第62章

Ishouldhavehadfidelity，judgment，andfreedomenoughforthatpurpose。Itwouldbeanamelessoffice，otherwiseitwouldloseitsgraceanditseffect;and’tisapartthatisnotindifferentlyfitforallmen;fortruthitselfhasnottheprivilegetobespokenatalltimesandindiscriminately;itsuse，nobleasitis，hasitscircumspectionsandlimits。Itoftenfallsout，astheworldgoes，thatamanletsitslipintotheearofaprince，notonlytonopurpose，butmoreoverinjuriouslyandunjustly;andnomanshallmakemebelievethatavirtuousremonstrancemaynotbeviciouslyapplied，andthattheinterestofthesubstanceisnotoftentogivewaytothatoftheform。

Forsuchapurpose，Iwouldhaveamanwhoiscontentwithhisownfortune:

"Quodsit，essevelit，nihilquemalit，"

[Whoispleasedwithwhatheisanddesiresnothingfurther。"

——Martial，x。ii，18。]

andofmoderatestation;forasmuchas，ontheonehand，hewouldnotbeafraidtotouchhismaster’shearttothequick，forfearbythatmeansoflosinghispreferment:and，ontheotherhand，beingofnohighquality，hewouldhavemoreeasycommunicationwithallsortsofpeople。

Iwouldhavethisofficelimitedtoonlyoneperson;fortoallowtheprivilegeofhislibertyandprivacytomany，wouldbegetaninconvenientirreverence;andofthatone，Iwouldaboveallthingsrequirethefidelityofsilence。

Akingisnottobebelievedwhenhebragsofhisconstancyinstandingtheshockoftheenemyforhisglory，ifforhisprofitandamendmenthecannotstandthelibertyofafriend’sadvice，whichhasnootherpowerbuttopinchhisear，theremainderofitseffectbeingstillinhisownhands。Now，thereisnoconditionofmenwhateverwhostandinsogreatneedoftrueandfreeadviceandwarning，astheydo:theysustainapubliclife，andhavetosatisfytheopinionofsomanyspectators，that，asthoseaboutthemconcealfromthemwhatevershoulddivertthemfromtheirownway，theyinsensiblyfindthemselvesinvolvedinthehatredanddetestationoftheirpeople，oftenuponoccasionswhichtheymighthaveavoidedwithoutanyprejudiceevenoftheirpleasuresthemselves，hadtheybeenadvisedandsetrightintime。Theirfavouritescommonlyhavemoreregardtothemselvesthantotheirmaster;andindeeditanswerswiththem，forasmuchas，intruth，mostofficesofrealfriendship，whenappliedtothesovereign，areunderarudeanddangeroushazard，sothatthereinthereisgreatneed，notonlyofverygreataffectionandfreedom，butofcouragetoo。

Infine，allthishodge—podgewhichIscribblehere，isnothingbutaregisteroftheessaysofmyownlife，which，fortheinternalsoundness，isexemplaryenoughtotakeinstructionagainstthegrain;butastobodilyhealth，nomancanfurnishoutmoreprofitableexperiencethanI，whopresentitpure，andnowaycorruptedandchangedbyartoropinion。

Experienceisproperlyuponitsowndunghillinthesubjectofphysic，wherereasonwhollygivesitplace:Tiberiussaidthatwhoeverhadlivedtwentyyearsoughttoberesponsibletohimselfforallthingsthatwerehurtfulorwholesometohim，andknowhowtoorderhimselfwithoutphysic;

[AllthatSuetoniussaysinhisLifeofTiberiusisthatthisemperor，afterhewasthirtyyearsold，governedhishealthwithouttheaidofphysicians;andwhatPlutarchtellsus，inhisessayontheRulesandPreceptsofHealth，isthatTiberiussaidthatthemanwho，havingattainedsixtyyears，heldouthispulsetoaphysicianwasafool。]

andhemighthavelearneditofSocrates，who，advisinghisdisciplestobesolicitousoftheirhealthasachiefstudy，addedthatitwashardifamanofsense，havingacaretohisexerciseanddiet，didnotbetterknowthananyphysicianwhatwasgoodorillforhim。Andphysicitselfprofessesalwaystohaveexperienceforthetestofitsoperations:soPlatohadreasontosaythat，tobearightphysician，itwouldbenecessarythathewhowouldbecomesuch，shouldfirsthimselfhavepassedthroughallthediseaseshepretendstocure，andthroughalltheaccidentsandcircumstanceswhereofheistojudge。’Tisbutreasontheyshouldgetthepox，iftheywillknowhowtocureit;formypart，Ishouldputmyselfintosuchhands;theothersbutguideus，likehimwhopaintsseasandrocksandportssittingattable，andtheremakesthemodelofashipsailinginallsecurity;butputhimtotheworkitself，heknowsnotatwhichendtobegin。Theymakesuchadescriptionofourmaladiesasatowncrierdoesofalosthorseordog——suchacolor，suchaheight，suchanear——butbringittohimandheknowsitnot，forallthat。Ifphysicshouldonedaygivemesomegoodandvisiblerelief，thentrulyIwillcryoutingoodearnest:

