“Moy à cette heure et moy tantost sommes bien deux; mais quand meilleur, je n’en puis rien dire. Il feroit beau estre vieil si nous ne marchions que vers l’amendement. C’est un mouvement d’yvroigne titubant, vertigineux, informe, ou des joncs que l’air manie casuellement selon soy.” #Montaigne

“Myself now and myself a while ago are indeed two; but when better, I simply cannot say. It would be fine to be old if we traveled only toward improvement. It is a drunkard’s motion, staggering, dizzy, wobbling, or that of reeds that the wind stirs haphazardly as it pleases.” (Frame, 1957)

“I at the present moment and I a little while ago are indeed two different persons; but at which stage better, I cannot really say. It would be a fine thing to be old if the path of the years led only to improvement. It is a drunkard’s motion, reeling, dizzy, unsteady, or like that of reeds, which the wind agitates at its pleasure.” (Zeitlin, 1936)

“‘I’ now and ‘I’ then are certainly twain, but which ‘I’ was better? I know nothing about that. If we were always progressing towards improvement, to be old would be a beautiful thing. But it is a drunkard’s progress, formless, staggering, like reeds which the wind shakes as it fancies, haphazardly.” (Screech, 1991)

“Myself now and myself then are two persons; which the better? I do not at all know. It would be a fine thing to be old if we progressed only toward improvement; it is the motion of a drunken man, staggering, dizzy, tortuous, or of reeds which the wind sways casually as it lists.” (George Burnham Ives, 1925)

“I now, and I anon, are two several persons; but whether better, I cannot determine. It were a fine thing to be old, if we only travelled towards improvement; but ’tis a drunken, stumbling, reeling, infirm motion: like that of reeds, which the air casually waves to and fro at pleasure.” (Cotton, ed. Hazlitt, 1877)

“My selfe now and my selfe anon are indeede two; but when better, in good sooth I cannot tell. It were a goodly thing to bee old if wee did onely march towards amendment. It is the motion of a drunkard, stumbling, reeling, giddie-brain’d, formeles, or of reedes, which the ayre dooth casually wave to and fro what way it bloweth.” (Florio, 1603)