"THE ELIXIR OF LIFE."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18374, 14 April 1923, Page 8 (Supplement)

"THE ELIXIR OF LIFE."

MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYS. ; Dr. Armaingaud, of i the Academy of Medicine, Paris, who rstartled^ his eminent colleagues a few days ago/by assuring them that the secret ,of long = life was to be found in Montaigne's Essays, has been : interviewed by a : Parisian journalist curious to know exactly '. what prescription the doctor found in the essays which rendered an. appeal to ■ Steinach or Vorohoff superfluous. The doctor, although old in years, is still active, smiling, and contented. "How old do you think I am?" he asked. "Speak frankly, and do not flatter* me." "Sixty-five," replied the veracious '-; interviewer. :< "My friend, *' replied the doctor, "I am 81,' and you see that I am the living illustration of my theory, 'if you want to live long, read Montaigne." . 1 ."I read him," Dr. Armaingaud went on, "whenever I am troubled, anxious/or annoyed. He never fails to teach me to surmount with good humour even the smallest troubles. Montaigne's wisdom is contaTeous. For those who know how to read him, he is a master of optimism, and, as you know, to be of good couracre is the secret of longevity. I have remained young in character in the company of this clever, good, arid beneficent friend. I always have young people at my table, whose gaiety 1 love. I am going to, give a dinner here to celebrate my eighty-second birthday, and I mean to invite my guests to a similar gathering next year." . / "Tell me how Montaiene inspires you in everyday life." said the: interviewer. / "The answer is very simple," said the Doctor. "Like his master Epicurus, Montaigne tells us that we fail to en'ov the good things present merely because we are worrying about the good things of the future. 'Think of past happiness.' he adds. Very well, then,' everv dav systematically I recall some of my happy memories. By doing so I bathe my mind in -a pleasant atmosphere, and/almost without knowing it, give a happy tern to all my coming thoughts." 'The prescription, in a word is one grain of wisdom supplied by Dr. Montaigne taken daily. / Dr. Armainn-nud, who row possesses all the known editions of Monfaipne. was introduced to the sage of P»r : pord by his father at the are of nine. Hi? father was himself evide"t'y an ardent disciple of Montaicne. He. too. lived to be over 80, and even then, as Dr. jArmaincand carefullv explains, died as the result of an accident. The sage; it seems, can loach us to protect our youth, but even he cannot; : protect us against the kicks of circumstance. »/i :■■.■:■ /■'//■■/■ .'■'*