the essays of montaigne, v19-第7章

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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；〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Quae　venit　indigne　poena；　dolenda　venit：〃

　　　　　＇〃We　are　entitled　to　complain　of　a　punishment　that　we　have　not
　　　　　deserved。〃Ovid；　Heroid。；　v。　8。＇

〃consider　this　chastisement：　'tis　very　easy　in　comparison　of　others；　and
inflicted　with　a　paternal　tenderness：　do　but　observe　how　late　it　comes；
it　only　seizes　on　and　incommodes　that　part　of　thy　life　which　is；　one　way
and　another；　sterile　and　lost；　having；　as　it　were　by　composition；　given
time　for　the　licence　and　pleasures　of　thy　youth。　　The　fear　and　the
compassion　that　the　people　have　of　this　disease　serve　thee　for　matter　of
glory；　a　quality　whereof　if　thou　bast　thy　judgment　purified；　and　that　thy
reason　has　somewhat　cured　it；　thy　friends　notwithstanding；　discern　some
tincture　in　thy　complexion。　　'Tis　a　pleasure　to　hear　it　said　of　oneself
what　strength　of　mind；　what　patience！　　Thou　art　seen　to　sweat　with　pain；
to　turn　pale　and　red；　to　tremble；　to　vomit　blood；　to　suffer　strange
contractions　and　convulsions；　at　times　to　let　great　tears　drop　from　thine
eyes；　to　urine　thick；　black；　and　dreadful　water；　or　to　have　it　suppressed
by　some　sharp　and　craggy　stone；　that　cruelly　pricks　and　tears　the　neck　of
the　bladder；　whilst　all　the　while　thou　entertainest　the　company　with　an
ordinary　countenance；　droning　by　fits　with　thy　people；　making　one　in　a
continuous　discourse；　now　and　then　making　excuse　for　thy　pain；　and
representing　thy　suffering　less　than　it　is。　　Dost　thou　call　to　mind　the
men　of　past　times；　who　so　greedily　sought　diseases　to　keep　their　virtue
in　breath　and　exercise？　　Put　the　case　that　nature　sets　thee　on　and　impels
thee　to　this　glorious　school；　into　which　thou　wouldst　never　have　entered
of　thy　own　free　will。　　If　thou　tellest　me　that　it　is　a　dangerous　and
mortal　disease；　what　others　are　not　so？　　for　'tis　a　physical　cheat　to
expect　any　that　they　say　do　not　go　direct　to　death：　what　matters　if　they
go　thither　by　accident；　or　if　they　easily　slide　and　slip　into　the　path
that　leads　us　to　it？　　But　thou　dost　not　die　because　thou　art　sick；　thou
diest　because　thou　art　living：　death　kills　thee　without　the　help　of
sickness：　and　sickness　has　deferred　death　in　some；　who　have　lived　longer
by　reason　that　they　thought　themselves　always　dying；　to　which　may　be
added；　that　as　in　wounds；　so　in　diseases；　some　are　medicinal　and
wholesome。　　The　stone　is　often　no　less　long…lived　than　you；　we　see　men
with　whom　it　has　continued　from　their　infancy　even　to　their　extreme　old
age；　and　if　they　had　not　broken　company；　it　would　have　been　with　them
longer　still；　you　more　often　kill　it　than　it　kills　you。　　And　though　it
should　present　to　you　the　image　of　approaching　death；　were　it　not　a　good
office　to　a　man　of　such　an　age；　to　put　him　in　mind　of　his　end？　　And；
which　is　worse；　thou　hast　no　longer　anything　that　should　make　thee　desire
to　be　cured。　　Whether　or　no；　common　necessity　will　soon　call　thee　away。
Do　but　consider　how　skilfully　and　gently　she　puts　thee　out　of　concern
with　life；　and　weans　thee　from　the　world；　not　forcing　thee　with　a
tyrannical　subjection；　like　so　many　other　infirmities　which　thou　seest
old　men　afflicted　withal；　that　hold　them　in　continual　torment；　and　keep
them　in　perpetual　and　unintermitted　weakness　and　pains；　but　by　warnings
and　instructions　at　intervals；　intermixing　long　pauses　of　repose；　as　it
were　to　give　thee　opportunity　to　meditate　and　ruminate　upon　thy　lesson；
at　thy　own　ease　and　leisure。　　To　give　thee　means　to　judge　aright；　and　to
assume　the　resolution　of　a　man　of　courage；　it　presents　to　thee　the　state
of　thy　entire　condition；　both　in　good　and　evil；　and　one　while　a　very
cheerful　and　another　an　insupportable　life；　in　one　and　the　same　day。　　If
thou　embracest　not　death；　at　least　thou　shakest　hands　with　it　once　a
month；　whence　thou　hast　more　cause　to　hope　that　it　will　one　day　surprise
thee　without　menace；　and　that　being　so　often　conducted　to　the　water…side；
but　still　thinking　thyself　to　be　upon　the　accustomed　terms；　thou　and　thy
confidence　will　at　one　time　or　another　be　unexpectedly　wafted　over。　　A
man　cannot　reasonably　complain　of　diseases　that　fairly　divide　the　time
with　health。〃

