the essays of montaigne, v10-第4章

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so　great　an　one　as　to　forget　himself　for　others；　and　for　such　an　one　the
answer　that　fathers　have　ordinarily　in　their　mouths；　〃I　will　not　put　off
my　clothes；　before　I　go　to　bed；〃　serves　well。

But　a　father　worn　out　with　age　and　infirmities；　and　deprived　by　weakness
and　want　of　health　of　the　common　society　of　men；　wrongs　himself　and　his
to　amass　a　great　heap　of　treasure。　　He　has　lived　long　enough；　if　he　be
wise；　to　have　a　mind　to　strip　himself　to　go　to　bed；　not　to　his　very
shirt；　I　confess；　but　to　that　and　a　good；　warm　dressing…gown；　the
remaining　pomps；　of　which　he　has　no　further　use；　he　ought　voluntarily　to
surrender　to　those；　to　whom　by　the　order　of　nature　they　belong。　　'Tis
reason　he　should　refer　the　use　of　those　things　to　them；　seeing　that
nature　has　reduced　him　to　such　a　state　that　he　cannot　enjoy　them　himself；
otherwise　there　is　doubtless　malice　and　envy　in　the　case。　　The　greatest
act　of　the　Emperor　Charles　V。　was　that　when；　in　imitation　of　some　of　the
ancients　of　his　own　quality；　confessing　it　but　reason　to　strip　ourselves
when　our　clothes　encumber　and　grow　too　heavy　for　us；　and　to　lie　down　when
our　legs　begin　to　fail　us；　he　resigned　his　possessions；　grandeur；　and
power　to　his　son；　when　he　found　himself　failing　in　vigour；　and　steadiness
for　the　conduct　of　his　affairs　suitable　with　the　glory　he　had　therein
acquired：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Solve　senescentem　mature　sanus　equum；　ne
　　　　　　　　　　Peccet　ad　extremum　ridendus；　et　ilia　ducat。〃

　　　　　＇〃Dismiss　the　old　horse　in　good　time；　lest；　failing　in　the　lists；
　　　　　the　spectators　laugh。〃Horace；　Epist。；　i。；　I；　8。＇

This　fault　of　not　perceiving　betimes　and　of　not　being　sensible　of　the
feebleness　and　extreme　alteration　that　age　naturally　brings　both　upon
body　and　mind；　which；　in　my　opinion；　is　equal；　if　indeed　the　soul　has　not
more　than　half；　has　lost　the　reputation　of　most　of　the　great　men　in　the
world。　　I　have　known　in　my　time；　and　been　intimately　acquainted　with
persons　of　great　authority；　whom　one　might　easily　discern　marvellously
lapsed　from　the　sufficiency　I　knew　they　were　once　endued　with；　by　the
reputation　they　had　acquired　in　their　former　years；　whom　I　could
heartily；　for　their　own　sakes；　have　wished　at　home　at　their　ease；
discharged　of　their　public　or　military　employments；　which　were　now　grown
too　heavy　for　their　shoulders。　　I　have　formerly　been　very　familiar　in　a
gentleman's　house；　a　widower　and　very　old；　though　healthy　and　cheerful
enough：　this　gentleman　had　several　daughters　to　marry　and　a　son　already
of　ripe　age；　which　brought　upon　him　many　visitors；　and　a　great　expense；
neither　of　which　well　pleased　him；　not　only　out　of　consideration　of
frugality；　but　yet　more　for　having；　by　reason　of　his　age；　entered　into　a
course　of　life　far　differing　from　ours。　　I　told　him　one　day　a　little
boldly；　as　I　used　to　do；　that　he　would　do　better　to　give　us　younger　folk
room；　and　to　leave　his　principal　house　（for　he　had　but　that　well　placed
and　furnished）　to　his　son；　and　himself　retire　to　an　estate　he　had　hard
by；　where　nobody　would　trouble　his　repose；　seeing　he　could　not　otherwise
avoid　being　importuned　by　us；　the　condition　of　his　children　considered。
He　took　my　advice　afterwards；　and　found　an　advantage　in　so　doing。

