the essays of montaigne, v13-第11部分

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condition　of　life　than　a　thousand　others；　who　have　no　fewer　nor　other
disease　but　what　they　create　to　themselves　for　want　of　meditation。

There　is　a　certain　sort　of　crafty　humility　that　springs　from　presumption；
as　this；　for　example；　that　we　confess　our　ignorance　in　many　things；　and
are　so　courteous　as　to　acknowledge　that　there　are　in　the　works　of　nature
some　qualities　and　conditions　that　are　imperceptible　to　us；　and　of　which
our　understanding　cannot　discover　the　means　and　causes；　by　this　so　honest
and　conscientious　declaration　we　hope　to　obtain　that　people　shall　also
believe　us　as　to　those　that　we　say　we　do　understand。　　We　need　not　trouble
ourselves　to　seek　out　foreign　miracles　and　difficulties；　methinks；
amongst　the　things　that　we　ordinarily　see；　there　are　such
incomprehensible　wonders　as　surpass　all　difficulties　of　miracles。　　What　a
wonderful　thing　it　is　that　the　drop　of　seed　from　which　we　are　produced
should　carry　in　itself　the　impression　not　only　of　the　bodily　form；　but
even　of　the　thoughts　and　inclinations　of　our　fathers！　　Where　can　that
drop　of　fluid　matter　contain　that　infinite　number　of　forms？　and　how　can
they　carry　on　these　resemblances　with　so　precarious　and　irregular　a
process　that　the　son　shall　be　like　his　great…grandfather；　the　nephew　like
his　uncle？　　In　the　family　of　Lepidus　at　Rome　there　were　three；　not
successively　but　by　intervals；　who　were　born　with　the　same　eye　covered
with　a　cartilage。　　At　Thebes　there　was　a　race　that　carried　from　their
mother's　womb　the　form　of　the　head　of　a　lance；　and　he　who　was　not　born　so
was　looked　upon　as　illegitimate。　　And　Aristotle　says　that　in　a　certain
nation；　where　the　women　were　in　common；　they　assigned　the　children　to
their　fathers　by　their　resemblance。

'Tis　to　be　believed　that　I　derive　this　infirmity　from　my　father；　for　he
died　wonderfully　tormented　with　a　great　stone　in　his　bladder；　he　was
never　sensible　of　his　disease　till　the　sixty…seventh　year　of　his　age；　and
before　that　had　never　felt　any　menace　or　symptoms　of　it；　either　in　his
reins；　sides；　or　any　other　part；　and　had　lived；　till　then；　in　a　happy；
vigorous　state　of　health；　little　subject　to　infirmities；　and　he　continued
seven　years　after　in　this　disease；　dragging　on　a　very　painful　end　of
life。　　I　was　born　about　five…and…twenty　years　before　his　disease　seized
him；　and　in　the　time　of　his　most　flourishing　and　healthful　state　of　body；
his　third　child　in　order　of　birth：　where　could　his　propension　to　this
malady　lie　lurking　all　that　while？　　And　he　being　then　so　far　from　the
infirmity；　how　could　that　small　part　of　his　substance　wherewith　he　made
me；　carry　away　so　great　an　impression　for　its　share？　　and　how　so
concealed；　that　till　five…and…forty　years　after；　I　did　not　begin　to　be
sensible　of　it？　　being　the　only　one　to　this　hour；　amongst　so　many
brothers　and　sisters；　and　all　by　one　mother；　that　was　ever　troubled　with
it。　　He　that　can　satisfy　me　in　this　point；　I　will　believe　him　in　as　many
other　miracles　as　he　pleases；　always　provided　that；　as　their　manner　is；
he　do　not　give　me　a　doctrine　much　more　intricate　and　fantastic　than　the
thing　itself　for　current　pay。

