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282 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
who without any of Aristotles precepts, or so much as
knowing the name of naturall philosophy, enjoy most
happily a long, a quiet, and a peaceable life. This
answer might haply availe more, and be of more force,
than all those they can borrow from their reason and
invention. All living creatures, yea, beasts and all,
where the commandment of the naturall law is yet pure
and simple, might with us be capable of this answer,
but they have renounced it They shall not need to
tell me it is true, for you both heare and see it is so.
They must tell me if what I thinke I feel, I feel the
same in effect; and if I feel it, then let them tell me
wherefore I feel it, and how and what. Let them tell
me the name, the beginning, the tennons, and the
abuttings of heat and of cold, with the qualities of him
that is agent, or of the patient: or let them quit me
their profession, which is neither to admit nor approve
any thing but by way of reason. It is their touchstone
to try all kindes of essayes. But surely it is a touchstone
full of falsehood, errors, imperfection and weakenesse:
which way can we better make triall of it than
by it selfe ? If she may not be credited speaking of
her selfe, hardly can she be fit to judge of strange
matters. If she know anything, it can be but her
being and domicile. She is in the soule, and either
a part or effect of the same. For the true and essential
reason (whose name we steal by false signes) lodgeth
in Gods bosome. There is her home, and there is her
retreat, thence she takes her flight when Gods pleasure
is that we shall see some glimps of it: even as Pallas
issued out of her fathers head, to communicate and
empart her selfe unto the world. Now let us see what
mans reason hath taught us of her selfe and of the
soule : not of the soule in generall, whereof well nigh
all philosophy maketh both the celestiall and first
bodies partakers; not of that which Thales attributed
even unto things that are reputed without soule or life,
drawne thereunto by the consideration of the Adamant
stone: but of that which appertained to us, and which
we should know best