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14 ESSAYS OF MONTAIGNE

(6) In support of the Huguenots, who denounce our auric- ular and private confession, I confess in public, solemnly and sincerely. St. Augustine, Origen, and Hippocrates have made known the errors of their opinions, and I of my char- acter. I am eager to make myself known, and I care not how fully,' so that it be truly; or, to put it better, I have no eagerness at all, but I mortally shun the being mistaken for a different man by those who chance to know my name.’ He who does all things for honour and for renown, what does he think to gain by showing himself to the world masked, concealing his real self from the knowledge of the crowd? Praise a hunchback for his fine figure — he has reason to receive it as an insult; if you are a coward and men honour you as a brave man, is it you who are talked of? They take you for another. I had as lief a fellow who is one of the least of the train should take pleasure in the cap- doffings of those who think that he is the head of the troop. As Archelaus, King of Macedonia, was passing through the streets, some one poured water on him. The bystanders said that he ought to punish the man. “But, indeed,” he declared, “he did not pour the water on me, but on him whom he thought I was.” *® (c) Socrates replied to him who informed him that he was spoken ill of, “Not at all; there is nothing of me in what they say.” * (5) For my part, if any one should praise me for being a good pilot, for being very modest, or for being very chaste, I should owe him no thanks; and likewise, if one should call me a traitor, a rob- ber, or a drunkard, I should deem myself as little insulted. They who do not know themselves may feed upon unde- served approbation; not I, who see myself and scrutinise my- self even to my bowels, and who know well what appertains to me. I am pleased to be less praised, provided that I am better known, (¢) I might be considered a wise man for wisdom of such sort as I consider to be folly. (4) Je m’en-

1 Es ne me chaut a combien.

3 At this point Montaigne wrote, then erased, on the margin of the Bordeaux copy: Plesante fantasie! Plusieurs choses que je voudrois dire d persone je le dis au peuple. Et sur mes plus secretes sciences et pensees renvoie @ mon liore mes plus privet amis.

  • See Plutarch, Apothegms of Kings, etc.
  • See Diogenes Laertius, Life of Socrates.

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