I　am　obliged　to　Fortune　for　having　so　often　assaulted　me　with　the　same
sort　of　weapons：　she　forms　and　fashions　me　by　use；　hardens　and　habituates
me；　so　that　I　can　know　within　a　little　for　how　much　I　shall　be　quit。　　For
want　of　natural　memory；　I　make　one　of　paper；　and　as　any　new　symptom
happens　in　my　disease；　I　set　it　down；　whence　it　falls　out　that；　having
now　almost　passed　through　all　sorts　of　examples；　if　anything　striking
threatens　me；　turning　over　these　little　loose　notes；　as　the　Sybilline
leaves；　I　never　fail　of　finding　matter　of　consolation　from　some
favourable　prognostic　in　my　past　experience。　　Custom　also　makes　me　hope
better　for　the　time　to　come；　for；　the　conduct　of　this　clearing　out　having
so　long　continued；　'tis　to　be　believed　that　nature　will　not　alter　her
course；　and　that　no　other　worse　accident　will　happen　than　what　I　already
feel。　　And　besides；　the　condition　of　this　disease　is　not　unsuitable　to　my
prompt　and　sudden　complexion：　when　it　assaults　me　gently；　I　am　afraid；
for　'tis　then　for　a　great　while；　but　it　has；　naturally；　brisk　and
vigorous　excesses；　it　claws　me　to　purpose　for　a　day　or　two。　　My　kidneys
held　out　an　age　without　alteration；　and　I　have　almost　now　lived　another；
since　they　changed　their　state；　evils　have　their　periods；　as　well　as
benefits：　peradventure；　the　infirmity　draws　towards　an　end。　　Age　weakens
the　heat　of　my　stomach；　and；　its　digestion　being　less　perfect；　sends　this
crude　matter　to　my　kidneys；　why；　at　a　certain　revolution；　may　not　the
heat　of　my　kidneys　be　also　abated；　so　that　they　can　no　more　petrify　my
phlegm；　and　nature　find　out　some　other　way　of　purgation。　　Years　have
evidently　helped　me　to　drain　certain　rheums；　and　why　not　these　excrements
which　furnish　matter　for　gravel？　　But　is　there　anything　delightful　in
comparison　of　this　sudden　change；　when　from　an　excessive　pain；　I　come；　by
the　voiding　of　a　stone；　to　recover；　as　by　a　flash　of　lightning；　the
beautiful　light　of　health；　so　free　and　full；　as　it　happens　in　our　sudden
and　sharpest　colics？　　Is　there　anything　in　the　pain　suffered；　that　one
can　counterpoise　to　the　pleasure　of　so　sudden　an　amendment？　　Oh；　how　much
does　health　seem　the　more　pleasant　to　me；　after　a　sickness　so　near　and　so
contiguous；　that　I　can　distinguish　them　in　the　presence　of　one　another；
in　their　greatest　show；　when　they　appear　in　emulation；　as　if　to　make　head
against　and　dispute　it　with　one　another！　　As　the　Stoics　say　that　vices
are　profitably　introduced　to　give　value　to　and　to　set　off　virtue；　we　can；
with　better　reason　and　less　temerity　of　conjecture；　say　that　nature　has
given　us　pain　for　the　honour　and　service　of　pleasure　and　indolence。　　When
Socrates；　after　his　fetters　were　knocked　off；　felt　the　pleasure　of　that
itching　which　the　weight　of　them　had　caused　in　his　legs；　he　rejoiced　to
consider　the　strict　alliance　betwixt　pain　and　pleasure；　how　they　are
linked　together　by　a　necessary