Tuesday, November 09, 2010

 

On Living for Oneself

Montaigne, Essais 1.39 (On Solitude, tr. Donald M. Frame):
We have lived enough for others; let us live at least this remaining bit of life for ourselves. Let us bring back our thoughts and plans to ourselves and our well-being. It is no small matter to arrange our retirement securely; it keeps us busy enough without mixing other undertakings with it. Since God gives us leisure to make arrangements for moving out, let us make them; let us pack our bags; let us take an early leave of the company; let us break free from the violent clutches that engage us elsewhere and draw us away from ourselves. We must untie these bonds that are so powerful, and henceforth love this and that, but be wedded only to ourselves. That is to say, let the other things be ours, but not joined and glued to us so strongly that they cannot be detached without tearing off our skin and some part of our flesh as well. The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.

C'est assez vescu pour autruy, vivons pour nous au moins ce bout de vie: ramenons à nous, et à nostre aise nos pensées et nos intentions. Ce n'est pas une legere partie que de faire seurement sa retraicte; elle nous empesche assez sans y mesler d'autres entreprinses. Puis que Dieu nous donne loisir de disposer de nostre deslogement; preparons nous y; plions bagage; prenons de bon'heure congé de la compagnie; despétrons nous de ces violentes prinses, qui nous engagent ailleurs, et esloignent de nous. Il faut desnoüer ces obligations si fortes: et meshuy aymer cecy et cela, mais n'espouser rien que soy: C'est à dire, le reste soit à nous: mais non pas joint et colé en façon, qu'on ne le puisse desprendre sans nous escorcher, et arracher ensemble quelque piece du nostre. La plus grande chose du monde c'est de sçavoir estre à soy.



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