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424 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
They performe honourable combates, both publike and
private. They batter and defend townes and cities in
our present warres. A Prince smothereth his commendation
amid this throng-. Let him shine over
others with humanitie, with truth, loyaltie, temperance,
and above all with justice, markes now adaies rare,
unknowne, and exiled. It is only the peoples will
wherewith he may effect what he pleaseth : and no
other qualities can allure their will so much as they,
as being the profitablest for them : Nihil est tarn populate
quam bonitas: ' Nothing is so popular as goodnesse
is.' By this proposition I had been a rare great man;
as by that of certaine ages past I am now a pigmey and
popular man; in which it was common, if stronger
qualities did not concurre with all, to see a man temperate
in his revenges, milde in revenging of offences,
religious in keeping of his word, neither double nor
over tractable, nor applying his faith to others will, or
to every occasion. I would rather let all affaires go
to wracke than breake my word for their availe For
touching this new-found vertue of faining and dissimulation,
which now is so much in credit, I hate it to
the death : and of all vices I finde none that so much
witnesseth demissencsse and basenesse of heart. It is
a coward and servile humour for a man to disguise and
hide himselfe under a maske, and not dare to shew
himselfe as he is. Thereby our men address themselves
to trecherie: being trained to utter false words,
they make no conscience to breake them. A generous
minde ought not to belie his thoughts, but make shew
of his inmost parts : there all is good, or at least all is
humane. Aristotle thinkes it an office of magnanimitie
to hate and love openly, to judge and speake
with all libertie, and never (though the prise of truth
goe on it) to make esteeme either of the approbation
or reprobation of others. Apollonius said it was for
servants to lie, and for free-men to speake truth. It
is the chiefe and fundamentall part of vertue. Shee
must be loved for her owne sake. He that speaketh
truth because he is bound to doe so, and for that he