MONTAIGNE
Thereupon I with a total destruction of wit went fleeing,
Leaving all our studies and all the joys of the mind.
Shall I speak? Shall I listen never to another word you are saying?
Shall I never, brother of mine, more pleasant to me than life,
Shall I never again behold you? At least I shall not cease loving.)
But let us hear this lad of sixteen speak a little.
Because I have discovered that this work has since been made public, and for an evil purpose, by those who seek to upset and alter the form of our government, without caring whether they better it, and that they have mingled it with other writings from their own mill, I have decided not to place it here. And in order that the author’s memory be not injured for those who have not been able to learn his opinions and actions for themselves,
I will inform them that this topic was
28
