the essays of montaigne, v13-第18章
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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 general
decay in their ancient vigour; and their lives are cut shorter by the
half。 This is the first of my stories。
The other is; that before I was afflicted with the stone; hearing that
the blood of a he…goat was with many in very great esteem; and looked
upon as a celestial manna rained down upon these latter ages for the good
and preservation of the lives of men; and having heard it spoken of by
men of understanding for an admirable drug; and of infallible operation;
I; who have ever thought myself subject to all the accidents that can
befall other men; had a mind; in my perfect health; to furnish myself
with this miracle; and therefore gave order to have a goat fed at home
according to the recipe: for he must be taken in the hottest month of all
summer; and must only have aperitive herbs given him to eat; and white
wine to drink。 I came home by chance the very day he was to be killed;
and some one came and told me that the cook had found two or three great
balls in his paunch; that rattled