the essays of montaigne, v19-第11部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


that　we　formerly　had　longer　lives　as　well　as　greater　stature。　　But　they
deceive　themselves；　and　Solon；　who　was　of　those　elder　times；　limits　the
duration　of　life　to　threescore　and　ten　years。　I；　who　have　so　much　and　so
universally　adored　that　〃The　mean　is　best；〃　of　the　passed　time；　and　who
have　concluded　the　most　moderate　measures　to　be　the　most　perfect；　shall
I　pretend　to　an　immeasurable　and　prodigious　old　age？　　Whatever　happens
contrary　to　the　course　of　nature　may　be　troublesome；　but　what　comes
according　to　her　should　always　be　pleasant：

　　　　　〃Omnia；　quae　secundum　naturam　fiunt；　sunt　habenda　in　bonis。〃

　　　　　＇〃All　things　that　are　done　according　to　nature
　　　　　are　to　be　accounted　good。〃Cicero；　De　Senect。；　c。　19。＇

And　so；　says　Plato；　the　death　which　is　occasioned　by　wounds　and　diseases
is　violent；　but　that　which　comes　upon　us；　old　age　conducting　us　to　it；　is
of　all　others　the　most　easy；　and　in　some　sort　delicious：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Vitam　adolescentibus　vis　aufert；　senibus　maturitas。〃

　　　　　＇〃Young　men　are　taken　away　by　violence；　old　men　by　maturity。〃
　　　　　Cicero；　ubi　sup。＇

Death　mixes　and　confounds　itself　throughout　with　life；　decay　anticipates
its　hour；　and　shoulders　itself　even　into　the　course　of　our　advance。
I　have　portraits　of　myself　taken　at　five…and…twenty　and　five…and…thirty
years　of　age。　　I　compare　them　with　that　lately　drawn：　how　many　times　is
it　no　longer　me；　how　much　more　is　my　present　image　unlike　the　former；
than　unlike　my　dying　one？　　It　is　too　much　to　abuse　nature；　to　make　her
trot　so　far　that　she　must　be　forced　to　leave　us；　and　abandon　our　conduct；
our　eyes；　teeth；　legs；　and　all　the　rest　to　the　mercy　of　a　foreign　and
haggard　countenance；　and　to　resign　us　into　the　hands　of　art；　being　weary
of　following　us　herself。

I　am　not　excessively　fond　either　of　salads　or　fruits；　except　melons。　　My
father　hated　all　sorts　of　sauces；　I　love　them　all。　　Eating　too　much　hurts
me；　but；　as　to　the　quality　of　what　I　eat；　I　do　not　yet　certainly　know
that　any　sort　of　meat　disagrees　with　me；　neither　have　I　observed　that
either　full　moon　or　decrease；　autumn　or　spring；　have　any　influence　upon
me。　　We　have　in　us　motions　that　are　inconstant　and　unknown；　for　example；
I　found　radishes　first　grateful　to　my　stomach；　since　that　nauseous；　and
now　again　grateful。　　In　several　other　things；　I　find　my　stomach　and
appetite　vary　after　the　same　manner；　I　have　changed　again　and　again　from
white　wine　to　claret；　from　claret　to　white　wine。

I　am　a　great　lover　of　fish；　and　consequently　make　my　fasts　feasts　and
feasts　fasts；　and　I　believe　what　some　people　say；　that　it　is　more　easy　of
digestion　than　flesh。　　As　I　make　a　conscience　of　eating　flesh　upon　fish…
days；　so　does　my　taste　make　a　conscience　of　mixing　fish　and　flesh；　the
difference　betwixt　them　seems　to　me　too　remote。

