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212 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
what ignorance effecteth much more evidently and
simply? The Philosopher Pyrrho being at sea, and
by reason of a violent storme in great danger to be
cast away, presented nothing unto those that were with
him in the ship to imitate but the securitie of an Hog
which was aboard, who, nothing at all dismaied, seemed
to behold and outstare the tempest. Philosophic after
all her precepts gives us over to the examples of a
Wrestler or of a Muletier, in whom we ordinarily
perceive much lesse feeling of death, of paine, of grief,
and other conveniences, and more undaunted constancies
than ever Learning or Knowledge could store a man
withall, unlesse he were born and of himselfe through
some naturall habitude prepared unto it. What is
the cause the tender members of a childe or limbs of
a horse are much more easie and with lesse paine cut
and incised than ours, if it be not ignorance ? How
many, only through the power of imagination, have
falue into dangerous diseases? We ordinarily see
diverse that will cause themselves to be let bloud,
urged, and dieted, because they would be cured of
S
iseases they never felt but in conceit; when essentiall
and true maladies faile us, then Science and Knowledge
lend us hers: This colour or complexion (said she)
presageth some rheumatike defluxion will ensue you:
This soultring-hot season menaceth you with some
febricant commotion; this cutting of the vitall line
of your left hand warncth you of some notable and
approaching indisposition. And at last she will roundly
addresse herselfe unto perfect health; saying this
youthly vigour and suddain joy cannot possibly stay
in one place, her bloud and strength must be abated,
for feare it turne you to some mischiefe. Compare
but the life of a man subject to these like imaginations,
unto that of a day-labouring swaine, who followes his
naturall appetites, who measureth all things onely by
the present sense, and hath neither learning nor prognostications,
who feeleth no disease but when he hath
it: whereas the other hath often the stone imaginarily
before he have it in his reines: as if it were not time