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202 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
majestie to be joyned with it Even as the preheminence
in beautie, which Plato ascribeth unto the Sphericall
figure, the Epicureans refer the same unto the Piramidall
or Square; and say they cannot swallow a God
made round like a bowle. But howsoever it is, nature
hath no more privileged us in that than in other things,
concerning her common lawes. And if we impartially
enter into judgement with our selves, we shall finde
that if there be any creature or beast lesse favoured
in that than we, there are others (and that in great
numbers) to whom nature hath been more favourable
than to us. A muitut animalibus decore vincimnr :¹
'We are excelled in cornel in esse, by many living
creatures': Yea, of terrestriall creatures that live
with us. For, concerning those of the Sea, omitting
their figure, which no proportion can coutaine, so
much doth it differ, both in colour, in neatnesse, in
smoothnesse, and in disposition, wo must give place
unto them : which in all qualities we must likewise doe
to the ayrie ones. And that prerogative which Poets
yeeld unto our upright stature, looking towards heaven
whence her beginning is,
Pronaque cum spectent animalia cetera terram,
Os homini sublime dedit, cailumque videre
lussit, et erectos ad sidera tollere vultus,²
Where other creatures on earth looke and lie,
A loftie looke God gave man, had him prie
On heav'n, rais'd his high count'nance to the skie,
is meerely poeticall, for there are many little beasts
that have their sight directly fixed towards heaven :
I finde the Camels and the Estridges necke much more
raised and upright than ours. What beasts have not
their face aloft and before, and looke not directly
opposite as we; and in their naturall posture descrie
not as much of heaven and earth as man doth ? And
what qualities of our corporall constitution, both in
Plato and Cicero, cannot fit and serve a thousand
beasts ? Such as most resemble man are the vilest and
¹ SEN. Epist. cxxiv. ² OVID. Metam. 1. i. 84.