the essays of montaigne, v13-第15部分

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！


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　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　against　one　another　amongst　what　he　had
eaten。　　I　was　curious　to　have　all　his　entrails　brought　before　me；　where；
having　caused　the　skin　that　enclosed　them　to　be　cut；　there　tumbled　out
three　great　lumps；　as　light　as　sponges；　so　that　they　appeared　to　be
hollow；　but　as　to　the　rest；　hard　and　firm　without；　and　spotted　and　mixed
all　over　with　various　dead　colours；　one　was　perfectly　round；　and　of　the
bigness　of　an　ordinary　ball；　the　other　two　something　less；　of　an
imperfect　roundness；　as　seeming　not　to　be　arrived　at　their；　full　growth。
I　find；　by　inquiry　of　people　accustomed　to　open　these　animals；　that　it　is
a　rare　and　unusual　accident。　　'Tis　likely　these　are　stones　of　the　same
nature　with　ours　and　if　so；　it　must　needs　be　a　very　vain　hope　in
those　who　have　the　stone；　to　extract　their　cure　from　the　blood　of　a　beast
that　was　himself　about　to　die　of　the　same　disease。　　For　to　say　that　the
blood　does　not　participate　of　this　contagion；　and　does　not　thence　alter
its　wonted　virtue；　it　is　rather　to　be　believed　that　nothing　is　engendered
in　a　body　but　by　the　conspiracy　and　communication　of　all　the　parts：　the
whole　mass　works　together；　though　one　part　contributes　more　to　the　work
than　another；　according　to　the　diversity　of　operations；　wherefore　it　is
very　likely　that　there　was　some　petrifying　quality　in　all　the　parts　of
this　goat。　　It　was　not　so　much　for　fear　of　the　future；　and　for　myself；
that　I　was　curious　in　this　experiment；　but　because　it　falls　out　in　mine；
as　it　does　in　many　other　families；　that　the　women　store　up　such　little
trumperies　for　the　service　of　the　people；　using　the　same　recipe　in　fifty
several　diseases；　and　such　a　recipe　as　they　will　not　take　themselves；　and
yet　triumph　when　they　happen　to　be　successful。

As　to　what　remains；　I　honour　physicians；　not　according　to　the　precept
for　their　necessity　（for　to　this　passage　may　be　opposed　another　of　the
prophet　reproving　King　Asa　for　having　recourse　to　a　physician）；　but　for
themselves；　having　known　many　very　good　men　of　that　profession；　and　most
worthy　to　be　beloved。　　I　do　not　attack　them；　'tis　their　art　I　inveigh
against；　and　do　not　much　blame　them　for　making　their　advantage　of　our
folly；　for　most　men　do　the　same。　　Many　callings；　both　of　greater　and　of
less　dignity　than　theirs；　have　no　other　foundation　or　support　than　public
abuse。　　When　I　am　sick　I　send　for　them　if　they　be　near；　only　to　have
their　company；　and　pay　them　as　others　do。　　I　give　them　leave　to　command
me　to　keep　myself　warm；　because　I　naturally　love　to　do　it；　and　to　appoint
leeks　or　lettuce　for　my　broth；　to　order　me　white　wine　or　claret；　and　so
as　to　all　other　things；　which　are　indifferent　to　my　palate　and　custom。
I　know　very　well　that　I　do　nothing　for　them　in　so　doing；　because
sharpness　and　strangeness　are　incidents　of　the　very　essence　of　physic。
Lycurgus　ordered　wine　for　the　sick　Spartans。　　Why？　　because　they
abominated　the　drinking　it　when　they　were　well；　as　a　gentleman；　a
neighbour　of　mine；　takes　it　as　an　excellent　medicine　in　his　fever；
because　naturally　he　mortally　hates　the　taste　of　it。　　How　many　do　we　see
amongst　them　of　my　humour；　who　despise　taking　physic　themselves；　are　men
of　a　liberal　diet；　and　live　a　quite　contrary　sort　of　life　to　what　they
prescribe　others？　　What　is　this　but　flatly　to　abuse　our　simplicity？　　for
their　own　lives　and　health　are　no　less　dear　to　them　than　ours　are　to　us；
and　consequently　they　would　accommodate　their　practice　to　their　rules；　if
they　did　not　themselves　know　how　false　these　are。

'Tis　the　fear　of　death　and　of　pain；　impatience　of　disease；　and　a　violent
and　indiscreet　desire　of　a　present　cure；　that　so　blind　us：　'tis　pure
cowardice　that　makes　our　belief　so　pliable　and　easy　to　be　imposed　upon：
and　yet　most　men　do　not　so　much　believe　as　they　acquiesce　and　permit；　for
I　hear　them　find　fault　and　complain　as　well　as　we；　but　they　resolve　at
last；　〃What　should　I　do　then？〃　　As　if　impatience　were　of　itself　a　better
remedy　than　patience。　　Is　there　any　one　of　those　who　have　suffered
themselves　to　be　persuaded　into　this　miserable　subjection；　who　does　not
equally　surrender　himself　to　all　sorts　of　impostures？　　who　does　not　give
up　himself　to　the　mercy　of　whoever　has　the　impudence　to　promise　him　a
cure？　　The　Babylonians　carried　their　sick　into　the　public　square；　the
physician　was　the　people：　every　one　who　passed　by　being　in　humanity　and
civility　obliged　to　inquire　of　their　condition；　gave　some　advice
according　to　his　own　experience。〃　　We　do　little　better；　there　is　not　so
simple　a　woman；　whose　gossips　and　drenches　we　do　not　make　use　of：　and
according　to　my　humour；　if　I　were　to　take　physic；　I　would　sooner　choose
to　take　theirs　than　any　other；　because　at　least；　if　they　do　no　good；　they
will　do　no　harm。　　What　Homer　and　Plato　said　of　the　Egyptians；　that　they
were　all　physicians；　may　be　said　of　all　nations；　there　is　not　a　man
amongst　any　of　them　who　does　not　boast　of　some　rare　recipe；　and　who　will
not　venture　it　upon　his　neighbour；　if　he　will　let　him。　　I　was　the　other
day　in　a　company　where　one；　I　know　not　who；　of　my　fraternity　brought　us
intelligence　of　a　new　sort　of　pills　made　up　of　a　hundred　and　odd
ingredients：　it　made　us　very　merry；　and　was　a　singular　consolation；　for
what　rock　could　withstand　so　great　a　battery？　　And　yet　I　hear　from　those
who　have　made　trial　of　it；　that　the　least　atom　of　gravel　deigned　not　to
stir　fort。

I　cannot　take　my　hand　from　the　paper　before　I　have　added　a　word
concerning　the　assurance　they　give　us　of　the　certainty　of　their　drugs；
from　the　experiments　they　have　made。

The　greatest　part；　I　should　say　above　two…thirds　of　the　medicinal
virtues；　consist　in　the　quintessence　or　occult　property　of　simples；
of　which　we　can　have　no　other　instruction　than　use　and　custom；　for
quintessence　is　no　other　than　a　quality　of　which　we　cannot　by　our　reason
find　out　the　cause。　　In　such　proofs；　those　they　pretend　to　have　acquired
by　the　inspiration　of　some　daemon；　I　am　content　to　receive　（for　I　meddle
not　with　miracles）；　and　also　the　proofs　which　are　drawn　from　things　that；
upon　some　other　account；　often　fall　into　use　amongst