the essays of montaigne, v15-第17部分

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a　school　of　nobility；　and　'tis　looked　upon　as　a　discourtesy　and　an
affront　to　refuse　this　to　a　gentleman。　　I　have　taken　notice　（for；　so　many
families；　so　many　differing　forms）　that　the　ladies　who　have　been
strictest　with　their　maids　have　had　no　better　luck　than　those　who　allowed
them　a　greater　liberty。　　There　should　be　moderation　in　these　things；　one
must　leave　a　great　deal　of　their　conduct　to　their　own　discretion；　for；
when　all　comes　to　all；　no　discipline　can　curb　them　throughout。　　But　it　is
true　withal　that　she　who　comes　off　with　flying　colours　from　a　school　of
liberty；　brings　with　her　whereon　to　repose　more　confidence　than　she　who
comes　away　sound　from　a　severe　and　strict　school。

Our　fathers　dressed　up　their　daughters'　looks　in　bashfulness　and　fear
（their　courage　and　desires　being　the　same）；　we　ours　in　confidence　and
assurance；　we　understand　nothing　of　the　matter；　we　must　leave　it　to　the
Sarmatian　women；　who　may　not　lie　with　a　man　till　with　their　own　hands
they　have　first　killed　another　in　battle。　　For　me；　who　have　no　other
title　left　me　to　these　things　but　by　the　ears；　'tis　sufficient　if；
according　to　the　privilege　of　my　age；　they　retain　me　for　one　of　their
counsel。　I　advise　them　then；　and　us　men　too；　to　abstinence；　but　if　the
age　we　live　in　will　not　endure　it；　at　least　modesty　and　discretion。　　For；
as　in　the　story　of　Aristippus；　who；　speaking　to　some　young　men　who
blushed　to　see　him　go　into　a　scandalous　house；　said　〃the　vice　is　in　not
coming　out；　not　in　going　in；〃　let　her　who　has　no　care　of　her　conscience
have　yet　some　regard　to　her　reputation；　and　though　she　be　rotten　within；
let　her　carry　a　fair　outside　at　least。

I　commend　a　gradation　and　delay　in　bestowing　their　favours：　Plato
'declares　that；　in　all　sorts　of　love；　facility　and　promptness　are
forbidden　to　the　defendant。　　'Tis　a　sign　of　eagerness　which　they　ought　to
disguise　with　all　the　art　they　have；　so　rashly；　wholly；　and　hand…over…
hand　to　surrender　themselves。　　In　carrying　themselves　orderly　and
measuredly　in　the　granting　their　last　favours；　they　much　more　allure　our
desires　and　hide　their　own。　　Let　them　still　fly　before　us；　even　those　who
have　most　mind　to　be　overtaken：　they　better　conquer　us　by　flying；　as　the
Scythians　did。　　To　say　the　truth；　according　to　the　law　that　nature　has
imposed　upon　them；　it　is　not　properly　for　them　either　to　will　or　desire；
their　part　is　to　suffer；　obey；　and　consent　and　for　this　it　is　that　nature
has　given　them　a　perpetual　capacity；　which　in　us　is　but　at　times　and
uncertain；　they　are　always　fit　for　the　encounter；　that　they　may　be　always
ready　when　we　are　so　〃Pati　natee。〃…＇〃Born　to　suffer。〃…Seneca；　Ep。；　95。＇
And　whereas　she　has　ordered　that　our　appetites　shall　be　manifest　by　a
prominent　demonstration；　she　would　have　theirs　to　be　hidden　and　concealed
within；　and　has　furnished　them　with　parts　improper　for　ostentation；　and
simply　defensive。　　Such　proceedings　as　this　that　follows　must　be　left　to
the　Amazonian　licence：　Alexander　marching　his　army　through　Hyrcania；
Thalestris；　Queen　of　the　Amazons；　came　with　three　hundred　light　horse　of
her　own…sex；　well　mounted；　and　armed；　having　left　the　remainder　of　a　very
great；　army　that　followed　her　behind　the　neighbouring　mountains　to　give
him　a　visit；　where　she　publicly　and　in　plain　terms　told　him　that　the　fame
of　his　valour　and　victories　had　brought　her　thither　to　see　him；　and　to
make　him　an　offer　of　her　forces　to　assist　him　in　the　pursuit　of　his
enterprises；　and　that；　finding　him　so　handsome；　young；　and　vigorous；　she；
who　was　also　perfect　in　all　those　qualities；　advised　that　they　might　lie
together；　to　the　end　that　from　the　most　valiant　woman　of　the　world　and
the　bravest　man　then　living；　there　might　spring　some　great　and　wonderful
issue　for　the　time　to　come。　　Alexander　returned　her　thanks　for　all　the
rest；　but；　to　give　leisure　for　the　accomplishment　of　her　last　demand；
he　detained　her　thirteen　days　in　that　place；　which　were　spent　in　royal
feasting　and　jollity；　for　the　welcome　of　so　courageous　a　princess。

