the essays of montaigne, v19-第5章

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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　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