the essays of montaigne, v19-第6部分

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particular　way；　and　it　is　particular；　if　not　pliable　and　supple。　　It　is　a
kind　of　reproach；　not　to　be　able；　or　not　to　dare；　to　do　what　we　see　those
about　us　do；　let　such　as　these　stop　at　home。　　It　is　in　every　man
unbecoming；　but　in　a　soldier　vicious　and　intolerable：　who；　as　Philopcemen
said；　ought　to　accustom　himself　to　every　variety　and　inequality　of　life。

Though　I　have　been　brought　up；　as　much　as　was　possible；　to　liberty　and
independence；　yet　so　it　is　that；　growing　old；　and　having　by　indifference
more　settled　upon　certain　forms　（my　age　is　now　past　instruction；　and　has
henceforward　nothing　to　do　but　to　keep　itself　up　as　well　as　it　can）；
custom　has　already；　ere　I　was　aware；　so　imprinted　its　character　in　me　in
certain　things；　that　I　look　upon　it　as　a　kind　of　excess　to　leave　them
off；　and；　without　a　force　upon　myself；　cannot　sleep　in　the　daytime；　nor
eat　between　meals；　nor　breakfast；　nor　go　to　bed；　without　a　great　interval
betwixt　eating　and　sleeping；＇Gastroesophogeal　Reflux。　D。W。＇　as　of
three　hours　after　supper；　nor　get　children　but　before　I　sleep；　nor　get
them　standing；　nor　endure　my　own　sweat；　nor　quench　my　thirst　either　with
pure　water　or　pure　wine；　nor　keep　my　head　long　bare；　nor　cut　my　hair
after　dinner；　and　I　should　be　as　uneasy　without　my　gloves　as　without　my
shirt；　or　without　washing　when　I　rise　from　table　or　out　of　my　bed；　and　I
could　not　lie　without　a　canopy　and　curtains；　as　if　they　were　essential
things。　　I　could　dine　without　a　tablecloth；　but　without　a　clean　napkin；
after　the　German　fashion；　very　incommodiously；　I　foul　them　more　than　the
Germans　or　Italians　do；　and　make　but　little　use　either　of　spoon　or　fork。
I　complain　that　they　did　not　keep　up　the　fashion；　begun　after　the　example
of　kings；　to　change　our　napkin　at　every　service；　as　they　do　our　plate。
We　are　told　of　that　laborious　soldier　Marius　that；　growing　old；　he　became
nice　in　his　drink；　and　never　drank　but　out　of　a　particular　cup　of　his　own
I；　in　like　manner；　have　suffered　myself　to　fancy　a　certain　form　of
glasses；　and　not　willingly　to　drink　in　common　glasses；　no　more　than　from
a　strange　common　hand：　all　metal　offends　me　in　comparison　of　a　clear　and
transparent　matter：　let　my　eyes　taste；　too；　according　to　their　capacity。
I　owe　several　other　such　niceties　to　custom。　　Nature　has　also；　on　the
other　side；　helped　me　to　some　of　hers：　as　not　to　be　able　to　endure　more
than　two　full　meals　in　one　day；　without　overcharging　my　stomach；　nor　a
total　abstinence　from　one　of　those　meals　without　filling　myself　with
wind；　drying　up　my　mouth；　and　dulling　my　appetite；　the　finding　great
inconvenience　from　overmuch　evening　air；　for　of　late　years；　in　night
marches；　which　often　happen　to　be　all　night　long；　after　five　or　six　hours
my　stomach　begins　to　be　queasy；　with　a　violent　pain　in　my　head；　so　that　I
always　vomit　before　the　day　can　break。　　When　the　others　go　to　breakfast；
I　go　to　sleep；　and　when　I　rise；　I　am　as　brisk　and　gay　as　before。　　I　had
always　been　told　that　the　night　dew　never　rises　but　in　the　beginning　of
the　night；　but　for　some　years　past；　long　and　familiar　intercourse　with
a　lord；　possessed　with　the　opinion　that　the　night　dew　is　more　sharp　and
dangerous　about　the　declining　of　the　sun；　an　hour　or　two　before　it　sets；
which　he　carefully　avoids；　and　despises　that　of　the　night；　he　almost
impressed　upon　me；　not　so　much　his　reasoning　as　his　experiences。　　What；
shall　mere　doubt　and　inquiry　strike　our　imagination；　so　as　to　change　us？
Such　as　absolutely　and　on　a　sudden　give　way　to　these　propensions；　draw
total　destruction　upon　themselves。　I　am　sorry　for　several　gentlemen　who；
through　the　folly　of　their　physicians；　have　in　their　youth　and　health
wholly　shut　themselves　up：　it　were　better　to　endure　a　cough；　than；　by
disuse；　for　ever　to　lose　the　commerce　of　common　life　in　things　of　so
great　utility。　　Malignant　science；　to　interdict　us　the　most　pleasant
hours　of　the　day！　　Let　us　keep　our　possession　to　the　last；　for　the　most
part；　a　man　hardens　himself　by　being　obstinate；　and　corrects　his
constitution；　as　Caesar　did　the　falling　sickness；　by　dint　of　contempt。
A　man　should　addict　himself　to　the　best　rules；　but　not　enslave　himself　to
them；　except　to　such；　if　there　be　any　such；　where　obligation　and
servitude　are　of　profit。