"Tandemeffcacidomanusscientiae。"

["Showmeandefficaciousscience，andIwilltakeitbythehand。"

——Horace，xvii。I。]

Theartsthatpromisetokeepourbodiesandsoulsinhealthpromiseagreatdeal;but，withal，therearenonethatlesskeeptheirpromise。

And，inourtime，thosewhomakeprofessionoftheseartsamongstus，lessmanifesttheeffectsthananyothersortofmen;onemaysayofthem，atthemost，thattheysellmedicinaldrugs;butthattheyarephysicians，amancannotsay。

[Theeditionof1588adds:"Judgingbythemselves，andthosewhoareruledbythem。"]

Ihavelivedlongenoughtobeabletogiveanaccountofthecustomthathascarriedmesofar;forhimwhohasamindtotryit，ashistaster，Ihavemadetheexperiment。Herearesomeofthearticles，asmymemoryshallsupplymewiththem;Ihavenocustomthathasnotvariedaccordingtocircumstances;butIonlyrecordthosethatIhavebeenbestacquaintedwith，andthathithertohavehadthegreatestpossessionofme。

Myformoflifeisthesameinsicknessasinhealth;thesamebed，thesamehours，thesamemeat，andeventhesamedrink，servemeinbothconditionsalike;Iaddnothingtothembutthemoderationofmoreorless，accordingtomystrengthandappetite。Myhealthistomaintainmywontedstatewithoutdisturbance。Iseethatsicknessputsmeoffitononeside，andifIwillberuledbythephysicians，theywillputmeoffontheother;sothatbyfortuneandbyartIamoutofmyway。

Ibelievenothingmorecertainlythanthis，thatIcannotbehurtbytheuseofthingstowhichIhavebeensolongaccustomed。’Tisforcustomtogiveaformtoaman’slife，suchasitpleaseshim;sheisallinallinthat:’tisthepotionofCirce，thatvariesournatureasshebestpleases。Howmanynations，andbutthreestepsfromus，thinkthefearofthenight—dew，thatsomanifestlyishurtfultous，aridiculousfancy;andourownwatermenandpeasantslaughatit。YoumakeaGermansickifyoulayhimuponamattress，asyoudoanItalianifyoulayhimonafeather—bed，andaFrenchman，ifwithoutcurtainsorfire。ASpanishstomachcannotholdouttoeataswecan，norourstodrinkliketheSwiss。AGermanmademeverymerryatAugsburg，byfindingfaultwithourhearths，bythesameargumentswhichwecommonlymakeuseofindecryingtheirstoves:for，tosaythetruth，thesmotheredheat，andthenthesmellofthatheatedmatterofwhichthefireiscomposed，verymuchoffendsuchasarenotusedtothem;notme;and，indeed，theheatbeingalwaysequal，constant，anduniversal，withoutflame，withoutsmoke，andwithoutthewindthatcomesdownourchimneys，theymaymanywayssustaincomparisonwithours。WhydowenotimitatetheRomanarchitecture？fortheysaythatancientlyfireswerenotmadeinthehouses，butontheoutside，andatthefootofthem，whencetheheatwasconveyedtothewholefabricbypipescontrivedinthewall，whichweredrawntwiningabouttheroomsthatweretobewarmed:whichIhaveseenplainlydescribedsomewhereinSeneca。ThisGermanhearingmecommendtheconveniencesandbeautiesofhiscity，whichtrulydeservesit，begantocompassionatemethatIhadtoleaveit;andthefirstinconvenienceheallegedtomewas，theheavinessofheadthatthechimneyselsewherewouldbringuponme。Hehadheardsomeonemakethiscomplaint，andfixedituponus，beingbycustomdeprivedofthemeansofperceivingitathome。Allheatthatcomesfromthefireweakensanddullsme。Evenussaidthatfirewasthebestcondimentoflife:Iratherchooseanyotherwayofmakingmyselfwarm。

Weareafraidtodrinkourwines，whentowardthebottomofthecask;inPortugalthosefumesarereputeddelicious，anditisthebeverageofprinces。Inshort，everynationhasmanycustomsandusagesthatarenotonlyunknowntoothernations，butsavageandmiraculousintheirsight。

