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Montaigne's Essays

CHAPTER XXVIII. NINE AND TWENTIE SONNETS OF STEVEN DE LA BOETIE, TO THE LADY OF GRAMMONT, COUNTESSE OF GUISSEN.

Note on the e-text: this Renascence Editions text was provided by Ben R. Schneider, Lawrence University, Wisconsin. It is in the public domain. "Florio's Translation of Montaigne's Essays was first published in 1603. In 'The World's Classics' the first volume was published in 1904, and reprinted in 1910 and 1924. " Content unique to this presentation is copyright © 1998 The University of Oregon. For nonprofit and educational uses only.

ADAME, I present you with nothing that is mine, either because it is already yours, or because I finde nothing therein worthy of you. But wheresoever these verses shall be seene, for the honour which thereby shall redound to them, by having this glorious Corisanda of Andoins for their guide, I thought it good to adorne them with your worthy name. I have deemed this present fit for your Ladiship, forsomuch as there are few Ladies in France, that either can better judge of Poesie, or fitter apply the use of it, than your worthy selfe: and since in these her drooping daies, none can give it more life, or vigorous spirit, than you, by those rich and high-tuned accords, wherewith amongst a million of other rare beauties Nature hath richly graced you. Madame, these verses deserve to be cherished by you: and I am perswaded you will be of mine opinion; which is that none have come out of Gaskonie, that either had more wit or better invention and that witnesse to have proceeded from a richer veine. And let no jealousie possesse you, inasmuch as you have but the remainder of that which whilome I caused to be printed under the name of my Lord of Foix, your worthy, noble and deare kinsman: For truly, these have a kinde of livelinesse, and more piercing Emphasis than any other, and which I cannot well expresse: as hee that made them in his Aprile youth, and when he was enflamed with a noble glorious flame, as I will one day tell your honour in your eare. The other were afterward made by him in favour of his wife, at what time he wooed and solicited her for marriage, and began to feele I wot not what martiall chilnesse and husbands coldnesse. And I am one of those whose opinion is, that divine Poesie doth no where fadge so well, and so effectually applaudeth, as in a youthfull, wanton, and unbridled subject. The above mentioned nine and twentie Sonnets of Boetie, and that in the former impressions of this booke were here set downe, have since beene printed with his other works.

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