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announce to me as feeling at the good despatch of your business； as
reported to you by your deputies； and I regard it as a favourable sign
that you have made such an auspicious commencement of the year。 I hope
to join you at the earliest convenient opportunity。 I recommend myself
very humbly to your gracious consideration； and pray God to grant you；
gentlemen； a happy and long life。 From Montaigne； this 8th February
1585。 Your humble brother and servant；
MONTAIGNE。
XI。
To the same。
GENTLEMEN；I have here received news of you from M。 le Marechal。 I will
not spare either my life or anything else for your service； and will
leave it to your judgment whether the assistance I might be able to
render by my presence at the forthcoming election； would be worth the
risk I should run by going into the town； seeing the bad state it is in；
＇This refers to the plague then raging； and which carried off 14；000
persons at Bordeaux。＇ particularly for people coming away from so fine
an air as this is where I am。 I will draw as near to you on Wednesday as
I can； that is； to Feuillas； if the malady has not reached that place；
where； as I write to M。 de la Molte； I shall be very pleased to have the
honour of seeing one of you to take your directions； and relieve myself
of the credentials which M。 le Marechal will give me for you all：
commending myself hereupon humbly to your good grace； and praying God to
grant you； gentlemen； long and happy life。 At Libourne； this 30th of
July 1585。 Your humble servant and brother；
MONTAIGNE。
XII。＇〃According to Dr。 Payen； this letter belongs to 1588。 Its
authenticity has been called in question； but wrongly； in our opinion。
See 'Documents inedits'； 1847； p。 12。〃Note in 'Essais'； ed。 Paris；
1854； iv。 381。 It does not appear to whom the letter was addressed。＇
MONSEIGNEUR；You have heard of our baggage being taken from us under our
eyes in the forest of Villebois： then； after a good deal of discussion
and delay； of the capture being pronounced illegal by the Prince。 We
dared not； however； proceed on our way； from an uncertainty as to the
safety of our persons； which should have been clearly expressed on our
passports。 The League has done this； M。 de Barrant and M。 de la
Rochefocault； the storm has burst on me； who had my money in my box。 I
have recovered none of it； and most of my papers and cash＇The French
word is hardes； which St。 John renders things。 But compare Chambers's
〃Domestic Annals of Scotland；〃 2d ed。 i。 48。＇remain in their
possession。 I have not seen the Prince。 Fifty were lost 。 。 。 as for
the Count of Thorigny； he lost some ver plate and a few articles of
clothing。 He diverged from his route to pay a visit to the mourning
ladies at Montresor； where are the remains of his two brothers and his
grandmother； and came to us again in this town； whence we shall resume
our journey shortly。 The journey to Normandy is postponed。 The King has
despatched MM。 De Bellieure and de la Guiche to M。 de Guise to summon him
to court； we shall be there on Thursday。
From Orleans； this 16th of February； in the morning ＇1588…9？＇。Your very
humble servant；
MONTAIGNE。
XIII。
To Mademoiselle PAULMIER。＇This letter； at the time of the publication
of the variorum edition of 1854； appears to have been in private hands。
See vol。 iv。 p。 382。＇
MADEMOISELLE；My friends know that； from the first moment of our
acquaintance； I have destined a copy of my book for you； for I feel that
you have done it much honour。 The courtesy of M。 Paulmier would deprive
me of the pleasure of giving it to you now； for he has obliged me since a
great deal beyond the worth of my book。 You will accept it then； if you
please； as having been yours before I owed it to you； and will confer on
me the favour of loving it； whether for its own sake or for mine； and I
will keep my debt to M。 Paulmier undischarged； that I may requite him； if
I have at some other time the means of serving him。
XIV。
To the KING； HENRY IV。＇The original is in the French national library；
in the Dupuy collection。 It was first discovered by M。 Achille Jubinal；
who printed it with a facsimile of the entire autograph； in 1850。 St。
John gives the date wrongly as the 1st January 1590。＇
SIRE； It is to be above the weight and crowd of your great and important
affairs； to know； as you do； how to lend yourself； and attend to small
matters in their turn； according to the duty of your royal dignity； which
exposes you at all times to every description and degree of person and
employment。 Yet； that your Majesty should have deigned to consider my
letter； and direct a reply to be made to it； I prefer to owe； less to
your strong understanding； than to your kindness of heart。 I have always
looked forward to your enjoyment of your present fortune； and you may
recollect that； even when I had to make confession of itto my cure； I
viewed your successes with satisfaction： now； with the greater propriety
and freedom； I embrace them affectionately。 They serve you where you are
as positive matters of fact； but they serve us here no less by the fame
which they diffuse ： the echo carries as much weight as the blow。 We
should not be able to derive from the justice of your cause such powerful
arguments for the maintenance and reduction of your subjects； as we do
from the reports of the success of your undertaking； and then I have to
assure your Majesty； that the recent changes to your advantage； which you
observe hereabouts； the prosperous issue of your proceedings at Dieppe；
have opportunely seconded the honest zeal and marvellous prudence of M。
the Marshal de Matignon； from whom I flatter myself that you do not
receive day by day accounts of such good and signal services without
remembering my assurances and expectations。 I look to the next summer；
not only for fruits which we may eat； but for those to grow out of our
common tranquillity； and that it will pass over our heads with the same
even tenor of happiness； dissipating； like its predecessors； all the fine
promises with which your adversaries sustain the spirits of their
followers。 The popular inclinations resemble a tidal wave； if the
current once commences in your favour； it will go on of its own force to
the end。 I could have desired much that the private gain of the soldiers
of your army； and the necessity for satisfying them； had not deprived
you； especially in this principal town； of the glorious credit of treating
your mutinous subjects； in the midst of victory； with greater clemency
than their own protectors； and that； as distinguished from a passing and
usurped repute； you could have shown them to be really your own； by the
exercise of a protection truly paternal and royal。 In the conduct of
such affairs as you have in hand； men are obliged to have recourse to
unusual expedients。 It is always seen that they are surmounted by their
magnitude and difficulty； it not being found easy to complete the
conquest by arms and force； the end has been accomplished by clemency and
generosity； excellent lures to draw men particularly towards the just and
legitimate side。 If the