the essays of montaigne, v13-第13章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


with　less　confusion　cared　for；　seeing　the　person　looked　to　nothing　else。
Ours　are　not　aware　that　he　who　provides　for　all；　provides　for　nothing；
and　that　the　entire　government　of　this　microcosm　is　more　than　they　are
able　to　undertake。　　Whilst　they　were　afraid　of　stopping　a　dysentery；　lest
they　should　put　the　patient　into　a　fever；　they　killed　me　a　friend；
＇Estienne　de　la　Boetie。＇　who　was　worth　more　than　the　whole　of　them。
They　counterpoise　their　own　divinations　with　the　present　evils；　and
because　they　will　not　cure　the　brain　to　the　prejudice　of　the　stomach；
they　injure　both　with　their　dissentient　and　tumultuary　drugs。

As　to　the　variety　and　weakness　of　the　rationale　of　this　art；　they　are
more　manifest　in　it　than　in　any　other　art；　aperitive　medicines　are　proper
for　a　man　subject　to　the　stone；　by　reason　that　opening　and　dilating　the
passages　they　help　forward　the　slimy　matter　whereof　gravel　and　stone　are
engendered；　and　convey　that　downward　which　begins　to　harden　and　gather　in
the　reins；　aperitive　things　are　dangerous　for　a　man　subject　to　the　stone；
by　reason　that；　opening　and　dilating　the　passages；　they　help　forward　the
matter　proper　to　create　the　gravel　toward　the　reins；　which　by　their　own
propension　being　apt　to　seize　it；　'tis　not　to　be　imagined　but　that　a
great　deal　of　what　has　been　conveyed　thither　must　remain　behind；
moreover；　if　the　medicine　happen　to　meet　with　anything　too　large　to　be
carried　through　all　the　narrow　passages　it　must　pass　to　be　expelled；　that
obstruction；　whatever　it　is；　being　stirred　by　these　aperitive　things　and
thrown　into　those　narrow　passages；　coming　to　stop　them；　will　occasion　a
certain　and　most　painful　death。　　They　have　the　like　uniformity　in　the
counsels　they　give　us　for　the　regimen　of　life：　it　is　good　to　make　water
often；　for　we　experimentally　see　that；　in　letting　it　lie　long　in　the
bladder；　we　give　it　time　to　settle　the　sediment；　which　will　concrete　into
a　stone；　it　is　good　not　to　make　water　often；　for　the　heavy　excrements　it
carries　along　with　it　will　not　be　voided　without　violence；　as　we　see　by
experience　that　a　torrent　that　runs　with　force　washes　the　ground　it　rolls
over　much　cleaner　than　the　course　of　a　slow　and　tardy　stream；　so；　it　is
good　to　have　often　to　do　with　women；　for　that　opens　the　passages　and
helps　to　evacuate　gravel；　it　is　also　very　ill　to　have　often　to　do　with
women；　because　it　heats；　tires；　and　weakens　the　reins。　　It　is　good　to
bathe　frequently　in　hot　water；　forasmuch　as　that　relaxes　and　mollifies
the　places　where　the　gravel　and　stone　lie；　it　is　also　ill　by　reason　that
this　application　of　external　heat　helps　the　reins　to　bake；　harden；　and
petrify　the　matter　so　disposed。　　For　those　who　are　taking　baths　it　is
most　healthful。　　To　eat　little　at　night；　to　the　end　that　the　waters　they
are　to　drink　the　next　morning　may　have　a　better　operation　upon　an　empty
stomach；　on　the　other　hand；　it　is　better　to　eat　little　at　dinner；　that　it
hinder　not　the　operation　of　the　waters；　while　it　is　not　yet　perfect；　and
not　to　oppress　the　stomach　so　soon　after　the　other　labour；　but　leave　the
office　of　digestion　to　the　night；　which　will　much　better　perform　it　than
the　day；　when　the　body　and　soul　are　in　perpetual　moving　and　action。　　Thus
do　they　juggle　and　trifle　in　all　their　discourses　at　our　expense；　and
they　could　not　give　me　one　proposition　against　which　I　should　not　know
how　to　raise　a　contrary　of　equal　force。　　Let　them；　then；　no　longer
exclaim　against　those　who　in　this　trouble　of　sickness　suffer　themselves
to　be　gently　guided　by　their　own　appetite　and　the　advice　of　nature；　and
commit　themselves　to　the　common　fortune。

