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320 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
lesurely and with a measured progress, doth evidently
present to those that have assaid to oppose themselves
against her endevour, the power of the conversion and
alteration which our judgement suffereth. I have some
times enterprised to arme my selfe with a resolution
to abide, resist, and suppresse the same. For I am so
farre from being in their ranke that call and allure
vices, that unlesse they draw me I scarcely follow
them. I felt it mauger my resistance, to breed, to
growe, and to augment; and in the end, being in
perfect health and cleare sighted, to seize upon and
pollute me; in such sort that as in drunkennes the
image of things began to appeare unto me otherwise
then it was wont. I saw the advantages of the subject
I sought after, evidently to swell and grow greater,
and much to encrease by the winde of my imagination;
and the difficulties of my enterprise to become more
easie and plaine, and my discourse and conscience to
shrinke and drawbacke. But that fire being evaporated
all on a sodaine, as by the flashing of a lightning, my
soule to reassume an other sight, an other state, and
other judgement. The difficultie in my retreate seemed
great and invincible, and the very same things of
another taste and shew than the fervency of desire had
resented them unto me. And which more truly,
p
Pyrrho cannot tell. We are never without some
infirmitie. Fevers have their heat and their cold:
from the effects of a burning passion, we fall into the
effects of a chilling passion. So much as I had cast
my selfe forward, so much doe 1 draw my selfe backe.
Qualis ubi alterno procurrens gurglte pontus,
Nunc ruit ad tet ras, scopulisque superjacit undam,
Spumeus, extremamque sinu per fundit arenam,
Nunc rapidus retro, at que astu revoluta resorbent
Saxa,fugit, littusque vado labente rehnquit. 1
As th' Ocean flowing, ebbing in due course,
To land now rushes, foming throws his fource
On rocks, therewith bedewes the utmost sand,
Now swift returns the stones rowld backe from strand
By tide resucks, foord failing, leaves the land.
¹ VIRG. AEn. 1. xi. 508.