the essays of montaigne, v19-第5部分

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　　　　　Horace；　xvii。　I。＇

The　arts　that　promise　to　keep　our　bodies　and　souls　in　health　promise　a
great　deal；　but；　withal；　there　are　none　that　less　keep　their　promise。
And；　in　our　time；　those　who　make　profession　of　these　arts　amongst　us；
less　manifest　the　effects　than　any　other　sort　of　men；　one　may　say　of
them；　at　the　most；　that　they　sell　medicinal　drugs；　but　that　they　are
physicians；　a　man　cannot　say。

　　　　　＇The　edition　of　1588　adds：　〃Judging　by　themselves；　and　those
　　　　　who　are　ruled　by　them。〃＇

I　have　lived　long　enough　to　be　able　to　give　an　account　of　the　custom　that
has　carried　me　so　far；　for　him　who　has　a　mind　to　try　it；　as　his　taster；
I　have　made　the　experiment。　　Here　are　some　of　the　articles；　as　my　memory
shall　supply　me　with　them；　I　have　no　custom　that　has　not　varied　according
to　circumstances；　but　I　only　record　those　that　I　have　been　best
acquainted　with；　and　that　hitherto　have　had　the　greatest　possession　of
me。

My　form　of　life　is　the　same　in　sickness　as　in　health；　the　same　bed；　the
same　hours；　the　same　meat；　and　even　the　same　drink；　serve　me　in　both
conditions　alike；　I　add　nothing　to　them　but　the　moderation　of　more　or
less；　according　to　my　strength　and　appetite。　　My　health　is　to　maintain　my
wonted　state　without　disturbance。　　I　see　that　sickness　puts　me　off　it　on
one　side；　and　if　I　will　be　ruled　by　the　physicians；　they　will　put　me　off
on　the　other；　so　that　by　fortune　and　by　art　I　am　out　of　my　way。
I　believe　nothing　more　certainly　than　this；　that　I　cannot　be　hurt　by　the
use　of　things　to　which　I　have　been　so　long　accustomed。　　'Tis　for　custom
to　give　a　form　to　a　man's　life；　such　as　it　pleases　him；　she　is　all　in　all
in　that：　'tis　the　potion　of　Circe；　that　varies　our　nature　as　she　best
pleases。　　How　many　nations；　and　but　three　steps　from　us；　think　the　fear
of　the　night…dew；　that　so　manifestly　is　hurtful　to　us；　a　ridiculous
fancy；　and　our　own　watermen　and　peasants　laugh　at　it。　　You　make　a　German
sick　if　you　lay　him　upon　a　mattress；　as　you　do　an　Italian　if　you　lay　him
on　a　feather…bed；　and　a　Frenchman；　if　without　curtains　or　fire。　A　Spanish
stomach　cannot　hold　out　to　eat　as　we　can；　nor　ours　to　drink　like　the
Swiss。　　A　German　made　me　very　merry　at　Augsburg；　by　finding　fault　with
our　hearths；　by　the　same　arguments　which　we　commonly　make　use　of　in
decrying　their　stoves：　for；　to　say　the　truth；　the　smothered　heat；　and
then　the　smell　of　that　heated　matter　of　which　the　fire　is　composed；　very
much　offend　such　as　are　not　used　to　them；　not　me；　and；　indeed；　the　heat
being　always　equal；　constant；　and　universal；　without　flame；　without
smoke；　and　without　the　wind　that　comes　down　our　chimneys；　they　may　many
ways　sustain　comparison　with　ours。　　Why　do　we　not　imitate　the　Roman
architecture？　for　they　say　that　anciently　fires　were　not　made　in　the
houses；　but　on　the　outside；　and　at　the　foot　of　them；　whence　the　heat　was
conveyed　to　the　whole　fabric　by　pipes　contrived　in　the　wall；　which　were
drawn　twining　about　the　rooms　that　were　to　be　warmed：　which　I　have　seen
plainly　described　somewhere　in　Seneca。　　This　German　hearing　me　commend
the　conveniences　and　beauties　of　his　city；　which　truly　deserves　it；　began
to　compassionate　me　that　I　had　to　leave　it；　and　the　first　inconvenience
he　alleged　to　me　was；　the　heaviness　of　head　that　the　chimneys　elsewhere
would　bring　upon　me。　　He　had　heard　some　one　make　this　complaint；　and
fixed　it　upon　us；　being　by　custom　deprived　of　the　means　of　perceiving　it
at　home。　　All　heat　that　comes　from　the　fire　weakens　and　dulls　me。　　Evenus
said　that　fire　was　the　best　condiment　of　life：　I　rather　choose　any　other
way　of　making　myself　warm。

