the essays of montaigne, v19-第9部分

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most　noble　parts；　this　never　meddles　with　the　soul；　if　anything　goes
amiss　with　her；　'tis　her　own　fault；　she　betrays；　dismounts；　and　abandons
herself。　　There　are　none　but　fools　who　suffer　themselves　to　be　persuaded
that　this　hard　and　massive　body　which　is　baked　in　our　kidneys　is　to　be
dissolved　by　drinks；　wherefore；　when　it　is　once　stirred；　there　is　nothing
to　be　done　but　to　give　it　passage；　and；　for　that　matter；　it　will　itself
make　one。

I　moreover　observe　this　particular　convenience　in　it；　that　it　is　a
disease　wherein　we　have　little　to　guess　at：　we　are　dispensed　from　the
trouble　into　which　other　diseases　throw　us　by　the　uncertainty　of　their
causes；　conditions；　and　progress；　a　trouble　that　is　infinitely　painful：
we　have　no　need　of　consultations　and　doctoral　interpretations；　the　senses
well　enough　inform　us　both　what　it　is　and　where　it　is。

By　suchlike　arguments；　weak　and　strong；　as　Cicero　with　the　disease　of　his
old　age；　I　try　to　rock　asleep　and　amuse　my　imagination；　and　to　dress　its
wounds。　　If　I　find　them　worse　tomorrow；　I　will　provide　new　stratagems。
That　this　is　true：　I　am　come　to　that　pass　of　late；　that　the　least　motion
forces　pure　blood　out　of　my　kidneys：　what　of　that？　　I　move　about；
nevertheless；　as　before；　and　ride　after　my　hounds　with　a　juvenile　and
insolent　ardour；　and　hold　that　I　have　very　good　satisfaction　for　an
accident　of　that　importance；　when　it　costs　me　no　more　but　a　dull
heaviness　and　uneasiness　in　that　part；　'tis　some　great　stone　that　wastes
and　consumes　the　substance　of　my　kidneys　and　my　life；　which　I　by　little
and　little　evacuate；　not　without　some　natural　pleasure；　as　an　excrement
henceforward　superfluous　and　troublesome。　　Now　if　I　feel　anything
stirring；　do　not　fancy　that　I　trouble　myself　to　consult　my　pulse　or　my
urine；　thereby　to　put　myself　upon　some　annoying　prevention；　I　shall　soon
enough　feel　the　pain；　without　making　it　more　and　longer　by　the　disease　of
fear。　　He　who　fears　he　shall　suffer；　already　suffers　what　he　fears。　　To
which　may　be　added　that　the　doubts　and　ignorance　of　those　who　take　upon
them　to　expound　the　designs　of　nature　and　her　internal　progressions；　and
the　many　false　prognostics　of　their　art；　ought　to　give　us　to　understand
that　her　ways　are　inscrutable　and　utterly　unknown；　there　is　great
uncertainty；　variety；　and　obscurity　in　what　she　either　promises　or
threatens。　　Old　age　excepted；　which　is　an　indubitable　sign　of　the
approach　of　death；　in　all　other　accidents　I　see　few　signs　of　the　future；
whereon　we　may　ground　our　divination。　　I　only　judge　of　myself　by　actual
sensation；　not　by　reasoning：　to　what　end；　since　I　am　resolved　to　bring
nothing　to　it　but　expectation　and　patience？　　Will　you　know　how　much　I　get
by　this？　observe　those　who　do　otherwise；　and　who　rely　upon　so　many
diverse　persuasions　and　counsels；　how　often　the　imagination　presses　upon
them　without　any　bodily　pain。　　I　have　many　times　amused　myself；　being
well　and　in　safety；　and　quite　free　from　these　dangerous　attacks　in
communicating　them　to　the　physicians　as　then　beginning　to　discover
themselves　in　me；　I　underwent　the　decree　of　their　dreadful　conclusions；
being　all　the　while　quite　at　my　ease；　and　so　much　the　more　obliged　to　the
favour　of　God　and　better　satisfied　of　the　vanity　of　this　art。