Whatshouldwedowiththosepeoplewhoadmitofnoevidencethatisnotinprint，whobelievenotmeniftheyarenotinabook，nortruthifitbenotofcompetentage？wedignifyourfopperieswhenwecommitthemtothepress:’tisofagreatdealmoreweighttosay，"Ihavereadsuchathing，"thanifyouonlysay，"Ihaveheardsuchathing。"ButI，whonomoredisbelieveaman’smouththanhispen，andwhoknowthatmenwriteasindiscreetlyastheyspeak，andwholookuponthisageasonethatispast，assoonquoteafriendasAulusGelliusorMacrobius;andwhatI

haveseen，aswhattheyhavewritten。And，as’tisheldofvirtue，thatitisnotgreaterforhavingcontinuedlonger，sodoIholdoftruth，thatforbeingolderitisnonethewiser。Ioftensay，thatitismerefollythatmakesusrunafterforeignandscholasticexamples;theirfertilityisthesamenowthatitwasinthetimeofHomerandPlato。

Butisitnotthatweseekmorehonourfromthequotation，thanfromthetruthofthematterinhand？AsifitweremoretothepurposetoborrowourproofsfromtheshopsofVascosanorPlantin，thanfromwhatistobeseeninourownvillage;orelse，indeed，thatwehavenotthewittoculloutandmakeusefulwhatweseebeforeus，andtojudgeofitclearlyenoughtodrawitintoexample:forifwesaythatwewantauthoritytogivefaithtoourtestimony，wespeakfromthepurpose;

forasmuchas，inmyopinion，ofthemostordinary，common，andknownthings，couldwebutfindouttheirlight，thegreatestmiraclesofnaturemightbeformed，andthemostwonderfulexamples，especiallyuponthesubjectofhumanactions。

Now，uponthissubject，settingasidetheexamplesIhavegatheredfrombooks，andwhatAristotlesaysofAndrontheArgian，thathetravelledoverthearidsandsofLybiawithoutdrinking:agentleman，whohasverywellbehavedhimselfinseveralemployments，said，inaplacewhereI

was，thathehadriddenfromMadridtoLisbon，intheheatofsummer，withoutanydrinkatall。Heisveryhealthfulandvigorousforhisage，andhasnothingextraordinaryintheuseofhislife，butthis，tolivesometimestwoorthreemonths，nay，awholeyear，ashehastoldme，withoutdrinking。Heissometimesthirsty，butheletsitpassover，andheholdsthatitisanappetitewhicheasilygoesoffofitself;

andhedrinksmoreoutofcapricethaneitherforneedorpleasure。

Hereisanotherexample:’tisnotlongagothatIfoundoneofthelearnedestmeninFrance，amongthoseofnotinconsiderablefortune，studyinginacornerofahallthattheyhadseparatedforhimwithtapestry，andabouthimarabbleofhisservantsfulloflicence。Hetoldme，andSenecaalmostsaysthesameofhimself，hemadeanadvantageofthishubbub;that，beatenwiththisnoise，hesomuchthemorecollectedandretiredhimselfintohimselfforcontemplation，andthatthistempestofvoicesdrovebackhisthoughtswithinhimself。

BeingastudentatPadua，hehadhisstudysolongsituatedamidtherattleofcoachesandthetumultofthesquare，thathenotonlyformedhimselftothecontempt，buteventotheuseofnoise，fortheserviceofhisstudies。SocratesansweredAlcibiades，whowasastonishedhowhecouldenduretheperpetualscoldingofhiswife，"Why，"saidhe，"asthosedowhoareaccustomedtotheordinarynoiseofwheelsdrawingwater。"Iamquiteotherwise;Ihaveatenderheadandeasilydiscomposed;when’tisbentuponanything，theleastbuzzingofaflymurdersit。

SenecainhisyouthhavingwarmlyespousedtheexampleofSextius，ofeatingnothingthathaddied，forawholeyeardispensedwithsuchfood，and，ashesaid，withpleasure，anddiscontinueditthathemightnotbesuspectedoftakingupthisrulefromsomenewreligionbywhichitwasprescribed:headopted，inlikemanner，fromthepreceptsofAttalusacustomnottolieuponanysortofbeddingthatgavewayunderhisweight，and，eventohisoldage，madeuseofsuchaswouldnotyieldtoanypressure。Whattheusageofhistimemadehimaccountroughness，thatofoursmakesuslookuponaseffeminacy。

Dobutobservethedifferencebetwixt