I　have　seen　in　my　travels　almost　all　the　famous　baths　of　Christendom；　and
for　some　years　past　have　begun　to　make　use　of　them　myself：　for　I　look
upon　bathing　as　generally　wholesome；　and　believe　that　we　suffer　no　little
inconveniences　in　our　health　by　having　left　off　the　custom　that　was
generally　observed；　in　former　times；　almost　by　all　nations；　and　is　yet　in
many；　of　bathing　every　day；　and　I　cannot　imagine　but　that　we　are　much　the
worse　by；　having　our　limbs　crusted　and　our　pores　stopped　with　dirt。　　And
as　to　the　drinking　of　them；　fortune　has　in　the　first　place　rendered　them
not　at　all　unacceptable　to　my　taste；　and　secondly；　they　are　natural　and
simple；　which　at　least　carry　no　danger　with　them；　though　they　may　do　us
no　good；　of　which　the　infinite　crowd　of　people　of　all　sorts　and
complexions　who　repair　thither　I　take　to　be　a　sufficient　warranty；　and
although　I　have　not　there　observed　any　extraordinary　and　miraculous
effects；　but　that　on　the　contrary；　having　more　narrowly　than　ordinary
inquired　into　it；　I　have　found　all　the　reports　of　such　operations　that
have　been　spread　abroad　in　those　places　ill…grounded　and　false；　and　those
that　believe　them　（as　people　are　willing　to　be　gulled　in　what　they
desire）　deceived　in　them；　yet　I　have　seldom　known　any　who　have　been　made
worse　by　those　waters；　and　a　man　cannot　honestly　deny　but　that　they　beget
a　better　appetite；　help　digestion；　and　do　in　some　sort　revive　us；　if　we
do　not　go　too　late　and　in　too　weak　a　condition；　which　I　would　dissuade
every　one　from　doing。　　They　have　not　the　virtue　to　raise　men　from
desperate　and　inveterate　diseases；　but　they　may　help　some　light
indisposition；　or　prevent　some　threatening　alteration。　　He　who　does　not
bring　along　with　him　so　much　cheerfulness　as　to　enjoy　the　pleasure　of　the
company　he　will　there　meet；　and　of　the　walks　and　exercises　to　which　the
amenity　of　those　places　invite　us；　will　doubtless　lose　the　best　and
surest　part　of　their　effect。　　For　this　reason　I　have　hitherto　chosen　to
go　to　those　of　the　most　pleasant　situation；　where　there　was　the　best
conveniency　of　lodging；　provision；　and　company；　as　the　baths　of　Bagneres
in　France；　those　of　Plombieres　on　the　frontiers　of　Germany　and　Lorraine；
those　of　Baden　in　Switzerland；　those　of　Lucca　in　Tuscany；　and　especially
those　of　Della　Villa；　which　I　have　the　most　and　at　various　seasons
frequented。

Every　nation　has　particular　opinions　touching　their　use；　and　particular
rules　and　methods　in　using　them；　and　all　of　them；　according　to　what　I
have　seen；　almost　with　like　effect。　　Drinking　them　is　not　at　all　received
in　Germany；　the　Germans　bathe　for　all　diseases；　and　will　lie　dabbling　in
the　water　almost　from　sun　to　sun；　in　Italy；　where　they　drink　nine　days；
they　bathe　at　least　thirty；　and　commonly　drink　the　water　mixed　with　some
other　drugs　to　make　it　work　the　better。　　Here　we　are　ordered　to　walk　to
digest　it；　there　we　are　kept　in　bed　after　taking　it　till　it　be　wrought
off；　our　stomachs　and　feet　having　continually　hot　cloths　applied　to　them
all　the　while；　and　as　the　Germans　have　a　particular　practice　generally　to
use　cupping　and　scarification　in　the　bath；　so　the　Italians　have　their
'doccie'；　which　are　certain　little　streams　of　this　hot　water　brought
through　pipes；　and　with　these　bathe　an　hour　in　the　morning；　and　as　much
in　the　afternoon；　for　a　month　together；　either　the　head；　stomach；　or　any
other　part　where　the　evil　lies。　　There　are　infinite　other　varieties　of
customs　in　every　country；　or　rather　there　is　no　manner　of　resemblance　to
one　another。　　By　this　you　may　see　that　this　little　part　of　physic　to
which　I　have　only　submitted；　though　the　least　depending　upon　art　of　all
others；　has　yet　a　great　share　of　the　confusion　and　uncertainty　everywhere
else　manifest　in　the　profession。

The　poets　put　what　they　would　say　with　greater　emphasis　and　grace；
witness　these　two　epigrams：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Alcon　hesterno　signum　Jovis　attigit：　ille；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Quamvis　marmoreus；　vim　patitur　medici。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ecce　hodie；　jussus　transferri　ex　aeede　vetusta；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Effertur；　quamvis　sit　Deus　atque　lapis。〃

