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§2 ESSAYS OF MONTAIGNE

the same opinion, that chewing is unseemly in appearance and much lessens woman’s charm and beauty; and she does not willingly take food in public.! And I know aman who can not endure to see others eat, or to have any one see him, and who shuns all bystanders more when he is filling himself than when he is emptying himself. (c) In the Turkish Em- pire there are many who, to excel others, never allow them- selves to be seen at meal-time; who have but one meal a week; who slash and slit their faces and limbs; who never speak to any one; ? fanatics all, who think that they honour their nation by denaturing themselves; who prize themselves for their misprision;* and think to better themselves by be- coming worse. (#) What an unnatural creature is he who horrifies himself! (c) whose very pleasures burden him; who clings to unhappiness! (4) There are those who hide their life, —

Exilioque domos et dulcia limina mutant,‘ —

and withdraw it from the sight of other men; who shun health and cheerfulness as hostile and harmful qualities. Not many sects only, but many peoples, curse their birth and bless their death, (c) There are some peoples by whom the sun is abhorred,® darkness adored, (2) We are quick- witted only in misusing ourselves; that is the real pursuit of the power of our mind, (c) which is a dangerous tool when out of order.

4) O miseri! quorum gaudia crimen habent.’ q Eg

Ah! poor man, thou hast enough inevitable disadvantages without adding to them thine invention; and art wretched enough by nature without being so by art; thou hast real and essential deformities in sufficiency without creating imaginary ones. (c) Dost thou find thyself too much at ease unless thine ease molest thee? (4) Dost thou find that thou

' Ne se presente pas volontiers en public avec appetit.

? See G. Postel, Des histoires orientales, etc.

® Oui se prisent de leur mespris.

  • Who leave their homes and their dear thresholds for exile. — Vir-

gil, Georgics, II, 511.

  • See Heredotus, IV, 184; Pliny, Nat. Hist.. V, 8.
  • Poor creatures! who think their joy a sin. — Maximianus (Pseudo-

Gallus), I, 180.

Gor gle

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