We　are　afraid　to　drink　our　wines；　when　toward　the　bottom　of　the　cask；　in
Portugal　those　fumes　are　reputed　delicious；　and　it　is　the　beverage　of
princes。　　In　short；　every　nation　has　many　customs　and　usages　that　are　not
only　unknown　to　other　nations；　but　savage　and　miraculous　in　their　sight。
What　should　we　do　with　those　people　who　admit　of　no　evidence　that　is　not
in　print；　who　believe　not　men　if　they　are　not　in　a　book；　nor　truth　if　it
be　not　of　competent　age？　we　dignify　our　fopperies　when　we　commit　them　to
the　press：　'tis　of　a　great　deal　more　weight　to　say；　〃I　have　read　such　a
thing；〃　than　if　you　only　say；　〃I　have　heard　such　a　thing。〃　　But　I；　who　no
more　disbelieve　a　man's　mouth　than　his　pen；　and　who　know　that　men　write
as　indiscreetly　as　they　speak；　and　who　look　upon　this　age　as　one　that　is
past；　as　soon　quote　a　friend　as　Aulus　Gelliusor　Macrobius；　and　what　I
have　seen；　as　what　they　have　written。　　And；　as　'tis　held　of　virtue；　that
it　is　not　greater　for　having　continued　longer；　so　do　I　hold　of　truth；
that　for　being　older　it　is　none　the　wiser。　　I　often　say；　that　it　is　mere
folly　that　makes　us　run　after　foreign　and　scholastic　examples；　their
fertility　is　the　same　now　that　it　was　in　the　time　of　Homer　and　Plato。
But　is　it　not　that　we　seek　more　honour　from　the　quotation；　than　from　the
truth　of　the　matter　in　hand？　　As　if　it　were　more　to　the　purpose　to　borrow
our　proofs　from　the　shops　of　Vascosan　or　Plantin；　than　from　what　is　to　be
seen　in　our　own　village；　or　else；　indeed；　that　we　have　not　the　wit　to
cull　out　and　make　useful　what　we　see　before　us；　and　to　judge　of　it
clearly　enough　to　draw　it　into　example：　for　if　we　say　that　we　want
authority　to　give　faith　to　our　testimony；　we　speak　from　the　purpose；
forasmuch　as；　in　my　opinion；　of　the　most　ordinary；　common；　and　known
things；　could　we　but　find　out　their　light；　the　greatest　miracles　of
nature　might　be　formed；　and　the　most　wonderful　examples；　especially　upon
the　subject　of　human　actions。

Now；　upon　this　subject；　setting　aside　the　examples　I　have　gathered　from
books；　and　what　Aristotle　says　of　Andron　the　Argian；　that　he　travelled
over　the　arid　sands　of　Lybia　without　drinking：　a　gentleman；　who　has　very
well　behaved　himself　in　several　employments；　said；　in　a　place　where　I
was；　that　he　had　ridden　from　Madrid　to　Lisbon；　in　the　heat　of　summer；
without　any　drink　at　all。　　He　is　very　healthful　and　vigorous　for　his　age；
and　has　nothing　extraordinary　in　the　use　of　his　life；　but　this；　to　live
sometimes　two　or　three　months；　nay；　a　whole　year；　as　he　has　told　me；
without　drinking。　　He　is　sometimes　thirsty；　but　he　lets　it　pass　over；
and　he　holds　that　it　is　an　appetite　which　easily　goes　off　of　itself；
and　he　drinks　more　out　of　caprice　than　either　for　need　or　pleasure。

