Butwhenceitshouldcometopass，thatamindenrichedwiththeknowledgeofsomanythingsshouldnotbecomemorequickandsprightly，andthatagrossandvulgarunderstandingshouldlodgewithinit，withoutcorrectingandimprovingitself，allthediscoursesandjudgmentsofthegreatestmindstheworldeverhad，Iamyettoseek。Toadmitsomanyforeignconceptions，sogreat，andsohighfancies，itisnecessary（asayounglady，oneofthegreatestprincessesofthekingdom，saidtomeonce，speakingofacertainperson）thataman’sownbrainmustbecrowdedandsqueezedtogetherintoalesscompass，tomakeroomfortheothers;Ishouldbeapttoconclude，thatasplantsaresuffocatedanddrownedwithtoomuchnourishment，andlampswithtoomuchoil，sowithtoomuchstudyandmatteristheactivepartoftheunderstandingwhich，beingembarrassed，andconfoundedwithagreatdiversityofthings，losestheforceandpowertodisengageitself，andbythepressureofthisweight，isbowed，subjected，anddoubledup。Butitisquiteotherwise;
foroursoulstretchesanddilatesitselfproportionablyasitfills;andintheexamplesofeldertimes，wesee，quitecontrary，menveryproperforpublicbusiness，greatcaptains，andgreatstatesmenverylearnedwithal。
And，astothephilosophers，asortofmenremotefromallpublicaffairs，theyhavebeensometimesalsodespisedbythecomiclibertyoftheirtimes;theiropinionsandmannersmakingthemappear，tomenofanothersort，ridiculous。Wouldyoumakethemjudgesofalawsuit，oftheactionsofmen？theyarereadytotakeituponthem，andstraightbegintoexamineiftherebelife，iftherebemotion，ifmanbeanyotherthananox;——[\"IfMontaignehascopiedallthisfromPlato’sTheatetes，p。127，F。asitisplainbyallwhichhehasaddedimmediatelyafter，thathehastakenitfromthatdialogue），hehasgrosslymistakenPlato’ssentiment，whosaysherenomorethanthis，thatthephilosopherissoignorantofwhathisneighbourdoes，thathescarceknowswhetherheisaman，orsomeotheranimal:——Coste。\"]——whatitistodoandtosuffer？whatanimalslawandjusticeare？Dotheyspeakofthemagistrates，ortohim，’tiswitharude，irreverent，andindecentliberty。Dotheyheartheirprince，orakingcommended？theymakenomoreofhim，thanofashepherd，goatherd，orneatherd:alazyCoridon，occupiedinmilkingandshearinghisherdsandflocks，butmorerudelyandharshlythantheherdorshepherdhimself。Doyoureputeanymanthegreaterforbeinglordoftwothousandacresofland？theylaughatsuchapitifulpittance，aslayingclaimthemselvestothewholeworldfortheirpossession。Doyouboastofyournobility，asbeingdescendedfromsevenrichsuccessiveancestors？theylookuponyouwithaneyeofcontempt，asmenwhohavenotarightideaoftheuniversalimageofnature，andthatdonotconsiderhowmanypredecessorseveryoneofushashad，rich，poor，kings，slaves，Greeks，andbarbarians;andthoughyouwerethefiftiethdescendantfromHercules，theylookuponitasagreatvanity，sohighlytovaluethis，whichisonlyagiftoffortune。
And’twassothevulgarsortcontemnedthem，asmenignorantofthemostelementaryandordinarythings;aspresumptuousandinsolent。
ButthisPlatonicpictureisfardifferentfromthatthesepedantsarepresentedby。Thosewereenviedforraisingthemselvesabovethecommonsort，fordespisingtheordinaryactionsandofficesoflife，forhavingassumedaparticularandinimitablewayofliving，andforusingacertainmethodofhigh—flightandobsoletelanguage，quitedifferentfromtheordinarywayofspeaking:butthesearecontemnedasbeingasmuchbelowtheusualform，asincapableofpublicemployment，asleadingalifeandconformingthemselvestothemeanandvilemannersofthevulgar: