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the essays of montaigne, v3-第11部分

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up the parts that are subject to it; no more nor less than the other
appetite we were speaking of; and in like manner; as unseasonably leaves
us; when it thinks fit。  The vessels that serve to discharge the belly
have their own proper dilatations and compressions; without and beyond
our concurrence; as well as those which are destined to purge the reins;
and that which; to justify the prerogative of the will; St。 Augustine
urges; of having seen a man who could command his rear to discharge as
often together as he pleased; Vives; his commentator; yet further
fortifies with another example in his time;of one that could break wind
in tune; but these cases do not suppose any more pure obedience in that
part; for is anything commonly more tumultuary or indiscreet?  To which
let me add; that I myself knew one so rude and ungoverned; as for forty
years together made his master vent with one continued and unintermitted
outbursting; and 'tis like will do so till he die of it。  And I could
heartily wish; that I only knew by reading; how often a man's belly; by
the denial of one single puff; brings him to the very door of an
exceeding painful death; and that the emperor;'The Emperor Claudius;
who; however; according to Suetonius (Vita; c。 32); only intended to
authorise this singular privilege by an edict。' who gave liberty to let
fly in all places; had; at the same time; given us power to do it。  But
for our will; in whose behalf we prefer this accusation; with how much
greater probability may we reproach herself with mutiny and sedition; for
her irregularity and disobedience?  Does she always will what we would
have her to do?  Does she not often will what we forbid her to will; and
that to our manifest prejudice?  Does she suffer herself; more than any
of the rest; to be governed and directed by the results of our reason?
To conclude; I should move; in the behalf of the gentleman; my client; it
might be considered; that in this fact; his cause being inseparably and
indistinctly conjoined with an accessory; yet he only is called in
question; and that by arguments and accusations; which cannot be charged
upon the other; whose business; indeed; it is sometimes inopportunely to
invite; but never to refuse; and invite; moreover; after a tacit and
quiet manner; and therefore is the malice and injustice of his accusers
most manifestly apparent。  But be it how it will; protesting against the
proceedings of the advocates and judges; nature will; in the meantime;
proceed after her own way; who had done but well; had she endowed this
member with some particular privilege; the author of the sole immortal
work of mortals; a divine work; according to Socrates; and love; the
desire of immortality; and himself an immortal demon。

Some one; perhaps; by such an effect of imagination may have had the good
luck to leave behind him here; the scrofula; which his companion who has
come after; has carried with him into Spain。  And 'tis for this reason
you may see why men in such cases require a mind prepared for the thing
that is to be done。  Why do the physicians possess; before hand; their
patients' credulity with so many false promises of cure; if not to the
end; that the effect of imagination may supply the imposture of their
decoctions?  They know very well; that a great master of their trade has
given it under his hand; that he has known some with whom the very sight
of physic would work。  All which conceits come now into my head; by the
remembrance of a story was told me by a domestic apothecary of my
father's; a blunt Swiss; a nation not much addicted to vanity and lying;
of a merchant he had long known at Toulouse; who being a valetudinary;
and much afflicted with the stone; had often occasion to take clysters;
of which he caused several sorts to be prescribed him by the physicians;
acccording to the accidents of his disease; which; being brought him; and
none of the usual forms; as feeling if it were not too hot; and the like;
being omitted; he lay down; the syringe advanced; and all ceremonies
performed; injection alone excepted; after which; the apothecary being
gone; and the patient accommodated as if he had really received a
clyster; he found the same operation and effect that those do who have
taken one indeed; and if at any time the physician did not find the
operation sufficient; he would usually give him two or three more doses;
after the same manner。  And the fellow swore; that to save charges (for
he paid as if he had really taken them) this sick man's wife; having
sometimes made trial of warm water only; the effect discovered the cheat;
and finding these would do no good; was fain to return to the old way。

A woman fancying she had swallowed a pin in a piece of bread; cried and
lamented as though she had an intolerable pain in her throat; where she
thought she felt it stick; but an ingenious fellow that was brought to
her; seeing no outward tumour nor alteration; supposing it to be only a
conceit taken at some crust of bread that had hurt her as it went down;
caused her to vomit; and; unseen; threw a crooked pin into the basin;
which the woman no sooner saw; but believing she had cast it up; she
presently found herself eased of her pain。  I myself knew a gentleman;
who having treated a large company at his house; three or four days after
bragged in jest (for there was no such thing); that he had made them eat
of a baked cat; at which; a young gentlewoman; who had been at the feast;
took such a horror; that falling into a violent vomiting and fever; there
was no possible means to save her。  Even brute beasts are subject to the
force of imagination as well as we; witness dogs; who die of grief for
the loss of their masters; and bark and tremble and start in their sleep;
so horses will kick and whinny in their sleep。

Now all this may be attributed to the close affinity and relation betwixt
the soul and the body intercommunicating their fortunes; but 'tis quite
another thing when the imagination works not only upon one's own
particular body; but upon that of others also。  And as an infected body
communicates its malady to those that approach or live near it; as we see
in the plague; the smallpox; and sore eyes; that run through whole
families and cities:

          〃Dum spectant oculi laesos; laeduntur et ipsi;
          Multaque corporibus transitione nocent。〃

     '〃When we look at people with sore eyes; our own eyes become sore。
     Many things are hurtful to our bodies by transition。〃
     Ovid; De Rem。 Amor。; 615。'

so the imagination; being vehemently agitated; darts out infection
capable of offending the foreign object。  The ancients had an opinion of
certain women of Scythia; that being animated and enraged against any
one; they killed him only with their looks。  Tortoises and ostriches
hatch their eggs with only looking on them; which infers that their eyes
have in them some ejaculative virtue。  And the eyes of witches are said
to be assailant and hurtful:

          〃Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos。〃

     '〃Some eye; I know not whose is bewitching my tender lambs。〃
     Virgil; Eclog。; iii。  103。'

Magicians are no very good authority with me。  But we experimentally see
that women impart the marks of their fancy to the children they carry in
the womb; witness her that was brought to bed of a Moor; and there was
presented to Charles the Emperor and King of Bohemia; a girl from about
Pisa; all over rough and covered with hair; whom her mother said to be so
conceived by reason of a picture of St。 John the Baptist; that hung
within the curtains of her bed。

It is the same with beasts; witness Jacob's sheep; and the hares and
partridges that the snow turns white upon the mountains。  There was at my
house; a little while ago; a cat seen watching a bird upon the top of a
tree: these; for some time; mutually fixing their eyes one upon another;
the bird at last let herself fall dead into the cat's claws; either
dazzled by the force of its own imagination; or drawn by some attractive
power of the cat。  Such as are addicted to the pleasures of the field;
have; I make no question; heard the story of the falconer; who having
earnestly fixed his eyes upon a kite in the air; laid a wager that he
would bring her down with the sole power of his sight; and did so; as it
was said; for the tales I borrow I charge upon the consciences of those
from whom I have them。  The discourses are my own; and found themselves
upon the proofs of reason; not of experience; to which every one has
liberty to add his own examples; and who has none; let him not forbear;
the number and varieties of accidents considered; to believe that there
are plenty of them; if I do not apply them well; let some other do it for
me。  And; also; in the subject of which I treat; our manners and motions;
testimonies and instances; how fabulous soever; provided they are
possible; serve as well as the true; whether they have really happened or
no; at Rome or Paris; to John or Peter; 'tis still within the verge of
human capacity; which serves me to good use。  I see; and make my
advantage of it; as well in shadow as in substance; and amongst the
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