all men of letters, must be regular in their way of living, and correct by care those disorders which arise from a weak frame of body, from bad air, or much study.*

A tender person should dwell in a well-lighted cheerful house, which is airy in summer, and enjoys the sun in winter; he should avoid mid-day heats, morning and evening colds, and damps of all kinds. Let the bookish and contemplative man take care not to study too soon after meals. And let even the man of business and the statesman spare a few hours for the purpose of health, and be sure to use some convenient exercise every day before meals, such as reading aloud, walking, or playing at ball of some sort, in which exercise he should persist, until he finds himself in a gentle perspiration, or a little tired, but no longer.

Large meals are ever hurtful to a tender constitution. Pastry, and high-seasoned viands, or delicacies are bad on two accounts: first, because they tempt people to eat more than enough; and secondly, because they are hard of digestion.

If a man must necessarily remove his habitation into a worse air, he had best do it about the beginning of winter.

* Cavendum ne in secunda valetudine adversa præsidia consumantur. Lib. i. cap.i.

It is imprudent to contract a habit of idleness at any time, because a man may be under a necessity to work.

To a person perspiring under labour, there is nothing more pernicious than to drink cold water; nor is it proper for such as are wearied with a journey, though their perspiration be gone off.

Fatigue is often eased by change of labour, and he who is tired with any unusual sort of work, is refreshed by that to which he has been accustomed.

Those who are much fatigued should, if possible, sleep in their own beds, for a strange bed does not refresh them near so much.

IV. OF CONSTITUTIONS AND AGES.

It is expedient, before all things, to understand a man's particular nature and habit of body. Some are too meagre, others too fat; some hot, some cold; some moist, others dry; some too costive, others too lax. Now, all these extremes should be rectified as much as possible, and every constitutional complaint, which endangers health, gently and gradually removed.

The meagre should be plumped up by very gentle

* Galen says that he reduced a huge fat fellow to a moderate size in a short time, by making him run every morning until he fell into a profuse perspiration; after which he had him rubbed hard, and put into a warm bath. He then ordered him a small breakfast, and sent him to the warm bath a second time. Some hours after he was permitted to eat freely of

exercise, and long intervals of rest, a soft hed, long sleep, tranquillity of mind, fat meat,* frequent meals, and as plentiful as he can well digest, and by keeping the belly gently bound.

Fat persons should be made thinner by warm bathing, strong exercise, hard beds, little sleep, proper evacuations, and one meal a day.

Hot constitutions are cooled by drinking water and acid liquors. And the cold are warmed by the use of the flesh brush, by salt meat, and good wine.

The dry are rendered moist by less exercise, and a fuller diet, especially by drinking more than usual; by cold bathing, and by resting some time after their morning exercise before they eat.

The lax are made firmer by increasing the usual exercise; by making but one meal in a day, instead of two which they made before; by drinking little, and by deferring that until they have done eating; and by sitting still for some time after meals.

The costive, on the contrary, are relaxed by increasing the quantity of food, by drinking large draughts at meals, and by using exercise soon after eating.

food, which afforded but little nourishment; and, lastly, set him to some work which he was accustomed to for the remainder of the day.

On the other hand, a man that is too lean may be made plump. 1. By such food as will produce perspiration. 2. Gentle exercise, which gives a firmness to that nourishment. And 3. By avoiding heat, fatigue, and every violence that can dissipate the nourishment he has received.Vide Galen de Sanit. tuend. lib. 6, cap. 8.

*Fat meat, if a man can digest it well, will help to plump him up, otherwise it will do him no service.

Old people have greater reason to be cautious not to trespass upon the rules of health than young persons who have more strength.

V.-SEASONS OF THE YEAR.

It is best to make smaller meals in the summer than in the winter, but more frequent. The cold bath is also proper at that season.

In autumn, when the days begin to grow cold, we should be careful not to go abroad in too light clothes, or too thin shoes.

VI. HABITUAL INFIRMITIES OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF

THE BODY.

Those whose heads are infirm, should pour cold water upon them every morning; should eat moderately of food easy to digest; should make wine and water their common drink: that, in case the head at any time grows worse, then as usual they may have recourse to, and relief from, water alone.

Nor will a weak head bear writing, reading, vehement speaking, or intense thinking at any time, but especially soon after meals.

Cold water is also good to wash blear eyes, and to gargle sore-throats.

Those who are subject to an habitual looseness should play at tennis, and accustom themselves to such sort of exercise as shakes the trunk of the body. They

should also avoid a variety of dishes at one meal, and should deal very little in broths, greens, or small sweet wines; and should sit quiet for a considerable time after meals.

People subject to colics, should forbear to eat or drink any thing cold; and whatever they know by experience to be flatulent.

The symptoms of a weak stomach are paleness, meagreness, loathing, frequent vomiting, and a headach, sometimes when the stomach is empty and such persons should always eat things easy of digestion, and drink the rougher sorts of wine, if they can bear them, cold; and use also such exercise as shakes the trunk of the body.

Those who are afflicted with the gout in their feet or hands, ought, between the fits, to give all the exercise they can bear, to the parts affected, in order to render them firm and hardy; but in the fits rest is necessary. Concubinage is a great enemy to gouty complaints.

Under every constitutional infirmity, it is proper to promote a good digestion; but to gouty people it is indispensably necessary.

A great deal has been written and said about "diet and dietetics" of late, and "indigestion"-large books have been compiled to diversify what has long been understood the ancients have been hacked to pieces by the moderns, and disjointed here and there to give an inflated importance to those diet writers and digesting gentlemen, or rather to their works, which the machinery of the booksellers forces, nolens volens, into cir