An excerpt from the original text.(complete · 971 words)
THAT THE PROFIT OF ONE MAN IS THE DAMAGE OF ANOTHER
Demades the Athenian--[Seneca, De Beneficiis, vi. 38, whence nearly the
whole of this chapter is taken.]--condemned one of his city, whose trade
it was to sell the necessaries for funeral ceremonies, upon pretence that
he demanded unreasonable profit, and that that profit could not accrue to
him, but by the death of a great number of people. A judgment that
appears to be ill grounded, forasmuch as no profit whatever can possibly
be made but at the expense of another, and that by the same rule he
should condemn all gain of what kind soever. The merchant only thrives
by the debauchery of youth, the husband man by the dearness of grain, the
architect by the ruin of buildings, lawyers and officers of justice by
the suits and contentions of men: nay, even the honour and office of
divines are derived from our death and vices. A physician takes no
pleasure in the health even of his friends, says the ancient Greek comic
writer, nor a soldier in the peace of his country, and so of the rest.
And, which is yet worse, let every one but dive into his own bosom, and
he will find his private wishes spring and his secret hopes grow up at
another’s expense. Upon which consideration it comes into my head, that
nature does not in this swerve from her general polity; for physicians
hold, that the birth, nourishment, and increase of every thing is the
dissolution and corruption of another:
“Nam quodcumque suis mutatum finibus exit,
Continuo hoc mors est illius, quod fuit ante.”
[“For, whatever from its own confines passes changed, this is at
once the death of that which before it was.”--Lucretius, ii. 752.]
ETEXT EDITOR’S BOOKMARKS:
Accommodated my subject to my strength
Affright people with the very mention of death
All I aim at is, to pass my time at my ease
All think he has yet twenty good years to come
Apprenticeship and a resemblance of death
Become a fool by too much wisdom
Both himself and his posterity declared ignoble, taxable
Caesar: he would be thought an excellent engineer to boot
Courtesy and good manners is a very necessary study
Dangers do, in truth, little or nothing hasten our end
Death can, whenever we please, cut short inconveniences
Death has us every moment by the throat
Death is a part of you
Denying all solicitation, both of hand and mind
Did my discourses came only from my mouth or from my heart
Die well--that is, patiently and tranquilly.
Discover what there is of good and clean in the bottom of the po
Downright and sincere obedience
Every day travels towards death; the last only arrives at it.
Fear is more importunate and insupportable than death itself
Fear to lose a thing, which being lost, cannot be lamented?
Fear: begets a terrible astonishment and confusion
Feared, lest disgrace should make such delinquents desperate
Give these young wenches the things they long for
Have you ever found any who have been dissatisfied with dying?
How many more have died before they arrived at thy age
How many several ways has death to surprise us?
How much more insupportable and painful an immortal life
I have lived longer by this one day than I should have done
I take hold of, as little glorious and exemplary as you will
If nature do not help a little, it is very hard
In this last scene of death, there is no more counterfeiting
Inclination to love one another at the first sight
Indocile liberty of this member
Insensible of the stroke when our youth dies in us
Live at the expense of life itself.
Much better to offend him once than myself every day
Nature, who left us in such a state of imperfection
Neither men nor their lives are measured by the ell
No man more certain than another of to-morrow.--Seneca
No one can be called happy till he is dead and buried
Not certain to live till I came home
Not melancholic, but meditative
Nothing can be a grievance that is but once
Philosophy is nothing but to prepare one’s self to die
Premeditation of death is the premeditation of liberty
Profit made only at the expense of another
Rather prating of another man’s province than his own
Same folly as to be sorry we were not alive a hundred years ago
Slaves, or exiles, ofttimes live as merrily as other folk
some people rude, by being overcivil in their courtesy
The day of your birth is one day’s advance towards the grave
The deadest deaths are the best
The thing in the world I am most afraid of is fear
There is no long, nor short, to things that are no more
Thing at which we all aim, even in virtue is pleasure
Things often appear greater to us at distance than near at hand
To study philosophy is nothing but to prepare one’s self to die
Utility of living consists not in the length of days
Valour has its bounds as well as other virtues
Valuing the interest of discipline
Well, and what if it had been death itself?
What may be done to-morrow, may be done to-day.
Who would weigh him without the honour and grandeur of his end.
