MONTAIGNE.1

THE "Essays of Montaigne," the first edition of which appeared at Bordeaux in 1580, make, in several respects, an2 epoch in literature, less on account of their real importance, or the novel truths they contain, than of their influence upon the taste and the opinions of Europe. They are the first provocatio ad populum, the first appeal from the porch and the academy, to the haunts of busy and of idle men; the first book that taught the unlearned reader to observe and reflect for himself on questions of moral philosophy. In an age when every topic of this nature was treated systematically and in3 a didactic form, he broke out without connexion of chapters, with all the digressions that levity and garrulous egotism could suggest, with a very delightful, but, at that time, most unusual rapidity of transition from seriousness to gaiety.5 It would be to anticipate much of what will demand attention in the ensuing century were we to mention here the conspicuous writers who, more or less directly, and with more or less of close9 imitation, may be classed in the school of Montaigne; it embraces, in fact, a large proportion 10 of French and English literature,11 and especially of that which has borrowed his title of

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because') était alors plus rare. 6 sur un sujet qui.

Re

7 were we to,' que de. member that the use of que, in such cases, is quite idiomatic; as c'est se tromper que de croire, 'it is a mistake to believe.' See page 87, note 1, and page 66, note 9

8 et par suite de (and see page 25, note 16).

9 'close,' here, heureuse.

10 une portion considérable.

11 des littératures française et anglaise (or, as some grammarians will have it, contrary to general custom, de la littérature française et de la littérature anglaise-what an awkward phrase !)

Essays." No prose writer1 of the sixteenth century has been so generally read, nor probably given so much delight. Whatever may be our estimate of Montaigne as a philosopher, a name which he was far from arrogating, there will be but one opinion of the felicity and brightness of his genius.

It is a striking proof of these qualities, that we cannot help believing him to have struck out all his thoughts by a spontaneous effort of his mind, and to have fallen afterwards3 upon his quotations and examples by happy accident. I have little doubt but that the process was different, and that, either by dint of memory, though he absolutely disclaims the possessing a good one, or by the usual method of common-placing," he had made his reading instrumental to excite his own ingenious and fearless understanding.

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His quotations, though they perhaps make more than one half of his "Essays," seem parts of himself, 10 and are like limbs of his own mind, which could not be separated without laceration. But over all11 is spread a charm of a fascinating simplicity, and an apparent abandonment of the whole man to the easy inspiration of genius, combined with a good nature,12 though rather too Epicurean that his was not good.'

1 prosateur.

2 See page 134, note 3. Turn, 'Whatever idea we may make to ourselves of the merit of M- as a philosopher;' see p. 128, note 8.

3 To strike out, faire jaillir. But we had better turn so:-'A striking proof of these qualities, is, (see page 39, note 5) that one (on) cannot help (s'empêcher de, in this sense) believing (infinit., in French) that all his thoughts have struck -or, broken-out (ont jailli) spontaneously from his mind, and that he has fallen (see page 116, note 11) only (see page 5, note 12) afterwards.'

4 See page 22, note 1, as well as page 25, note 16.

Il est peu douteux pour moi qu'il a dû procéder différemment. 6 Turn,

though he pretends

7'or; see page 66, note 15. 'usual; see page 45, note 11.of common-placing,' consistant à faire des extraits et à prendre des notes.

8 il avait puisé dans ses lectures les textes et les sujets sur lesquels s'exerçait son.

9 than;' see page 60, note 6. one,' here, la.

10 parts of himself,' faire corps avec lui.

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sur l'ensemble.

12 une bonhomie. This is another of those expressions, mentioned at page 133, note 3, and which have passed current in England with a wrong spelling. I have seen this word repeatedly spelt bonhommie, with two m's instead of one m only, in books, newspapers, &c.

and destitute of moral energy, which,1 for that very reason, made him a favourite with men of similar dispositions, for whom courts, and camps, and country mansions, were the proper soil. 2

Montaigne is superior to any of the ancients in liveliness, in that careless and rapid style, where one thought springs naturally, but not consecutively, from another by analogical rather than deductive connexion, so that, while the reader seems to be following a train of arguments, he is imperceptibly hurried to a distance by some contingent association.5 . . He sometimes makes a show of coming back from his excursions; but he has generally exhausted himself before he does so. This is what men love to practise (not advantageously for their severe studies) in their own thoughts; they love to follow the casual associations that lead them through pleasant labyrinths, as one riding along the high road is glad to deviate a little into the woods, though it may sometimes happen that he will lose his way, and find himself far remote from his inn. And such is the conversational style 10 of lively and eloquent old men. We converse with Montaigne, or rather hear him talk: it is almost impossible to read his "Essays" without thinking 11 that he speaks to us; we see his cheerful brow, his sparkling

enchaînement régulier, et se lient par analogie, plutôt que par conséquence logique.

une série.

