CHAPTER VII. Of Glory. THERE is the name and the thing; the name is a word which denotes and signifies the thing; the name is no part of the thing, or of the substance; it is a foreign piece joined to the thing, and yet without it. God may be God, who is all fulness in himself, and the height How the of all perfection, cannot augment or add any thing name of to himself intrinsically; but his name may be aug-increased. mented and increased by the blessing and praise we attribute to his exterior works: which praise, seeing we cannot incorporate it in him, as he can have no accession of good, we attribute to his name; which is the part out of him that is nearest to us. Thus is it, that to God alone glory and honour appertain; and there is nothing so remote from reason, as that we should go in quest of it for ourselves; for being indigent and necessitous within, our essence being imperfect, and having continual need of melioration, it is for that we ought to labour: we are all hollow and empty; it is not with wind and voice that we are to fill ourselves; we want a more solid substance to repair us. A man, starved with hunger, would be very simple to look out rather a gay garment, than a good meal: we are to look after that whereof we have most need: as we have it in our ordinary prayers, Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus:* "Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace, &c." We are in great want of beauty, health, wisdom, virtue, and such like essential qualities: exterior ornaments should be looked after, when we have made provision for necessary things. Theology treats amply, 66 Philoso preached tempt of and more pertinently of this subject; but I am not much versed in it. Chrysippus and Diogenes* were the first and the phers who stoutest champions for the contempt of glory; and up the cou- maintained, "That, of all pleasures, there was "none more dangerous, nor more to be avoided, glory. "than that which proceeds from the approbation of "others." And, in truth, experience make us sensible of its very hurtful treachery. There is nothing that so much poisons princes, as flattery, nor any thing whereby wicked men more easily obtain credit with them: nor is there any pandarism so proper, and so often made use of, to corrupt the chastity of women, as to wheedle and entertain them with their own praises. The first charm the Syrens made use of to inveigle Ulysses, is of this courted nature: Deca vers nous, deca ò tres louable Ulysse,† Thou Greece's greatest ornament and pride. Those philosophers said, "That all the glory of the "world was not worth an understanding man's "holding out his finger to obtain it." Gloria quantalibet quid erit, si gloria tantum est ? § What more than glory is the greatest fame? Glory to be I say, that alone: for it often brings several commothe advan-dities along with it, for which it may be desired: it tages it acquires us good-will, and renders us less subject brings. and exposed to the injuries of others, and the like. It was also one of the principal doctrines of Epicurus; for this precept of his sect, live obscurely, that forbids men to encumber themselves with offices and public negotiations, does also, necessarily, presuppose a contempt of glory, which is the world's ap Cic. de Finibus, lib. iii. cap. 17. + Homer. Odyss. lib. xii. ver. 184. + Petrarch. Juv. sat. vii. ver. 81. probation of those actions we produce to light. He that bids us conceal ourselves, and to have no other concern but for ourselves, and that will not have us known to others, would much less have us honoured and glorified. He advises Idomeneus also, "Not, in any sort, to regulate his actions by the common reputation or opinion, except it be to "avoid the other accidental inconveniences, which "the contempt of men might bring upon him." courted Those discourses are, in my opinion, very just Proof that and rational; but we are, I know not how, of a Epicurus twofold nature, which is the cause, that what we glory. believe, we do not believe, and cannot disengage ourselves from what we condemn. Let us see the last dying words of Epicurus; they are great, and worthy of such a philosopher, and yet they carry some marks of the recommendation of his name, and of that humour he had decried by his precepts. Here is a letter that he dictated a little before his last gasp:* 66 EPICURUS to HERMACHUS, Greeting. "WHILST I was passing over the happy and "the last day of my life, I wrote this; but, at the same time, was afflicted with such a pain in my "bladder and bowels, that nothing can be greater: "but it was recompensed with the pleasure, which "the remembrance of my inventions and doctrines "suggested to my soul. Now, as the affection thou "hast ever had, from thy infancy, for me, and "philosophy does require; take upon thee the pro"tection of Metrodorus's children." So much for his letter. And that which makes me interpret, that the pleasure he says he felt in his soul, concerning his inventions, has some reference to the reputation he hoped for after his Glory desirable for itself. The mistake of those who thought that virtue death, is the disposition of his will. In which he gives order," That Aminomachus* and Timocrates, his heirs, should every January defray the expense for the celebration of his nativity, which "Hermachus should appoint; and also the expense "that would be incurred, the twentieth day of every moon, in entertaining the philosophers, his "friends, who should assemble in honour of the 66 memory of him and Metrodorus.” 66 Carneades was head of the contrary opinion; and maintained, "That glory was to be desired for it"self, even as we embrace our posthumous issue for "themselves, without any knowledge or enjoyment "of them."t This opinion was more universally followed, as those readily are, that are most suitable to our inclinations. Aristotle gives it the first place amongst external goods; and avoids, as two vicious extremes, the immoderate pursuit of it, or running from it. I believe, that had we the books which Cicero wrote upon this subject, we would there read fine stories of it; for he was so possessed with this paswas only sion, that, if he had dared, I think he would wildesirable lingly have fallen into the excess that others did, glory that Viz."That virtue itself was only to be coveted on "account of the honour that always attends it:" Paulum sepultæ distat inertiæ for the accompanied it. Cicero very desirous of glory. Celata virtus Inactive virtue is the same as none. Which is an opinion so false, that I am surprised it could ever enter into the understanding of a man who was honoured with the name of a philosopher. If this was true, men need not be virtuous but in public, nor be any farther concerned to keep the operations of the soul, which is the true seat of vir Cic. de Fin. lib. ii. cap. 31. + Idem, lib. iii. cap. 17. Here Montaigne is guilty of a mistake, for Cicero did not charge Carneades with this opinion, but other philosophers of Zeno's sect. Hor. lib. iv. od. 9, ver. 29. 9 . tue, regular, änd in order, than as they are to arrivé Virtue is a very vain and frivolous thing, if it de- Virtue rives its recommendation from glory: and it is to frivolous Cic. de Fin. lib, ii. cap. 18. 10. + Idem, ibid. cap. 17. would be a |