Montaigne.

I have seen no one from the king of Navarre; they say that M. de Biron has seen him.

The author to the reader.—­[Omitted by Cotton.]

Reader, thou hast here an honest book; it doth at the outset forewarn thee that, in contriving the same, I have proposed to myself no other than a domestic and private end:  I have had no consideration at all either to thy service or to my glory.  My powers are not capable of any such design.  I have dedicated it to the particular commodity of my kinsfolk and friends, so that, having lost me (which they must do shortly), they may therein recover some traits of my conditions and humours, and by that means preserve more whole, and more life-like, the knowledge they had of me.  Had my intention been to seek the world’s favour, I should surely have adorned myself with borrowed beauties:  I desire therein to be viewed as I appear in mine own genuine, simple, and ordinary manner, without study and artifice:  for it is myself I paint.  My defects are therein to be read to the life, and any imperfections and my natural form, so far as public reverence hath permitted me.  If I had lived among those nations, which (they say) yet dwell under the sweet liberty of nature’s primitive laws, I assure thee I would most willingly have painted myself quite fully and quite naked.  Thus, reader, myself am the matter of my book:  there’s no reason thou shouldst employ thy leisure about so frivolous and vain a subject.  Therefore farewell.

From Montaigne, the 12th June 1580—­[So in the edition of 1595; the edition of 1588 has 12th June 1588]

From Montaigne, the 1st March 1580.

     —­[See Bonnefon, Montaigne, 1893, p. 254.  The book had been
     licensed for the press on the 9th May previous.  The edition of 1588
     has 12th June 1588;]—­

     ETEXT editor’s bookmarks: 

     Arts of persuasion, to insinuate it into our minds
     Help:  no other effect than that of lengthening my suffering
     Judgment of great things is many times formed from lesser thing
     Option now of continuing in life or of completing the voyage
     Two principal guiding reins are reward and punishment
     Virtue and ambition, unfortunately, seldom lodge together

ESSAYS OF MICHEL DE MONTAIGNE

Translated by Charles Cotton

Edited by William Carew Hazilitt

1877

BOOK THE FIRST

CONTENTS OF VOLUME 2.

I. That Men by Various Ways Arrive at the Same End. 
II.  Of Sorrow. 
III.  That our affections carry themselves beyond us . 
IV.  That the soul discharges her passions upon false objects, where
          the true are wanting. 
V. Whether the governor of a place besieged