xan^er a BogwooD witb /IDontaigne 



wished to investigate every subject for 

 himself, and as far as his Hght reached he 

 did investigate right independently. A 

 large and significant part of his materials 

 was drawn from the field of thought 

 opened by the frightful religious battles 

 of his time. He went about open-eyed, 

 eager to discover the " why " of things, as 

 much pleased with a ground for curious 

 conjecture as was Gilbert White with a 

 swallow's burrow, or Izaak Walton at 

 sight of a trout-pool. 



Montaigne's materials, however, were 

 chosen for the essay's sake more than for 

 philosophy's sake or close argument's 

 sake, as any reader can see as he runs. 

 What he aimed at was a rosary of facts, 

 anecdotes, examples, instances, strung 

 upon a thread of impartial comment, 

 which should disguise as much as betray 

 his own private theory. The modern 

 " scientific " pose is a vast exaggeration of 

 his attitude. His skepticism forced him 

 hard back upon nature, where he boldly 

 took himself to deep water, laughing all 

 the time in frank acknowledgment of that 

 298 



