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576 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
Court of Parliament, which prospered so ill with him
that though he were in shew of a very strong complexion,
he died long before the others, except one,
the Lord of Saint Michael. It may well be I have
received of them that natural dyspathie to physicke.
Yet if there had been no other consideration but this,
I would have endevoured to force it. For all these
conditions, which without reason are borne in us, are
vicious. It is a kinde of maladie a man must fight
withall. It may be I had such a propension, but I
have settled and strengthened the same by discourses
which in me have confirmed the opinion I have of it.
For I have also the consideration to refuse physicke
by reason of the sharpnesse of its taste. It would
not easily agree with my humour, who thinke health
worthy to be purchased with the price of all cauteries
and incisions, how painefull soever. And following
Epicurus, mee seemeth that all maner of voluptuousnesse
should be avoided, if greater griefes follow them;
and griefes to be sought after, tnat have greater
voluptuousnesse ensuing them. Health is a very
precious jewell, and the onely thing that in pursuite
of it deserveth a man should not onely employ time,
labour, sweate and goods, but also life to get it;
forasmuch as without it life becommeth injurious unto
us. Voluptuousnes, science and vertue, without it,
tarnish and vanish away. And to the most constant
and exact discourses that philosophy will imprint in
our minds to the contrary, wee neede not oppose
any thing against it but the image of Plato, being
visited with the falling sickenesse, or an apoplexie;
and in this presupposition chalenge him to call the
richest faculties of his minde to helpe him.
All meanes that may bring us unto health, cannot
be esteemed of men either sharpe or deare. But I
have some other apparances which strangely make
me to distrust al his ware. I doe not say but there
may be some art of it: it is certaine that amongst so
many of Natures workes there are some things proper
for the preservation of our health. I know there are