,,discourses ,,on ,a ,,sober ,,and      
,,temperate ,,life4  ,by  ,,lewis       
,,cornaro1 ,a ,,noble ,,venetian4       
,wherein is demonstrated1 by his own    
,example1  ,,the ,,method ,,of          
,,preserving ,,health ,,to ,,extreme    
,,old ,,age4  ,translated from the      
,italian ,original4  ,a ,,new ,,edition1
 ,,corrected4  ,,london3 ,printed for   
,benjamin ,white1 at ,horace's ,head1 in
 ,fleet-,street4 ,m4,,dcc4,,lxxix4      
,,preface  ,the author of the following 
discourses1 ,lewis ,cornaro1 was        
descended from one of the most          
illustrious families in ,venice1 but by 
the ill conduct of some of his          
relations1 had the misfortune to be     
deprived of the dignity of a nobleman1  
and excluded from all honours and public
 employments in the state4  ,chagrined  
at this unmerited disgrace1 he retired  
to ,padua1 and married a lady of the    
family of ,spiltemberg1 whose name was  
,veronica4  ,being in possession of a   
good estate1 he was very desirous of    

having children2 and after a long       
expectation of this happiness1 his wife 
was delivered of a daughter1 to whom he 
gave the name of ,clara4  ,this was his 
only child1 who afterwards was married  
to ,john1 the son of ,fantini ,cornaro1 
of a rich family in ,cyprus1 while that 
island belonged to the republic of      
,venice4  ,though he was far advanced in
 life when his daughter ,clara came into
 the world1 yet he lived to see her very
 old1 and the mother of eight sons and  
three daughters4  ,he was a man of sound
 understanding1 determined courage and  
resolution4 ,in his younger days1 he had
 contracted infirmities by intemperance1
 and by indulging his too great         
propensity to anger2 but when he        
perceived the ill consequence of his    
irregularities1 he had command enough of
 himself to subdue his passion and      
inordinate appetites4  ,by means of     
great sobriety1 and a strict regimen in 
his diet1 he recovered his health and   
vigour1 which he preserved to an extreme

 old age4  ,at a very advanced stage of 
life he wrote the following discourses1 
wherein he acquaints us with the        
irregularity of his youth1 his          
reformation of manners1 and the hopes he
 entertained of living a long time4     
,nor was he mistaken in his expectation1
 for he resigned his last breath without
 any agony1 sitting in an elbow chair1  
being above an hundred years old4  ,this
 happened at ,padua1 the #bfth of       
,april1 #aeff4  ,his lady1 almost as old
 as himself1 survived him but a short   
time1 and died an early death4  ,they   
were both interred in ,st4 ,anthony's   
church1 without pomp1 pursuant to their 
testamentary directions4  ,these        
discourses1 though written in ,cornaro's
 old age1 were penned at different      
times1 and published separately3 ,the   
first1 which he wrote at the age of     
eighty-three1 is intitled1 ,a ,treatise 
on a ,sober ,life1 in which he declares 
war against every kind of intemperance2 
and his vigorous old age speaks in      

favour of his precepts4  ,the second    
treatise he composed at the age of      
eighty-six3 it contains farther         
encomiums on sobriety1 and points out   
the means of mending a bad constitution4
  ,he says1 that he came into the world 
with a choleric disposition1 but that   
his temperate way of life had enabled   
him to subdue it4  ,the third1 which he 
wrote at the age of ninety-one1 is      
intitled1 ,an ,earnest ,exhortation to a
 ,sober ,life2 here he uses the         
strongest arguments to persuade mankind 
to embrace a temperate life1 as the     
means of attaining a healthy and        
vigorous old age4  ,the fourth and last1
 is a letter to ,barbaro1 ,patriarch of 
,aquileia1 written at the age of        
ninety-five2 it contains a lively       
description of the healthy1 vigour1 and 
perfect use of all his faculties1 which 
he had the happiness of enjoying at that
 advanced period of life4  ,this useful 
work was translated some years ago into 
,english1 under the title of ,sure and  

certain methods of attaining a long and 
healthy life4 ,the translator seems     
rather to have made use of a ,french    
version than of the ,italian original2  
he has likewise omitted several passages
 of the ,italian1 and the whole is      
rather a paraphrase than a translation4 
,this has induced us to give the public 
an exact and faithful version of that   
excellent performance1 from the ,venice 
edition in #hvo1 in the year #afbj #a3  
and as a proof of the merit and         
authenticity of the work1 we beg leave  
to quote ,mr4 ,addison's recommendation 
of it1 ,,spectator1 ,vol4 iii1 ,no #aie4
  ,the most remarkable instance of the  
efficacy of temperance1 towards the     
procuring long life1 is what we meet    
with in a little book published by      
,lewis ,cornaro1 the ,venetian2 which ,i
 rather mention1 because it is of       
undoubted credit1 as the late ,venetian 
ambassador1 who was of the same family1 
attested more than once in conversation1
 when he resided in ,england4  ,cornaro1

 who was the author of the little       
treatise ,i am mentioning1 was of an    
infirm constitution1 till about forty1  
when1 by obstinately persisting in an   
exact course of temperance1 he recovered
 a perfect state of health2 insomuch    
that at fourscore he published his book1
 which has been translated into ,english
 under the title of1 ,sure and certain  
methods of attaining a long and healthy 
life4  ,he lived to give a third or     
fourth edition of it1 and after having  
passed his hundredth year1 died without 
pain or agony1 and like one who falls   
asleep4  ,the treatise ,i mention has   
been taken notice of by several eminent 
authors1 and is written with such spirit
 of chearfulness1 religion1 and good    
sense1 as are the natural concomitants  
of temperance and sobriety4  ,the       
mixture of the old man in it1 is rather 
a recommendation than a discredit to it4
  #a ,the first edition was published by
 the author at ,padua1 in #dto1 ,a4,d4  
#aeeh4    ,a ,,treatise ,,on ,a ,,sober 

,,life  ,it is a thing past all doubt1  
that custom1 by time1 becomes a second  
nature1 forcing men to use that1 whether
 good or bad1 to which they have been   
habituated3 nay1 we see habit1 in many  
things1 get the better of reason4  ,this
 is so undeniably true1 that virtuous   
men1 by conversing with the wicked1 very
 often fall into the same vicious course
 of life4  ,the contrary1 likewise1 we  
see sometimes happen2 viz4 that1 as good
 morals easily change to bad1 so bad    
morals change again to good4  ,for      
instance3 let a wicked man1 who was once
 virtuous1 keep company with a virtuous 
man1 and he will again become virtuous2 
and this alteration can be attributed to
 nothing but the force of habit1 which  
is1 indeed1 very great4  ,seeing many   
examples of this2 and besides1          
considering that1 in consequence of this
 great force of habit1 three bad customs
 have got footing in ,italy within a few
 years1 even within my own memory2 the  
first flattery and ceremoniousness3 the 

second ,lutheranism #b1 which some have 
most preposterously embraced2 the third 
intemperance2 and that these three      
vices1 like so many cruel monsters1     
leagued1 as indeed they are1 against    
mankind1 have gradually prevailed so    
far1 as to rob civil life of its        
sincerity1 the soul of its piety1 and   
the body of its health2 ,i have resolved
 to treat of the last of these vices1   
and prove that it is an abuse1 in order 
to extirpate it1 if possible4  ,as to   
the second1 ,lutheranism1 and the first1
 flattery1 ,i am certain1 that some     
great genius or another will soon       
undertake the task of exposing their    
deformity1 and effectually suppressing  
them4 ,therefore1 ,i firmly hope1 that1 
before ,i die1 ,i shall see these three 
abuses conquered and driven out of      
,italy2 and this country of course      
restored to its former laudable and     
virtuous customs4   #b ,the author      
writes with the prejudice of a zealous  
,roman ,catholic against the doctrine of

 the ,reformation1 which he here        
distinguishes by the name of            
,lutheranism4  ,this was owing to the   
artifices of the ,romish clergy in those
 days1 by whom the reformed religion was
 misinterpreted1 as introductive of     
licentiousness and debauchery4   ,to    
come then to that abuse1 of which ,i am 
proposed to speak1 namely1 intemperance2
 ,i say1 that it is a great pity it     
should have prevailed so much1 as       
entirely to banish sobriety4  ,though   
all are agreed1 that intemperance is the
 offspring of gluttony1 and sober living
 of abstemiousness2 the former1         
nevertheless1 is considered a virtue and
 a mark of distinction1 and the latter1 
as dishonourable and the badge of       
avarice4  ,such mistaken notions are    
entirely owing to the power of custom1  
established by our senses and irregular 
appetites2 these have blinded and       
besotted men to such a degree1 that1    
leaving the paths of virtue1 they have  
followed those of vice1 which lead them 

before their time to an old age1        
burthened with strange and mortal       
infirmities1 so as to render them quite 
decrepid before forty1 contrary to the  
effects of sobriety1 which1 before it   
was banished by this destructive        
intemperance1 used to keep men sound and
 hearty to the age of eighty and        
upwards4  ,o wretched and unhappy       
,italy6 do you not see1 that            
intemperance murders every year more of 
your subjects1 than you could lose by   
the most cruel plague1 or by fire and   
sword in many battles8  ,those truly    
shameful feasts1 no so much in fashion1 
and so intolerably profuse1 that no     
tables are large enough to hold the     
dishes1 which renders it necessary to   
heap them one upon another2 those       
feasts1 ,i say1 are so many battles2 and
 how is it possible to support nature by
 such a variety of contrary and         
unwholesome foods8  ,put a stop to this 
abuse1 for ,god's sake1 for there is    
not1 ,i am certain of it1 a vice more   

abominable than this in the eyes of the 
,divine ,majesty4  ,drive away this new 
kind of death1 and you have banished the
 plague1 which1 though it formerly used 
to make such havock1 now does little or 
no mischief1 owing to the laudable      
practice of attending more to the       
goodness of the provisions brought to   
our markets4  ,there are means still    
left to banish intemperance1 and such   
means too1 that every man may have      
recourse to them without any assistance4
  ,nothing more is requisite for this   
purpose1 than to live up to the         
simplicity dictated by nature1 which    
teaches us to be content with little1 to
 pursue the medium of holy              
abstemiousness and divine reason1 and to
 accustom ourselves to eat no more than 
is absolutely necessary to support life2
 considering1 that what exceeds this1 is
 disease and death1 and merely gives the
 palate satisfaction1 which1 though but 
momentary1 brings on the body a long and
 lasting train of disagreeable          