There　is　nothing　that　ought　so　much　to　be　recommended　to　youth　as
activity　and　vigilance　our　life　is　nothing　but　movement。　　I　bestir　myself
with　great　difficulty；　and　am　slow　in　everything；　whether　in　rising；
going　to　bed；　or　eating：　seven　of　the　clock　in　the　morning　is　early　for
me；　and　where　I　rule；　I　never　dine　before　eleven；　nor　sup　till　after　six。
I　formerly　attributed　the　cause　of　the　fevers　and　other　diseases　I　fell
into　to　the　heaviness　that　long　sleeping　had　brought　upon　me；　and　have
ever　repented　going　to　sleep　again　in　the　morning。　　Plato　is　more　angry
at　excess　of　sleeping　than　at　excess　of　drinking。　　I　love　to　lie　hard　and
alone；　even　without　my　wife；　as　kings　do；　pretty　well　covered　with
clothes。　　They　never　warm　my　bed；　but　since　I　have　grown　old　they　give　me
at　need　cloths　to　lay　to　my　feet　and　stomach。　　They　found　fault　with　the
great　Scipio　that　he　was　a　great　sleeper；　not；　in　my　opinion；　for　any
other　reason　than　that　men　were　displeased　that　he　alone　should　have
nothing　in　him　to　be　found　fault　with。　　If　I　am　anything　fastidious　in　my
way　of　living　'tis　rather　in　my　lying　than　anything　else；　but　generally
I　give　way　and　accommodate　myself　as　well　as　any　one　to　necessity。
Sleeping　has　taken　up　a　great　part　of　my　life；　and　I　yet　continue；　at　the
age　I　now　am；　to　sleep　eight　or　nine　hours　at　one　breath。　　I　wean　myself
with　utility　from　this　proneness　to　sloth；　and　am　evidently　the　better
for　so　doing。　　I　find　the　change　a　little　hard　indeed；　but　in　three　days
'tis　over；　and　I　see　but　few　who　live　with　less　sleep；　when　need
requires；　and　who　more　constantly　exercise　themselves；　or　to　whom　long
journeys　are　less　troublesome。　　My　body　is　capable　of　a　firm；　but　not　of
a　violent　or　sudden　agitation。　　I　escape　of　late　from　violent　exercises；
and　such　as　make　me　sweat：　my　limbs　grow　weary　before　they　are　warm。
I　can　stand　a　whole　day　together；　and　am　never　weary　of　walking；　but　from
my　youth　I　have　ever　preferred　to　ride　upon　paved　roads；　on　foot；　I　get
up　to　the　haunches　in　dirt；　and　little　fellows　as　I　am　are　subject　in　the
streets　to　be　elbowed　and　jostled　for　want　of　presence；　I　have　ever　loved
to　repose　myself；　whether　sitting　or　lying；　with　my　heels　as　high　or
higher　than　my　seat。

There　is　no　profession　as　pleasant　as　the　military；　a　profession　both
noble　in　its　execution　（for　valour　is　the　stoutest；　proudest；　and　most
generous　of　all　virtues）；　and　noble　in　its　cause：　there　is　no　utility
either　more　universal　or　more　just　than　the　protection　of　the　peace　and
greatness　of　one's　country。　　The　company　of　so　many　noble；　young；　and
active　men　delights　you；　the　ordinary　sight　of　so　many　tragic　spectacles；
the　freedom　of　the　conversation；　without　art；　a　masculine　and
unceremonious　way　of　living；　please　you；　the　variety　of　a　thousand
several　actions；　the　encouraging　harmony　of　martial　music　that　ravishes
and　inflames　both　your　ears　and　souls；　the　honour　of　this　occupation；
nay；　even　its　hardships　and　difficulties；　which　Plato　holds　so　light　that
in　his　Republic　he　makes　women　and　children　share　in　them；　are　delightful
to　you。　　You　put　yourself　voluntarily　upon　particular　exploits　and
hazards；　according　as　you　judge　of　their　lustre　and　importance；　and；　a
volunteer；　find　even　life　itself　excusably　employed：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Pulchrumque　mori　succurrit　in　armis。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃'Tis　fine　to　die　sword　in　hand。〃　（〃And　he　remembers　that　it
　　　　　　　　　　is　honourable　to　die　in　arms。〃）AEneid；　ii。　317。＇