From　my　youth；　I　have　sometimes　kept　out　of　the　way　at　meals；　either　to
sharpen　my　appetite　against　the　next　morning　（for；　as　Epicurus　fasted　and
made　lean　meals　to　accustom　his　pleasure　to　make　shift　without　abundance；
I；　on　the　contrary；　do　it　to　prepare　my　pleasure　to　make　better　and　more
cheerful　use　of　abundance）；　or　else　I　fasted　to　preserve　my　vigour　for
the　service　of　some　action　of　body　or　mind：　for　both　the　one　and　the
other　of　these　is　cruelly　dulled　in　me　by　repletion；　and；　above　all
things；　I　hate　that　foolish　coupling　of　so　healthful　and　sprightly　a
goddess　with　that　little　belching　god；　bloated　with　the　fumes　of　his
liquor＇　Montaigne　did　not　approve　of　coupling　Bacchus　with　Venus。＇
or　to　cure　my　sick　stomach；　or　for　want　of　fit　company；　for　I　say；　as　the
same　Epicurus　did；　that　one　is　not　so　much　to　regard　what　he　eats；　as
with　whom；　and　I　commend　Chilo；　that　he　would　not　engage　himself　to　be　at
Periander's　feast　till　he　was　first　informed　who　were　to　be　the　other
guests；　no　dish　is　so　acceptable　to　me；　nor　no　sauce　so　appetising；　as
that　which　is　extracted　from　society。　　I　think　it　more　wholesome　to　eat
more　leisurely　and　less；　and　to　eat　oftener；　but　I　would　have　appetite
and　hunger　attended　to；　I　should　take　no　pleasure　to　be　fed　with　three　or
four　pitiful　and　stinted　repasts　a　day；　after　a　medicinal　manner：　who
will　assure　me　that；　if　I　have　a　good　appetite　in　the　morning；　I　shall
have　the　same　at　supper？　　But　we　old　fellows　especially；　let　us　take　the
first　opportune　time　of　eating；　and　leave　to　almanac…makers　hopes　and
prognostics。　　The　utmost　fruit　of　my　health　is　pleasure；　let　us　take　hold
of　the　present　and　known。　　I　avoid　the　invariable　in　these　laws　of
fasting；　he　who　would　have　one　form　serve　him；　let　him　avoid　the
continuing　it；　we　harden　ourselves　in　it；　our　strength　is　there　stupefied
and　laid　asleep；　six　months　after；　you　shall　find　your　stomach　so　inured
to　it；　that　all　you　have　got　is　the　loss　of　your　liberty　of　doing
otherwise　but　to　your　prejudice。

I　never　keep　my　legs　and　thighs　warmer　in　winter　than　in　summer；　one
simple　pair　of　silk　stockings　is　all。　　I　have　suffered　myself；　for　the
relief　of　my　colds；　to　keep　my　head　warmer；　and　my　belly　upon　the　account
of　my　colic：　my　diseases　in　a　few　days　habituate　themselves　thereto；　and
disdained　my　ordinary　provisions：　we　soon　get　from　a　coif　to　a　kerchief
over　it；　from　a　simple　cap　to　a　quilted　hat；　the　trimmings　of　the　doublet
must　not　merely　serve　for　ornament：　there　must　be　added　a　hare's　skin　or
a　vulture's　skin；　and　a　cap　under　the　hat：　follow　this　gradation；　and　you
will　go　a　very　fine　way　to　work。　　I　will　do　nothing　of　the　sort；　and
would　willingly　leave　off　what　I　have　begun。　　If　you　fall　into　any　new
inconvenience；　all　this　is　labour　lost；　you　are　accustomed　to　it；　seek
out　some　other。　　Thus　do　they　destroy　themselves　who　submit　to　be
pestered　with　these　enforced　and　superstitious　rules；　they　must　add
something　more；　and　something　more　after　that；　there　is　no　end　on't。

For　what　concerns　our　affairs　and　pleasures；　it　is　much　more　commodious；
as　the　ancients　did；　to　lose　one's　dinner；　and　defer　making　good　cheer
till　the　hour　of　retirement　and　repose；　without　breaking　up　a　day；　and　so
was　I　formerly　used　to　do。　　As　to　health；　I　since　by　experience　find；　on
the　contrary；　that　it　is　better　to　dine；　and　that　the　digestion　is　better
while　awake。　　I　am　not　very　used　to　be　thirsty；　either　well　or　sick；　my
mouth　is；　indeed；　apt　to　be　dry；　but　without　thirst；　and　commonly　I　never
drink　but　with　thirst　that　is　created　by　eating；　and　far　on　in　the　meal；
I　drink　pretty　well　for　a　man　of　my　pitch：　in　summer；　and　at　a　relishing
meal；　I　do　not　only　exceed　the　limits　of　Augustus；　who　drank　but　thrice
precisely；　but　not　to　offend　Democritus　rule；　who　forbade　that　men　should
stop　at　four　times　as　an　unlucky　number；　I　proceed　at　need　to　the　fifth
glass；　about　three　half…pints；　for　the　little　glasses　are　my　favourites；
and　I　like　to　drink　them　off；　which　other　people　avoid　as　an　unbecoming
thing。　　I　mix　my　wine　sometimes　with　half；　sometimes　with　the　third　part
water；　and　when　I　am　at　home；　by　an　ancient　custom　that　my　father's
physician　prescribed　both　to　him　and　himself；　they　mix　that　which　is
designed　for　me　in　the　buttery；　two　or　three　hours　before　'tis　brought
in。　　'Tis　said　that　Cranabs；　king　of　Attica；　was　the　inventor　of　this
custom　of　diluting　wine；　whether　useful　or　no；　I　have　heard　disputed。
I　think　it　more　decent　and　wholesome　for　children　to　drink　no　wine　till
after　sixteen　or　eighteen　years　of　age。　　The　most　usual　and　common　method
of　living　is　the　most　becoming；　all　particularity；　in　my　opinion；　is　to
be　avoided；　and　I　should　as　much　hate　a　German　who　mixed　water　with　his
wine；　as　I　should　a　Frenchman　who　drank　it　pure。　　Public　usage　gives　the
law　in　these　things。