sensations and diseases1 and at length  
destroys it along with the soul4  ,how  
many friends of mine1 men of the finest 
understanding and most amiable          
disposition1 have ,i seen carried off by
 this plague in the flower of their     
youth8 who1 where they now living1 would
 be an ornament to the public1 whose    
company ,i should enjoy with as much    
pleasure1 as ,i now feel concern at     
their loss4  ,in order1 therefore1 to   
put a stop to so great an evil1 ,i have 
resolved by this short discourse to     
demonstrate1 that intemperance is an    
abuse which may be easily removed1 and  
that the good old sober living may be   
substituted in its stead2 and this ,i   
undertake more readily1 as many young   
men of the best understanding1 knowing  
that it is a vice1 have requested it of 
me1 moved thereto by seeing their       
fathers drop off in the flower of their 
youth1 and me so sound and hearty at the
 age of eighty-one4  ,they expressed a  
desire to reach the same term1 nature   

not forbidding us to wish for longevity2
 and old-age being1 in fact1 that time  
of life in which prudence can be best   
exercised1 and the fruits of all the    
other virtues enjoyed with less         
opposition1 the passions being then so  
subdued1 that man gives himself up      
entirely to reason4  ,they beseeched me 
to let them know the method pursued by  
me to attain it2 and then finding them  
intent on so laudable a pursuit1 ,i have
 resolved to treat of that method1 in   
order to be of service not only to them1
 but to all those who may be willing to 
peruse this discourse4  ,i shall1       
therefore1 give my reasons for          
renouncing intemperance1 and betaking   
myself to a sober course of life2       
declare freely the method pursued by me 
for that purpose2 and then set forth the
 effects of so good an habit upon me2   
whence it may be clearly gathered1 how  
easy it is to remove the abuse of       
intemperance4 ,i shall conclude1 by     
shewing how many conveniencies and      

blessings are the consequences of a     
sober life4  ,i say then1 that the heavy
 train of infirmities1 which had not    
only invaded1 but even made great       
inroads in my constitution1 were my     
motives for renouncing intemperance1 to 
which ,i had been greatly addicted2 so  
that1 in consequence of it1 and the     
badness of my constitution1 my stomach  
being exceedingly cold and moist1 ,i was
 fallen into different kinds of         
disorders1 such as pains in my stomach1 
and often stitches1 and spices of the   
gout2 attended by1 what was still worse1
 an almost continual slow fever1 a      
stomach generally out of order1 and a   
perpetual thirst4  ,from these natural  
and acquired disorders the best delivery
 ,i had to hope for1 was death1 to put  
an end to the pains and miseries of     
life2 a period very remote in the       
regular course of nature1 though ,i had 
hastened it by my irregular manner of   
living4 ,finding myself1 therefore1 in  
such unhappy circumstances between my   

thirty-fifth and fortieth year1 every   
thing that could be thought of having   
been tried to no purpose to relieve me1 
the physicians gave me to understand1   
that there was but one method left to   
get the better of my complaints1        
provided ,i would resolve to use it1 and
 patiently persevere in it4  ,this was a
 sober and regular life1 which the      
assured me would be still of the        
greatest service to me1 and would be as 
powerful in its effects1 as the         
intemperance and irregular one had been1
 in reducing me to the present low      
condition3 and that ,i might be fully   
satisfied of its salutary effects1 for  
though by my irregularities ,i was      
become infirm1 ,i was not reduced so    
low1 but that a temperate life1 the     
opposite in every respect to an         
intemperate one1 might still entirely   
recover me4  ,and besides1 it in fact   
appears1 such a regular life1 whilst    
observed1 preserves men of a bad        
constitution1 and far gone in years1    

just as a contrary course has the power 
to destroy those of the best            
constitution1 and in their prime2 for   
this plain reason1 that different modes 
of life are attended by different       
effects2 art following1 even herein1 the
 steps of nature1 with equal power to   
correct natural vices and imperfections4
  ,this is obvious in husbandry and the 
like4  ,they added1 that if ,i did not  
immediately have recourse to such a     
regimen1 ,i could receive no benefit    
from it in a few months1 and that in a  
few more ,i must resign myself to death4
  ,these solid and convincing arguments 
made such an impression on me1 that1    
mortified as ,i was besides1 by the     
thoughts of dying in the prime of life1 
and at the same time perpetually        
tormented by various diseases1 ,i       
immediately concluded1 that the         
foregoing contrary effects could not be 
produced but by contrary modes of       
living2 and1 therefore1 full of hopes1  
resolved1 in order to avoid at once both

 death and disease1 to betake myself to 
a regular course of life4  ,having1 upon
 this1 enquired of them what rules ,i   
should follow1 they told me1 that ,i    
must not use any food1 solid or liquid1 
but such as1 being generally prescribed 
to sick persons1 is1 for that reason1   
called diet1 and both very sparingly4   
,these directions1 to say the truth1    
they had before given me2 but it was at 
a time of life when1 impatient of such  
restraint1 and finding myself satiated1 
as it were1 with such food1 ,i could not
 put up with it1 and therefore eat      
freely of every thing ,i liked best2 and
 likewise1 feeling myself in a manner   
parched up by the heat of my disease1   
made no scruple of drinking1 and in     
large quantities1 the wines that best   
pleased my palate4  ,this indeed1 like  
all other patients1 ,i kept a secret    
from my physicians4  ,but1 when ,i had  
once resolved to live sparingly1 and    
according to the dictates of reason1    
seeing that is was no difficult matter1 

nay1 that it was my duty as a man so to 
do1 ,i entered with so much resolution  
upon this new course of life1 that      
nothing has been since able to divert me
 from it4  ,the consequence was1 that in
 a few days ,i began to perceive1 that  
such a course agreed with me very well2 
and by pursuing it1 in less than a year1
 ,i found myself 7some persons1 perhaps1
 will not believe it7 entirely freed    
from all my complaints4  ,having thus   
recovered my health1 ,i began seriously 
to consider the power of temperance1 and
 say to myself1 that if this virtue had 
efficacy enough to subdue such grievous 
disorders as mine1 it must have still   
greater to preserve me in health1 to    
help my bad constitution1 and comfort my
 very weak stomach4  ,i therefore       
applied myself diligently to discover   
what kinds of food suited me best4      
,but1 first1 ,i resolved to try1 whether
 those1 which pleased my palate1 agreed 
or disagreed with my stomach1 in order  
to judge for myself of the truth of that

 proverb1 which ,i once held true1 and  
is universally held as such in the      
highest degree1 insomuch that epicures1 
who give a loose to their appetites1 lay
 it down as a fundamental maxim4  ,this 
proverb is1 that whatever pleases the   
palate1 must agree with the stomach1 and
 nourish the body2 or whatever is       
palatable must be equally wholesome and 
nourishing4  ,the issue was1 that ,i    
found it to be false3 for1 though rough 
and very cold wines1 as likewise melons 
and other fruits1 sallad1 fish and pork1
 tarts1 garden-stuff1 pastry1 and the   
like1 were very pleasing to my palate1  
the disagreed with me notwithstanding4  
,having convinced myself1 that the      
proverb in question was false1 ,i look'd
 upon it as such2 and1 taught by        
experience1 ,i gave over the use of such
 meats and wines1 and likewise of ice2  
chose wine suited to my stomach1        
drinking of it but the quantity ,i knew 
,i could digest4  ,i did the same by my 
meat1 as well in regard to quantity as  

to quality1 accustoming myself never to 
cloy my stomach with eating or drinking2
 but constantly rise from table with a  
disposition to eat and drink still more4
  ,in this ,i conformed to the proverb1 
which says1 that a man1 to consult his  
health1 must check his appetite4        
,having in this manner1 and for these   
reasons1 conquered intemperance and     
irregularity1 ,i betook myself intirely 
to a temperate and regular life3 which  
effected in me the alteration already   
mentioned1 that is1 in less than a year 
it rid me of all those disorders1 which 
had taken so deep a root in me2 nay1 as 
,i have already observed1 had made such 
a progress1 as to be in a manner        
incurable4  ,it had likewise this other 
good effect1 that ,i no longer          
experienced those annual fits of        
sickness1 with which ,i used to be      
afflicted1 while ,i followed a          
different1 that is a sensual1 course of 
life2 for then ,i used to be attacked   
every year with a strange kind of fever1

 which sometimes brought me to death's  
door4  ,from this disease1 then1 ,i also
 freed myself1 and became exceeding     
healthy1 as ,i have continued from that 
time forward to this very day2 and for  
no other reason than that ,i never      
trespassed against regularity1 which by 
its infinite efficacy has been the      
cause1 that the meat ,i constantly eat1 
and the wine ,i constantly drink1 being 
such as agreed with my constitution1 and
 taken in proper quantities1 imparted   
all their virtue to my body1 and then   
left it without difficulty1 and without 
engendering in it any bad humours4  ,in 
consequence therfore of my taking such  
methods1 ,i have always enjoyed1 and    
7,god be praised7 actually enjoy1 the   
best of healths4  ,it is true1 indeed1  
that1 besides the two forgoing most     
important rules relative to eating and  
drinking1 which ,i have ever been very  
scrupulous to observe2 that is1 not to  
take of any thing1 but as much as my    
stomach can easily digest1 and to use   

those things only1 which agree with me2 
,i have carefully avoided heat1 cold1   
and extraordinary fatigue1 interruption 
of my usual hours of rest1 excessive    
venery1 making any stay in bad air1 and 
exposing myself to the wind and sun2 for
 these1 too1 are great disorders4  ,but 
then1 fortunately1 there is no great    
difficulty in avoiding them1 the love of
 life and health having more sway over  
men of understanding1 than any          
satisfaction they could find in doing   
what must be extremely hurtful to their 
constitution4  ,i have likewise done all
 that lay in my power to avoid those    
evils1 which we do not find so easy to  
remove2 these are melancholy1 hatred1   
and other violent passions1 which appear
 to have the greatest influence over our
 bodies4  ,however1 ,i have not been    
able to guard so well against either one
 or the other kind of these disorders1  
as not to suffer myself now and then to 
be hurried away by many1 not to say1 all
 of them2 but ,i have reaped the benefit