　　　　　＇〃Alcon　yesterday　touched　Jove's　statue；　he；　although　marble；
　　　　　suffers　the　force　of　the　physician：　to…day　ordered　to　be　transferred
　　　　　from　the　old　temple；　where　it　stood；　it　is　carried　out；　although　it
　　　　　be　a　god　and　a　stone。〃Ausonius；　Ep。；　74。


and　the　other：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Lotus　nobiscum　est；　hilaris　coenavit；　et　idem
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Inventus　mane　est　mortuus　Andragoras。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Tam　subitae　mortis　causam；　Faustine；　requiris？
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　In　somnis　medicum　viderat　Hermocratem：〃

　　　　　＇〃Andragoras　bathed　with　us；　supped　gaily；　and　in　the　morning　the
　　　　　same　was　found　dead。　　Dost　thou　ask；　Faustinus；　the　cause　of　this　so
　　　　　sudden　death？　　In　his　dreams　he　had　seen　the　physician　Hermocrates。〃
　　　　　Martial；　vi。　53。＇

upon　which　I　will　relate　two　stories。

The　Baron　de　Caupene　in　Chalosse　and　I　have　betwixt　us　the　advowson　of　a
benefice　of　great　extent；　at　the　foot　of　our　mountains；　called　Lahontan。
It　is　with　the　inhabitants　of　this　angle；　as　'tis　said　of　those　of　the
Val　d'Angrougne；　they　lived　a　peculiar　sort　of　life；　their　fashions；
clothes；　and　manners　distinct　from　other　people；　ruled　and　governed　by
certain　particular　laws　and　usages；　received　from　father　to　son；　to　which
they　submitted；　without　other　constraint　than　the　reverence　to　custom。
This　little　state　had　continued　from　all　antiquity　in　so　happy　a
condition；　that　no　neighbouring　judge　was　ever　put　to　the　trouble　of
inquiring　into　their　doings；　no　advocate　was　ever　retained　to　give　them
counsel；　no　stranger　ever　called　in　to　compose　their　differences；　nor　was
ever　any　of　them　seen　to　go　a…begging。　　They　avoided　all　alliances　and
traffic　with　the　outer　world；　that　they　might　not　corrupt　the　purity　of
their　own　government；　till；　as　they　say；　one　of　them；　in　the　memory　of
man；　having　a　mind　spurred　on　with　a　noble　ambition；　took　it　into　his
head；　to　bring　his　name　into　credit　and　reputation；　to　make　one　of　his
sons　something　more　than　ordinary；　and　having　put　him　to　learn　to　write
in　a　neighbouring　town；　made　him　at　last　a　brave　village　notary。　　This
fellow；　having　acquired　such　dignity；　began　to　disdain　their　ancient
customs；　and　to　buzz　into　the　people's　ears　the　pomp　of　the　other　parts
of　the　nation；　the　first　prank　he　played　was　to　advise　a　friend　of　his；
whom　somebody　had　offended　by　sawing　off　the　horns　of　one　of　his　goats；
to　make　his　complaint　to　the　royal　judges　thereabout；　and　so　he　went　on
from　one　to　another；　till　he　had　spoiled　and　confounded　all。　　In　the　tail
of　this　corruption；　they　say；　there　happened　another；　and　of　worse
consequence；　by　means　of　a　physician；　who；　falling　in　love　with　one　of
their　daughters；　had　a　mind　to　marry　her　and　to　live　amongst　them。　　This
man　first　of　all　began　to　teach　them　the　names　of　fevers；　colds；　and
imposthumes；　the　seat　of　the　heart；　liver；　and　intestines；　a　science　till
then　utterly　unknown　to　them；　and　instead　of　garlic；　with　which　they　were
wont　to　cure　all　manner　of　diseases；　how　painful　or　extreme　soever；　he
taught　them；　though　it　were　but　for　a　cough　or　any　little　cold；　to　take
strange　mixtures；　and　began　to　make　a　trade　not　only　of　their　health；　but
of　their　lives。　　They　swear　till　then　they　never　perceived　the　evening
air　to　be　offensive　to　the　head；　that　to　drink　when　they　were　hot　was
hurtful；　and　that　the　winds　of　autumn　were　more　unwholesome　than　those　of
spring；　that；　since　this　use　of　physic；　they　find　themselves　oppressed
with　a　legion　of　unaccustomed　diseases；　and　that　they　perceive　a