They are well-proportioned but compact,
and within such reasonable compass that the best of them--such as
the lives of Caesar and Alexander--may be read in half an hour.
Reduced to this measure, they are, however, greatly more imposing
than a lifeless Colossus, or an exaggerated giant. They are not
overlaid by disquisition and description, but the characters
naturally unfold themselves. Montaigne, indeed, complained of
Plutarch's brevity. "No doubt," he added, "but his reputation is
the better for it, though in the meantime we are the worse.
Plutarch would rather we should applaud his judgment than commend
his knowledge, and had rather leave us with an appetite to read
more than glutted with what we have already read. He knew very
well that a man may say too much even on the best subjects....
Such as have lean and spare bodies stuff themselves out with
clothes; so they who are defective in matter, endeavour to make
amends with words. (5)
Plutarch possessed the art of delineating the more delicate
features of mind and minute peculiarities of conduct, as well as
the foibles and defects of his heroes, all of which is necessary
to faithful and accurate portraiture. "To see him," says
Montaigne, "pick out a light action in a man's life, or a word,
that does not seem to be of any importance, is itself a whole
discourse." He even condescends to inform us of such homely
particulars as that Alexander carried his head affectedly on one
side; that Alcibiades was a dandy, and had a lisp, which became
him, giving a grace and persuasive turn to his discourse; that
Cato had red hair and gray eyes, and was a usurer and a screw,
selling off his old slaves when they became unfit for hard work;
that Caesar was bald and fond of gay dress; and that Cicero (like
Lord Brougham) had involuntary twitchings of his nose.
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