 of knowing by experience that these    
passions have1 in the main1 no great    
influence over bodies governed by the   
two foregoing rules of eating and       
drinking1 and therefore can do them but 
very little harm2 so that it may with   
great truth be affirmed1 that whoever   
observes these two capital rules1 is    
liable to very little inconveniency from
 any other excesses4 ,this1 ,galen1 who 
was an eminent physician1 observed      
before me4 ,he affirms1 that so long as 
he followed these rules relative to     
eating and drinking1 he suffered but    
little from other disorders1 so little1 
that they never gave him above a day's  
uneasiness4 ,that what he says is true1 
,i am a living witness1 and so are many 
others1 who know me1 and have seen1 how 
often ,i have been exposed to heats and 
colds1 and such other disagreeable      
changes of weather2 and have1 likewise1 
seen me 7owing to various misfortunes1  
which have more than once befallen me7  
greatly disturbed my mind4  ,for they   

can not only say of me1 that such       
disturbance of mind has done me very    
little harm1 but they can aver of many  
others1 who did not lead a sober and    
regular life1 that it proved very       
prejudicial to them1 amongst whom was a 
brother of my own1 and others of my     
family1 who trusting to the goodness of 
their constitution1 did not follow my   
way of living4  ,the consequence hereof 
was a great misfortune to them1 the     
perturbations of the mind having thereby
 acquired an extraordinary influence    
over their bodies4  ,such1 in a word1   
was their grief and dejection at seeing 
me involved in expensive law-suits1     
commenced against my by great and       
powerful men1 that1 fearing ,i should be
 cast1 they were seized with that       
melancholy humour1 with which           
intemperate bodies always abound2 and   
these humours had such an influence over
 them1 and increased to such a degree1  
as to carry them off before their time2 
whereas ,i suffered nothing on the      

occasion1 as ,i had in me no superfluous
 humours of that kind4  ,nay1 in order  
to keep up my spirits1 ,i brought myself
 to think1 that ,god had raised up these
 suits against me1 in order to make me  
more sensible of my strength of body and
 mind2 and that ,i should get the better
 of them with honour and advantage1 as  
it1 in fact1 came to pass3 for1 at last1
 ,i obtained a decree exceeding         
favourable to my fortune and my         
character1 which1 though it gave me the 
highest pleasure1 had not the power to  
do me any harm in other respects4  ,thus
 it is plain1 that neither melancholy   
nor any other affection of the mind can 
hurt bodies governed with temperance and
 regularity4  ,but ,i must go a step    
further1 and say1 that even misfortunes 
themselves can do but very little       
mischief1 or cause but very little pain1
 to such bodies2 and that this is true1 
,i have myself experienced at the age of
 seventy4  ,i happened1 as is often the 
case1 to be in a coach1 which going at a

 pretty smart rate1 was overset1 and in 
that condition drawn a considerable way 
by the horses1 before means could be    
found to stop them2 whence ,i received  
so many shocks and bruises1 that ,i was 
taken out with my head and all the rest 
of my body terribly battered1 and a     
dislocated leg and arm4  ,when ,i was   
brought home1 the family immediately    
sent for the physicians1 who1 on their  
arrival1 seeing me in so bad a plight1  
concluded1 that within three days ,i    
should die2 nevertheless1 they would try
 what good two things would do me2 one  
was to bleed me1 the other to purge me2 
and thereby prevent my humours altering1
 as they every moment expected1 to such 
a degree1 as to ferment greatly1 and    
bring on a high fever4 ,but ,i1 on the  
contrary1 who knew1 that the sober life 
,i had led for many years past1 had so  
well united1 harmonized1 and disposed my
 humours1 as not to leave it in their   
power to ferment to such a degree1      
refused to be either bled1 or purged4   

,i just caused my leg and arm to be set1
 an suffered myself to be rubbed with   
some oils1 which they said were proper  
on the occasion4  ,thus1 without using  
any other kind of remedy1 ,i recovered1 
as ,i thought ,i should1 without feeling
 the least alteration in myself1 or any 
other bad effects from the accident2 a  
thing1 which appeared miraculous even in
 the eyes of the physicians4  ,hence we 
are to infer1 that whoever leads a sober
 and regular life1 and commits no excess
 in his diet1 can suffer but very little
 from disorders of any other kind1 or   
external accidents4  ,on the contrary1  
,i conclude1 especially from the late   
trial ,i have had1 that excesses in     
eating and drinking are fatal4  ,of this
 ,i convinced myself four years ago1    
when by the advice of my physicians1 the
 instigation of my friends1 and the     
importunity of my own family1 ,i        
consented to such an excess1 which1 as  
it will appear hereafter1 was attended  
with far worse consequences1 than could 

naturally be expected4  ,this excess    
consisted in increasing the quantity of 
food ,i generally made use of2 which    
increase alone brought me to a most     
cruel fit of sickness4 ,and as it is a  
case so much in point to the subject in 
hand1 and the knowledge of it may be    
useful to some of my readers1 ,i shall  
take the trouble to relate it4  ,i say1 
then1 that my dearest friends and       
relations1 actuated by the warm and     
laudable affection and regard they have 
for me1 seeing how little ,i eat1       
represented to me1 in conjunction with  
my physicians1 that the sustenance ,i   
took could not be sufficient to support 
one so far advanced in years1 when it   
was become necessary not only to        
preserve nature1 but to increase its    
vigour4  ,that1 as this could not be    
done without food1 it was absolutely    
incumbent upon me to eat a little more  
plentifully4  ,i1 on the other hand1    
produced my reasons for not complying   
with their desires4  ,these were1 that  

nature is content with little1 and that 
with this little ,i had preserved myself
 so many years2 and that1 to me1 the    
habit of it was become a second nature2 
and that it was more agreeable to       
reason1 that1 as ,i advanced in years   
and lost my strength1 ,i should rather  
lessen than increase the quantity of my 
food3 ,farther1 that it was but natural 
to think1 that the powers of the stomach
 grew weaker from day to day2 on which  
account ,i could see no reason to make  
such an addition4  ,to corroborate my   
arguments1 ,i alleged that those two    
natural and very true proverbs2 one1    
that he1 who has a mind to eat a great  
deal1 must eat but little2 which is said
 for no other reason than this1 that    
eating little makes a man live very     
long1 and living very long he must eat a
 great deal4  ,the other proverb was1   
that what we leave after making a hearty
 meal1 does us more good than what we   
have eat4  ,but neither these proverbs1 
nor any other arguments ,i could think  

of1 were able to prevent their teazing  
me more than ever4 ,wherefore1 not to   
appear obstinate1 or affect to know more
 than the physicians themselves2 but1   
above all1 to please my family1 who very
 earnestly desired it1 from a persuasion
 that such an addition to my usual      
allowance would preserve my strength1 ,i
 consented to increase the quantity of  
food1 but with two ounces only4  ,so    
that1 as before1 what with bread1 meat1 
the yolk of an egg1 and soup1 ,i eat as 
much1 as weighed in all twelve ounces1  
neither more nor less1 ,i now increased 
it to fourteen2 and as before ,i drank  
but fourteen ounces of wine1 ,i now     
increased it to sixteen4  ,this increase
 and irregularity1 had1 in eight days   
time1 such an effect upon me1 that1 from
 being chearful and brisk1 ,i began to  
be peevish and melancholy1 so that      
nothing could please me2 and was        
constantly so strangely disposed1 that  
,i neither knew what to say to others1  
nor what to do with myself4  ,on the    

twelfth day1 ,i was attacked with a most
 violent pain in my side1 which held me 
twenty-two hours1 and was succeeded by a
 terrible fever1 which continued        
thirty-five days and as many nights1    
without giving me a moment's respite2   
though1 to say the truth1 it began to   
abate gradually on the fifteenth4  ,but 
notwithstanding such abatement1 ,i could
 not1 during the whole time1 sleep half 
a quarter of an hour together1 insomuch 
that every one looked upon me as a dead 
man4  ,but1 ,god be praised1 ,i         
recovered merely by my former regular   
course of life1 though then in my       
seventy-eighth year1 and in the coldest 
season of a very cold year1 and reduced 
to a mere skeleton2 and ,i am positive  
that it was the great regularity ,i had 
observed for so many years1 and that    
only1 which rescued me from the jaws of 
death4  ,in all that time ,i never knew 
what sickness was1 unless ,i may call by
 that same name some slight             
indispositions of a day or two's        

continuance2 the regular life ,i had    
led1 as ,i have already taken notice1   
for so many years1 not having permitted 
any superfluous or bad humours to breed 
in me2 or if they did1 to acquire such  
strength and malignity1 a they generally
 acquire in the superannuated bodies of 
those1 who live without rule4  ,and as  
there was not any old malignity in my   
humours 7which is the thing that kills  
people7 but only that1 which my new     
irregularity had occasioned1 this fit of
 sickness1 though exceeding violent1 had
 not the strength to destroy me4  ,this 
it was1 and nothing else1 that saved my 
life2 whence may be gathered1 how great 
is the power and efficacy of regularity2
 and how great1 likewise1 is that of    
irregularity1 which in a few days could 
bring on me so terrible a fit of        
sickness1 just as regularity had        
preserved me in health for so many      
years4  ,and it appears to me a no weak 
argument1 that1 since the world1        
consisting of the four elements1 is     

upheld by order2 and our life1 as to the
 body1 is no other than a harmonious    
combination of the same four elements1  
so it should be preserved and maintained
 by the very same order2 and1 on the    
other hand1 it must be worn out by      
sickness1 or destroyed by death1 which  
are produced by the contrary effects4   
,by order the arts are more easily      
learned2 by order armies are rendered   
victorious2 by order1 in a word1        
families1 cities1 and even states are   
maintained4  ,hence ,i concluded1 that  
orderly living is no other than a most  
certain cause and foundation of health  
and long life2 nay ,i cannot help       
saying1 that it is the only and true    
medicine2 and whoever weighs the matter 
well1 must also conclude1 that this is  
really the case4 ,hence it is1 that when
 a physician comes to visit a patient1  
the first thing he prescribes1 is to    
live regularly4  ,in like manner1 when a
 physician takes leave of a patient1 on 
his being recovered1 he advises him1 as 

he tenders his health1 to lead a regular
 life4 ,and it is not to be doubted1    
that1 were a patient so recovered to    
live in that manner1 he could never be  
sick again1 as it removes every cause of
 illness2 and so1 for the future1 would 
never want either physician or physic4  
,nay1 by attending duly to what ,i have 
said1 he would become his own physician1
 and1 indeed1 the best he could have2   
since1 in fact1 no many can be a perfect
 physician to any one but himself4  ,the
 reason of which is1 that any man may1  
by repeated trials1 acquire a perfect   
knowledge of his own constitution1 and  
the most hidden qualities of his body2  
and what wine and food agree with his   
stomach4  ,now1 it is so far from being 
an easy matter to know these things     
perfectly of another1 that we cannot    
without much trouble discover them in   
ourselves1 since a great deal of time   
and repeated trials are requisite for   
the purpose4  ,these trials are1 indeed1
 7if ,i may say it7 more than necessary1

