the essays of montaigne, v13-第14章

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take　me　now　at　a　disadvantage；　let　them　not　threaten　me　in　the　subdued
condition　wherein　I　now　am；　that　were　treachery。　　In　truth；　I　have　enough
the　better　of　them　by　these　domestic　examples；　that　they　should　rest
satisfied。　　Human　things　are　not　usually　so　constant；　it　has　been　two
hundred　years；　save　eighteen；　that　this　trial　has　lasted；　for　the　first
of　them　was　born　in　the　year　1402：　'tis　now；　indeed；　very　good　reason
that　this　experience　should　begin　to　fail　us。　　Let　them　not；　therefore；
reproach　me　with　the　infirmities　under　which　I　now　suffer；　is　it　not
enough　that　I　for　my　part　have　lived　seven…and…forty　years　in　good
health？　though　it　should　be　the　end　of　my　career；　'tis　of　the　longer
sort。

My　ancestors　had　an　aversion　to　physic　by　some　occult　and　natural
instinct；　for　the　very　sight　of　drugs　was　loathsome　to　my　father。　　The
Seigneur　de　Gaviac；　my　uncle　by　the　father's　side；　a　churchman；　and　a
valetudinary　from　his　birth；　and　yet　who　made　that　crazy　life　hold　out　to
sixty…seven　years；　being　once　fallen　into　a　furious　fever；　it　was　ordered
by　the　physicians　he　should　be　plainly　told　that　if　he　would　not　make　use
of　help　（for　so　they　call　that　which　is　very　often　an　obstacle）；　he　would
infallibly　be　a　dead　man。　　That　good　man；　though　terrified　with　this
dreadful　sentence；　yet　replied；　〃I　am　then　a　dead　man。〃　　But　God　soon
after　made　the　prognostic　false。　　The　last　of　the　brothersthere　were
four　of　themand　by　many　years　the　last；　the　Sieur　de　Bussaguet；　was　the
only　one　of　the　family　who　made　use　of　medicine；　by　reason；　I　suppose；　of
the　concern　he　had　with　the　other　arts；　for　he　was　a　councillor　in　the
court　of　Parliament；　and　it　succeeded　so　ill　with　him；　that　being　in
outward　appearance　of　the　strongest　constitution；　he　yet　died　long　before
any　of　the　rest；　save　the　Sieur　de　Saint　Michel。

'Tis　possible　I　may　have　derived　this　natural　antipathy　to　physic　from
them；　but　had　there　been　no　other　consideration　in　the　case；　I　would　have
endeavoured　to　have　overcome　it；　for　all　these　conditions　that　spring　in
us　without　reason；　are　vicious；　'tis　a　kind　of　disease　that　we　should
wrestle　with。　　It　may　be　I　had　naturally　this　propension；　but　I　have
supported　and　fortified　it　by　arguments　and　reasons　which　have
established　in　me　the　opinion　I　am　of。　　For　I　also　hate　the　consideration
of　refusing　physic　for　the　nauseous　taste。

I　should　hardly　be　of　that　humour　who　hold　health　to　be　worth　purchasing
by　all　the　most　painful　cauteries　and　incisions　that　can　be　applied。
And；　with　Epicurus；　I　conceive　that　pleasures　are　to　be　avoided；　if
greater　pains　be　the　consequence；　and　pains　to　be　coveted；　that　will
terminate　in　greater　pleasures。　　Health　is　a　precious　thing；　and　the　only
one；　in　truth；　meriting　that　a　man　should　lay　out；　not　only　his　time；
sweat；　labour；　and　goods；　but　also　his　life　itself　to　obtain　it；
forasmuch　as；　without　it；　life　is　wearisome　and　injurious　to　us：
pleasure；　wisdom；　learning；　and　virtue；　without　it；　wither　away　and
vanish；　and　to　the　most　laboured　and　solid　discourses　that　philosophy
would　imprint　in　us　to　the　contrary；　we　need　no　more　but　oppose　the　image
of　Plato　being　struck　with　an　epilepsy　or　apoplexy；　and；　in　this
presupposition；　to　defy　him　to　call　the　rich　faculties　of　his　soul　to　his
assistance。　　All　means　that　conduce　to　health　can　neither　be　too　painful
nor　too　dear　to　me。　　But　I　have　some　other　appearances　that　make　me
strangely　suspect　all　this　merchandise。　　I　do　not　deny　but　that　there　may
be　some　art　in　it；　that　there　are　not　amongst　so　many　works　of　Nature；
things　proper　for　the　conservation　of　health：　that　is　most　certain：　I
very　well　know　there　are　some　simples　that　moisten；　and　others　that　dry；
I　experimentally　know　that　radishes　are　windy；　and　senna…leaves　purging；
and　several　other　such　experiences　I　have；　as　that　mutton　nourishes　me；
and　wine　warms　me：　and　Solon　said　〃that　eating　was　physic　against　the
malady　hunger。〃　　I　do　not　disapprove　the　use　we　make　of　things　the　earth
produces；　nor　doubt；　in　the　least；　of　the　power　and　fertility　of　Nature；
and　of　its　application　to　our　necessities：　I　very　well　see　that　pikes　and
swallows　live　by　her　laws；　but　I　mistrust　the　inventions　of　our　mind；　our
knowledge　and　art；　to　countenance　which；　we　have　abandoned　Nature　and　her
rules；　and　wherein　we　keep　no　bounds　nor　moderation。　　As　we　call　the
piling　up　of　the　first　laws　that　fall　into　our　hands　justice；　and　their
practice　and　dispensation　very　often　foolish　and　very　unjust；　and　as
those　who　scoff　at　and　accuse　it；　do　not；　nevertheless；　blame　that　noble
virtue　itself；　but　only　condemn　the　abuse　and　profanation　of　that　sacred
title；　so　in　physic　I　very　much　honour　that　glorious　name；　its
propositions；　its　promises；　so　useful　for　the　service　of　mankind；　but　the
ordinances　it　foists　upon　us；　betwixt　ourselves；　I　neither　honour　nor
esteem。

