the essays of montaigne, v19-第7部分

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me　the　pleasure　of　satisfying　it；　all　the　rules　of　physic　would　hardly　be
able　to　divert　me　from　it。　　I　do　the　same　when　I　am　well；　I　can　see　very
little　more　to　be　hoped　or　wished　for。　　'Twere　pity　a　man　should　be　so
weak　and　languishing；　as　not　to　have　even　wishing　left　to　him。

The　art　of　physic　is　not　so　fixed；　that　we　need　be　without　authority　for
whatever　we　do；　it　changes　according　to　climates　and　moons；　according　to
Fernel　and　to　Scaliger。＇Physicians　to　Henry　II。＇　　If　your　physician
does　not　think　it　good　for　you　to　sleep；　to　drink　wine；　or　to　eat　such
and　such　meats；　never　trouble　yourself；　I　will　find　you　another　that
shall　not　be　of　his　opinion；　the　diversity　of　medical　arguments　and
opinions　embraces　all　sorts　and　forms。　　I　saw　a　miserable　sick　person
panting　and　burning　for　thirst；　that　he　might　be　cured；　who　was
afterwards　laughed　at　for　his　pains　by　another　physician；　who　condemned
that　advice　as　prejudicial　to　him：　had　he　not　tormented　himself　to　good
purpose？　　There　lately　died　of　the　stone　a　man　of　that　profession；　who
had　made　use　of　extreme　abstinence　to　contend　with　his　disease：　his
fellow…physicians　say　that；　on　the　contrary；　this　abstinence　had　dried
him　up　and　baked　the　gravel　in　his　kidneys。

I　have　observed；　that　both　in　wounds　and　sicknesses；　speaking　discomposes
and　hurts　me；　as　much　as　any　irregularity　I　can　commit。　　My　voice　pains
and　tires　me；　for　'tis　loud　and　forced；　so　that　when　I　have　gone　to　a
whisper　some　great　persons　about　affairs　of　consequence；　they　have　often
desired　me　to　moderate　my　voice。

This　story　is　worth　a　diversion。　　Some　one　in　a　certain　Greek　school
speaking　loud　as　I　do；　the　master　of　the　ceremonies　sent　to　him　to　speak
softly：　〃　Tell　him；　then；　he　must　send　me；〃　replied　the　other；　〃the　tone
he　would　have　me　speak　in。〃　　To　which　the　other　replied；　〃That　he　should
take　the　tone　from　the　ears　of　him　to　whom　he　spake。〃　　It　was　well　said；
if　it　is　to　be　understood：　〃Speak　according　to　the　affair　you　are
speaking　about　to　your　auditor；〃　for　if　it　mean；　〃'tis　sufficient　that　he
hear　you；　or　govern　yourself　by　him；〃　I　do　not　find　it　to　be　reason。　　The
tone　and　motion　of　my　voice　carries　with　it　a　great　deal　of　the
expression　and　signification　of　my　meaning；　and　'tis　I　who　am　to　govern
it；　to　make　myself　understood：　there　is　a　voice　to　instruct；　a　voice　to
flatter；　and　a　voice　to　reprehend。　　I　will　not　only　that　my　voice　reach
him；　but；　peradventure；　that　it　strike　and　pierce　him。　　When　I　rate　my
valet　with　sharp　and　bitter　language；　it　would　be　very　pretty　for　him　to
say；　〃Pray；　master；　speak　lower；　I　hear　you　very　well〃：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Est　quaedam　vox　ad　auditum　accommodata；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　non　magnitudine；　sed　proprietate。〃

　　　　　＇〃There　is　a　certain　voice　accommodated　to　the　hearing；　not　by　its
　　　　　loudness；　but　by　its　propriety。〃Quintilian；　xi。　3。＇

Speaking　is　half　his　who　speaks；　and　half　his　who　hears；　the　latter　ought
to　prepare　himself　to　receive　it；　according　to　its　bias；　as　with　tennis…
players；　he　who　receives　the　ball；　shifts　and　prepares；　according　as　he
sees　him　move　who　strikes　the　stroke；　and　according　to　the　stroke　itself。

Experience　has；　moreover；　taught　me　this；　that　we　ruin　ourselves　by
impatience。　　Evils　have　their　life　and　limits；　their　diseases　and　their
recovery。

