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406 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
with painefull imaginations: and Cicero (as I remember)
had gotten a custome to wryth his nose, which signifieth
a naturall scoffer. Such motions may unawares and
imperceptibly possesse us. Others there be which are
artificial!, whereof I will not speake. As salutations,
reverences, or conges, by which some doe often purchase
the honour (but wrongfully) to be humble, lowly, and
courteous: a man may be humble through glory. I
am very prodigall of cappings, namely in Summer, and
I never receive any from what quality of men soever,
but I give them as good and as many as they bring,
except he be some servant of mine. I wish that some
Princes whom I know would bo more sparing and
impartiall dispencers of them, for, being so indiscreetly
employed, they have no force at all: If they be without
regard, then are they without effect. Amongst
disordered countenances, let us not forget the sterne
looke of Constantius the Emperour, who in publike
held ever his head bolt-upright, without turning or
bending the same on any side, no not so much as to
looke on them that saluted him sideling, holding his
body so fixt and immoveable, that let his coche shake
never so much, he kept still up-right: he durst never
spit nor wipe his nose nor drie his face before the
people. I wot not whether those gestures which were
noted in me were of this first condition, and whether
in truth I had any secret propension to this fault, as
it may well be: and I cannot answer for the motions
of my body. But concerning those of the soule, I will
here ingenuously confesse what I thinke of them.
There are two parts in this glory : which is to say, for
a man to esteeme himselfe overmuch, the other, not
sufficiently to esteeme of others. For the one, first
me thinks these considerations ought somewhat to be
accompted of. I feele my selfe surcharged with one
errour of the mind, which both as bad, and much more
as importunate, I utterly dislike. I endevour to correct
it; but I cannot displace it. It is, because I abate the
just value of those things which I possesse; and enhance
the worth of things by how much they are more