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and to represent their ordinary grace and presence。 And so I have seen
good drolls； when in their own everyday clothes； and with the same face
they always wear； give us all the pleasure of their art； when their
apprentices； not yet arrived at such a pitch of perfection； are fain to
meal their faces； put themselves into ridiculous disguises； and make a
hundred grotesque faces to give us whereat to laugh。 This conception of
mine is nowhere more demonstrable than in comparing the AEneid with
Orlando Furioso； of which we see the first； by dint of wing； flying in a
brave and lofty place； and always following his point： the latter；
fluttering and hopping from tale to tale； as from branch to branch； not
daring to trust his wings but in very short flights； and perching at
every turn； lest his breath and strength should fail 。
〃Excursusque breves tentat。〃
＇And he attempts short excursions。〃
Virgil； Georgics； iv。 194。＇
These； then； as to this sort of subjects； are the authors that best
please me。
As to what concerns my other reading； that mixes a little more profit
with the pleasure； and whence I learn how to marshal my opinions and
conditions； the books that serve me to this purpose are Plutarch； since
he has been translated into French； and Seneca。 Both of these have this
notable convenience suited to my humour； that the knowledge I there seek
is discoursed in loose pieces； that do not require from me any trouble of
reading long； of which I am incapable。 Such are the minor works of the
first and the epistles of the latter； which are the best and most
profiting of all their writings。 'Tis no great attempt to take one of
them in hand； and I give over at pleasure； for they have no sequence or
dependence upon one another。 These authors； for the most part； concur in
useful and true opinions； and there is this parallel betwixt them； that
fortune brought them into the world about the same century： they were
both tutors to two Roman emperors： both sought out from foreign
countries： both rich and both great men。 Their instruction is the cream
of philosophy； and delivered after a plain and pertinent manner。
Plutarch is more uniform and constant； Seneca more various and waving：
the last toiled and bent his whole strength to fortify virtue against
weakness； fear； and vicious appetites； the other seems more to slight
their power； and to disdain to alter his pace and to stand upon his
guard。 Plutarch's opinions are Platonic； gentle； and accommodated to
civil society； those of the other are Stoical and Epicurean； more remote
from the common use； but； in my opinion； more individually commodious and
more firm。 Seneca seems to lean a little to the tyranny of the emperors
of his time； and only seems； for I take it for certain that he speaks
against his judgment when he condemns the action of the generous
murderers of Caesar。 Plutarch is frank throughout： Seneca abounds with
brisk touches and sallies； Plutarch with things that warm and move you
more； this contents and pays you better： he guides us； the other pushes
us on。
As to Cicero； his works that are most useful to my design are they that
treat of manners and rules of our life。 But boldly to confess the truth
（for since one has passed the barriers of impudence； there is no bridle）；
his way of writing appears to me negligent and uninviting： for his
prefaces； definitions； divisions； and etymologies take up the greatest
part of his work： whatever there is of life and marrow is smothered and
lost in the long preparation。 When I have spent an hour in reading him；
which is a great deal for me； and try to recollect what I have thence
extracted of juice and substance； for the most part I find nothing but
wind； for he is not yet come to the arguments that serve to his purpose；
and to the reasons that properly help to form the knot I seek。 For me；
who only desire to become more wise； not more learned or eloquent； these
logical and Aristotelian dispositions of parts are of no use。 I would
have a man begin with the main proposition。 I know well enough what
death and pleasure are； let no man give himself the trouble to anatomise
them to me。 I look for good and solid reasons； at the first dash； to
instruct me how to stand their shock； for which purpose neither
grammatical subtleties nor the quaint contexture of words and
argumentations are of any use at all。 I am for discourses that give the
first charge into the heart of the redoubt； his languish about the
subject； they are proper for the schools； for the bar； and for the
pulpit； where we have leisure to nod； and may awake； a quarter of an hour
after； time enough to find again the thread of the discourse。 It is
necessary to speak after this manner to judges； whom a man has a design
to gain over； right or wrong； to children and common people； to whom a
man must say all； and see what will come of it。 I would not have an
author make it his business to render me attentive： or that he should cry
out fifty times Oyez！ as the heralds do。 The Romans； in their religious
exercises； began with 'Hoc age' as we in ours do with 'Sursum corda'；
these are so many words lost to me： I come already fully prepared from my
chamber。 I need no allurement； no invitation； no sauce； I eat the meat
raw； so that； instead of whetting my appetite by these preparatives； they
tire and pall it。 Will the licence of the time excuse my sacrilegious
boldness if I censure the dialogism of Plato himself as also dull and
heavy； too much stifling the matter； and lament so much time lost by a
man； who had so many better things to say； in so many long and needless
preliminary interlocutions？ My ignorance will better excuse me in that
I understand not Greek so well as to discern the beauty of his language。
I generally choose books that use sciences； not such as only lead to
them。 The two first； and Pliny； and their like； have nothing of this Hoc
age； they will have to do with men already instructed； or if they have；
'tis a substantial Hoc age； and that has a body by itself。 I also
delight in reading the Epistles to Atticus； not only because they contain
a great deal of the history and affairs of his time； but much more
because I therein discover much of his own private humours； for I have a
singular curiosity； as I have said elsewhere； to pry into the souls and
the natural and true opinions of the authors； with whom I converse。 A
man may indeed judge of their parts； but not of their manners nor of
themselves； by the writings they exhibit upon the theatre of the world。
I have a thousand times lamented the loss of the treatise Brutus wrote
upon Virtue； for it is well to learn the theory from those who best know
the practice。
But seeing the matter preached and the preacher are different things；
I would as willingly see Brutus in Plutarch； as in a book of his own。
I would rather choose to be certainly informed of the conference he had
in his tent with some particular friends of his the night before a
battle； than of the harangue he made the next day to his army； and of
what he did in his closet and his chamber； than what he