 as there is a greater variety in the   
natures and constitutions of different  
men1 than in their persons4  ,who could 
believe1 that old wine1 wine that had   
passed its first year1 should disagree  
with my stomach1 and new wine agree with
 it8 and that pepper1 which is looked   
upon as a warm spice1 should not have a 
warm effect upon me1 insomuch that ,i   
find myself more warmed and comforted by
 cinnamon8  ,where is the physician1    
that could have informed me of these two
 latent qualities1 since ,i myself1 even
 by a long course of observation1 could 
scarce discover them8 ,from all these   
reasons it follows1 that it is          
impossible to be a perfect physician to 
another4  ,since1 therefore1 a man      
cannot have a better physician than     
himself1 nor any physic better than a   
regular life1 a regular life he ought to
 embrace4  ,i do not1 however1 mean1    
that1 for the knowledge and cure of such
 disorders1 as often befall those who do
 not live regularly1 there is no        

occasion for a physician1 and that his  
assistance ought to be slighted4  ,for1 
if we are apt to receive such great     
comfort from friends1 who come to visit 
us in our illness1 though they do no    
more than testify their concern for us1 
and bid us be of good cheer2 how much   
more regard ought we to have for the    
physician1 who is a friend that comes to
 see us in order to relieve us1 and     
promises us a cure8  ,but for the bare  
purpose of keeping ourselves in good    
health1 ,i am of the opinion1 that we   
should consider as a physician this     
regular life1 which1 as we have seen1 is
 our natural and proper physic1 since it
 preserves men1 even those of a bad     
constitution1 in health2 makes them live
 sound and hearty to the age of one     
hundred and upwards2 and prevents their 
dying of sickness1 or through a         
corruption of their humours1 but merely 
by a dissolution of their radical       
moisture1 when quite exhausted2 all     
which effects several wise men have     

attributed to potable gold1 and the     
elixir1 sought for by many1 but         
discovered by few4  ,however to confess 
the truth1 men1 for the most part1 are  
very sensual and intemperate1 and love  
to satisfy their appetites1 and to      
commit every excess2 therefore1 seeing  
that they cannot avoid being greatly    
injured by such excess1 as often as they
 are guilty of it1 they1 by way of      
apologizing for their conduct1 say1 that
 it is better to live ten years less1   
and enjoy themselves2 not considering1  
of what importance are ten years more of
 life1 especially a healthy life1 and at
 a maturer age2 when men become sensible
 of their progress in knowledge and     
virtue1 which cannot attain to any      
degree of perfection before this period 
of life4  ,not to speak1 at present1 of 
many other advantages1 ,i shall barely  
mention that in regard to letters and   
the sciences2 far the greatest number of
 the best and most celebrated books     
extant1 were written during that period 

of life1 and those ten years1 which some
 make it their business to undervalue1  
in order to give a loose to their       
appetites4  ,be that as it will1 ,i     
would not act like them4 ,i rather      
coveted to live these ten years1 and1   
had ,i not done so1 ,i should never have
 finished those tracts1 which ,i have   
composed in consequence of my having    
been sound and hearty these ten years   
past2 and which ,i have the pleasure to 
think will be of service to others4     
,these sensualists add1 that a regular  
life is such as no man can lead4  ,to   
this ,i answer1 ,galen1 who was so great
 a physician1 led such a life1 and chose
 it as the best physic4  ,the same did  
,plato1 ,cicero1 ,isocrates1 and many   
other great men of former times2 whom1  
not to tire the reader1 ,i shall forbear
 naming3 and1 in our own days1 pope     
,paul ,farnese led it1 and cardinal     
,bembo2 and it was for that reason they 
lived so long2 likewise our two doges1  
,lando and ,donato2 besides many others 

of meaner condition1 and those who live 
not only in cities1 but also in         
different parts of the country1 who all 
found great benefit by conforming to    
this regularity4  ,therefore1 since many
 have led this life1 and many actually  
lead it1 it is not such a life but that 
every one may conform to it2 and the    
more so1 as no great difficulty attends 
it2 nothing1 indeed1 being requisite but
 to begin in good earnest1 as the       
above-mentioned ,cicero affirms1 and all
 those who now live in this manner4     
,plato1 you will say1 though he himself 
lived very regularly1 affirms1          
notwithstanding1 that1 in republics1 men
 cannot do so1 being often obligated to 
expose themselves to heat1 cold1 and    
several other kinds of hardship1 and    
other things1 which are all so many     
disorders1 and incompatable with a      
regular life4  ,i answer1 as ,i have    
already observed1 that these are not    
disorders attended with any bad         
consequence1 or which affect either     

health or life1 when the man1 who       
undergoes them1 observes the rules of   
sobriety1 and commits no excess in the  
two points concerning diet1 which a     
republican may very well avoid1 nay it  
is requisite he should avoid2 because1  
by so doing1 he may be sure either to   
escape those disorders1 which1          
otherwise1 it would be no easy matter   
for him to escape while exposed to these
 hardships2 or1 in case he could not    
escape them1 he may more easily and     
speedily prevent their bad effects4     
,here it may be objected1 and some      
actually object1 that he1 who leads a   
regular life1 having constantly1 when   
well1 made use of food fit for the sick1
 and in small quantities1 has no        
resource left in case of illness4  ,to  
this ,i might1 in the first place1      
answer1 that nature1 desirous to        
preserve man in good health as long as  
possible1 informs him1 herself1 how he  
is to act in time of illness2 for she   
immediately deprives him1 when sick1 of 

his appetite1 in order that he may eat  
but little2 because nature 7as ,i have  
said already7 is satisfied with little2 
wherefore1 it is requisite1 that a man1 
when sick1 whether he has been  a       
regular or irregular liver1 should use  
no meats1 but such as are suited to his 
disorder2 and of these even in a much   
smaller quantity than he was wont to do1
 when in health4  ,for were he to eat as
 much as he used to do1 he would die by 
it2 because it would be only adding to  
the burden1 with which nature was       
already oppressed1 by giving her a      
greater quantity of food1 than she can  
in such circumstances support2 and this1
 ,i imagine1 would be a sufficient      
caution to any sick person4  ,but1      
independent of all this1 ,i might answer
 some others1 and still better1 that    
whoever leads a regular life1 cannot be 
sick2 or1 at least1 but seldom1 and for 
a short time2 because1 by living        
regularly1 he extirpates every seed of  
sickness2 and thus1 by removing the     

cause1 prevents the effect2 so that he1 
who pursues a regular course of life1   
need not be apprehensive of illness1 as 
he need not be afraid of the effect1 who
 has guarded against the cause4  ,since 
it therefore appears that a regular life
 is so profitable and virtuous1 so      
lovely and so holy1 it ought to be      
universally followed and embraced2 and  
more so1 as it does not clash with the  
means or duties of any station1 but is  
easy to all2 because1 to lead it1 a man 
need not tie himself down to eat so     
little as ,i do1 or not to eat fruit1   
fish1 and other things of that kind1    
from which ,i abstain1 who eat little1  
because it is sufficient for my puny and
 weak stomach2 and fruit1 fish1 and     
other things of that kind1 disagree with
 me1 which is my reason for not touching
 them4  ,those1 however1 with whom such 
things agree1 may1 and ought to eat of  
them2 since they are not by any means   
forbid the use use of such sustinance4  
,but1 then1 both they1 and all others1  

are forbid to eat a greater quantity of 
any kind of food1 even of that which    
agrees with them1 than what their       
stomachs can easily digest2 the same is 
to be understood of drink4 ,hence it is 
that those1 with whom nothing disagrees1
 are not bound to observe any rule but  
that relating to the quantity1 and not  
to the quality1 of their food2 a rule   
which they may1 without the least       
difficulty in the world1 comply with4   
,let nobody tell me1 that there are     
numbers1 who1 though they live most     
irregularly1 live in health and spirits1
 to those remote periods of life1       
attained by the most sober2 for1 this   
argument being grounded on a case full  
of uncertainty and hazard1 and which1   
besides1 so seldom occurs1 as to look   
more like a miracle than the work of    
nature1 men should not suffer themselves
 to be thereby persuaded to live        
irregularly1 nature having been too     
liberal to those1 who did so without    
suffering by it2 a favour1 which very   

few have any right to expect4  ,whoever1
 trusting to his youth1 or the strength 
of his constitution1 or the goodness of 
his stomach1 slights these observations1
 must expect to suffer greatly by so    
doing1 and live in constant danger of   
disease and death4  ,i therefore affirm1
 that an old man1 even of a bad         
constitution1 who leads a regular and   
sober life1 is surer of a long one1 than
 a young man of the best constitution1  
who leads a disorderly life4  ,it is not
 to be doubted1 however1 that a man     
blessed with a good constitution may1 by
 living temperately1 expect to live     
longer than one1 whose constitution is  
not so good2 and that ,god and nature   
can dispose matters so1 that a man shall
 bring into the world with him so sound 
a constitution1 as to live long and     
healthy1 without observing such strick  
rules2 and then die in a very advanced  
age through a mere dissolution of his   
elementary parts2 as was the case1 in   
,venice1 of the procurator ,thomas      

