MONTAIGNE - MIND

<BODY> <CENTER><FONT SIZE=5><B><FONT SIZE=6>MONTAIGNE</FONT><BR> THE SCEPTIC</B></FONT></CENTER><P> <FONT SIZE=4><B>Mind over Matter</B></FONT><P> <FONT SIZE=4><B>DEATH</B></FONT><BR> "To philosophise is to learn how to die." This is the title of one the essays in Book 1. Death is inevitable, not to contemplate it is vulgar and stupid. If we can conquer fear of death we can face all life's tribulations with equanimity. Rather than be surprised by death we should expect it at any moment, prepare for it. Later, he ceases to see death as an occasion for displaying heroic strength. We should not prepare for misfortunes but accept them as they come. Preparing for death can cause more sorrow than the actual physical suffering. Death is not the goal of life only its end. We should be concerned not with knowing how to die but with knowing how to live.<P> <TABLE ALIGN=Left BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=2 CELLPADDING=1> <TR> <TD><IMG ALIGN=Left SRC="1007a.jpg" WIDTH="180" HEIGHT="196" ALT="PLAGUE VICTIMS"></TD> </TR> </TABLE> Montaigne's earlier attitude was greatly influenced by death of his dear friend, La Boétie, who died a true <A HREF="../t03/g050.html" TARGET="_top">Stoic</A>. Montaigne greatly admired his courage and came to desire an equally good death. Later in life, during the plague, he is struck by the quiet fortitude of the poor, anticipating death, digging their own graves. They knew naturally how to die. Montaigne's essays did indeed form him and by the time he wrote the later ones, he had so re-evaluated life that death no longer seemed such a shocking event. He accepted it as natural. And this, not through contemplation of abstract concepts like immortality, but through life experience.<BR clear=left> <BR clear=left><BR> <HR width=100%> <A HREF="http://www.creatorix.com.au"><IMG SRC="../creatorix.gif" WIDTH="85" HEIGHT="40" BORDER="0" ALT="Creatorix" align=right></A> </BODY>