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74

OF THE KNOWLEDGE

People may imagine that too strict an attention to these thingswould tend to render them delicate. So far however is this frombeing my design, that the very first rule proposed for preventing coldsB to harden the body, by inuring it to the open air.

I shall conclude what relates to this part of my subject, by givingan abstract of the justly celebrated advice of Celsus, with respect to thepreservation of health. "A man,'' says he, "who is blessed with good" health, should confine himself to no particular rules, either with" respect to regimen or medicine. He ought frequently to diversify" his manner of living; to be sometimes in town, sometimes in the" country; to hunt, sail, indulge himself in rest, but more frequently"to use exercise. He ought to refuse no kind of food that is com-" monly used, but sometimes to eat more and sometimes less ; some-" times to make one at an entertainment, and sometimes to forbear it:" th make rather two meals a-day than one, and always to eat heartily." provided he can digest it. He ought neither too eagerly to pursue" nor too scrupulously to avoid intercourse with the fair sex: pleasures" of this kind, rarely indulged, render the body alert and active; but" when too frequently repeated, weak and languid. He should be" careful in time of health not to destroy by excesses of any kind," that vigour of constitution which should support him under sickness."

PART. II.

OF DISEASES.

CHAP. XII.Of the Knowledge and Cure of Diseases.

IT is no doubt difficult to obtain such a knowledge of diseases asto distinguish them from one another. This, however, does notdepend so much upon scientific principles zs some imagine. It ischiefly the result of experience and observation. By attending thesick, and carefully observing the various occurrences in diseases, agreat degree of accuracy may be acquired, both in distinguishing theirsymptoms, and in the application of medicines. Hence sensible nurses,and other persons who wait upon the sick, often foresee the patient'sfate sooner than those who haye been bred to physic. We do not,however, mean to insinuate that a medical education is of no use; itis doubtless of the greatest importance; but it never can supply theplace of experience and observation.

Every disease may be considered as an assemblage of symptoms, andmust be distinguished by those which are most obvious and peruiauen .Instead therefore of giving a classical arrangement of diseases, according to the systematic method, it will be more suitable, in a perform-ance of this nature, to give a full and accurate description of eachparticular disease as it occurs; and, wrier* 1 any of the svmptonw of