Willingly slip the collar of command upon any pretence whatever
Woman who goes to bed to a man, must put off her modesty
You must first see us die
Young and old die upon the same terms
ESSAYS OF MICHEL DE MONTAIGNE
Translated by Charles Cotton
Edited by William Carew Hazlitt
1877
CONTENTS OF VOLUME 4.
XXII. Of custom, and that we should not easily change a law received
XXIII. Various events from the same counsel.
XXIV. Of pedantry.
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Let's Analyse the Pattern
All advantage comes at someone else's expense, but denying this reality creates more harm than acknowledging it.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches you to spot when someone's gain requires another's loss, helping you navigate competition more honestly.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when your good news might be someone else's disappointment—a shift you got, a deal you found, a opportunity that came your way—and ask yourself how you can acknowledge this reality without letting guilt paralyze you.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"A physician takes no pleasure in the health even of his friends"
Context: Montaigne lists professions that depend on others' misfortune
This shocking statement reveals how even caring professions create conflicted interests. It forces us to confront the uncomfortable reality that good people can benefit from others' problems without being evil.
In Today's Words:
Even your doctor friend secretly hopes you'll need medical care so they can pay their bills.
"No profit whatever can possibly be made but at the expense of another"
Context: Montaigne's central argument against the funeral director's prosecution
This bold claim challenges how we think about success and fairness. Montaigne argues that all economic activity involves someone gaining while someone else loses something, making moral judgments more complex.
In Today's Words:
Every dollar you make is a dollar someone else doesn't have.
"Let every one but dive into his own bosom, and he will find his private wishes spring and his secret hopes grow up at another's expense"
Context: Montaigne challenges readers to examine their own motivations
This call for self-examination is classic Montaigne - turning the spotlight on the reader. He suggests we all harbor hopes that require others to fail or suffer, making us complicit in the system we judge.
In Today's Words:
Be honest - you've secretly hoped for things that would be bad news for someone else.
"Nature does not in this swerve from her general polity"
Context: Montaigne argues this competitive dynamic is natural law
Montaigne refuses to condemn what he sees as natural behavior. By comparing human economics to natural ecosystems, he suggests we shouldn't feel guilty about participating in competitive systems.
In Today's Words:
This is just how the world works - it's not personal, it's nature.
Thematic Threads
Class
In This Chapter
Economic competition reveals how class positions depend on others remaining lower
Development
Introduced here
In Your Life:
Your financial stability might depend on systems that keep others struggling
Identity
In This Chapter
We construct moral identities that deny our participation in zero-sum dynamics
Development
Introduced here
In Your Life:
You might tell yourself you're 'different' from people who obviously profit from others' losses
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
Society condemns honest acknowledgment of competitive reality while rewarding disguised versions
Development
Introduced here
In Your Life:
You're expected to pretend your success doesn't come at anyone else's expense
Human Relationships
In This Chapter
Even friendships involve hidden competitions and conflicting interests
Development
Introduced here
In Your Life:
Your close relationships might involve unspoken competitions you pretend don't exist
Personal Growth
In This Chapter
Maturity requires accepting uncomfortable truths about how advantage works
Development
Introduced here
In Your Life:
Growing up means recognizing you're not exempt from the systems you criticize in others
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
Why was the Athenian funeral director condemned, and what does Montaigne think about this judgment?
analysis • surface - 2
According to Montaigne, how do merchants, farmers, doctors, and other professionals secretly benefit from others' misfortune?
analysis • medium - 3
Where do you see this pattern of 'one person's gain requiring another's loss' in your workplace, community, or daily life?
application • medium - 4
When you've gotten a good opportunity or deal, who might have lost out, and how do you think about that trade-off?
reflection • deep - 5
If Montaigne is right that this is natural law, how should we navigate situations where our success comes at others' expense?
application • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Hidden Trade-offs
Think of a recent success or good fortune in your life—a job, promotion, good deal, or opportunity. Write down who might have lost out when you gained. Then consider: Did you acknowledge this trade-off at the time? How did you justify it to yourself? What would change if you were more honest about these hidden costs?
Consider:
- •Look beyond obvious competitors to indirect effects on others
- •Consider how systems and structures create these trade-offs, not just individual choices
- •Think about the difference between necessary competition and unnecessary harm
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when someone else's gain came at your expense. How did that feel? What did you learn about how these trade-offs work from the losing side?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 22: The Tyranny of Custom
Having explored how individual gain creates loss for others, Montaigne next tackles an even thornier question: when should we change established customs and laws, even if they seem unfair? He'll examine why societies resist change and whether tradition or innovation serves us better.