5 entraîné au loin par quelques rapports accidentels.

paraît quelquefois (page 19, note 5) vouloir revenir à son sujet.

7 Telle est la marche que les hommes se plaisent à suivré avec leurs pensées (il est vrai que ce n'est pas l'avantage de leurs études plus graves).

8 semblables au voyageur cheminant sur une grande route, qui se plaît d.

9 mais à qui il arrive quelquefois de se perdre et de s'égarer loin de son gite.

10 Simply, la conversation.
sans se figurer.

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eye, his negligent but gentlemanly demeanour; 1 we picture him in his arm-chair, with his few books round the room, and Plutarch2 on the table.—(HALLAM, Introduction to the Literature of Europe.)

THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD AND HIS FAMILY.

I WAS ever3 of opinion that the honest man, who married and brought up a large family, did more service than he who continued single, and only talked of population. From this motive, I had scarce taken orders a year before I began to think seriously of matrimony, and chose my wife as she did her wedding-gown-not for a fine glossy surface, but such qualities as would wear well. To do her justice,10 she was a good-natured, notable woman, ,11 and as for education, there were few country ladies who could show more.12 She could read any English book without much spelling; 13 but for pickling, preserving,14 and cookery, none could excel her. She prided herself

1 cette aisance de manières, ce laisser-aller dans lequel on reconnaît encore l'homme du monde.

2 entouré de quelques livres favoris, et son Plutarque.

3 Translate, 'I have ever been.' Use the present (as at page 123, note 7).-'large;' see page 42, note 19

5 'to do more service,' être plus utile.

6 See page 88, note 14.

7 et se contente de disserter sur la population (or, de parler population;-in the same way we say, without any preposition or article, parler musique, littérature, théâtres, &c. &c.)

8 un an, tout au plus, après avoir pris les ordres, je; or, à peine avais-je (page 32, note 1) pris les ordres depuis un an que je; or, à peine étais-je depuis un an dans

les ordres que je; or, again, il avait à peine un an que j'avais pris-que j'étais dans les ordres, lorsque je.

9 non sur le brillant de l'étoffe, mais sur les qualités qui garantissaient le bon user.

10 to do justice to one,' rendre justice à quelqu'un.

11 elle était d'une excellente nature, et laborieuse; or, elle avait un excellent naturel et de l'activité.

12 Translate, 'show more of it than she.'

13 assez couramment, toute espèce de livre anglais (or, quelque livre anglais que ce fût-see page 47, end of note 5, and page 22, note 12).

14 les conserves au vinaigre (or, simply, here, as the context is plain, les conserves), les confitures.

also upon being an excellent contriver in housekeeping;1 though I could never find2 that we grew richer with all her contrivances.

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However, we loved each other tenderly, and our fondness increased as we grew old. There was, in fact, nothing that could make us angry with 5 the world or each other. 6 We had an elegant house, situate in a fine country, and a good neighbourhood. The year was spent 8 in moral or rural amusements, in visiting our rich neighbours, and relieving such as were poor. We had no revolutions to fear, nor fatigues to undergo; all our adventures were by thell fireside, and all our migrations 12 from the blue bed to the brown.13

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As we lived 14 near the road, we often had the traveller or stranger to visit us, to taste our gooseberry-wine, for which we had great reputation; and I profess,16 with the veracity of an historian, that I never knew one of them 17 find fault with it.18 Our cousins, too, even to the fortieth remove,19 all remembered their affinity, without any help from 20 the herald's office,21 and came very frequently to

14 Remember that 'to live,' in the sense of' to dwell,' is demeurer, not vivre (page 61, note 12).

15 Translate, 'the traveller and the stranger often came (page 19, note 5) to taste.'

16 to profess,' in this sense, affirmer.

17 I never knew ;' translate, 'never I saw.'-' saw one of them,' en... un seul.

18 y trouver à redire; or, y trouver le mot à dire.

19 degré. Either leave out 'all,' which is not necessary here, or put it after the verb.

20 sans avoir besoin de recourir à. 21 'Herald's Office. We must keep the English expression here: there is nothing of the kind in France; if, however, we must give a nearly equivalent French expression, we may say,. . . . à aucun registre (or, à aucune table) généalogique.