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！
constitution； as Caesar did the falling sickness； by dint of contempt。
A man should addict himself to the best rules； but not enslave himself to
them； except to such； if there be any such； where obligation and
servitude are of profit。
Both kings and philosophers go to stool； and ladies too； public lives are
bound to ceremony； mine； that is obscure and private； enjoys all natural
dispensation； soldier and Gascon are also qualities a little subject to
indiscretion； wherefore I shall say of this act of relieving nature； that
it is desirable to refer it to certain prescribed and nocturnal hours；
and compel one's self to this by custom； as I have done； but not to
subject one's self； as I have done in my declining years； to a particular
convenience of place and seat for that purpose； and make it troublesome
by long sitting； and yet； in the fouler offices； is it not in some
measure excusable to require more care and cleanliness？
〃Naturt homo mundum et elegans animal est。〃
＇Man is by nature a clean and delicate creature。〃Seneca；Ep。； 92。＇
Of all the actions of nature； I am the most impatient of being
interrupted in that。 I have seen many soldiers troubled with the
unruliness of their bellies； whereas mine and I never fail of our
punctual assignation； which is at leaping out of bed； if some
indispensable business or sickness does not molest us。
I think then； as I said before； that sick men cannot better place
themselves anywhere in more safety； than in sitting still in that course
of life wherein they have been bred and trained up； change； be it what it
will； distempers and puts one out。 Do you believe that chestnuts can
hurt a Perigordin or a Lucchese； or milk and cheese the mountain people？
We enjoin them not only a new； but a contrary； method of life； a change
that the healthful cannot endure。 Prescribe water to a Breton of
threescore and ten； shut a seaman up in a stove； forbid a Basque footman
to walk： you will deprive them of motion； and in the end of air and
light：
〃An vivere tanti est？
Cogimur a suetis animum suspendere rebus；
Atque； ut vivamus； vivere desinimus。 。
Hos superesse reor； quibus et spirabilis aer
Et lux； qua regimur； redditur ipsa gravis。〃
＇〃Is life worth so much？ We are compelled to withhold the mind
from things to which we are accustomed； and； that we may live； we
cease to live 。 。 。 。 Do I conceive that they still live； to
whom the respirable air； and the light itself； by which we are
governed； is rendered oppressive？〃
Pseudo…Gallus； Eclog。； i。 155； 247。＇
If they do no other good； they do this at least； that they prepare
patients betimes for death； by little and little undermining and cutting
off the use of life。
Both well and sick； I have ever willingly suffered myself to obey the
appetites that pressed upon me。 I give great rein to my desires and
propensities； I do not love to cure one disease by another； I hate
remedies that are more troublesome than the disease itself。 To be
subject to the colic and subject to abstain from eating oysters are two
evils instead of one； the disease torments us on the one side； and the
remedy on the other。 Since we are ever in danger of mistaking； let us
rather run the hazard of a mistake； after we have had the pleasure。 The
world proceeds quite the other way； and thinks nothing profitable that is
not painful； it has great suspicion of facility。 My appetite； in various
things； has of its own accord happily enough accommodated itself to the
health of my stomach。 Relish and pungency in sauces were pleasant to me
when young； my stomach disliking them since； my taste incontinently
followed。 Wine is hurtful to sick people； and 'tis the first thing that
my mouth then finds distasteful； and with an invincible dislike。
Whatever I take against my liking does me harm； and nothing hurts me that
I eat with appetite and delight。 I never received harm by any action
that was very pleasant to me； and accordingly have made all medicinal
conclusions largely give way to my pleasure； and I have； when I was
young；
〃Quem circumcursans huc atque huc saepe Cupido
Fulgebat crocink splendidus in tunic。〃
＇When Cupid； fluttering round me here and there； shone in his rich
purple mantle。〃Catullus； lxvi。 133。＇
given myself the rein as licentiously and inconsiderately to the desire
that was predominant in me； as any other whomsoever：
〃Et militavi non sine gloria；〃