Let　the　physicians　a　little　excuse　the　liberty　I　take；　for　by　this　same
infusion　and　fatal　insinuation　it　is　that　I　have　received　a　hatred　and
contempt　of　their　doctrine；　the　antipathy　I　have　against　their　art　is
hereditary。　　My　father　lived　three…score　and　fourteen　years；　my
grandfather　sixty…nine；　my　great…grandfather　almost　fourscore　years；
without　ever　tasting　any　sort　of　physic；　and；　with　them；　whatever　was　not
ordinary　diet；　was　instead　of　a　drug。　　Physic　is　grounded　upon　experience
and　examples：　so　is　my　opinion。　　And　is　not　this　an　express　and　very
advantageous　experience。　　I　do　not　know　that　they　can　find　me　in　all
their　records　three　that　were　born；　bred；　and　died　under　the　same　roof；
who　have　lived　so　long　by　their　conduct。　　They　must　here　of　necessity
confess；　that　if　reason　be　not；　fortune　at　least　is　on　my　side；　and　with
physicians　fortune　goes　a　great　deal　further　than　reason。　　Let　them　not
take　me　now　at　a　disadvantage；　let　them　not　threaten　me　in　the　subdued
condition　wherein　I　now　am；　that　were　treachery。　　In　truth；　I　have　enough
the　better　of　them　by　these　domestic　examples；　that　they　should　rest
satisfied。　　Human　things　are　not　usually　so　constant；　it　has　been　two
hundred　years；　save　eighteen；　that　this　trial　has　lasted；　for　the　first
of　them　was　born　in　the　year　1402：　'tis　now；　indeed；　very　good　reason
that　this　experience　should　begin　to　fail　us。　　Let　them　not；　therefore；
reproach　me　with　the　infirmities　under　which　I　now　suffer；　is　it　not
enough　that　I　for　my　part　have　lived　seven…and…forty　years　in　good
health？　though　it　should　be　the　end　of　my　career；　'tis　of　the　longer
sort。

My　ancestors　had　an　aversion　to　physic　by　some　occult　and　natural
instinct；　for　the　very　sight　of　drugs　was　loathsome　to　my　father。　　The
Seigneur　de　Gaviac；　my　uncle　by　the　father's　side；　a　churchman；　and　a
valetudinary　from　his　birth；　and　yet　who　made　that　crazy　life　hold　out　to
sixty…seven　years；　being　once　fallen　into　a　furious　fever；　it　was　ordered
by　the　physicians　he　should　be　plainly　told　that　if　he　would　not　make　use
of　help　（for　so　they　call　that　which　is　very　often　an　obstacle）；　he　would
infallibly　be　a　dead　man。　　That　good　man；　though　terrified　with　this
dreadful　sentence；　yet　replied；　〃I　am　then　a　dead　man。〃　　But　God　soon
after　made　the　prognostic　false。　　The　last　of　the　brothersthere　were
four　of　themand　by　many　years　the　last；　the　Sieur　de　Bussaguet；　was　the
only　one　of　the　family　who　made　use　of　medicine；　by　reason；　I　suppose；　of
the　concern　he　had　with　the　other　arts；　for　he　was　a　councillor　in　the
court　of　Parliament；　and　it　succeeded　so　ill　with　him；　that　being　in
outward　appearance　of　the　strongest　constitution；　he　yet　died　long　before
any　of　the　rest；　save　the　Sieur　de　Saint　Michel。

'Tis　possible　I　may　have　derived　this　natural　antipathy　to　physic　from
them；　but　had　there　been　no　other　consideration　in　the　case；　I　would　have
endeavoured　to　have　overcome　it；　for　all　these　conditions　that　spring　in
us　without　reason；　are　vicious；　'tis　a　kind　of　disease　that　we　should
wrestle　with。　　It　may　be　I　had　naturally　this　propension；　but　I　have
supported　and　fortified　it　by　arguments　and　reasons　which　have
established　in　me　the　opinion　I　am　of。　　For　I　also　hate　the　consideration
of　refusing　physic　for　the　nauseous　taste。

