[88] There is a reference to this visit, Essais, i. 25: “Je vis privément à Pise un honeste homme, mais si Aristotelicien, que le plus general de ses dogmes est: Que la touche et regle de toutes imaginations solides, et de toute verité, c’est la conformité à la doctrine d’Aristote: que hors de là, ce ne sont que chimeres et inanité: qu’il a tout veu et tout dit. Cette sienne proposition, pour avoir esté un peu trop largement et uniquement interpretée, le mit autrefois, et tint longtemps en grand accessoire à l’inquisition à Rome.” Borro was born at Arezzo, and appointed Professor of Philosophy at Pisa in 1553. After divers prosecutions by the Inquisition, he was finally dismissed in 1586, and died at Perugia in 1592.
[89] Jacopo and not Pietro Paulo. He was Archbishop of Pisa from 1574 to 1575.
[90] Tommaso Cornacchini, a famous Aretine physician. He was Professor of Medicine at Pisa, and died there in 1584. His works were published after his death by his sons Oragio and Marco (Padua 1605, Venice 1607). Marco was also a distinguished physician and the inventor of the Polvere cornacchina.
[91] Now known as Casciana.
[92] Some remains of a Roman bath still exist in Pisa itself close to the Porta a Lucca, and are called Bagno di Nerone. Montaigne probably confuses the two places. The baths which he here describes are still in use, and are the same as were known in ancient times as Aquæ Calidæ Pisanorum.
[93] Old form of schifiltà—squeamishness.
[94] Montaigne writes somewhat in the same strain in Essais, ii. 6, and gives an apology for suicide, ii. 3.
[95] “Messieurs de Bordeaux m’esleurent Maire de leur ville, estant esloigné de France, et encore plus esloigné d’un tel pensement. Je m’en excusay. Mais on m’apprint que j’avois tort, le commandement du Roy s’y interposant aussi” (Essais, iii. 10). Sainte Beuve (Nouveaux Lundis, vol. vi.) has an article, Montaigne maire de Bordeaux.
[96] This chapel, the masterpiece of Matteo Civitali, was erected in 1484. The Volto Santo di Lucca is an ancient carved crucifix of cedar which, according to legend, was brought to the city in 782.
[97] S. Frediano.