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242 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
to speak, they are many times forced to forge divers
feeble and fond conjectures: Not that themselves
tooke them for a ground-worke, not to establish a
truth, but for an exercise of their studie. Non tarn
id eensisfie, quod dicerent, quam exercere ingenia materia
difficultate videntur volutsse: ' They seem not so much
to have thought as they said, as rather willing to
exercise their wits in the difficulty of the matter.'
And if ft were not so taken, how should we cloke so
great an inconstancie, varietie and vanity of opinions,
which wee see to have beene produced by these excellent
and admirable spirits ? As for example, What
greater vanitie can there be than to goe about by our
proportions and conjectures to guesse at God? And
to governe both him and the world according to our
capacitie and lawes ?' And to use this small scantlin
of sufficiencie, which he hath pleased to impart unto
our naturall condition, at the cost and charges of
divinitie? And because we cannot extend our sight
so farre as his glorious throne, to have removed him
downe to our corruption and miseries ? Of all humane
and ancient opinions concerning religion, I thinke
that to have had more likelyhood and excuse, which
knowledged and confessed God to be an incomprehensible
power, chiefe beginning and preserver of all
things; all goodness, all perfection; accepting in
good part the honour and reverence which mortall
men did yeeld him, under what usage, name and
manner soever it was.
Jupiter omnipotent rervm, regumque, Deumque,
Progenitor, genitrtxque. 1
Almightie love is parent said to be
Of things, of Kings, of Gods, both he and she.
This zeale hath universally beene regarded of heaven
with a gentle and gracious eye. All policies have
reaped some fruit by their devotion ; Men and impious
actions have every where had correspondent events,
1 VALERIUS SORANUS, quoted from VARRO by AUGUSTIN,
De CIV. Dei.