I　fear　a　mist；　and　fly　from　smoke　as　from　the　plague：　the　first　repairs　I
fell　upon　in　my　own　house　were　the　chimneys　and　houses　of　office；　the
common　and　insupportable　defects　of　all　old　buildings；　and　amongst　the
difficulties　of　war　I　reckon　the　choking　dust　they　made　us　ride　in　a
whole　day　together。　　I　have　a　free　and　easy　respiration；　and　my　colds　for
the　most　part　go　off　without　offence　to　the　lungs　and　without　a　cough。

The　heat　of　summer　is　more　an　enemy　to　me　than　the　cold　of　winter；　for；
besides　the　incommodity　of　heat；　less　remediable　than　cold；　and　besides
the　force　of　the　sunbeams　that　strike　upon　the　head；　all　glittering　light
offends　my　eyes；　so　that　I　could　not　now　sit　at　dinner　over　against　a
flaming　fire。

To　dull　the　whiteness　of　paper；　in　those　times　when　I　was　more　wont　to
read；　I　laid　a　piece　of　glass　upon　my　book；　and　found　my　eyes　much
relieved　by　it。　　I　am　to　this　hourto　the　age　of　fifty…fourIgnorant　of
the　use　of　spectacles；　and　I　can　see　as　far　as　ever　I　did；　or　any　other。
'Tis　true　that　in　the　evening　I　begin　to　find　a　little　disturbance　and
weakness　in　my　sight　if　I　read；　an　exercise　I　have　always　found
troublesome；　especially　by　night。　　Here　is　one　step　back；　and　a　very
manifest　one；　I　shall　retire　another：　from　the　second　to　the　third；　and
so　to　the　fourth；　so　gently；　that　I　shall　be　stark　blind　before　I　shall
be　sensible　of　the　age　and　decay　of　my　sight：　so　artificially　do　the
Fatal　Sisters　untwist　our　lives。　　And　so　I　doubt　whether　my　hearing
begins　to　grow　thick；　and　you　will　see　I　shall　have　half　lost　it；　when　I
shall　still　lay　the　fault　on　the　voices　of　those　who　speak　to　me。　　A　man
must　screw　up　his　soul　to　a　high　pitch　to　make　it　sensible　how　it　ebbs
away。

My　walking　is　quick　and　firm；　and　I　know　not　which　of　the　two；　my　mind　or
my　body；　I　have　most　to　do　to　keep　in　the　same　state。　　That　preacher　is
very　much　my　friend　who　can　fix　my　attention　a　whole　sermon　through：　in
places　of　ceremony；　where　every　one's　countenance　is　so　starched；　where　I
have　seen　the　ladies　keep　even　their　eyes　so　fixed；　I　could　never　order
it　so；　that　some　part　or　other　of　me　did　not　lash　out；　so　that　though　I
was　seated；　I　was　never　settled；　and　as　to　gesticulation；　I　am　never
without　a　switch　in　my　hand；　walking　or　riding。　　As　the　philosopher
Chrysippus'　maid　said　of　her　master；　that　he　was　only　drunk　in　his　legs；
for　it　was　his　custom　to　be　always　kicking　them　about　in　what　place
soever　he　sat；　and　she　said　it　when；　the　wine　having　made　all　his
companions　drunk；　he　found　no　alteration　in　hims