,contarini2 and in ,padua1 of the       
cavalier ,antonio ,capo di ,vacca4  ,but
 it is not one man in a hundred         
thousand1 that so much can be said of4  
,if others have a mind to live long and 
healthy1 and die without sickness of    
body or mind1 but by mere dissolution1  
they must submit to live regularly1     
since the cannot otherwise expect to    
enjoy the fruits of such a life1 which  
are almost infinite in number1 and each 
of them1 in particular1 of infinite     
value4  ,for1 as such regularity keeps  
the humours of the body cleansed and    
purified2 it suffers no vapors to ascend
 from the stomach to the head2 hence the
 brain of him1 who lives in that manner1
 enjoys such a constant serenity1 that  
he is always perfectly master of        
himself4  ,he1 therefore1 easily soars  
above the low and groveling concerns of 
this life1 to the exalted and beautiful 
contemplation of heavenly things1 to his
 exceeding great comfort and            
satisfaction2 because he1 by this means1

 comes to consider1 know1 and understand
 that1 which otherwise he would never   
have considered1 known1 or understood2  
that is1 how great is the power1 wisdom1
 and goodness of the ,deity4  ,he then  
descends into nature1 and acknowledges  
her for the daughter of ,god2 and sees1 
and even feels with his hands1 that1    
which in any other age1 or with a       
perception less clear1 he could never   
have seen or felt4  ,he then truly      
discerns the brutality of that vice into
 which they fall1 who know not how to   
subdue their passions1 and those three  
importunate lusts1 which1 one would     
imagine1 came all together into the     
world with us1 in order to keep us in   
perpetual anxiety and disturbance4      
,these are1 the lust of the flesh1 the  
lust of honours1 and the lust of riches2
 which are apt to increase with years in
 such old persons as do not lead a      
regular life2 because1 in their passage 
through the stage of manhood1 they did  
not1 as they ought1 renounce sensuality 

and their passions2 and take up with    
sobriety and reason2 virtues which men  
of a regular life1 did not neglect when 
they passed through the above-mentioned 
stage4  ,for1 knowing such passions are 
such lusts to be inconsistent with      
reason1 by which they are entirely      
governed2 they1 at once1 broke loose    
from all temptations to vice2 and1      
instead of being slaves to their        
inordinate appetites1 they applied      
themselves to virtue and good works2 and
 by these means1 they altered their     
conduct1 and became men of good and     
sober lives4  ,when1 therefore1 in      
process of time1 they see themselves    
brought by a long series of years to    
their dissolution1 conscious that1      
through the singular mercy of ,god1 they
 had so sincerely relinquished the paths
 of vice1 as never afterwards to enter  
them2 and moreover hoping1 through the  
merits of our ,saviour ,jesus ,christ1  
to die in his favour1 they do not suffer
 themselves to be cast down at the      

thoughts of death1 knowing that they    
must die4  ,this is particularly the    
case1 when1 loaded with honour1 and     
sated with life1 they see themselves    
arrived at that age1 which not one in   
many thousands of those1 who live       
otherwise1 ever attains4  ,they have    
still the greater reason not to be      
dejected at the thoughts of death1 as it
 does not attack them violently and by  
surprize1 with a bitter and painful turn
 of their humours1 with feverish        
sensations1 and sharp pains1 but steals 
upon them insensibly and with the       
greatest ease and gentleness2 such an   
end1 proceeding intirely from an        
exhaustion of the radical moisture1     
which decays by degrees like the oil of 
a lamp2 so that they pass gently1       
without any sickness1 from this         
terrestrial and mortal to a celestial   
and eternal life4  ,o holy and truly    
happy regularity6  ,how holy and happy  
should men1 in fact1 deem thee1 since   
the opposite habit is the cause of such 

guilt and misery1 as evidently appears  
to those who consider the opposite      
effects of both6 so that men should know
 thee by thy voice alone1 and thy lovely
 name2 for what a glorious name1 what a 
noble thing1 is an orderly and sober    
life6 as1 on the contrary1 the bare     
mention of disorder and intemperance is 
offensive to our ears4 ,nay1 there is   
the same difference between the         
mentioning these two things1 as between 
the uttering of the words angel and     
devil4  ,thus ,i have assigned my       
reasons for abandoning intemperance1 and
 betaking myself intirely to a sober    
life2 with the method ,i pursued in     
doing so1 and what was the consequence  
of it2 and1 finally1 the advantages an  
blessings1 which a sober life confers   
upon those who embrace it4  ,some       
sensual1 inconsiderate persons affirm1  
that a long life is no blessing2 and    
that the state of a man1 who has passed 
his seventy-fifth year1 cannot really be
 called life1 but death3 but this is a  

great mistake1 as ,i shall fully prove2 
and it is my sincere wish1 that all men 
would endeavour to attain my old age1 in
 order that they too may enjoy that     
period of life1 which of all others is  
the most desirable4  ,i will therefore  
give an account of my recreations1 and  
the relish which ,i find at this stage  
of life1 in order to convince the public
 7which may likewise be done by all     
those who know me7 that the state ,i    
have now attained to is by no means     
death1 but real life2 such a life1 as by
 many is deemed happy1 since it abounds 
with all the felicity that can be       
enjoyed in this world4  ,and this       
testimony they will give1 in the first  
place1 because they see1 and not without
 the greatest amazement1 the good state 
of health and spirits ,i enjoy2 how ,i  
mount my horse without any assistance1  
or advantage of situation2 and how ,i   
not only ascend a single flight of      
stairs1 but climb up an hill from bottom
 to top1 afoot1 and with the greatest of

 ease and unconcern2 then how gay1      
pleasant1 and good-humoured ,i am2 how  
free from every perturbation of mind1   
and every disagreeable thought2 in lieu 
of which1 joy and peace have so firmly  
fixed their residence in my bosom1 as   
never to depart from it4  ,moreover1    
they know in what manner ,i pass my     
time1 so as not to find life a burden2  
seeing ,i can contrive to spend every   
hour of it with the greatest delight and
 pleasure1 having frequent opportunities
 of conversing with many honourable     
gentlemen1 men valuable for their good  
sense and manners1 their acquaintance   
with letters1 and every other good      
quality4  ,then1 when ,i cannot enjoy   
their conversation1 ,i betake myself to 
the reading of some good book4  ,when ,i
 have read as much as ,i like1 ,i write2
 endeavouring1 in this as in everything 
else1 to be of service to others1 to the
 utmost of my power4  ,and all these    
things ,i do with the greatest ease to  
myself1 at their proper seasons1 and in 

my own house2 which1 besides being      
situated in the most beautiful quarter  
of this noble and learned city of       
,padua1 is1 in itself1 really convenient
 and handsome1 such1 in a word1 as it is
 no longer the fashion to build2 for1 in
 one part of it1 ,i can shelter myself  
from extreme heat2 and1 in the other1   
from extreme cold1 having contrived the 
apartments according to the rules of    
architecture1 which teach us what is to 
be observed in practice4  ,besides this 
house1 ,i have my several gardens1      
supplied with running waters2 and in    
which ,i always find something to do1   
that amuses me4  ,i have another way of 
diverting myself1 which is going every  
,april and ,may2 and1 likewise1 every   
,september and ,october1 for some days1 
to enjoy an eminence belonging to me in 
the ,euganean mountains1 and in the most
 beautiful part of them1 adorned with   
fountains and gardens2 and1 above all1 a
 convenient and handsome lodge2 in which
 place ,i likewise now and then make one

 in some hunting party suitable to my   
taste and age4  ,then ,i enjoy for as   
many days my villa in the plain1 which  
is laid out in regular streets1 all     
terminating in a large square1 in the   
middle of which stands a church1 suited 
to the condition of the place4  ,this   
villa is divided by a wide and rapid    
branch of the river ,brenta1 on both    
sides of which there is a considerable  
extent of country1 consisting intirely  
of fertile and well-cultivated fields4  
,besides1 this district is now1 ,god be 
praised1 exceedingly well inhabited1    
which it was not at first1 but rather   
the reverse2 for it was marshy2 and the 
air so unwholesome1 as to make it a     
residence fitter for snakes than men4   
,but1 on my draining off the waters1 the
 air mended1 and people resorted to it  
so fast1 and increased to such a degree1
 that it soon acquired the perfection in
 which it now appears3 hence1 ,i may say
 with truth1 that ,i have offered this  
place1 an alter and a temple to ,god1   

with souls to adore him3 these are      
things which afford me infinite         
pleasure1 comfort1 and satisfaction1 as 
often as ,i go to see and enjoy them4   
,at the same seasons every year1 ,i     
revisit some of the neighbouring cities1
 and enjoy such of my friends as live   
there1 taking the greatest pleasure in  
their company and conversation2 and by  
their means ,i also enjoy the           
conversation of other men of parts1 who 
live in the same places2 such as        
architects1 painters1 sculptors1        
musicians1 and husbandmen1 with whom    
this age certainly abounds4 ,i visit    
their new works2 ,i revisit their former
 ones2 and ,i always learn something1   
which gives me satisfaction4  ,i see    
palaces1 gardens1 antiquities2 and with 
these1 the squares and other public     
places1 the churches1 the               
fortifications1 leaving nothing         
unobserved1 from whence ,i may reap     
either entertainment or instruction4    
,but what delights me most1 is1 in my   

journies backwards and forwards1 to     
contemplate the situation and other     
beauties of the places ,i pass through2 
some in the plain1 others on hills1     
adjoining to rivers or fountains2 with a
 great many fine houses and gardens4    
,nor are my recreations rendered less   
agreeable and entertaining by my not    
feeling well1 or not hearing readily    
every thing that is said to me2 or by   
any other of my faculties not being     
perfect2 for they are all1 thank ,god1  
in the highest perfection2 particularly 
my palate1 which now relishes better the
 simple fare ,i eat1 wherever ,i happen 
to be1 than it formerly did with the    
most delicate dishes1 when ,i led an    
irregular life4  ,nor does the change of
 beds give me any uneasiness1 so that ,i
 sleep every where soundly and quietly1 
without experiencing the least          
disturbance2 and all my dreams are      
pleasant and delightful4  ,it is        
likewise with the greatest pleasure and 
satisfaction ,i behold the success of an

 undertaking so important to this state1
 ,i mean that of draining and improving 
so many uncultivated pieces of ground1  
an undertaking begun within my memory2  
and which ,i never thought ,i should    
live to see compleated2 knowing how slow
 republics are apt to proceed in        
enterprises of great importance4        
,nevertheless1 ,i have lived to see it2 
and was even in person1 in the marshy   
places1 along with those appointed to   
superintend the draining of them1 for   
two months together1 during the greatest
 heats of summer1 without ever finding  
myself the worse for the fatigues of    
inconveniences ,i suffered2 of so much  
efficacy is that orderly life1 which ,i 
every where constantly lead4  ,what is  
more1 ,i am in the greatest hopes1 or   
rather sure1 to see the beginning and   
completion of another undertaking of no 
less importance1 which is that of       
preserving our estuary or port1 that    
last and wonderful bulwark of my dear   
country1 the preservation of which 7it  

is not to flatter my vanity to say it1  
but merely to do justice to the truth7  
has been more than once recommended by  
me to this republic1 by word of mouth1  
and in writings which cost me many      
nights study4  ,and to this dear country
 of mine1 as ,i am bound by the laws of 
nature to do every thing1 from which it 
may reap any benefit1 so ,i most        
ardently wish perpetual duration1 and a 
long succession of every kind of        
prosperity4  ,such are my genuine and no
 trifling satisfactions2 such are the   
recreations and diversions of my old    
age1 which is so much the more to be    
valued than the old age1 or even youth1 
of other men1 because being freed1 by   
,god's grace1 from the perturbations of 
the mind1 and the infirmities of the    
body1 it no longer experiences any of   
those contrary emotions1 which torment a
 number of young men1 and many old ones 
destitute of strength and health1 and   
every other blessing4  ,and if it be    
lawful to compare little matters1 and   

