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160 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
to be their king, it must necessarily follow that they
give a certaine interpretation to his voice and moving.
We must note the parity that is betweene us. We
have some meane understanding of their senses, so
have beasts of ours, about the same measure. They
flatter and faune upon us, they threat and entreat us,
so doe we them. Touching other matters, we manifestly
perceive that there is a full and perfect communication
amongst them, and that not only those of
one same kinde understand one another, but even
such as are of different kindes.
Et mutes pecudesy et denique secla ferarum
Dissimiles fuerunt voces vanasque cluere
Cum metus aut dolor est, aut cum iam gaud'ia gliscunt.¹
Whole heard's (though dumbe) of beasts, both wild and tame,
Use divers voices, diff rent sounds to frame,
As joy, or griefe, or fcare,
Upspringing passions beare.
By one kinde of barking of a doggo, the horse
knoweth he is angrie; by another voice of his, he is
nothing dismaid. Even in beasts that have no voice
at all, by the reciprocall kindnesse which we see in
them, we easily inferre there is some other meane of
entercommunication: their jestures treat, and their
motions discourse.
Non alia longe ratione atque ipse videtur
Protrahere adgestum, pueros infantw linguoe.²
No otherwise, then for they cannot speake,
Children are drawne by signes their mindes to breakc.
And why not, as well as our dumbe men dispute,
argue, and tell histories by signes? I have seene
some so ready and so excellent in it, that (in good
sooth) they wanted nothing to have their meaning
perfectly understood. Doe we not daily see lovers,
with the lookes and rowling of their eyes, plainly shew
when they are angrie or pleased, and how they entreat
and thanke one another, assigne meetings, and expresse
any passion ?
¹ LUCR. 1. v. 1069. ² lb. 1040.