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the ancient Gods died, and new ones have been born every day fince. After what manner they think this laft fun will perifh my author has not learnt. But their calculation of this fourth change agrees with the great conjunction of the planets, which, eight hundred and odd years ago, as the aftrologers compute, produced many great alterations and innovations in the world.

The magnificent fuperior to thofe

works in Peru,

of Greece, Rome, and Egypt.

As to pomp and magnificence, neither Greece, Rome, nor Egypt, can, either for utility, difficulty, or grandeur, compare any of their works with the road made in Peru, by the kings of that country, from the city of Quito to that of Cufco (three hundred leagues in length) it being ftrait, even, twenty-five paces in breadth, paved, and inclofed on both fides with noble high walls; along the innermoft of which two brooks are continually running, with beautiful trees, named Moly, on their banks. In this work, where they met with rocks and mountains, they cut through and levelled them, and filled up the chafms with ftone and Hime. At the end of every day's journey there are fine palaces, furnished with provifions, cloaths, and arms, as well for travellers as for foldiers that pafs that way. In my estimation of this work, I have computed the difficulty, which is particularly confiderable in that place. They did not build with any ftones lefs than fuch as were ten foot fquare, which they had no other way to tranfport but by dragging them along by the ftrength of their arms; nor did they know fo much as the art of feaffolding, nor had they any other way to go to work but to raise the ground with the building, taking away the earth when the whole was erected.

The laft king of

Peru carried in a chair of gold to the midft of the field of battle.

We return now to our coaches. Instead of thefe, or any other vehicles, they were carried upon men's fhoulders. The laft king of Peru, on the day that he was taken, was thus carried upon poles or ftaves of gold, and fitting in a chair of gold, to the middle of the field of battle. As faft as thefe chairmen were killed in the attempt to difmount him (for they were de

termined

termined to take him alive) others ftrove to fupply their room; fo that they could never get him down, what flaughter foever they made of thofe chairmen, till he was feized and pulled to the ground by a man on horfe

back.

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CHA P. VII.

Of the Inconvenience of Greatness.

He who knows what greatness is, may avoid it

without much trouble,

INCE we cannot attain to it, let us take our revenge by railing at it: yet to find fault with a thing is not abfolutely railing at it, there being fome faults in all things how beautiful and defirable foever. In general, greatness has this evident advantage, that it lets itself down at pleasure, and has almoft the choice of either condition. For a man does not fall from all heights, but may come down from the greatest part of them without falling. Indeed, it seems to me that we value it at too high a rate, and that we also overvalue the refolution of those whom we have either feen or heard to have contemned it, or let themselves down from it of their own accord. Its ef

fence is not fo manifeftly commodious but it may be refused without a miracle. I find it a very hard thing to bear misfortunes; but to be content with a moderate fortune, and to avoid greatnefs, is a thing, in my opinion, of very little trouble. This is a virtue, methinks, to which I, who am no conjurer, could arrive at without much struggle. What then ought they to do who would even put into the ballance the glory attending this refufal, wherein there may be more ambition lurking than even in the defire and enjoyment of greatnefs ? Forafmuch as ambition never conducts itfelf better, according to its own manner, than by a path which is unfrequented, and out of the road.

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Montaigne was never ambitious of very high preferment.

I fpur up my courage to patience; but flacken its rein towards defire. I have as much to wifh for as another, and allow my wifhes as much liberty and indifcretion; but yet it never was my lot to wifh for either enipire or royalty, nor for the eminency of thofe high and commanding fortunes. I do not aim that way. I love myself too well. When I think of growing greater, it is but very moderately, and by a conftrained and timorous increase, such as is proper for me, in refolution, in prudence, in health, beauty, and even in wealth. But that reputation, and that fo mighty authority opprefs my imagination. And, quite contrary to fome others, I would, perhaps, rather chufe to be the fecond or third man in Perigord than the firft in Paris; at leaft, without lying, be the third than the first officer in Paris. I would neither difpute with a porter at the gate, a wretch whom I knew not, nor make crowds open to adore me as I pass. I have been trained up to a middle rank in life, as well by my inclination as my fortune; and have made it appear, by the whole courfe of my behaviour and undertakings, that I have rather avoided than otherwife to climb above the degree of fortune to which I was born. Every natural conftitution is equally just and easy. I have, therefore, fo mean a fpirit that I measure not good fortune by its height, by by its eafy attainment.