such as are esteemed trifling1 to       
affairs of importance1 ,i will further  
venture to say1 that such are the       
effects of this sober life1 that at my  
present age of eighty-three1 ,i have    
been able to write a very entertaining  
comedy1 abounding with innocent mirth   
and pleasant jests4 ,this species of    
composition is generally the child and  
offspring of youth1 as tragedy is that  
of old age2 the former being by its     
facetious and sprightly turn suited to  
the bloom of life1 and the latter by its
 gravity adapted to riper years4  ,now1 
if that good old man ,sophocles1 a      
,grecian by birth1 and a poet1 was so   
much extolled for having written a      
tragedy at the age of seventy-three1    
and1 on that account alone1 reputed of  
sound memory and understanding1 though  
tragedy be a grave and melancholy poem2 
why should ,i be deemed less happy1 and 
to have a smaller share of memory and   
understanding1 who have1 at an age1 ten 
years more advanced than his1 written a 

comedy1 which1 as every one knows1 is a 
merry and pleasant kind of composition8 
,and1 indeed1 if ,i may be allowed to be
 an impartial judge in my own cause1 ,i 
cannot help thinking1 that ,i am now of 
sounder memory and understanding1 and   
heartier1 than hew was when ten years   
younger4  ,and1 that no comfort might be
 wanting to the fulness of my years1    
whereby my great age may be rendered    
less irksome1 or rather the number of my
 enjoyments increased1 ,i have the      
additional comfort of seeing a kind of  
immortality in a succession of          
descendants4 ,for1 as often as ,i return
 home1 ,i find there1 before me1 not one
 or two1 but eleven grandchildren1 the  
oldest of them eighteen1 and the        
youngest two2 all the offspring of one  
father and one mother2 all blessed with 
the best health2 and1 by what as yet    
appears1 fond of learning1 and of good  
parts and morals4  ,some of the youngest
 ,i always play with2 and1 indeed1      
children from three to five are only fit

 for play4  ,those above that age ,i    
make companions of2 and1 as nature has  
bestowed very fine voices upon them1 ,i 
amuse myself1 besides1 with seeing and  
hearing them sing1 and play on various  
instruments4  ,nay1 ,i sing myself1 as  
,i have a better voice now1 and a       
clearer and louder pipe1 than at any    
other period of life4  ,such are the    
recreations of my old age4  ,whence it  
appears1 that the life ,i lead is       
chearful1 and not gloomy1 as some       
persons pretend1 who know no better2 to 
whom1 in order that it may appear what  
value ,i set on every other kind of     
life1 ,i must declare1 that ,i would not
 exchange my manner of living or my grey
 hairs with any of those young men1 even
 of the best constitution1 who give way 
to their appetites2 knowing1 as ,i do1  
that such are daily1 nay hourly1        
subject1 as ,i have observed1 to a      
thousand kind of ailments and deaths4   
,this is1 in fact1 so obvious1 as to    
require no proof4  ,nay1 ,i remember    

perfectly well1 how ,i used to behave at
 that time of life4  ,i know how        
inconsiderately that age is apt to act1 
and how foolhardy young men1 hurried on 
by the heat of their blood1 are wont to 
be2 how apt they are to presume too much
 on their own strength in all their     
actions2 and how sanguine they are in   
their expectations2 as well on account  
of the little experience they have had  
for the the time past1 as by reason of  
the power they enjoy in their own       
imaginations over the time to come4     
,hence they expose themselves rashly to 
every kind of danger2 and1 banishing    
reason1 and bowing their necks to the   
yoke of concupiscence1 endeavour to     
gratify all their appetites1 not        
minding1 fools as they are1 that they   
thereby hasten1 as ,i have several times
 observed1 the approach of what they    
would most willingly avoid1 ,i mean     
sickness1 and death4  ,of these two     
evils1 one is troublesome and painful1  
the other1 above all things1 dreadful   

and insupportable2 insupportable to     
every man1 who has given himself up to  
his sensual appetites1 and to young men 
in particular1 to whom it appears a     
hardship to die an early death2 dreadful
 to those1 who reflect on the errors1 to
 which this mortal life is subject1 and 
on the vengeance1 which the justice of  
,god is wont to take on sinners1 by     
condemning them to everlasting          
punishment4  ,on the other hand1 ,i1 in 
my old age 7praise to the ,almighty7 am 
exempt from both these apprehensions2   
from the one1 because ,i am sure and    
certain1 that ,i cannot fall sick1      
having removed all the causes of illness
 by my divine medicine2 from the other1 
that of death1 because from so many     
years experience ,i have learned to obey
 reason2 whence ,i not only think it a  
great piece of folly to fear that1 which
 cannot be avoided1 but likewise firmly 
expect some consolation1 from the grace 
of ,jesus ,christ1 when ,i shall arrive 
at that period4  ,besides1 though ,i am 

sensible that ,i must1 like others1     
reach that term1 it is yet at so great a
 distance1 that ,i cannot discern it1   
because ,i know ,i shall not die except 
by mere dissolution1 having already1 by 
my regular course of life1 shut up all  
the other avenues of death1 and thereby 
prevented the humours of my body from   
making any other war upon me1 than that 
which ,i must expect from the elements  
employed in the composition of this     
mortal frame4  ,i am not so simple as   
not to know1 that1 as ,i was born1 so ,i
 must die4  ,but that is a desirable    
death1 which nature brings on us by way 
of dissolution4  ,for nature1 having    
herself formed the union between our    
body and soul1 knows best in what manner
 it may be most easily dissolved1 and   
grants us a longer day to do it1 than we
 could expect from sickness1 which is   
violent4  ,this is the death1 which1    
without speaking like a poet1 ,i may    
call1 not death1 but life4  ,nor can it 
be otherwise4  ,such a death does not   

overtake one till after a very long     
course of years1 and in consequence of  
an extreme weakness2 it being only by   
slow degrees1 that men grow too feeble  
to walk1 and unable to reason1 becoming 
blind1 and deaf1 decrepid1 and full of  
every other kind of infirmity4  ,now ,i 
7by ,god's blessing7 may be quite sure  
that ,i am at a very great distance from
 such a period4  ,nay1 ,i have reason to
 think1 that my soul1 having so         
agreeable a dwelling in my body1 as not 
to meet with any thing in it but peace1 
love1 and harmony1 not only between its 
humours1 but between my reason and my   
senses1 is exceedingly content and well 
pleased with her present situation3 and 
of course1 that a great length of time  
and many years must be requisite to     
dislodge her4  ,whence it must be       
concluded for certain1 that ,i have     
still a series of years to live in      
health and spirits1 and enjoy this      
beautiful world1 which is1 indeed1      
beautiful to those1 who know how to make

 it so1 as ,i have done1 and likewise   
expect to be able to do1 with ,god's    
assistance1 in the next2 and all by the 
means of virtue1 and that divine        
regularity of life1 which ,i have       
adopted1 concluding an alliance with my 
reason1 and declaring war against my    
sensual appetites2 a thing which every  
man may do1 who desired to live as he   
ought4  ,now1 if this sober life be so  
happy2 if its name be so desirable and  
delightful2 if the possession of the    
blessings which attend it1 be so stable 
and permanent1 all ,i have still left to
 do1 is to beseech 7since ,i cannot     
compass my desires by the powers of     
oratory7 every man of a liberal         
disposition1 and sound understanding1 to
 embrace with open arms this most       
valuable treasure of a long and healthy 
life2 a treasure1 which as it exceeds   
all the other riches and blessings of   
this world1 so it deserves above all    
things to be cherished1 sought after1   
and carefully preserved4  ,this is that 

divine sobriety1 agreeable to the       
,deity1 the friend of nature1 the       
daughter of reason1 the sister of all   
the virtues1 the companion of temperate 
living1 modest1 courteous1 content with 
little1 regular1 and perfect mistress of
 all her operations4  ,from her1 as from
 their proper root1 spring life1 health1
 chearfulness1 industry1 learning1 and  
all those actions and employments worth 
of noble and generous minds4  ,the laws 
of ,god and man are all in her favour4  
,repletion1 excess1 intemperance1       
superfluous humours1 diseases1 fevers1  
pains1 and the dangers of death1 vanish1
 in her presence1 like clouds before the
 sun4  ,her comeliness ravishes every   
well-disposed mind4  ,her influence is  
so sure1 as to promise to all a very    
long and agreeable existence2 the       
facility of acquiring her is such1 as   
ought to induce every one to look for   
her1 and share in her victories4  ,and1 
lastly1 she promises to be a mild and   
agreeable guardian of life2 as well of  

the rich as of the poor2 of the male as 
of the female sex2 the old as of the    
young2 being that1 which teaches the    
rich modesty2 the poor frugality2 men1  
continence2 women1 chastity2 the old1   
how to ward off the attacks of death2   
and bestows on youth firmer and securer 
hopes of life4  ,sobriety renders the   
senses clear1 the body light1 the       
understanding lively1 the soul brisk1   
the memory tenacious1 our motions free1 
and all our actions regular and easy4   
,by means of sobriety1 the soul         
delivered1 as it were1 of her earthly   
burthen1 experiences a great deal of her
 natural liberty3 the spirits circulate 
gently through the arteries2 the blood  
runs freely through the veins2 the heat 
of the body1 kept mild and temperate1   
has mild and temperate effects3 and1    
lastly1 our faculties1 being under a    
perfect regulation1 preserves a pleasing
 and agreeable harmony4  ,o most        
innocent and holy sobriety1 the sole    
refreshment of nature1 the nursing      

mother of human life1 the true physic of
 soul as well as of body4  ,how ought   
men to praise thee1 and thank thee for  
thy princely gifts6 since thou bestowest
 on them the means of preserving this   
blessing1 ,i mean life and health1 than 
which it has not pleased ,god we should 
enjoy a greater on this side of the     
grave1 life and existence being a thing 
so naturally coveted1 and willingly     
preserved1 by every living creature4    
,but1 as ,i do not intend to write a    
panegyric on this rare and excellent    
virtue1 ,i shall put an end to this     
discourse1 lest ,i should be guilty of  
excess1 in dwelling so long on so       
pleasing a subject4  ,yet as numberless 
things may still be said of it1 ,i leave
 off1 with an intention of setting forth
 the rest of its praises at a more      
convenient opportunity4    ,a           
,,compendium ,,of ,a ,,sober ,,life  ,my
 treatise on a sober life has begun to  
answer my desire1 in being of service to
 many persons born with a weak          

