214044_The_Essa ... rd_Of_Montaigne_Vol_II.pdf - OUDL Home

568 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
Of all accidents incident to age it was that I feared
most My selfe have many times thought I went on
too farre, and that to hold out so long a journey, I
must of necessitie in the end stumble upon some such
unpleasing chance. I perceived plainly and protested
sufficiently it was high time to depart, and that according
to the rule of skilfull chirurgions, who when they
must cut off some member, life must be seared to the
quicke and cut to the sound flesh. That nature is wont
to make him pay untolerable usurie who doth not yeeld
or pay the same in due time. I was so farre from being
readie to make lawfull tender of it, that in eighteene
months, or thereabouts, I have continued in so yrkesome
and unpleasing plight, I have already learned to
apply my selfe unto it; and am now entring into covenant
with this chollicall kinde of life; for therein I
finde matter wherewith to comfort me, and to hope
better. So much are men enured in their miserable
estate, that no condition is so poore but they will
accept: so they may continue in the same. Heare
Maecenas—
Debilem facito manu,
Debtlem pede, coxa,
Lubricos quate denies,
Vita dum superest, bene est, 1
Make me be weake of hand,
Scarce on my legges to stand,
Shake my loose teeth with paiiie,
Tis well so life remaine.
And Tamburlane cloked the fantasticall cruelty he
exercised upon lazars or leprousmen with a foolish kinde
of humanitie, putting all he could finde or heare of to
death, (as he said) to ridde them from so painefull and
miserable a life as they lived. For there was none so
wretched amongst them that would not rather have
beene three times a leper than not to be at all. And
Antisthenes the Stoick being very sicke, and crying out,
'Oh, who shall deliver me from my tormenting evils ?'
1 SEN. Epist. ci.