the essays of montaigne, v19-第8节

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players；　he　who　receives　the　ball；　shifts　and　prepares；　according　as　he
sees　him　move　who　strikes　the　stroke；　and　according　to　the　stroke　itself。

Experience　has；　moreover；　taught　me　this；　that　we　ruin　ourselves　by
impatience。　　Evils　have　their　life　and　limits；　their　diseases　and　their
recovery。

The　constitution　of　maladies　is　formed　by　the　pattern　of　the　constitution
of　animals；　they　have　their　fortune　and　their　days　limited　from　their
birth；　he　who　attempts　imperiously　to　cut　them　short　by　force　in　the
middle　of　their　course；　lengthens　and　multiplies　them；　and　incenses
instead　of　appeasing　them。　　I　am　of　Crantor's　opinion；　that　we　are
neither　obstinately　and　deafly　to　oppose　evils；　nor　succumb　to　them　from
want　of　courage；　but　that　we　are　naturally　to　give　way　to　them；　according
to　their　condition　and　our　own。　　We　ought　to　grant　free　passage　to
diseases；　I　find　they　stay　less　with　me；　who　let　them　alone；　and　I　have
lost　some；　reputed　the　most　tenacious　and　obstinate；　by　their　own　decay；
without　help　and　without　art；　and　contrary　to　its　rules。　　Let　us　a　little
permit　Nature　to　take　her　own　way；　she　better　understands　her　own　affairs
than　we。　　But　such　an　one　died　of　it；　and　so　shall　you：　if　not　of　that
disease；　of　another。　　And　how　many　have　not　escaped　dying；　who　have　had
three　physicians　at　their　tails？　　Example　is　a　vague　and　universal
mirror；　and　of　various　reflections。　　If　it　be　a　delicious　medicine；　take
it：　'tis　always　so　much　present　good。　　I　will　never　stick　at　the　name　nor
the　colour；　if　it　be　pleasant　and　grateful　to　the　palate：　pleasure　is　one
of　the　chiefest　kinds　of　profit。　　I　have　suffered　colds；　gouty
defluxions；　relaxations；　palpitations　of　the　heart；　megrims；　and　other
accidents；　to　grow　old　and　die　in　time　a　natural　death。　　I　have　so　lost
them　when　I　was　half　fit　to　keep　them：　they　are　sooner　prevailed　upon　by
courtesy　than　huffing。　　We　must　patiently　suffer　the　laws　of　our
condition；　we　are　born　to　grow　old；　to　grow　weak；　and　to　be　sick；　in
despite　of　all　medicine。　　'Tis　the　first　lesson　the　Mexicans　teach　their
children；　so　soon　as　ever　they　are　born　they　thus　salute　them：　〃Thou　art
come　into　the　world；　child；　to　endure：　endure；　suffer；　and　say　nothing。〃
'Tis　injustice　to　lament　that　which　has　befallen　any　one　which　may　befall
every　one：

　　　　　〃Indignare；　si　quid　in　to　inique　proprio　constitutum　est。〃

　　　　　＇〃Then　be　angry；　when　there　is　anything　unjustly　decreed　against
　　　　　thee　alone。〃Seneca；　Ep。；　91。＇

See　an　old　man　who　begs　of　God　that　he　will　maintain　his　health　vigorous
and　entire；　that　is　to　say；　that　he　restore　him　to　youth：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Stulte；　quid　haec　frustra　votis　puerilibus　optas？〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Fool！　　why　do　you　vainly　form　these　puerile　wishes？〃
　　　　　　　　　　Ovid。；Trist。；　111。　8；　II。＇

is　it　not　folly？　　his　condition　is　not　capable　of　it。　　The　gout；　the
stone；　and　indigestion　are　symptoms　of　long　years；　as　heat；　rains；　and
winds　are　of　long　journeys。　　Plato　does　not　believe　that　AEsculapius
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