I　should　hardly　be　of　that　humour　who　hold　health　to　be　worth　purchasing
by　all　the　most　painful　cauteries　and　incisions　that　can　be　applied。
And；　with　Epicurus；　I　conceive　that　pleasures　are　to　be　avoided；　if
greater　pains　be　the　consequence；　and　pains　to　be　coveted；　that　will
terminate　in　greater　pleasures。　　Health　is　a　precious　thing；　and　the　only
one；　in　truth；　meriting　that　a　man　should　lay　out；　not　only　his　time；
sweat；　labour；　and　goods；　but　also　his　life　itself　to　obtain　it；
forasmuch　as；　without　it；　life　is　wearisome　and　injurious　to　us：
pleasure；　wisdom；　learning；　and　virtue；　without　it；　wither　away　and
vanish；　and　to　the　most　laboured　and　solid　discourses　that　philosophy
would　imprint　in　us　to　the　contrary；　we　need　no　more　but　oppose　the　image
of　Plato　being　struck　with　an　epilepsy　or　apoplexy；　and；　in　this
presupposition；　to　defy　him　to　call　the　rich　faculties　of　his　soul　to　his
assistance。　　All　means　that　conduce　to　health　can　neither　be　too　painful
nor　too　dear　to　me。　　But　I　have　some　other　appearances　that　make　me
strangely　suspect　all　this　merchandise。　　I　do　not　deny　but　that　there　may
be　some　art　in　it；　that　there　are　not　amongst　so　many　works　of　Nature；
things　proper　for　the　conservation　of　health：　that　is　most　certain：　I
very　well　know　there　are　some　simples　that　moisten；　and　others　that　dry；
I　experimentally　know　that　radishes　are　windy；　and　senna…leaves　purging；
and　several　other　such　experiences　I　have；　as　that　mutton　nourishes　me；
and　wine　warms　me：　and　Solon　said　〃that　eating　was　physic　against　the
malady　hunger。〃　　I　do　not　disapprove　the　use　we　make　of　things　the　earth
produces；　nor　doubt；　in　the　least；　of　the　power　and　fertility　of　Nature；
and　of　its　application　to　our　necessities：　I　very　well　see　that　pikes　and
swallows　live　by　her　laws；　but　I　mistrust　the　inventions　of　our　mind；　our
knowledge　and　art；　to　countenance　which；　we　have　abandoned　Nature　and　her
rules；　and　wherein　we　keep　no　bounds　nor　moderation。　　As　we　call　the
piling　up　of　the　first　laws　that　fall　into　our　hands　justice；　and　their
practice　and　dispensation　very　often　foolish　and　very　unjust；　and　as
those　who　scoff　at　and　accuse　it；　do　not；　nevertheless；　blame　that　noble
virtue　itself；　but　only　condemn　the　abuse　and　profanation　of　that　sacred
title；　so　in　physic　I　very　much　honour　that　glorious　name；　its
propositions；　its　promises；　so　useful　for　the　service　of　mankind；　but　the
ordinances　it　foists　upon　us；　betwixt　ourselves；　I　neither　honour　nor
esteem。

In　the　first　place；　experience　makes　me　dread　it；　for　amongst　all　my
acquaintance；　I　see　no　people　so　soon　sick；　and　so　long　before　they　are
well；　as　those　who　take　much　physic；　their　very　health　is　altered　and
corrupted　by　their　frequent　prescriptions。　　Physicians　are　not　content　to
deal　only　with　the　sick；　but　they　will　moreover　corrupt　health　itself；
for　fear　men　should　at　any　time　escape　their　authority。　　Do　they　not；
from　a　continual　and　perfect　health；　draw　the　argument　of　some　great
sickness　to　ensue？　　I　have　been　sick　often　enough；　and　have　always　found
my　sicknesses　easy　enough　to　be　supported　（though　I　have　made　trial　of
almost　all　sorts）；　and　as　short　as　those　of　any　other；　without　their
help；　or　without　swallowing　their　ill…tasting　doses。　　The　health　I　have
is　full　and　free；　without　other　rule　or　discipline　than　my　own　custom　and
pleasure。　　Every　place　serves　me　well　enough　to　stay　in；　for　I　need　no
other　conveniences；　when　I　am　sick；　than　what　I　must　have　when　I　am　well。
I　never　disturb　myself　that　I　have　no　physician；　no　apothecary；　nor　any
other　assistance；　which　I　see　most　other　sick　men　more　afflicted　at　than
they　are　with　their　disease。　　What！　　Do　the　doctors　themselves　show　us
more　felicity　and　duration　in　their　own　lives；　that　may　manifest　to　us
some　appa