The Complete Essays of Montaigne

by Michel de Montaigne

least of Athose he passed through. An infinity of fine actions must be lost without a witness before one appears to advantage. A man is not always at the top of a breach or at the head of an army, in sight of his general, as on a stage. He is taken by surprise between the hedge and the ditch; he must tempt fortune against a hen roost; he must root out four paltry musketeers from a barn; he must go out alone from his company and do a job alone, as the need presents itself. And if you watch carefully, you will find by experience that the least brilliant occasions happen to be the most dangerous; and that in the wars that have taken place in our times, more good men have been lost on trivial and unimportant occasions and in fighting over some shack than in worthy and honorable places. CWhoever thinks his death ill employed unless it is on some signal occasion, instead of casting luster on his death, is likely to obscure his life, meanwhile allowing many just occasions for hazarding himself to escape him. And all the just ones are illustrious enough, since each man’s conscience trumpets them sufficiently to himself. Our glory is the testimony of our conscience [II Corinthians].