Thursday, September 22, 2011

What Would Montaigne Say About Blogging?

In his essay on Vanity, Montaigne has the following to say about "foolish and impertinent scribblers," including himself, which might well apply to bloggers (present company included) today:
there should be some restraint of law against foolish and impertinent scribblers ...; which, if there were, both I and a hundred others would be banished from the reach of our people. I do not speak this in jest: scribbling seems to be a symptom of a disordered and licentious age. When did we write so much as since our troubles? When Romans so much, as upon the point of ruin? .... The corruption of the age is made up by the particular contribution of every individual man; some contribute treachery, others injustice, irreligion, tyranny, avarice, cruelty, according to their power; the weaker sort contribute folly, vanity, and idleness; of these I am one. 

No comments:

Post a Comment