I　do　not　mean　that　a　man　should　so　instal　them　as　not　to　reserve　to
himself　a　liberty　to　retract；　I；　who　am　now　arrived　to　the　age　wherein
such　things　are　fit　to　be　done；　would　resign　to　them　the　enjoyment　of　my
house　and　goods；　but　with　a　power　of　revocation　if　they　should　give　me
cause　to　alter　my　mind；　I　would　leave　to　them　the　use；　that　being　no
longer　convenient　for　me；　and；　of　the　general　authority　and　power　over
all；　would　reserve　as　much　asI　thought　good　to　myself；　having　always
held　that　it　must　needs　be　a　great　satisfaction　to　an　aged　father　himself
to　put　his　children　into　the　way　of　governing　his　affairs；　and　to　have
power　during　his　own　life　to　control　their　behaviour；　supplying　them　with
instruction　and　advice　from　his　own　experience；　and　himself　to　transfer
the　ancient　honour　and　order　of　his　house　into　the　hands　of　those　who　are
to　succeed　him；　and　by　that　means　to　satisfy　himself　as　to　the　hopes　he
may　conceive　of　their　future　conduct。　　And　in　order　to　this　I　would　not
avoid　their　company；　I　would　observe　them　near　at　hand；　and　partake；
according　to　the　condition　of　my　age；　of　their　feasts　and　jollities。
If　I　did　not　live　absolutely　amongst　them；　which　I　could　not　do　without
annoying　them　and　their　friends；　by　reason　of　the　morosity　of　my　age　and
the　restlessness　of　my　infirmities；　and　without　violating　also　the　rules
and　order　of　living　I　should　then　have　set　down　to　myself；　I　would；　at
least；　live　near　them　in　some　retired　part　of　my　house；　not　the　best　in
show；　but　the　most　commodious。　　Nor　as　I　saw　some　years　ago；　a　dean　of
St。　Hilary　of　Poitiers　given　up　to　such　a　solitude；　that　at　the　time　I
came　into　his　chamber　it　had　been　two　and　twenty　years　that　he　had　not
stepped　one　foot　out　of　it；　and　yet　had　all　his　motions　free　and　easy；
and　was　in　good　health；　saving　a　cold　that　fell　upon　his　lungs；　he　would；
hardly　once　in　a　week；　suffer　any　one　to　come　in　to　see　him；　he　always
kept　himself　shut　up　in　his　chamber　alone；　except　that　a　servant　brought
him；　once　a　day；　something　to　eat；　and　did　then　but　just　come　in　and　go
out　again。　　His　employment　was　to　walk　up　and　down；　and　read　some　book；
for　he　was　a　bit　of　a　scholar；　but；　as　to　the　rest；　obstinately　bent　to
die　in　this　retirement；　as　he　soon　after　did。　　I　would　endeavour　by
pleasant　conversation　to　create　in　my　children　a　warm　and　unfeigned
friendship　and　good…will　towards　me；　which　in　well…descended　natures　is
not　hard　to　do；　for　if　they　be　furious　brutes；　of　which　this　age　of　ours
produces　thousands；　we　are　then　to　hate　and　avoid　them　as　such。

I　am　angry　at　the　custom　of　forbidding　children　to　call　their　father　by
the　name　of　father；　and　to　enjoin　them　another；　as　more　full　of　respect
and　reverence；　as　if　nature　had　not　sufficiently　provided　for　our
authority。　　We　call　Almighty　God　Father；　and　disdain　to　have　our　children
call　us　so；　I　have　reformed　this　error　in　my　family。＇As　did　Henry　IV。
of　France＇　　And　'tis　also　folly　and　injustice　to　deprive　children；　when
grown　up；　of　familiarity　with　their　father；　and　to　carry　a　scornful　and
austere　countenance　toward　them；　thinking　by　that　to　keep　them　in　awe　and
obedience；　for　it　is　a　very　idle　farce　that；　instead　of　producing　the
effect　designed；　renders　fathers　distasteful；　and；　which　is　worse；
ridiculous　to　their　own　children。　　They　have　youth　and　vigour　in
possession；　and　consequently　the　breath　and　favour　of　the　world；　and
therefore　receive　these　fierce　and　tyrannical　looksmere　scarecrows
of　a　man　without　blood；　either　in　his　heart　or　veins；　with　mockery　and
contempt。　　Though　I　could　make　myself　feared；　I　had　yet　much　rather　make
myself　beloved：　there　are　so　many　sorts　of　defects　in　old　age；　so　much
imbecility；　and　it　is　so　liable　to　contempt；　that　the　best　acquisition　a
man　can　make　is　the　kindness　and　affection　of　his　own　family；　command　and
fear　are　no　longer　his　weapons。　　Such　an　one　I　have　known　who；　having
been　very　imperious　in　his　youth；　when　he　came　to　be　old；　though　he　might
have　lived　at　his　full　ease；　would　ever　strike；　rant；　swear；　and　curse：
the　most　violent　householder　in　France：　fretting　himself　with　unnecessary
suspicion　and　vigilance。　　And　all　this　rumble　and　clutter　but　to　make　his
family　cheat　him　the　more；　of　his　barn；　his　kitchen；　cellar；　nay；　and　his
very　purse　too；　others　had　the　greatest　use　and　share；　whilst　he　keeps
his　keys　in　his　pocket　much　more　carefully　than　his　eyes。　　Whilst　he　hugs
himself　with　the　pitiful　frugality　of　a　niggard　table；　everything　goes　to
rack　and　ruin　in　every　corner　of　his　house；　in　play；　drink；　all　sorts　of
profusion；　making　sport　in　their　junkets　with　his　vain　anger　and
fruitless　parsimony。　　Every　one　is　a　sentinel　against　him；　and　if；　by
accident；　any　wretched　fellow　that　serves　him　is　of　another　humour；　and
will　not　join　with　the　rest；　he　is　presently　rendered　suspected　to　him；
a　bait　that　old　age　very　easily　bites　at　of　itself。　　How　often　has　this
gentleman　boasted　to　me　in　how　great　awe　he　kept