His preference of a quiet life to

that of Regulus,

who was fo admirable for his

fortitude in the greatest perils.

But if I have not a heart great enough, I am made amends by an open heart, which enjoins me boldly to proclaim its weakness. Were I defired to compare the life of L. Thorius Balbus, a fine gentleman, learned, healthy; a man of an excellent understanding, and abounding in all manner of conveniencies and pleasures, leading a tranquil life, and all after his own way, with a foul duly prepared to meet death, and fortified against fuperftition, pain, and other incumbrances of human neceffity, dying at laft in battle with his fword drawn for the defence of his country; fhould I compare his with the life of M. Regulus, fo grand and fublime as every one knows it was, together

with his admirable exit; the one without name, without dignity, the other exemplary and wonderfully glorious, I would doubtlefs fay as Cicero did, could I speak as well as he. But, were I to fet them together in my own phrafe, I would fay also that the life of the former is as much within my capacity and within my defire, which I make conformable to my capacity, as the latter is beyond it; that I could not approach the last without veneration, but to the first I would readily attain by habit. Return we now to our temporal great- He loved not to

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command nor

nefs, from which we have digreffed. I
neither like to command nor be command-be commanded.
ed. Otanez, one of the feven who had a right to lay
claim to the kingdom of Perfia, did, as I would readily
have done myself, i. e. † he gave up to his competitors
his right of attaining to it, either by election or by lot,
provided that he and his might live in the empire free
of all subjection and obedience, that to the ancient laws
excepted; and that they might enjoy all liberty that
was not to the prejudice thereof, he having as great an
averfion to command as to obey.

Kings the more
caufe their of-
fice is one of the

excufable be

moft difficult.

The most painful and difficult employment in the world is, in my opinion, worthily to discharge the office of a king. I excuse more of their failings than men commonly do, in confideration of the vaft weight of their function, which really aftonishes me. It is difficult for fuch boundless power to preferve any decorum. Yet fo it is that, even to those who are not of the most happy difpofition, it is a fingular incitement to virtue to be ftationed in fuch a place, where whatever good you do is recorded, and placed to account, where the least bene

Cicero, from whom Montaigne has taken this parallel, plainly gives the preference to Regulus. Thorius, he fays, wallowed in pleasures of every kind, and was a contemner of the facrifices and temples of his country that he was a handfome man, perfectly healthy, and fo valiant that he died in battle for the caufe of the republic; infomuch, adds Cicero, that I dare not name the man who was preferable to him; but virtue shall speak for me, who will not hesitate a moment to give M. Re- ; gulus the preference, and to proclaim him the more happy man. De Finib. Bon et Mal. lib. ii. cap. 20.

↑ Herodot. lib, iii. p. 222, 223.

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faction extends to fo many men, and where your talent, like that of preachers, chiefly addreffes itself to the people, who are not very nice judges, easily deceived and eafily fatisfied. There are few things wherein we can give a fincere judgment, because there are few wherein we have not in fome fort a particular intereft. Superiority and inferiority, command, and fubjection, are naturally liable to envy and cavil, and muft neceffarily be continually incroaching upon one another. I believe neither the one nor the other touching its refpective rights; let reafon, therefore, which is the inflexible and difpaffionate, when we can find it, determine the cafe. It is fcarce a month ago that I turned over two Scotch authors who contended with each other upon this point. He who takes the part of the people renders the condition of a king worse than that of a carter; and the writer for the monarch lifts fome degrées above almighty God in fovereignty

him up
and power.

Great men are
excluded from
the exercises of
honour and va-
lour.

Now the inconveniency of greatness, which I have here taken upon me to confider upon fome occafion that lately put it into my head, is this: there is not, perhaps, any thing more pleasant in men's dealings with one another than their competitions and contentions, through an emulation of honour and valour, either in the exercises of the body or of the mind, wherein fovereign greatness has no real fhare. Indeed I have often thought, that, out of pure refpect, men have ufed princes injuriously and difdainfully in that particular. For the very thing I was vehemently difgufted at, when a lad, was to fee, that those who performed their exercises with me forbore to do their best, as if they thought me unworthy of fuch effort; and this is what we fee happen to them daily, every one thinking himself unworthy to contend with them. If we difcover that they have the leaft paffion to get the better, there is not a man that will not make it his bufinefs to give them the victory, and that will not chufe to betray his own honour rather than offend theirs. They employ no more force in it than is neceffary to contribute to their honour. What fhare then have they in an engagement wherein every one is of their

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