their Actions; and therefore it ought to be the manuale of all Gentlemen, his uncommon way of teaching, winning People to the pra∣ctice of Virtue, as much as other Books fright them away from it, by the dogmatical and im∣perious way which they assume.

Thus we have answered all the material ob∣jections made against Montagne; for I think the other trifles, which are objected against him, do not deserve to be taken notice of, and I wonder that the Author of the Search after Truth should spend his time upon them in a manner so unbecoming his Character. He tells us, after Balzac and some others, that Montagne's Vanity and Pride, are not sutable to an Author and Philosopher, that it was ri∣diculous and useless to keep a Page, having hardly 6000 Livres a year, and more ridicu∣lous still to have so often mentioned it in his Writings: but I may answer, that it was very common in his time, for Gentlemen of noble extraction to keep a Page, to shew their qua∣lity, tho their Estate could hardly afford them to keep a Footman, and that the 6000 Livres a year, were then more than 20000 now adays. It was likewise very much un∣coming

the gravity of our famous Searcher af∣ter Truth, to rail at Montagne because he does not mention in his Essays, that he kept a Clerk, when he was Councellor in the Parlia∣ment of Bourdeaux, for Montagne having exercised that noble employment but for a short time, in his youth he had no occasion to mention it, and who shall believe, that he has concealed it out of Vanity, he who, in the opinion of Malbranche himself, talks of his imper∣fections and vices, with too great a freedom? It is likewise very ungenerous and ungentleman like to take no••ice, that he did not very well succeed in his Mayoralty of Bourdeaux; The times he lived in were very troublesome, and supposing he committed some Error, which they say without any Proof, what is that to the merit of his Book? Balzac intro∣duces a Gentleman, speaking thus to an ad∣mirer of Montagne.

You may praise your Author if you will more than our Cicero, but I cannot fancy that a man, who governed all the World, was not at least equal to a Per∣son, who did not know how to govern Bourdeaux.

This may very well pass for a jest; but is it a rational way for confuting an Author, to have recourse unto personal Re∣flections, or some incidents relating to his pri∣vate Person or Quality, This is so mean, that I cannot fancy Balzac could be guilty of it, and I wholly impute it to those, who have published after his Death, some loose discourses on several Subjects, which they have intitled his Entretiens.

Notwithstanding these objections, Montagne always had, and is like to have Admirers, as long as Sense and Reason have any credit in the World. Justus Lipsius calls him the French Thales, and Mezeray the Christian Seneca, and the incomparable Thuanus has made an Eulogy of him, which being very short, I shall tran∣scribe it here.

Michel de Montagne Chevalier, was born in Perigord, in a Castle, which had the name of his Family. He was made Councellor in the Parliament of Bourdeaux, with Stephen de la Boetie, with whom he contracted so great a Friendship, that that dear Friend was even after his Death the object of his respect and veneration. Montagne was extraordinary Free and Sincere, as Posterity will see by his Essays, for so he has intitled that Immortal Monument of his Genius.

While he was at Venice, he was elected Mayor of Bourdeaux, which place was only bestowed upon persons of the first quality, and even the Governors of the Province thought it was an honor for them. The Mareschal de Matignon, who commanded the Kings Forces in that Province, during the troubles of the State, had such an esteem for him, that he communicated unto him the most important affairs, and admitted him into his Council. As I had a cor∣respondence with him while I was in his Country, and since at Court, the confor∣mity of our Studies and Inclinations uni∣ted us most intimately. He dyed at Montagne in the 60th year of his Age.

This testimony of Thuanus is sufficient to justify the memory of our Author, for no body will believe that a man of that inte∣grity, would have been so great a Friend, with so vicious a man as Malbranche has represented Montagne. I shall therefore con∣clude this discourse with a very remarkable circumstance mentioned by Thuanus in his own Life, lib. 3. which shew that Montagne was beloved by the greatest Princes in his time and honored with their confidence. While the States of the Kingdom, says he, were sitting at Blois, Montagne and I were discour∣sing of the division between the King of Na∣varre and the Duke of Guise, whereupon he told me, that he knew the most secret thoughts of those Princes, as having been employed to compose their differences, and that he was perswaded, that neither of 'em was of the Religion he professed. That the King of Navarr would have willingly embrac'd the Religion of his Predecessors, if he had not feared that his Party had aban∣doned him, and that the Duke of Guise would have declared himself for the con∣fession of Augsburg, which the Cardinal of Lorrain his Unkle had inspired him with, if he could have done it, without any prejudice to his Interests.

I thought this circumstance was not un∣worthy of being placed here; but I must beg the Readers pardon for having been so long, which must be attributed to the respect I have for the Memory of that excellent au∣thor▪

I designed to shew the reason why Montagne meets with a more favourable en∣tertainment in England than in his Native Country, but having been already too long, I shall content my self to observe that an Au∣thor who talks freely of every thing, is not suitable to the temper of a servile Nation, who has lost all sence of Liberty.

Monsieur La Bruyere in his celebrated Book of the Characters or Manners of the Age, gives another reason why some people con∣demn Montagne.

Two Writers,

says he, (meaning La Mothe Le Vayer and Malbranche)

have condemned Montagne: I know that Author may be justly blamed in some things, but neither of 'em will allow him to have any thing valuable. One of 'em thinks too little to taste such an Author, who thinks a great deal; and the other thinks too subtilely to be pleased with what is natural. This, I believe, is the general Character of Montagne's enemies.