The　constitution　of　maladies　is　formed　by　the　pattern　of　the　constitution
of　animals；　they　have　their　fortune　and　their　days　limited　from　their
birth；　he　who　attempts　imperiously　to　cut　them　short　by　force　in　the
middle　of　their　course；　lengthens　and　multiplies　them；　and　incenses
instead　of　appeasing　them。　　I　am　of　Crantor's　opinion；　that　we　are
neither　obstinately　and　deafly　to　oppose　evils；　nor　succumb　to　them　from
want　of　courage；　but　that　we　are　naturally　to　give　way　to　them；　according
to　their　condition　and　our　own。　　We　ought　to　grant　free　passage　to
diseases；　I　find　they　stay　less　with　me；　who　let　them　alone；　and　I　have
lost　some；　reputed　the　most　tenacious　and　obstinate；　by　their　own　decay；
without　help　and　without　art；　and　contrary　to　its　rules。　　Let　us　a　little
permit　Nature　to　take　her　own　way；　she　better　understands　her　own　affairs
than　we。　　But　such　an　one　died　of　it；　and　so　shall　you：　if　not　of　that
disease；　of　another。　　And　how　many　have　not　escaped　dying；　who　have　had
three　physicians　at　their　tails？　　Example　is　a　vague　and　universal
mirror；　and　of　various　reflections。　　If　it　be　a　delicious　medicine；　take
it：　'tis　always　so　much　present　good。　　I　will　never　stick　at　the　name　nor
the　colour；　if　it　be　pleasant　and　grateful　to　the　palate：　pleasure　is　one
of　the　chiefest　kinds　of　profit。　　I　have　suffered　colds；　gouty
defluxions；　relaxations；　palpitations　of　the　heart；　megrims；　and　other
accidents；　to　grow　old　and　die　in　time　a　natural　death。　　I　have　so　lost
them　when　I　was　half　fit　to　keep　them：　they　are　sooner　prevailed　upon　by
courtesy　than　huffing。　　We　must　patiently　suffer　the　laws　of　our
condition；　we　are　born　to　grow　old；　to　grow　weak；　and　to　be　sick；　in
despite　of　all　medicine。　　'Tis　the　first　lesson　the　Mexicans　teach　their
children；　so　soon　as　ever　they　are　born　they　thus　salute　them：　〃Thou　art
come　into　the　world；　child；　to　endure：　endure；　suffer；　and　say　nothing。〃
'Tis　injustice　to　lament　that　which　has　befallen　any　one　which　may　befall
every　one：

　　　　　〃Indignare；　si　quid　in　to　inique　proprio　constitutum　est。〃

　　　　　＇〃Then　be　angry；　when　there　is　anything　unjustly　decreed　against
　　　　　thee　alone。〃Seneca；　Ep。；　91。＇

See　an　old　man　who　begs　of　God　that　he　will　maintain　his　health　vigorous
and　entire；　that　is　to　say；　that　he　restore　him　to　youth：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Stulte；　quid　haec　frustra　votis　puerilibus　optas？〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Fool！　　why　do　you　vainly　form　these　puerile　wishes？〃
　　　　　　　　　　Ovid。；Trist。；　111。　8；　II。＇

is　it　not　folly？　　his　condition　is　not　capable　of　it。　　The　gout；　the
stone；　and　indigestion　are　symptoms　of　long　years；　as　heat；　rains；　and
winds　are　of　long　journeys。　　Plato　does　not　believe　that　AEsculapius
troubled　himself　to　provide　by　regimen　to　prolong　life　in　a　weak　and
wasted　body；　useless　to　his　country　and　to　his　profession；　or　to　beget
healthful　and　robust　children；　and　does　not　think　this　care　suitable　to
the　Divine　justice　and　prudence；　which　is　to　direct　all　things　to
utility。　　My　good　friend；　your　business　is　done；　nobody　can　restore　you；
they　can；　at　the　most；　but　patch　you　up；　and　prop　you　a　little；　and　by
that　means　prolong　your　misery　an　hour　or　two：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Non　secus　instantem　cupiens　fulcire　ruinam；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Diversis　contra　nititur　obiicibus；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Donec　certa　dies；　omni　compage　soluta；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ipsum　cum　rebus　subruat　auxilium。〃

