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write for him; to keep a journal; and in it to set down all the
remarkable occurrences; and daily memorials of the history of his house:
very pleasant to look over; when time begins to wear things out of
memory; and very useful sometimes to put us out of doubt when such a
thing was begun; when ended; what visitors came; and when they went; our
travels; absences; marriages; and deaths; the reception of good or ill
news; the change of principal servants; and the like。  An ancient custom;
which I think it would not be amiss for every one to revive in his own
house; and I find I did very foolishly in neglecting it。




CHAPTER XXXV

OF THE CUSTOM OF WEARING CLOTHES

Whatever I shall say upon this subject; I am of necessity to invade some
of the bounds of custom; so careful has she been to shut up all the
avenues。  I was disputing with myself in this shivering season; whether
the fashion of going naked in those nations lately discovered is imposed
upon them by the hot temperature of the air; as we say of the Indians and
Moors; or whether it be the original fashion of mankind。  Men of
understanding; forasmuch as all things under the sun; as the Holy Writ
declares; are subject to the same laws; were wont in such considerations
as these; where we are to distinguish the natural laws from those which
have been imposed by man's invention; to have recourse to the general
polity of the world; where there can be nothing counterfeit。  Now; all
other creatures being sufficiently furnished with all things necessary
for the support of their being 'Montaigne's expression is; 〃with needle
and thread。〃W。C。H。' it is not to be imagined that we only are brought
into the world in a defective and indigent condition; and in such a state
as cannot subsist without external aid。  Therefore it is that I believe;
that as plants; trees; and animals; and all things that have life; are
seen to be by nature sufficiently clothed and covered; to defend them
from the injuries of weather:

         〃Proptereaque fere res omnes ant corio sunt;
          Aut seta; ant conchis; ant callo; ant cortice tectae;〃

     '〃And that for this reason nearly all things are clothed with skin;
     or hair; or shells; or bark; or some such thing。〃
     Lucretius; iv。 936。'

so were we: but as those who by artificial light put out that of day; so
we by borrowed forms and fashions have destroyed our own。  And 'tis plain
enough to be seen; that 'tis custom only which renders that impossible
that otherwise is nothing so; for of those nations who have no manner of
knowledge of clothing; some are situated under the same temperature that
we are; and some in much colder climates。  And besides; our most tender
parts are always exposed to the air; as the eyes; mouth; nose; and ears;
and our country labourers; like our ancestors in former times; go with
their breasts and bellies open。  Had we been born with a necessity upon
us of wearing petticoats and breeches; there is no doubt but nature would
have fortified those parts she intended should be exposed to the fury of
the seasons with a thicker skin; as she has done the finger…ends and the
soles of the feet。  And why should this seem hard to believe?  I observe
much greater distance betwixt my habit and that of one of our country
boors; than betwixt his and that of a man who has no other covering but
his skin。  How many men; especially in Turkey; go naked upon the account
of devotion?  Some one asked a beggar; whom he saw in his shirt in the
depth of winter; as brisk and frolic as he who goes muffled up to the
ears in furs; how he was able to endure to go so?  〃Why; sir;〃 he
answered; 〃you go with your face bare: I am all face。〃  The Italians have
a story of the Duke of Florence's fool; whom his master asking how; being
so thinly clad; he was able to support the cold; when he himself; warmly
wrapped up as he was; was hardly able to do it?  〃Why;〃 replied the fool;
〃use my receipt to put on all your clothes you have at once; and you'll
feel no more cold than I。〃  King Massinissa; to an extreme old age; could
never be prevailed upon to go with his head covered; how cold; stormy; or
rainy soever the weather might be; which also is reported of the Emperor
Severus。  Herodotus tells us; that in the battles fought betwixt the
Egyptians and the Persians; it was observed both by himself and by
others; that of those who were left dead upon the field; the heads of the
Egyptians were without comparison harder than those of the Persians; by
reason that the last had gone with their heads always covered from their
infancy; first with biggins; and then with turbans; and the others always
shaved and bare。  King Agesilaus continued to a decrepit age to wear
always the same clothes in winter that he did in summer。  Caesar; says
Suetonius; marched always at the head of his army; for the most part on
foot; with his head bare; whether it was rain or sunshine; and as much is
said of Hannibal:

                              〃Tum vertice nudo;
               Excipere insanos imbres; coelique ruinam。〃

     '〃Bareheaded he marched in snow; exposed to pouring rain and the
     utmost rigour of the weather。〃Silius Italicus; i。 250。'

A Venetian who has long lived in Pegu; and has lately returned thence;
writes that the men and women of that kingdom; though they cover all
their other parts; go always barefoot and ride so too; and Plato very
earnestly advises for the health of the whole body; to give the head and
the feet no other clothing than what nature has bestowed。  He whom the
Poles have elected for their king;'Stephen Bathory' since ours came
thence; who is; indeed; one of the greatest princes of this age; never
wears any gloves; and in winter or whatever weather can come; never wears
other cap abroad than that he wears at home。  Whereas I cannot endure to
go unbuttoned or untied; my neighbouring labourers would think themselves
in chains; if they were so braced。  Varro is of opinion; that when it was
ordained we should be bare in the presence of the gods and before the
magistrate; it was so ordered rather upon the score of health; and to
inure us to the injuries of weather; than upon the account of reverence;
and since we are now talking of cold; and Frenchmen used to wear variety
of colours (not I myself; for I seldom wear other than black or white; in
imitation of my father); let us add another story out of Le Capitaine
Martin du Bellay; who affirms; that in the march to Luxembourg he saw so
great frost; that the munition…wine was cut with hatchets and wedges; and
delivered out to the soldiers by weight; and that they carried it away in
baskets: and Ovid;

              〃Nudaque consistunt; formam servantia testae;
               Vina; nec hausta meri; sed data frusta; bibunt。〃

     '〃The wine when out of the cask retains the form of the cask;
     and is given out not in cups; but in bits。〃
     Ovid; Trist。; iii。 10; 23。'

At the mouth of Lake Maeotis the frosts are so very sharp; that in the
very same place where Mithridates' lieutenant had fought the enemy
dryfoot and given them a notable defeat; the summer following he obtained
over them a naval victory。  The Romans fought at a very great
disadvantage; in the engagement they had with the Carthaginians near
Piacenza; by reason that they went to the charge with their blood
congealed and their limbs numbed with cold; whereas Hannibal had caused
great fires to be dispersed quite through his camp to warm his soldiers;
and oil to be distributed amongst them; to the end that anointing
themselves; they might render their nerves more supple and active; and
fortify the pores against the violence of the air and freezing wind;
which raged in that season。

The retreat the Greeks made from Babylon into their own country is famous
for the difficulties and calamities they had to overcome; of which this
was one; that being encountered in the mountains of Armenia with a
horrible storm of snow; they lost all knowledge of the country and of the
ways; and being driven up; were a day and a night without eating or
drinking; most of their cattle died; many of themselves were starved to
death; several s

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