Both　kings　and　philosophers　go　to　stool；　and　ladies　too；　public　lives　are
bound　to　ceremony；　mine；　that　is　obscure　and　private；　enjoys　all　natural
dispensation；　soldier　and　Gascon　are　also　qualities　a　little　subject　to
indiscretion；　wherefore　I　shall　say　of　this　act　of　relieving　nature；　that
it　is　desirable　to　refer　it　to　certain　prescribed　and　nocturnal　hours；
and　compel　one's　self　to　this　by　custom；　as　I　have　done；　but　not　to
subject　one's　self；　as　I　have　done　in　my　declining　years；　to　a　particular
convenience　of　place　and　seat　for　that　purpose；　and　make　it　troublesome
by　long　sitting；　and　yet；　in　the　fouler　offices；　is　it　not　in　some
measure　excusable　to　require　more　care　and　cleanliness？

　　　　　　　　　　〃Naturt　homo　mundum　et　elegans　animal　est。〃

　　　　　＇Man　is　by　nature　a　clean　and　delicate　creature。〃Seneca；Ep。；　92。＇

Of　all　the　actions　of　nature；　I　am　the　most　impatient　of　being
interrupted　in　that。　　I　have　seen　many　soldiers　troubled　with　the
unruliness　of　their　bellies；　whereas　mine　and　I　never　fail　of　our
punctual　assignation；　which　is　at　leaping　out　of　bed；　if　some
indispensable　business　or　sickness　does　not　molest　us。

I　think　then；　as　I　said　before；　that　sick　men　cannot　better　place
themselves　anywhere　in　more　safety；　than　in　sitting　still　in　that　course
of　life　wherein　they　have　been　bred　and　trained　up；　change；　be　it　what　it
will；　distempers　and　puts　one　out。　　Do　you　believe　that　chestnuts　can
hurt　a　Perigordin　or　a　Lucchese；　or　milk　and　cheese　the　mountain　people？
We　enjoin　them　not　only　a　new；　but　a　contrary；　method　of　life；　a　change
that　the　healthful　cannot　endure。　　Prescribe　water　to　a　Breton　of
threescore　and　ten；　shut　a　seaman　up　in　a　stove；　forbid　a　Basque　footman
to　walk：　you　will　deprive　them　of　motion；　and　in　the　end　of　air　and
light：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃An　vivere　tanti　est？
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Cogimur　a　suetis　animum　suspendere　rebus；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Atque；　ut　vivamus；　vivere　desinimus。　　。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Hos　superesse　reor；　quibus　et　spirabilis　aer
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Et　lux；　qua　regimur；　redditur　ipsa　gravis。〃

　　　　　＇〃Is　life　worth　so　much？　　We　are　compelled　to　withhold　the　mind
　　　　　from　things　to　which　we　are　accustomed；　and；　that　we　may　live；　we
　　　　　cease　to　live　。　　。　　。　　。　　Do　I　conceive　that　they　still　live；　to
　　　　　whom　the　respirable　air；　and　the　light　itself；　by　which　we　are
　　　　　governed；　is　rendered　oppressive？〃
　　　　　Pseudo…Gallus；　Eclog。；　i。　155；　247。＇

If　they　do　no　other　good；　they　do　this　at　least；　that　they　prepare
patients　betimes　for　death；　by　little　and　little　undermining　and　cutting
off　the　use　of　life。

