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442 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
of France. Poesie hath likewise in mine opinion had
hir vogue and credit in our age. We have store of
cunning and able men in that profession : Aurate,
Beza, Buchanan, L'Hospital, Mont-dore, and Turnebus.
As for French-men, I thinke they have attained the
highest degree of perfection that can or ever shall be,
and in those parts wherein Ronsart and excellent
Bellay have written, I thinke they are not farre short
of the ancient perfection. Adrianus Turnebus knew
more, and better what he knew, than any man in his
age or of many ages past. The lives of the late Duke
of Alva and of our Constable Mommorencie have beene
very noble, and have had sundrie rare resemblancies of
fortune. But the worthily-faire and glorious death of
the last in the full sight of Paris and of his King, for
their service against his nearest friends and alliance
in the front of an armie, victorious through his conduct
of it, and with an handstroke in that old age of his,
deserveth in mine opinion to be placed and registred
amongst the most renouned and famous accidents of
my times. As also the constant goodnes, the mildnes
in behaviour, and conscionable facility of Monsieur
de la Noue in such an injustice of armed factions (a
very schoole of treason, of inhumanitie and brigandage)
wherein he was ever brought up, a worthie and famous
man of warre and most experienced in his profession.
I have greatly pleased my selfe in publishing in sundrie
places the good hope I have of Marie de Gournay le
Lars, my daughter in alliance, and truely of me beloved
with more then a fatherly love, and as one of
the best parts of my being enfeofed in my home and
solitarines. There is nothing in the world I esteem
more then hir. If childe-hoode may presage any future
successe, hir minde shal one day be capable of many
notable things, and amongst others, of the perfection
of this thrice-sacred amitie whereunto we read not, hir
sex could yet attaine; the sinceritie and soliditie of
her demeanors are therein already sufficient; hir kind
affection towards me is more than superabounding and
such indeede as nothing more can be wished unto it, so