constitution1 who every time they       
committed the least excess1 found       
themselves greatly indisposed1 a thing  
which it must be allowed does not happen
 to robust people3 several of these     
persons of weak constitutions1 on seeing
 the foregoing treatise1 have betaken   
themselves to a regular course of life1 
convinced by experience of its utility4 
,in like manner1 ,i should be glad to be
 of service to those1 who are born with 
a good constitution1 and presuming upon 
it1 lead a disorderly life2 whence it   
comes to pass1 that1 on their attaining 
the age of sixty or thereabouts1 they   
are attacked with various pains and     
diseases2 some with the gout1 some with 
pains in the side1 and others with pains
 in the stomach1 and the like1 to which 
they would not be subject1 were they to 
embrace a sober life2 and as most of    
them die before they attain their       
eightieth year1 they would live to a    
hundred1 the time allowed to man by ,god
 and nature4  ,and1 it is but reasonable

 to believe1 that the intention of this 
our mother is1 that we should all attain
 that term1 in order that we might all  
taste the sweets of every state of life4
  ,but1 as our birth is subject to the  
revolution of the heavens1 these have   
great influence over it1 especially in  
rendering our constitutions robust or   
infirm2 a thing1 which nature cannot    
ward against2 for1 if she could1 we     
should all bring a good constitution    
with us into the world4  ,but then she  
hopes1 that man1 being endowed with     
reason and understanding1 may of himself
 compensate1 by dint of art1 the want of
 that1 which the heavens have denied    
him2 and1 by means of a sober life1     
contrive to mend his infirm             
constitution1 live to a great age1 and  
always enjoy good health4  ,for man1 it 
is not to be doubted1 may by art exempt 
himself in part from the influence of   
the heavens2 it being common opinion1   
that the heavens give an inclination1   
but do not impel us2 for which reason   

the learned say1 that a wise man rules  
the stars4  ,i was born with a very     
choleric disposition1 insomuch that     
there was no living with me2 but ,i took
 notice of it1 and considered1 that a   
person swayed by his passion1 must at   
certain times be no better than a       
madman2 ,i mean at those times1 when he 
suffers his passions to predominate1    
because he then renounces his reason and
 understanding4  ,i1 therefore1 resolved
 to make my choleric disposition give   
way to reason2 so that now1 though born 
choleric1 ,i never suffer anger intirely
 to overcome me4  ,the man1 who is      
naturally of a bad constitution1 may1 in
 like manner1 by dint of reason1 and a  
sober life1 live to a great age and in  
good health1 as ,i have done1 who had   
naturally the worst1 so that it was     
impossible ,i should live above forty   
years1 whereas ,i now find myself sound 
and hearty at the age of eighty-six2 and
 were it not for the long and violent   
fits of illness which ,i experienced in 

my youth to such a degree1 that the     
physicians gave me over1 and which      
robbed me of my radical moisture1 a loss
 absolutely irreparable1 ,i might expect
 to attain the abovementioned term of   
one hundred4  ,but ,i know for good     
reasons that it is impossible2 and1     
therefore1 do not think of it4  ,it is  
enough for me1 that ,i have lived       
forty-six years beyond the term ,i had a
 right to expect2 and that1 during this 
so long a respite1 all my senses have   
continued perfect2 and even my teeth1 my
 voice1 my memory1 and my strength4     
,but what is still more1 my brain is    
more itself now than it ever was2 nor do
 any of these powers abate as ,i advance
 in years2 and this because1 as ,i grow 
older1 ,i lessen the quantity of my     
solid food4  ,this retrenchment is      
necessary1 nor can it be avoided1 since 
it is impossible for a man to live for  
ever2 and1 as he draws near his end1 he 
is reduced so low as to be no longer    
able to take any nourishment1 unless it 

be to swallow1 and that too with        
difficulty1 the yolk of an egg in the   
four and twenty hours1 and thus end by  
mere dissolution1 without any pain or   
sickness1 as ,i expect will be my case4 
,this is a blessing of great importance2
 yet may be expected by all those1 who  
shall lead a sober life1 of whatever    
degree or condition1 whether high1 or   
middling1 or low2 for we are all of the 
same species1 and composed of the same  
four elements4 ,and1 since a long and   
healthy life ought to be greatly coveted
 by every man1 as ,i shall presently    
shew1 ,i conclude1 that every man is    
bound in duty to exert himself to obtain
 longevity1 and that he cannot promise  
himself such a blessing without         
temperance and sobriety4  ,some allege1 
that many1 without leading such a life1 
have lived to an hundred1 and that in   
constant health1 though they eat a great
 deal1 and used indiscriminately every  
kinds of viands and wine2 and1          
therefore1 flatter themselves1 that they

 shall be equally fortunate4  ,but in   
this they are guilty of two mistakes2   
the first is1 that it is not one in an  
hundred thousand that ever attains that 
happiness2 the other mistake is1 that   
such1 in the end1 most assuredly        
contract some illness1 which carries    
them off3 nor can they ever be sure of  
ending their days otherwise3 so that the
 safest way to obtain a long and healthy
 life is1 at least after forty1 to      
embrace sobriety4  ,this is no such     
difficult affair1 since history informs 
us of so many who in former times lived 
with the greatest temperance2 and ,i    
know that the present age furnishes us  
with many such instances1 reckoning     
myself one of the number3 we are all    
human beings1 and endowed with reason1  
consequently we are masters of our      
actions4  ,this sobriety is reduced to  
two things1 quality and quantity4  ,the 
first1 namely quality1 consists in      
nothing1 but not eating food1 or        
drinking wines1 prejudicial to the      

stomach4  ,the second1 which is         
quantity1 consists in not eating or     
drinking more than the stomach can      
easily digest2 which quantity and       
quality every man should be a perfect   
judge of by the time he is forty1 or    
fifty1 or sixty2 and1 whoever observes  
these two rules1 may be said to live a  
regular and sober life4  ,this is of so 
much virtue and efficacy1 that the      
humours of such a man's body become most
 homogeneous1 harmonious1 and perfect2  
and1 when thus improved1 are no longer  
liable to be corrupted or disturbed by  
any other disorders whatsoever1 such as 
suffering excessive heat or cold1 too   
much fatigue1 want of natural rest1 and 
the like1 unless in the last degree of  
excess4  ,wherefore1 since the humours  
of persons1 who observe these two rules 
relative to eating and drinking1 cannot 
possibly be corrupted1 and engender     
acute diseases1 the sources of an       
untimely death1 every man is bound to   
comply with them3 for whoever acts      

otherwise1 living a disorderly instead  
of a regular life1 is constantly exposed
 to disease and mortality1 as well in   
consequence of such disorders1 as of    
others without number1 each of which is 
capable of producing the same           
destructive effect4  ,it is1 indeed1    
true1 that even those1 who observe the  
two rules relating to diet1 the         
observance of which constitutes a sober 
life1 may1 by committing any one of the 
other irregularities1 find himself the  
worse for it1 for a day or two2 but not 
so as to breed a fever4  ,he may1       
likewise1 be affected by the revolutions
 of the heavens2 but neither the        
heavens1 nor those irregularities1 are  
capable of corrupting the humours of a  
temperate person2 and it is but         
reasonable and natural it should be so1 
as the two irregularities of diet are   
interior1 and the others exterior4  ,but
 as there are some persons1 stricken in 
years1 who are1 notwithstanding1 very   
gluttonous1 and alledge that neither the

 quantity or quality of their diet makes
 any impression upon them1 and therefore
 eat a great deal1 and of every thing   
without distinction1 and indulge        
themselves equally in point of drinking1
 because they do not know in what part  
of their bodies their stomachs are      
situated2 such1 no doubt1 are beyond all
 measure sensual1 and slaves to         
gluttony4  ,to these ,i answer1 that    
what they say is impossible in the      
nature of things1 because it is         
impossible that every man1 who comes    
into the world1 should not bring with   
him a hot1 a cold1 or a temperate       
constitution2 and that hot foods should 
agree with hot constitutions1 cold with 
cold ones1 and things that are not of a 
temperate nature1 with temperate ones1  
is likewise impossible in nature4       
,after all1 these epicures must allow1  
that they are now and then out of order2
 and that they cure themselves by taking
 evacuating medicines and observing a   
strict diet4  ,whence it appears1 that  

their being out of order is owing to    
their eating too much1 and of things    
disagreeing with their stomachs4  ,there
 are other old gluttons1 who say1 that  
it is necessary they should eat and     
drink a great deal1 to keep up their    
natural heat1 which is constantly       
diminishing1 as they advance in years2  
and that it is1 therefore1 necessary to 
eat heartily1 and of such things as     
please their palate1 be they hot1 cold1 
or temperate2 and that1 were they to    
lead a sober life1 it would be a short  
one4  ,to these ,i answer1 that our kind
 mother1 nature1 in order that old men  
may live still to a greater age1 has    
contrived matters so1 that they should  
be able to subsist on little1 as ,i do2 
for1 large quantities of food cannot be 
digested by old and feeble stomachs4    
,nor should such persons be afraid of   
shortening their days by eating too     
little1 since when they happen to be    
indisposed1 they recover by lessening   
the quantity of their food2 for it is a 

trifle they eat1 when confined to a     
regimen1 by observing which they get rid
 of their disorder4  ,now1 if by        
reducing themselves to a very small     
quantity of food1 they recover from the 
jaws of death1 how can they doubt but   
that with an increase of diet1 still    
consistent however with sobriety1 they  
will be able to support nature when in  
perfect health8  ,others say1 that it is
 better for a man to suffer every year  
three or four returns of his usual      
disorders1 such as the gout1 pain in the
 side1 and the like1 than be tormented  
the whole year by not indulging his     
appetite1 and eating every thing his    
palate likes best2 since1 by a good     
regimen alone1 he is sure to get the    
better of such attacks4  ,to this ,i    
answer1 that our natural heat growing   
less and less1 as we advance in years1  
no regimen can retain virtue sufficient 
to conquer the malignity1 with which    
disorders of repletion are ever         
attended2 so that he must die1 at last1 

of these periodical disorders1 because  
they abridge life1 as health prolongs   
it4  ,others pretend1 that it is much   
better to live ten years less1 than not 
indulge one's appetite4  ,to this ,i    
answer1 that longevity ought to be      
highly valued by men of parts2 as to    
others1 it is no great matter if it is  
not duly prized by them1 since they are 
a disgrace to mankind1 so that their    
death is rather of service to the       
public4  ,but it is a great misfortune1 
that men of bright parts should be cut  
off in that manner1 since he1 who is    
already a cardinal1 might1 perhaps1 by  
living to eighty1 attain the papal      
crown2 and in the state1 many1 by living
 some years extraordinary1 may acquire  
the ducal dignity2 and so in regard to  
letters1 by which a man may rise so as  
to be considered as a god upon earth2   
and the like in every other profession4 
,there are others1 who1 though their    
stomachs become weaker and weaker with  
respect to digestion1 as they advance in

