At home I betake me somewhat the oftener to my library, whence all at
once I command and survey all my household. It is seated in the chief
entry of my house, thence I behold under me my garden, my base court, my
yard, and look even into most rooms of my house. There without order,
without method, and by piece-meals I turn over and ransack, now one book
and now another. Sometimes I muse and rave; and walking up and down I
indite and enregister these my humours, these my conceits. It is placed
on the third story of a tower. The lowermost is my chapel; the second a
chamber with other lodgings, where I often lie, because I would be
alone. Above it is a great wardrobe. It was in times past the most
unprofitable place of all my house. There I pass the greatest part of my
life's days, and wear out most hours of the day. I am never there a
nights. Next unto it is a handsome neat cabinet, able and large enough
to receive fire in winter, and very pleasantly windowen. And if I feared
not care more than cost (care which drives and diverts me from all
business), I might easily join a convenient gallery of a hundred paces
long and twelve broad on each side of it, and upon one floor; having
already, for some other purpose, found all the walls raised unto a
convenient height. Each retired place requireth a walk. My thoughts are
prone to sleep if I sit long. My mind goes not alone, as if ledges did
move it. Those that study without books are all in the same case. The
form of it is round, and hath no flat side, but what serveth for my
table and chair: in which bending or circling manner, at one look it
offereth me the full sight of all my books, set round about upon shelves
or desks, five ranks one upon another. It hath three bay-windows, of a
far-extending, rich and unresisted prospect, and is in diameter sixteen
paces void. In winter I am less continually there: for my house (as the
name of it importeth) is perched upon an over-peering hillock; and hath
no part more subject to all weathers than this: which pleaseth me the
more, both because the access unto it is somewhat troublesome and
remote, and for the benefit of the exercise which is to be respected;
and that I may the better seclude myself from company, and keep
encroachers from me: There is my seat, that is my throne. I endeavour to
make my rule therein absolute, and to sequester that only corner from
the community of wife, of children, and of acquaintance. Elsewhere I
have but a verbal authority, of confused essence. Miserable in my mind
is he who in his own home hath nowhere to be to himself; where he may
particularly court, and at his pleasure hide or withdraw
self.--MONTAIGNE.