Here　is　another　example：　'tis　not　long　ago　that　I　found　one　of　the
learnedest　men　in　France；　among　those　of　not　inconsiderable　fortune；
studying　in　a　corner　of　a　hall　that　they　had　separated　for　him　with
tapestry；　and　about　him　a　rabble　of　his　servants　full　of　licence。　　He
told　me；　and　Seneca　almost　says　the　same　of　himself；　　he　made　an
advantage　of　this　hubbub；　that；　beaten　with　this　noise；　he　so　much
the　more　collected　and　retired　himself　into　himself　for　contemplation；
and　that　this　tempest　of　voices　drove　back　his　thoughts　within　himself。
Being　a　student　at　Padua；　he　had　his　study　so　long　situated　amid　the
rattle　of　coaches　and　the　tumult　of　the　square；　that　he　not　only　formed
himself　to　the　contempt；　but　even　to　the　use　of　noise；　for　the　service　of
his　studies。　　Socrates　answered　Alcibiades；　who　was　astonished　how　he
could　endure　the　perpetual　scolding　of　his　wife；　〃Why；〃　said　he；　〃as
those　do　who　are　accustomed　to　the　ordinary　noise　of　wheels　drawing
water。〃　　I　am　quite　otherwise；　I　have　a　tender　head　and　easily
discomposed；　when　'tis　bent　upon　anything；　the　least　buzzing　of　a　fly
murders　it。

Seneca　in　his　youth　having　warmly　espoused　the　example　of　Sextius；　of
eating　nothing　that　had　died；　for　a　whole　year　dispensed　with　such　food；
and；　as　he　said；　with　pleasure；　and　discontinued　it　that　he　might　not　be
suspected　of　taking　up　this　rule　from　some　new　religion　by　which　it　was
prescribed：　he　adopted；　in　like　manner；　from　the　precepts　of　Attalus　a
custom　not　to　lie　upon　any　sort　of　bedding　that　gave　way　under　his
weight；　and；　even　to　his　old　age；　made　use　of　such　as　would　not　yield　to
any　pressure。　　What　the　usage　of　his　time　made　him　account　roughness；
that　of　ours　makes　us　look　upon　as　effeminacy。

Do　but　observe　the　difference　betwixt　the　way　of　living　of　my　labourers
and　my　own；　the　Scythians　and　Indians　have　nothing　more　remote　both　from
my　capacity　and　my　form。　　I　have　picked　up　charity　　boys　to　serve　me：　who
soon　after　have　quitted　both　my　kitchen　and　livery；　only　that　they　might
return　to　their　former　course　of　life；　and　I　found　one　afterwards；
picking　mussels　out　of　the　sewer　for　his　dinner；　whom　I　could　neither　by
entreaties　nor　threats　reclaim　from　the　sweetness　he　found　in　indigence。
Beggars　have　their　magnificences　and　delights；　as　well　as　the　rich；　and；
'tis　said；　their　dignities　and　polities。　　These　are　the　effects　of
custom；　she　can　mould　us；　not　only　into　what　form　she　pleases　（the　sages
say　we　ought　to　apply　ourselves　to　the　best；　which　she　will　soon　make
easy　to　us）；　but　also　to　change　and　variation；　which　is　the　most　noble
and　most　useful　instruction　of　all　she　teaches　us。　　The　best　of　my　bodily
conditions　is　that　I　am　flexible　and　not　very　obstinate：　I　have
inclinations　more　my　own　and　ordinary；　and　more　agreeable　than　others；
but　I　am　diverted　from　them　with　very　little　ado；　and　easily　slip　into　a
contrary　course。　　A　young　man　ought　to　cross　his　own　rules；　to　awaken　his
vigour　and　to　keep　it　from　growing　faint　and　rusty；　and　there　is　no
course　of　life　so　weak　and　sottish　as　that　which　is　carried　on　by　rule
and　discipline；

　　　　　　　　　〃Ad　primum　lapidem　vectari　quum　placet；　hora
　　　　　　　　　　Sumitur　ex　libro；　si　prurit　frictus　ocelli
　　　　　　　　　　Angulus；　inspecta　genesi；　collyria　quaerit；〃

　　　　　＇〃When　he　is　pleased　to　have　himself　carried　to　the　first　milestone；
　　　　　the　hour　is　chosen　from　the　almanac；　if　he　but　rub　the　corner　of　his
　　　　　eye；　his　horoscope　having　been　examined；　he　seeks　the　aid　of
　　　　　salves。〃…Juvenal；　vi。　576。＇

he　shall　often　throw　himself　even　into　excesses；　if　he　will　take　my
advice；　otherwise　the　least　debauch　will　destroy　him；　and　render　him
troublesome　and　disagreeable　in　company。　　The　worst　quality　in　a　well…
bred　man　is　over…fastidiousness；　and　an　obligation　to　a　certain
particular　way；　and　it　is　particular；　if　not　pliab