We　are；　almost　throughout；　unjust　judges　of　their　actions；　as　they　are　of
ours。　　I　confess　the　truth　when　it　makes　against　me；　as　well　as　when　'tis
on　my　side。　　'Tis　an　abominable　intemperance　that　pushes　them　on　so　often
to　change；　and　that　will　not　let　them　limit　their　affection　to　any　one
person　whatever；　as　is　evident　in　that　goddess　to　whom　are　attributed　so
many　changes　and　so　many　lovers。　　But　'tis　true　withal　that　'tis　contrary
to　the　nature　of　love　if　it　be；　not　violent；　and　contrary　to　the　nature
of　violence　if　it　be　constant。　　And　they　who　wonder；　exclaim；　and　keep
such　a　clutter　to　find　out　the　causes　of　this　frailty　of　theirs；　as
unnatural　and　not　to　be　believed；　how　comes　it　to　pass　they　do　not
discern　how　often　they　are　themselves　guilty　of　the　same；　without　any
astonishment　or　miracle　at　all？　　It　would；　peradventure；　be　more　strange
to　see　the　passion　fixed；　'tis　not　a　simply　corporeal　passion。　　If　there
be　no　end　to　avarice　and　ambition；　there　is　doubtless　no　more　in　desire；
it　still　lives　after　satiety；　and　'tis　impossible　to　prescribe　either
constant　satisfaction　or　end；　it　ever　goes　beyond　its　possession。　　And　by
that　means　inconstancy；　peradventure；　is　in　some　sort　more　pardonable　in
them　than　in　us：　they　may　plead；　as　well　as　we；　the　inclination　to
variety　and　novelty　common　to　us　both；　and　secondly；　without　us；　that
they　buy　a　cat　in　a　sack：　Joanna；　queen　of　Naples；　caused　her　first
husband；　Andrews；　to　be　hanged　at　the　bars　of　her　window　in　a　halter　of
gold　and　silk　woven　with　her　own　hand；　because　in　matrimonial
performances　she　neither　found　his　parts　nor　abilities　answer　the
expectation　she　had　conceived　from　his　stature；　beauty；　youth；　and
activity；　by　which　she　had　been　caught　and　deceived。　　They　may　say　there
is　more　pains　required　in　doing　than　in　suffering；　and　so　they　are　on
their　part　always　at　least　provided　for　necessity；　whereas　on　our　part　it
may　fall　out　otherwise。　　For　this　reason　it　was；　that　Plato　wisely　made　a
law　that　before　marriage；　to　determine　of　the　fitness　of　persons；　the
judges　should　see　the　young　men　who　pretended　to　it　stripped　stark　naked；
and　the　women　but　to　the　girdle　only。　　When　they　come　to　try　us　they　do
not；　perhaps；　find　us　worthy　of　their　choice：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Experta　latus；　madidoque　simillima　loro
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Inguina；　nec　lassa　stare　coacta　manu；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Deserit　imbelles　thalamos。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃After　using　every　endeavour　to　arouse　him　to　action；
　　　　　　　　　　she　quits　the　barren　couch。〃Martial；　vii。　58。＇

'Tis　not　enough　that　a　man's　will　be　good；　weakness　and　insufficiency
lawfully　break　a　marriage；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Et　quaerendum　aliunde　foret　nervosius　illud；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Quod　posset　zonam　solvere　virgineam：〃

　　　　　＇〃And　seeks　a　more　vigorous　lover　to　undo　her　virgin　zone。〃
　　　　　Catullus；　lxvii。　27。＇

why　not？　　and　according　to　her　own　standard；　an　amorous　intelligence；
more　licentious　and　active；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Si　blando　nequeat　superesse　labori。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃If　his　strength　be　unequal　to　the　pleasant　task。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Virgil；　Georg。；　iii。　127。＇

But　is　it　not　great　impudence　to　offer　our　imperfections　and