In　the　first　place；　experience　makes　me　dread　it；　for　amongst　all　my
acquaintance；　I　see　no　people　so　soon　sick；　and　so　long　before　they　are
well；　as　those　who　take　much　physic；　their　very　health　is　altered　and
corrupted　by　their　frequent　prescriptions。　　Physicians　are　not　content　to
deal　only　with　the　sick；　but　they　will　moreover　corrupt　health　itself；
for　fear　men　should　at　any　time　escape　their　authority。　　Do　they　not；
from　a　continual　and　perfect　health；　draw　the　argument　of　some　great
sickness　to　ensue？　　I　have　been　sick　often　enough；　and　have　always　found
my　sicknesses　easy　enough　to　be　supported　（though　I　have　made　trial　of
almost　all　sorts）；　and　as　short　as　those　of　any　other；　without　their
help；　or　without　swallowing　their　ill…tasting　doses。　　The　health　I　have
is　full　and　free；　without　other　rule　or　discipline　than　my　own　custom　and
pleasure。　　Every　place　serves　me　well　enough　to　stay　in；　for　I　need　no
other　conveniences；　when　I　am　sick；　than　what　I　must　have　when　I　am　well。
I　never　disturb　myself　that　I　have　no　physician；　no　apothecary；　nor　any
other　assistance；　which　I　see　most　other　sick　men　more　afflicted　at　than
they　are　with　their　disease。　　What！　　Do　the　doctors　themselves　show　us
more　felicity　and　duration　in　their　own　lives；　that　may　manifest　to　us
some　apparent　effect　of　their　skill？

There　is　not　a　nation　in　the　world　that　has　not　been　many　ages　without
physic；　and　these　the　first　ages；　that　is　to　say；　the　best　and　most
happy；　and　the　tenth　part　of　the　world　knows　nothing　of　it　yet；　many
nations　are　ignorant　of　it　to　this　day；　where　men　live　more　healthful　and
longer　than　we　do　here；　and　even　amongst　us　the　common　people　live　well
enough　without　it。　　The　Romans　were　six　hundred　years　before　they
received　it；　and　after　having　made　trial　of　it；　banished　it　from　the　city
at　the　instance　of　Cato　the　Censor；　who　made　it　appear　how　easy　it　was　to
live　without　it；　having　himself　lived　fourscore　and　five　years；　and　kept
his　wife　alive　to　an　extreme　old　age；　not　without　physic；　but　without　a
physician：　for　everything　that　we　find　to　be　healthful　to　life　may　be
called　physic。　　He　kept　his　family　in　health；　as　Plutarch　says　if　I
mistake　not；　with　hare's　milk；　as　Pliny　reports；　　that　the　Arcadians
cured　all　manner　of　diseases　with　that　of　a　cow；　and　Herodotus　says；　the
Lybians　generally　enjoy　rare　health；　by　a　custom　they　have；　after　their
children　are　arrived　to　four　years　of　age；　to　burn　and　cauterise　the
veins　of　their　head　and　temples；　by　which　means　they　cut　off　all
defluxions　of　rheum　for　their　whole　lives。　　And　the　country　people　of　our
province　make　use　of　nothing；　in　all　sorts　of　distempers；　but　the
strongest　wine　they　can　get；　mixed　with　a　great　deal　of　saffron　and
spice；　and　always　with　the　same　success。

And　to　say　the　truth；　of　all　this　diversity　and　confusion　of
prescriptions；　what　other　end　and　effect　is　there　after　all；　but　to　purge
the　belly？　　which　a　thousand　ordinary　simples　will　do　as　well；　and　I　do
not　know　whether　such　evacuations　be　so　much　to　our　advantage　as　they
pretend；　and　whether　nature　does　not　require　a　residence　of　her
excrements　to　a　certain　proportion；　as　wine　does　of　its　lees　to　keep　it
alive：　you　often　see　healthful　men　fall　into　vomitings　and　fluxes　of　the
belly　by　some　extrinsic　accident；　and　make　a　great　e