The Cambridge Companion to Montaigne by Ullrich Langer

Abstract

534 Reviews make the language of themajority [French] the common medium of communication. I... .]This acceptance has paradoxically leftmore public space for radical discourses in certain sectors of the Anglo-Quebecois group' (p. I84). A corpus of newspaper articles collected in I999 from the Montreal anglophone newspaper The Gazette is analysed as an illustration of such public discourse. One of Larrivee's conclusions on this corpus critiques the portrayal of those who refuse to comply with legislation as 'freedom fighters' (p. i8 i). The final chapter, also by Larrivee, examines the position of native languages inQuebec. The volume is very successful in achieving its set objective. It provides the reader with a variety of perspectives on the central questions which continue to dominate discourse on the French fact in Quebec and throughout Canada. Readers will find awealth of background information on this fascinating subject, which is of crucial importance in defining the international position of the French language. UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE CORK MAEVE CONRICK The Cambridge Companion to Montaigne. Ed. by ULLRICH LANGER. Cambridge, New York, and Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. 2005. XVii + 247 PP. ?45 (pbk ?I5.99). ISBN 978-0-52I-8I953-4(pbk978-0-52I-52556-5). The following review focuses on themajor chapters of this book, one of a Cambridge series on philosophers. Ullrich Langer's introduction depicts Montaigne (quoted throughout in translation) as a self-confessed non-philosopher, whose works never theless contain philosophical elements. In Chapter 2 Langer discusses political and religious change, showing how stoicism and conservatism can be methods of survival. Warren Boutcher examines how Montaigne makes his own haphazard philosophical collection in Essais, ii. i2, promoting freedom of judgement and sceptically coun tering his father's over-reverent philosophical gift. John O'Brien similarly describes classical antiquity in the Essais as 'a rich legacy and a problematic inheritance' (p. 69). He examines Montaigne's use of Pyrrhonian scepticism as ameans of enquiry, and his search formodels of behaviour. In discussing the importance of Socrates, O'Brien might have referred to the concluding lines of the Essais. Andre Tournon, examining Montaigne's relationship to the law, shows how he resigns office and exploits the tendency of multiple glosses to undermine truths. Yet Montaigne imposes upon himself strict personal laws. Francis Goyet approaches Montaigne via the notion of prudence, arguing that he portrays himself as a noble man, as a prudens, and as an artist. Goyet qualifies ideas of Quint and Tournon and opposes postmodernism. He examines Montaigne's complex relationship with Machiavellianism and rather convincingly joins Fumaroli in detecting inMontaigne Jesuit-like leanings. IanMaclean understandably refers extensively to his own works in footnotes. He examines Montaigne's attitude to the truth claims of contemporary philosophy, de scribing him as often 'programmatically unphilosophical' (p. I43), but as allying himself with the philosophy he professes to despise. Maclean usefully surveys Re naissance philosophy and stresses Montaigne's awareness of diversity. Montaigne, he argues, makes even scepticism into a practical philosophy and grudgingly admits the applicability of laws. George Hoffmann defines naturalism (see iii. 12) as a search for secondary causes. He convincingly emphasizes thatMontaigne was interested in naturalist doctors and grew suspicious of how philosophers project upon nature a techne-or art. Montaigne prefers to study causes and effects rather than means and ends. He is influenced by Galen's suspicion of empiricism. Hoffmann interestingly underlines the importance MLR, 101.2, 2006 535 of Lucretius, whom Montaigne studied carefully. He detects Lucretian influence in Montaigne's views on 'fortune' and highlights Epicurean and Lucretian strands in Montaigne's thought. Ann Hartle provides a survey of ancient scepticism and ofMontaigne's 'Apology' that would be useful for beginners. She defines Montaigne's transformed scepticism as 'an openness towhat is possible and an overcoming of presumption at the deepest level' (p. I93). She finds thatMontaigne makes definitive moral judgements and shows some openness to change. He does not share the sceptical aim of imperturbability; he cultivates self-knowledge, amore Socratic than a sceptic goal. His Catholic faith is another non-sceptical aspect of the Essais. J. B. Schneewind also looks at the 'Apology', while examining Montaigne's rela tionship tomoral philosophy. Sebond believes that experience gives us information...