登陆注册
5362600000120

第120章

As if we had an infectious touch, we, by our manner of handling, corrupt things that in themselves are laudable and good: we may grasp virtue so that it becomes vicious, if we embrace it too stringently and with too violent a desire. Those who say, there is never any excess in virtue, forasmuch as it is not virtue when it once becomes excess, only play upon words:

"Insani sapiens nomen ferat, aequus iniqui, Ultra quam satis est, virtutem si petat ipsam."

["Let the wise man bear the name of a madman, the just one of an unjust, if he seek wisdom more than is sufficient."--Horace, Ep., i. 6, 15.]

["The wise man is no longer wise, the just man no longer just, if he seek to carry his love for wisdom or virtue beyond that which is necessary.]

This is a subtle consideration of philosophy. A man may both be too much in love with virtue, and be excessive in a just action. Holy Writ agrees with this, Be not wiser than you should, but be soberly wise.--[St.

Paul, Epistle to the Romans, xii. 3.]-- I have known a great man, --["It is likely that Montaigne meant Henry III., king of France.

The Cardinal d'Ossat, writing to Louise, the queen-dowager, told her, in his frank manner, that he had lived as much or more like a monk than a monarch (Letter XXIII.) And Pope Sextus V., speaking of that prince one day to the Cardinal de Joyeuse, protector of the affairs of France, said to him pleasantly, 'There is nothing that your king hath not done, and does not do so still, to be a monk, nor anything that I have not done, not to be a monk.'"--Coste. prejudice the opinion men had of his devotion, by pretending to be devout beyond all examples of others of his condition. I love temperate and moderate natures. An immoderate zeal, even to that which is good, even though it does not offend, astonishes me, and puts me to study what name to give it. Neither the mother of Pausanias, --["Montaigne would here give us to understand, upon the authority of Diodorus Siculus, that Pausanias' mother gave the first hint of the punishment that was to be inflicted on her son. 'Pausanias,' says this historian, 'perceiving that the ephori, and some other Lacedoemonians, aimed at apprehending him, got the start of them, and went and took sanctuary m Minerva's temple: and the Lacedaemonians, being doubtful whether they ought to take him from thence in violation of the franchise there, it is said that his own mother came herself to the temple but spoke nothing nor did anything more than lay a piece of brick, which she brought with her, on the threshold of the temple, which, when she had done, she returned home. The Lacedaemonians, taking the hint from the mother, caused the gate of the temple to be walled up, and by this means starved Pausanias, so that he died with hunger, &c. (lib. xi. cap. 10., of Amyot's translation). The name of Pausanias' mother was Alcithea, as we are informed by Thucydides' scholiast, who only says that it was reported, that when they set about walling up the gates of the chapel in which Pausanias had taken refuge, his mother Alcithea laid the first stone."--Coste.] who was the first instructor of her son's process, and threw the first stone towards his death, nor Posthumius the dictator, who put his son to death, whom the ardour of youth had successfully pushed upon the enemy a little more advanced than the rest of his squadron, do appear to me so much just as strange; and I should neither advise nor like to follow so savage a virtue, and that costs so dear.--["Opinions differ as to the truth of this fact. Livy thinks he has good authority for rejecting it because it does not appear in history that Posthumious was branded with it, as Titus Manlius was, about 100 years after his time; for Manlius, having put his son to death for the like cause, obtained the odious name of Imperiosus, and since that time Manliana imperia has been used as a term to signify orders that are too severe; Manliana Imperia, says Livy, were not only horrible for the time present, but of a bad example to posterity. And this historian makes no doubt but such commands would have been actually styled Posthumiana Imperia, if Posthumius had been the first who set so barbarous an example (Livy, lib. iv. cap. 29, and lib. viii. cap. 7). But, however, Montaigne has Valer.

Maximus on his side, who says expressly, that Posthumius caused his son to be put to death, and Diodorus of Sicily (lib. xii. cap.

19)."--Coste.]

The archer that shoots over, misses as much as he that falls short, and 'tis equally troublesome to my sight, to look up at a great light, and to look down into a dark abyss. Callicles in Plato says, that the extremity of philosophy is hurtful, and advises not to dive into it beyond the limits of profit; that, taken moderately, it is pleasant and useful; but that in the end it renders a man brutish and vicious, a contemner of religion and the common laws, an enemy to civil conversation, and all human pleasures, incapable of all public administration, unfit either to assist others or to relieve himself, and a fit object for all sorts of injuries and affronts. He says true; for in its excess, it enslaves our natural freedom, and by an impertinent subtlety, leads us out of the fair and beaten way that nature has traced for us.

The love we bear to our wives is very lawful, and yet theology thinks fit to curb and restrain it. As I remember, I have read in one place of St.

Thomas Aquinas,--[Secunda Secundx, Quaest. 154, art. 9.]-- where he condemns marriages within any of the forbidden degrees, for this reason, amongst others, that there is some danger, lest the friendship a man bears to such a woman, should be immoderate; for if the conjugal affection be full and perfect betwixt them, as it ought to be, and that it be over and above surcharged with that of kindred too, there is no doubt, but such an addition will carry the husband beyond the bounds of reason.