＇〃And I have played the soldier not ingloriously。〃
Horace； Od。； iii。 26； 2。＇
yet more in continuation and holding out； than in sally：
〃Sex me vix memini sustinuisse vices。〃
＇〃I can scarcely remember six bouts in one night〃
Ovid； Amor。； iii。 7； 26。＇
'Tis certainly a misfortune and a miracle at once to confess at what a
tender age I first came under the subjection of love： it was； indeed； by
chance； for it was long before the years of choice or knowledge； I do not
remember myself so far back； and my fortune may well be coupled with that
of Quartilla； who could not remember when she was a maid：
〃Inde tragus； celeresque pili； mirandaque matri
Barba meae。〃
＇〃Thence the odour of the arm…pits； the precocious hair； and the
beard which astonished my mother。〃Martial； xi。 22； 7。＇
Physicians modify their rules according to the violent longings that
happen to sick persons； ordinarily with good success； this great desire
cannot be imagined so strange and vicious； but that nature must have a
hand in it。 And then how easy a thing is it to satisfy the fancy？ In my
opinion； this part wholly carries it； at least； above all the rest。 The
most grievous and ordinary evils are those that fancy loads us with； this
Spanish saying pleases me in several aspects：
〃Defenda me Dios de me。〃
＇〃God defend me from myself。〃＇
I am sorry when I am sick； that I have not some longing that might give
me the pleasure of satisfying it； all the rules of physic would hardly be
able to divert me from it。 I do the same when I am well； I can see very
little more to be hoped or wished for。 'Twere pity a man should be so
weak and languishing； as not to have even wishing left to him。
The art of physic is not so fixed； that we need be without authority for
whatever we do； it changes according to climates and moons； according to
Fernel and to Scaliger。＇Physicians to Henry II。＇ If your physician
does not think it good for you to sleep； to drink wine； or to eat such
and such meats； never trouble yourself； I will find you another that
shall not be of his opinion； the diversity of medical arguments and
opinions embraces all sorts and forms。 I saw a miserable sick person
panting and burning for thirst； that he might be cured； who was
afterwards laughed at for his pains by another physician； who condemned
that advice as prejudicial to him： had he not tormented himself to good
purpose？ There lately died of the stone a man of that profession； who
had made use of extreme abstinence to contend with his disease： his
fellow…physicians say that； on the contrary； this abstinence had dried
him up and baked the gravel in his kidneys。
I have observed； that both in wounds and sicknesses； speaking discomposes
and hurts me； as much as any irregularity I can commit。 My voice pains
and tires me； for 'tis loud and forced； so that when I have gone to a
whisper some great persons about affairs of consequence； they have often
desired me to moderate my voice。
This story is worth a diversion。 Some one in a certain Greek school
speaking loud as I do； the master of the ceremonies sent to him to speak
softly： 〃 Tell him； then； he must send me；〃 replied the other； 〃the tone
he would have me speak in。〃 To which the other replied； 〃That he should
take the tone from the ears of him to whom he spake。〃 It was well said；
if it is to be understood： 〃Speak according to the affair you are
speaking about to your auditor；〃 for if it mean； 〃'tis sufficient that he
hear you； or govern yourself by him；〃 I do not find it to be reason。 The
tone and motion of my voice carries with it a great deal of the
expression and signification of my meaning； and 'tis I who am to govern
it； to make myself understood： there is a voice to instruct； a voice to
flatter； and a voice to reprehend。 I will not only that my voice reach
him； but； peradventure； that it strike and pierce him。 When I rate my
valet with sharp and bitter language； it would be very pretty for him to
say； 〃Pray； master； speak lower； I hear you very well〃：
〃Est quaedam vox ad auditum accommodata；
non magnitudine； sed proprietate。〃
＇〃There is a certain voice accommodated to the hearing； not by its
loudness； but by its propriety。〃Quintilian； xi。 3。＇
Speaking is half his who speaks； and half his who hears； the latter ought
to prepare himself to receive it； according to its bias； as with tennis…
players； he who receives the ball； shifts and prepares； according as h