　　　　　＇〃Like　one　who；　desiring　to　stay　an　impending　ruin；　places　various
　　　　　props　against　it；　till；　in　a　short　time；　the　house；　the　props；　and
　　　　　all；　giving　way；　fall　together。〃Pseudo…Gallus；　i。　171。＇

We　must　learn　to　suffer　what　we　cannot　evade；　our　life；　like　the　harmony
of　the　world；　is　composed　of　contrary　thingsof　diverse　tones；　sweet　and
harsh；　sharp　and　flat；　sprightly　and　solemn：　the　musician　who　should　only
affect　some　of　these；　what　would　he　be　able　to　do？　　he　must　know　how　to
make　use　of　them　all；　and　to　mix　them；　and　so　we　should　mingle　the　goods
and　evils　which　are　consubstantial　with　our　life；　our　being　cannot
subsist　without　this　mixture；　and　the　one　part　is　no　less　necessary　to　it
than　the　other。　　To　attempt　to　combat　natural　necessity；　is　to　represent
the　folly　of　Ctesiphon；　who　undertook　to　kick　with　his　mule。＇Plutarch；
How　to　restrain　Anger；　c。　8。＇

I　consult　little　about　the　alterations　I　feel：　for　these　doctors　take
advantage；　when　they　have　you　at　their　mercy；　they　surfeit　your　ears　with
their　prognostics；　and　formerly　surprising　me；　weakened　with　sickness；
injuriously　handled　me　with　their　dogmas　and　magisterial　fopperiesone
while　menacing　me　with　great　pains；　and　another　with　approaching　death。
Hereby　I　was　indeed　moved　and　shaken；　but　not　subdued　nor　jostled　from　my
place；　and　though　my　judgment　was　neither　altered　nor　distracted；　yet　it
was　at　least　disturbed：　'tis　always　agitation　and　combat。

Now；　I　use　my　imagination　as　gently　as　I　can；　and　would　discharge　it；　if
I　could；　of　all　trouble　and　contest；　a　man　must　assist；　flatter；　and
deceive　it；　if　he　can；　my　mind　is　fit　for　that　office；　it　needs　no
appearances　throughout：　could　it　persuade　as　it　preaches；　it　would
successfully　relieve　me。　　Will　you　have　an　example？。　　It　tells　me：　〃that
'tis　for　my　good　to　have　the　stone：　that　the　structure　of　my　age　must
naturally　suffer　some　decay；　and　it　is　now　time　it　should　begin　to
disjoin　and　to　confess　a　breach；　'tis　a　common　necessity；　and　there　is
nothing　in　it　either　miraculous　or　new；　I　therein　pay　what　is　due　to　old
age；　and　I　cannot　expect　a　better　bargain；　that　society　ought　to　comfort
me；　being　fallen　into　the　most　common　infirmity　of　my　age；　I　see
everywhere　men　tormented　with　the　same　disease；　and　am　honoured　by　the
fellowship；　forasmuch　as　men　of　the　best　quality　are　most　frequently
afflicted　with　it：　'tis　a　noble　and　dignified　disease：　that　of　such　as
are　struck　with　it；　few　have　it　to　a　less　degree　of　pain；　that　these　are
put　to　the　trouble　of　a　strict　diet　and　the　daily　taking　of　nauseous
potions；　whereas　I　owe　my　better　state　purely　to　my　good　fortune；　for
some　ordinary　broths　of　eringo　or　burst…wort　that　I　have　twice　or　thrice
taken　to　oblige　the　ladies；　who；　with　greater　kindness　than　my　pain　was
sharp；　would　needs　present　me　half　of　theirs；　seemed　to　me　equally　easy
to　take　and　fruitless　in　operation；　the　others　have　to　pay　a　thousand
vows　to　AEsculapius；　and　as　many　crowns　to　their　physicians；　for　the
voiding　a　little　gravel；　which　I　often　do　by　the　aid　of　nature：　even　the
decorum　of　my　countenance　is　not　disturbed　in　company；　and　I　can　hold　my
water　ten　hours；　and　as　long　as　any　man　in　health。　　The　fear　of　this
disease；〃　says　my　mind；　〃formerly　affrighted　thee；　when　it　was　unknown　to
thee；　the　cries　and　despairing　groans　of　those　who　make　it　worse　by　their
impatience；　begot　a　horror　in　thee。　　'Tis　an　infirmity　that　punishes　the
members　by　which　thou　hast　most　offended。　　Thou　art　a　conscientious
fellow；