To　fear　common　dangers　that　concern　so　great　a　multitude　of　men；　not　to
dare　to　do　what　so　many　sorts　of　souls；　what　a　whole　people　dare；　is　for
a　heart　that　is　poor　and　mean　beyond　all　measure：　company　encourages　even
children。　　If　others　excel　you　in　knowledge；　in　gracefulness；　in
strength；　or　fortune；　you　have　alternative　resources　at　your　disposal；
but　to　give　place　to　them　in　stability　of　mind；　you　can　blame　no　one　for
that　but　yourself。　Death　is　more　abject；　more　languishing　and
troublesome；　in　bed　than　in　a　fight：　fevers　and　catarrhs　as　painful　and
mortal　as　a　musket…shot。　　Whoever　has　fortified　himself　valiantly　to　bear
the　accidents　of　common　life　need　not　raise　his　courage　to　be　a　soldier：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Vivere；　mi　Lucili；　militare　est。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃To　live；　my　Lucilius；　is　（to　make　war）　to　be　a　soldier。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Seneca；　Ep。；　96。＇

I　do　not　remember　that　I　ever　had　the　itch；　and　yet　scratching　is　one　of
nature's　sweetest　gratifications；　and　so　much　at　hand；　but　repentance
follows　too　near。　　I　use　it　most　in　my　ears；　which　are　at　intervals　apt
to　itch。

I　came　into　the　world　with　all　my　senses　entire；　even　to　perfection。　　My
stomach　is　commodiously　good；　as　also　is　my　head　and　my　breath；　and；　for
the　most　part；　uphold　themselves　so　in　the　height　of　fevers。　　I　have
passed　the　age　to　which　some　nations；　not　without　reason；　have　prescribed
so　just　a　term　of　life　that　they　would　not　suffer　men　to　exceed　it；　and
yet　I　have　some　intermissions；　though　short　and　inconstant；　so　clean　and
sound　as　to　be　little　inferior　to　the　health　and　pleasantness　of　my
youth。　　I　do　not　speak　of　vigour　and　sprightliness；　'tis　not　reason　they
should　follow　me　beyond　their　limits：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Non　hoc　amplius　est　liminis；　aut　aquae
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Coelestis；　patiens　latus。〃

　　　　　＇〃I　am　no　longer　able　to　stand　waiting　at　a　door　in　the　rain。〃
　　　　　Horace；　Od。；　iii。　10；　9。＇

My　face　and　eyes　presently　discover　my　condition；　all　my　alterations
begin　there；　and　appear　somewhat　worse　than　they　really　are；　my　friends
often　pity　me　before　I　feel　the　cause　in　myself。　　My　looking…glass　does
not　frighten　me；　for　even　in　my　youth　it　has　befallen　me　more　than　once
to　have　a　scurvy　complexion　and　of　ill　augury；　without　any　great
consequence；　so　that　the　physicians；　not　finding　any　cause　within
answerable　to　that　outward　alteration；　attributed　it　to　the　mind　and　to
some　secret　passion　that　tormented　me　within；　but　they　were　deceived。
If　my　body　would　govern　itself　as　well；　according　to　my　rule；　as　my　mind
does；　we　should　move　a　little　more　at　our　ease。　　My　mind　was　then　not
only　free　from　trouble；　but；　moreover；　full　of　joy　and　satisfaction；
as　it　commonly　is；　half　by　its　complexion；　half　by　its　design：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Nec　vitiant　artus　aegrae　contagia　mentis。〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Nor　do　the　troubles　of　the　body　ever　affect　my　mind。〃
　　　　　　　　　　Ovid；　Trist。；　iii。　8；　25。＇

I　am　of　the　opinion　that　this　temperature　of　my　soul　has　often　raised　my
body　from　its　lapses；　this　is　often　depressed；　if　the　other　be　not　brisk
and　gay；　'tis　at　least　tranquil　and　at　rest。　　I　had　a　quartan　ague　four
or　five　months；　that　made　me　look　miserably　ill；　my　mind　was　always；　if
not　calm；　yet　pleasant。　　If　the　pain　be　without　me；　the　weakness　and
languor　do　not　much　afflict　me；　I　see　various　corporal　faintings；　that
beget　a　horror　in　me　but　to　name；　which　yet　I　should　less　fear　than　a
thousand　passions　and　agitations　of　the　mind　that　I　see　about　me。