A “Posthumous” Confession from Montaigne

It is hard to imagine that, on her own initiative, Marie de Gournay was able to add in 1595 a phrase that is indiscreet, to say the least, which is a barely veiled confession, and which is not found in the Exemplaire de Bordeaux. This reflection on the “refusal of a single fart” could contribute to the arguments of the partisans of the posthumous edition, without however ending the editorial debate to which, from the other “camp,” André Tournon participated with so much wisdom and fervor.