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310 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
that they might rather incline to one apparence then
to another. They allowed her this propension, interdicting
her all resolution. The Pyrrhonians advise is
more hardy, and therewithall more likely. For this
Academical! inclination, and this propension rather to
one then another proposition, what else is it then a
recognition'of some more apparant truth, in this than in
that? If our understanding he capable of the forme,
of the lineaments, of the behaviour and face of truth,
it might as well see it all compleat, as but halfe, growing
and imperfect. For this apparance of verisimilitude
which makes them rather take the left then the right
hand, doe you augment it; this one ounce of likelihood,
which turnes the ballance, doe you multiply it by a
hundred, nay by a thousand ounces ; it will in the end
come to passe that the ballance will absolutely resolve
and conclude one choice and perfect truth. But how
tioe they suffer themselves to be made tractable by likelihood,
if they know not truth ? How know they the
semblance of that whereof they understand not the
essence ? Either we are able to judge absolutely, or
absolutely we cannot. If our intellectuall and sensible
faculties are without ground or footing, if they but hull
up and downe and drive with the wind, for nothing
suffer we our judgment to be carried away to any part
of their operation, what apparance soever it seemeth
to present us with. And the surest and most happy
situation of our understanding should be that, where
without any tottering or agitation it might maintaine
it selfe setled, upright and inflexible. Inter visa, vera,
aut falsa, ad animi assensum, nihil interest: 1 ' There
is no difference betwixt true and false visions concerning
the mindes assent.' That things lodge not in us
in their proper forme and essence, and make not their
entrance into us of their owne power and authority, we
see it most evidently. For if it were so, we would
receive them all alike : wine should be such in a sicke
mans mouth as in a healthy mans. He whose fingers
are chopt through cold, and stiffe or benummed with
1 CIC. Acad. Qu. 1. iv.