同类推荐
  • 畦乐诗集

    畦乐诗集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太上老君说安宅八阳经

    太上老君说安宅八阳经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 金光明经文句记

    金光明经文句记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 上清大渊神龙琼胎乘景上玄玉章

    上清大渊神龙琼胎乘景上玄玉章

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 古尊宿语录

    古尊宿语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 韩娱之我为搞笑狂

    韩娱之我为搞笑狂

    杯具的人生不需要解释,莫名的魂穿成棒子,莫名的被夺舍,莫名的被逼当搞笑艺人,罗凤恩带你领略2017的韩娱故事。 2017年女团盛世已经过去,曾经盛极一时的女团也逐渐凋零。少女时代经过队员退团,解约,恋爱,结婚等一系列的冲击已是昨日黄花。生在傻帽公司给了少女时代坚实的后盾和更广阔的天空,当她们人气不在时带给她们的是悲哀。 求收藏...求推荐....有啥求啥,因为我什么都没有。本书前期巨坑,如果能坚持下来将会看到什么叫没有最坑只有更坑
  • 总经理:你就是企业形象代言人

    总经理:你就是企业形象代言人

    作为总经理,应有一个核心思维——点灯心态。即分享一盏智慧的明灯;多点灯,不挖坑;一灯能破千年暗,一智能解万年愚。作为总经理,应有一种水性思维。即低洼意识——低姿态、高境界;为而不争——善利万物而不争;以柔克刚——柔弱胜刚强。作为总经理,应经常看到:探求自己的方向;遇到障碍物时,能发挥百倍力量;以自己的清洁洗净他人的污浊,有容清纳浊的宽大度量。《总经理你就是企业形象代言人》讲述汪洋大海,能蒸发为云,变成雨雪,又或凝结成一面如晶莹明镜的水,不论其变化如何,仍不失其本性。
  • 一切皆有可能:奥巴马给年轻人的62个忠告

    一切皆有可能:奥巴马给年轻人的62个忠告

    这本书从梦想、信念、心态、行动、学习等诸多方面去回顾奥巴马的成功经历,并借助独特的视角,从中挖掘出对年轻人的成长有帮助、有价值的信息,让读者能够清楚地知道奥巴马为什么会取得成功,同时,也在心中燃起奋斗的火焰。
  • 独摇揽死生

    独摇揽死生

    两国纷争,内忧外患的状态下,不得不争,而争是为光芒万丈的生和无怨无悔的死,输赢都不负此生。本长篇连载讲述主人公齐瑶在荆棘之中,一步一步走向执政长公主。
  • 沙岸

    沙岸

    陈家悦觉得自己的生活就像是构筑在无数的砂砾之上,只要一个浪头打来就能让所有的一切崩塌。她遥望着那些关于幸福的海市蜃楼,却从从未想过有一天自己可以踩着这些沙走向岸边。
  • 大唐王朝之李家天下

    大唐王朝之李家天下

    《大唐王朝之李家天下》从家族角度出发,通过多种史料还原历史细节,以通俗的笔法对大唐王朝李氏家族进行重新解读。帝王、权臣、英雄、宦官,你方唱罢我登场。李唐王朝造就的历史,无不显示出它的残酷与不可抗拒。兄弟相残、家族之争、奴才欺主……一幕幕的血腥书写着李氏家族的历史。围绕李氏家族的传承和纷争,再现大唐帝国的兴亡史。大唐王朝是让我们为之自豪的一座历史巅峰,大唐盛世的辉煌始终令我们向往。这个气势磅礴,前无古人,后无来者的帝国给后人留下了无数遐想与疑问。
  • 大武侠民国之初

    大武侠民国之初

    清末民初,战乱四起,武林人士要想安身立命,上对朝廷,下对黎民百姓,洋人倭寇,我想把青云剑法传下去,谁是我的衣钵传人,谁能许我一世芳名,留我半世之殇,从此仗剑天下,锄强扶弱。
  • 暗夜下的枪口

    暗夜下的枪口

    《暗夜下的枪口》讲述一个农家小子,自小被贼帮掠走,历经坎坷,面对民族危亡,怎样挥洒一腔碧血?一把祖传的烟锅,自从被盗,便一路颠沛流离,众人争抢之下,究竟有怎样的身世秘密?国破家亡之际,土匪、日本兵、三教九流,遍布关东大地,主人公又是怎样和恶人斗法,《暗夜下的枪口》演绎一段民间铁血传奇?
  • 陪你数星星

    陪你数星星

    …“纵使生活没那么容易,我还是想把你,放在未来里,一生欢喜,不为世俗所及。”林故初永远都会和易南肆在一起,永远永远。从何时起我变得挑剔,是见过你清澈瞳孔里我的倒影,还是见过你蜜糖味柔软的笑意。身边来往的人很多,也曾有人为我驻足,可是啊,不是你不行。世界灿烂盛大,总有你的家。“世界没你想象的那么好世界也没你想象的那么坏你过来来我身边月亮不抱你时光摧毁你可我爱你。”你是这世间最可爱的小星星,我爱了整个宇宙只为和你碰头。想在夜晚变成星星,偷吻你的眼睛。“易先生啊,我真的超想和你有以后。”我喜欢的少年打天上来,他无意掀翻烛火,点燃我双眸盛满的暮色。-“世界很暗,然后你来了,带着星星月亮…”
  • 捡漏

    捡漏

    一眼百年,重生都市。盛世华章,古董收藏。秦碑周彝,金石字画。青铜青花,翡翠美玉。天下奇珍,尽在我手。重生归来的金锋在现代都市,凭借神乎其技的鉴宝本领,一步步走向巅峰。发扬民族最传统的文化,传承千年最完整的文明。