Both　well　and　sick；　I　have　ever　willingly　suffered　myself　to　obey　the
appetites　that　pressed　upon　me。　　I　give　great　rein　to　my　desires　and
propensities；　I　do　not　love　to　cure　one　disease　by　another；　I　hate
remedies　that　are　more　troublesome　than　the　disease　itself。　　To　be
subject　to　the　colic　and　subject　to　abstain　from　eating　oysters　are　two
evils　instead　of　one；　the　disease　torments　us　on　the　one　side；　and　the
remedy　on　the　other。　　Since　we　are　ever　in　danger　of　mistaking；　let　us
rather　run　the　hazard　of　a　mistake；　after　we　have　had　the　pleasure。　　The
world　proceeds　quite　the　other　way；　and　thinks　nothing　profitable　that　is
not　painful；　it　has　great　suspicion　of　facility。　　My　appetite；　in　various
things；　has　of　its　own　accord　happily　enough　accommodated　itself　to　the
health　of　my　stomach。　　Relish　and　pungency　in　sauces　were　pleasant　to　me
when　young；　my　stomach　disliking　them　since；　my　taste　incontinently
followed。　　Wine　is　hurtful　to　sick　people；　and　'tis　the　first　thing　that
my　mouth　then　finds　distasteful；　and　with　an　invincible　dislike。
Whatever　I　take　against　my　liking　does　me　harm；　and　nothing　hurts　me　that
I　eat　with　appetite　and　delight。　　I　never　received　harm　by　any　action
that　was　very　pleasant　to　me；　and　accordingly　have　made　all　medicinal
conclusions　largely　give　way　to　my　pleasure；　and　I　have；　when　I　was
young；

　　　　　　　　　〃Quem　circumcursans　huc　atque　huc　saepe　Cupido
　　　　　　　　　　Fulgebat　crocink　splendidus　in　tunic。〃

　　　　　＇When　Cupid；　fluttering　round　me　here　and　there；　shone　in　his　rich
　　　　　purple　mantle。〃Catullus；　lxvi。　133。＇

given　myself　the　rein　as　licentiously　and　inconsiderately　to　the　desire
that　was　predominant　in　me；　as　any　other　whomsoever：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Et　militavi　non　sine　gloria；〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃And　I　have　played　the　soldier　not　ingloriously。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Horace；　Od。；　iii。　　26；　2。＇

yet　more　in　continuation　and　holding　out；　than　in　sally：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Sex　me　vix　memini　sustinuisse　vices。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃I　can　scarcely　remember　six　bouts　in　one　night〃
　　　　　　　　　　Ovid；　Amor。；　iii。　7；　26。＇

'Tis　certainly　a　misfortune　and　a　miracle　at　once　to　confess　at　what　a
tender　age　I　first　came　under　the　subjection　of　love：　it　was；　indeed；　by
chance；　for　it　was　long　before　the　years　of　choice　or　knowledge；　I　do　not
remember　myself　so　far　back；　and　my　fortune　may　well　be　coupled　with　that
of　Quartilla；　who　could　not　remember　when　she　was　a　maid：

　　　　　　　　　〃Inde　tragus；　celeresque　pili；　mirandaque　matri
　　　　　　　　　　Barba　meae。〃

　　　　　＇〃Thence　the　odour　of　the　arm…pits；　the　precocious　hair；　and　the
　　　　　beard　which　astonished　my　mother。〃Martial；　xi。　22；　7。＇

Physicians　modify　their　rules　according　to　the　violent　longings　that
happen　to　sick　persons；　ordinarily　with　good　success；　this　great　desire
cannot　be　imagined　so　strange　and　vicious；　but　that　nature　must　have　a
hand　in　it。　　And　then　how　easy　a　thing　is　it　to　satisfy　the　fancy？　　In　my
opinion；　this　part　wholly　carries　it；　at　least；　above　all　the　rest。　　The
most　grievous　and　ordinary　evils　are　those　that　fancy　loads　us　with；　this
Spanish　saying　pleases　me　in　several　aspects：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Defenda　me　Dios　de　me。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　＇〃God　defend　me　from　myself。〃＇

I　am　sorry　when　I　am　sick；　that　I　have　not　some　longing　that　might　give
me　the　pleasure　of　satisfying　it；　all　the　rules　of　physic　would　hardly　be
able　to　di