The Essays, vol 18 | Page 5

themselves. No one distributes his money to
others, but every one distributes his time and his life: there is nothing of
which we are so prodigal as of these two things, of which to be thrifty
would be both commendable and useful. I am of a quite contrary
humour; I look to myself, and commonly covet with no great ardour
what I do desire, and desire little; and I employ and busy myself at the
same rate, rarely and temperately. Whatever they take in hand, they do
it with their utmost will and vehemence. There are so many dangerous
steps, that, for the more safety, we must a little lightly and superficially
glide over the world, and not rush through it. Pleasure itself is painful
in profundity:
"Incedis per ignes, Suppositos cineri doloso."
["You tread on fire, hidden under deceitful ashes." --Horace, Od., ii. i,
7.]
The Parliament of Bordeaux chose me mayor of their city at a time
when I was at a distance from France,--[At Bagno Della Villa, near
Lucca, September 1581]--and still more remote from any such thought.
I entreated to be excused, but I was told by my friends that I had
committed an error in so doing, and the greater because the king had,
moreover, interposed his command in that affair. 'Tis an office that
ought to be looked upon so much more honourable, as it has no other
salary nor advantage than the bare honour of its execution. It continues
two years, but may be extended by a second election, which very rarely
happens; it was to me, and had never been so but twice before: some
years ago to Monsieur de Lansac, and lately to Monsieur de Biron,
Marshal of France, in whose place I succeeded; and, I left mine to
Monsieur de Matignon, Marshal of France also: proud of so noble a
fraternity--
"Uterque bonus pacis bellique minister."

["Either one a good minister in peace and war." --AEneid, xi. 658.]
Fortune would have a hand in my promotion, by this particular
circumstance which she put in of her own, not altogether vain; for
Alexander disdained the ambassadors of Corinth, who came to offer
him a burgess-ship of their city; but when they proceeded to lay before
him that Bacchus and Hercules were also in the register, he graciously
thanked them.
At my arrival, I faithfully and conscientiously represented myself to
them for such as I find myself to be--a man without memory, without
vigilance, without experience, and without vigour; but withal, without
hatred, without ambition, without avarice, and without violence; that
they might be informed of my qualities, and know what they were to
expect from my service. And whereas the knowledge they had had of
my late father, and the honour they had for his memory, had alone
incited them to confer this favour upon me, I plainly told them that I
should be very sorry anything should make so great an impression upon
me as their affairs and the concerns of their city had made upon him,
whilst he held the government to which they had preferred me. I
remembered, when a boy, to have seen him in his old age cruelly
tormented with these public affairs, neglecting the soft repose of his
own house, to which the declension of his age had reduced him for
several years before, the management of his own affairs, and his health;
and certainly despising his own life, which was in great danger of being
lost, by being engaged in long and painful journeys on their behalf.
Such was he; and this humour of his proceeded from a marvellous good
nature; never was there a more charitable and popular soul. Yet this
proceeding which I commend in others, I do not love to follow myself,
and am not without excuse.
He had learned that a man must forget himself for his neighbour, and
that the particular was of no manner of consideration in comparison
with the general. Most of the rules and precepts of the world run this
way; to drive us out of ourselves into the street for the benefit of public
society; they thought to do a great feat to divert and remove us from
ourselves, assuming we were but too much fixed there, and by a too

natural inclination; and have said all they could to that purpose: for 'tis
no new thing for the sages to preach things as they serve, not as they
are. Truth has its obstructions, inconveniences, and incompatibilities
with us; we must often deceive that we may not deceive ourselves; and
shut our eyes and our understandings to redress and amend them:
"Imperiti enim judicant, et qui frequenter in hoc ipsum fallendi sunt, ne
errent."
["For the ignorant judge, and therefore are oft to be deceived, less they