 years1 cannot1 however1 be brought to  
retrench the quantity of their food1 nay
 they rather increase it4  ,and1 because
 they find themselves unable to digest  
the great quantity of food1 with which  
they must load their stomachs1 by eating
 twice in the four and twenty hours1    
they make a resolution to eat but once1 
that the long interval between one meal 
and the other may enable them to eat at 
one sitting as much as they used to do  
in two3 thus they eat till their        
stomachs1 overburthened with much food1 
pall1 and sicken1 and change the        
superfluous food into bad humours1 which
 kill a man before his time4  ,i never  
knew any person1 who led that kind of   
life1 live to be very old4  ,all these  
old men ,i have been speaking of would  
live long1 if1 as they advanced in      
years1 they lessened the quantity of    
their food1 and eat oftener1 but little 
at a time2 for old stomachs cannot      
digest large quantities of food2 old men
 changing1 in that respect1 to children1

 who eat several times in the four and  
twenty hours4  ,others say1 that        
temperance may1 indeed1 keep a man in   
health1 but that it cannot prolong his  
life4  ,to this ,i answer1 that         
experience proves the contrary2 and that
 ,i myself am a living instance of it4  
,it cannot be said1 that sobriety is apt
 to shorten one's days1 as sickness     
does2 and that the latter abbreviates   
life1 is most certain4  ,moreover1 a    
constant succession of good health is   
preferable to frequent sickness1 as the 
radical moisture is thereby preserved4  
,hence it may be fairly concluded1 that 
holy sobriety is the true parent of     
health and longevity4  ,o thrice holy   
sobriety1 so useful to man1 by the      
services thou renderest him6 thou       
prolongest his days1 by which means he  
greatly improves his understanding1 and 
by such improvement he avoids the bitter
 fruits of sensuality1 which are an     
enemy to reason1 man's peculiar         
privilege3 those bitter fruits are the  

passions and perturbations of the mind4 
,thou1 moreover1 freest him from the    
dreadful thoughts of death4  ,how       
greatly is thy faithful disciple        
indebted to thee1 since by thy          
assistance he enjoys this beautiful     
expanse of the visible world1 which is  
really beautiful to such as know how to 
view it with the philosophic eye1 as    
thou has enabled me to do4  ,nor could  
,i1 at any other time of life1 even when
 ,i was young1 but altogether debauched 
by an irregular life1 perceive its      
beauties1 though ,i spared no pains or  
expence to enjoy every season of life4  
,but ,i found that all the pleasures of 
that age had their alloy2 so that ,i    
never knew1 till ,i grew old1 that the  
world was beautiful4  ,o truly happy    
life1 which1 over and above all these   
favours conferred on thine old man1 hast
 so improved and perfected his stomach1 
that he has now a better relish for his 
dry bread1 than he had formerly and in  
his youth1 for the most exquisite       

dainties3 and all this he has compassed 
by acting rationally1 knowing1 that     
bread is1 above all things1 man's proper
 food1 when seasoned by a good appetite2
 and1 whilst a man leads a sober life1  
he may be sure of never wanting that    
natural sauce2 because1 by always eating
 little1 the stomach1 not being much    
burthened1 need not wait long to have an
 appetite4  ,it is for this reason1 that
 dry bread relishes so well with me2 and
 ,i know it from experience1 and can    
with truth affirm1 ,i find such         
sweetness in it1 that ,i should be      
afraid of sinning against temperance1   
were it not for my being convinced of   
the absolute necessity of eating it1 and
 that we cannot make use of a more      
natural food4  ,and thou1 kind parent   
,nature1 who actest so lovingly by thy  
aged offspring1 in order to prolong his 
days1 hast contrived matters so in his  
favour1 that he can live upon very      
little2 and1 in order to add to the     
favour1 and do him still greater        

service1 hast made him sensible1 that1  
as in his youth he used to eat twice a  
day1 when he arrived at old age1 he     
ought to divide that food1 of which he  
was accustomed before to make but two   
meals1 into four2 because1 thus divided1
 it will be more easily digested2 and1  
as in his youth he made but two meals in
 the day1 he should1 in his old age1    
make four1 provided however he lessens  
the quantity1 as his years increase4    
,and this is what ,i do1 agreeably to my
 own experience2 and1 therefore1 my     
spirits1 not oppressed by much food1 but
 barely kept up1 are always brisk2      
especially after eating1 so that ,i am  
accustomed then to sing a song1 and     
afterwards to write4  ,nor do ,i ever   
find myself the worse for writing       
immediately after meals2 nor is my      
understanding ever clearer2 nor am ,i   
apt to be drowsy2 the food ,i take being
 too small a quantity to send up any    
fumes to the brain4  ,o1 how            
advantageous it is to an old man to eat 

but little6  ,accordingly1 ,i1 who know 
it1 eat but just enough to keep body and
 soul together2 and the things ,i eat   
are as follow4 ,first1 bread1 panado1   
some broth with an egg in it1 or such   
other good kinds of soup or spoon-meat4 
,of flesh meat1 ,i eat veal1 kid1 and   
mutton4  ,i eat poultry of every kind4  
,i eat partridges1 and other birds1 such
 as thrushes4  ,i likewise eat fish2 for
 instance1 the goldney and the like1    
amongst sea fish2 and the pike1 and such
 like1 amongst the fresh-water fish4    
,all these things are fit for an old    
man2 and1 therefore1 he ought to be     
content with them1 and1 considering     
their number and variety1 not hanker    
after others4 ,such old men1 as are too 
poor to allow themselves provisions of  
this kind1 may do very well with bread1 
panado1 and eggs2 things1 which no poor 
man can want1 unless it be common       
beggars1 and1 as we call them1          
vagabonds1 about whom we are not bound  
to make ourselves uneasy1 since they    

have brought themselves to that pass by 
their indolence2 and had better be dead 
than alive2 for they are a disgrace to  
human nature4  ,but1 though a poor man  
should eat nothing but bread1 panado1   
and eggs1 there is no necessity for his 
eating more than his stomach can digest4
  ,and1 whoever does not trespass in    
point of either quantity or quality1    
cannot die but by mere dissolution4  ,o1
 what a difference there is between a   
regular and an irregular life6  ,one    
gives longevity and health1 the other   
produces diseases and untimely deaths4  
,o unhappy1 wretched life1 my sworn     
enemy1 who art good for nothing but to  
murder those1 who follow thee6  ,how    
many of my dearest relations and friends
 hast thou robbed me of1 in consequence 
of their not giving credit to me2       
relations and friends1 whom ,i should   
now enjoy4  ,but thou hast not been able
 to destroy me1 according to thy wicked 
intent and purpose4  ,i am still alive  
in spite of thee1 and have attained to  

such an age1 as to see around me eleven 
grandchildren1 all of fine              
understanding1 and amiable disposition2 
all given to learning and virtue2 all   
beautiful in their persons and lovely in
 their manners2 whom1 had ,i obeyed thy 
dictates1 ,i should never have beheld4  
,nor should ,i enjoy those beautiful and
 convenient apartments which ,i have    
built from the ground1 with such a      
variety of gardens1 as required no small
 time to attain their present degree of 
perfection4  ,no6 thy nature is to      
destroy those who follow thee1 before   
they can see their houses or gardens so 
much as finished2 whereas1 ,i1 to thy no
 small confusion1 have already enjoyed  
mine for a great number of years4  ,but1
 since thou art so pestilential a vice1 
as to poison and destroy the whole      
world2 and ,i am determined to use my   
utmost endeavours to extirpate thee1 at 
least in part2 ,i have resolved to      
counteract thee so1 that my eleven      
grandchildren shall take pattern after  

me2 and thereby expose thee1 for what   
thou really art1 a most wicked1         
desperate1 and mortal enemy of the      
children of men4  ,i1 really1 cannot    
help admiring1 that men of fine parts1  
and such there are1 who have attained a 
superior rank in letters or any other   
profession1 should not betake themselves
 to a regular life1 when they are       
arrived at the age of fifty or sixty2 or
 as soon as they find themselves        
attacked by any of the foregoing        
disorders1 of which they might easily   
recover2 whereas1 by being permitted to 
get a head1 they become incurable4  ,as 
to young men1 ,i am no way surprised by 
them1 since1 the passions being strong  
at that age1 they are of course the more
 easily overpowered by their baleful    
influence4  ,but after fifty1 our lives 
should1 in every thing1 be governed by  
reason1 which teaches us1 that the      
consequences of gratifying our palate   
and our appetite are disease and death4 
,were this pleasure of the palate       

lasting1 it would be some excuse2 but it
 is so momentary1 that there is scarce  
any distinguishing between the beginning
 and the end of it2 whereas the diseases
 it produces are very durable4  ,but it 
must be a great contentment to a man of 
sober life1 to be able to reflect that1 
in the manner he lives1 he is sure1 that
 what he eats1 will keep him in good    
health1 and be productive of no disease 
or infirmity4  ,now ,i was willing to   
make this short addition to my treatise1
 founded on new reasons2 few persons    
caring to peruse long-winded discourses2
 whereas short tracts have a chance of  
being read by many2 and ,i wish that    
many may see this addition1 to the end  
that its utility may be more extensive4 
,,an ,,earnest ,,exhortation2 ,,wherein 
,the author uses the strongest arguments
 to persuade all men to embrace a       
regular and sober life1 in order to     
attain old age1 in which they may enjoy 
all the favours and blessings1 that     
,god1 in his goodness1 vouchsafes to    

bestow upon mortals4   ,not to be       
wanting to my duty1 that duty incumbent 
upon every man2 and not to lose at the  
same time the satisfaction ,i feel in   
being useful to others1 ,i have resolved
 to take up my pen1 and inform those1   
who1 for want of conversing with me1 are
 strangers to what those know and see1  
with whom ,i have the pleasure of being 
acquainted4  ,but1 as certain things may
 appear1 to some persons1 scarce        
credible1 nay impossible1 though        
actually fact1 ,i shall not fail to     
relate them for the benefit of the      
public4  ,wherefore1 ,i say1 being 7,god
 be praised7 arrived at my ninety-fifth 
year1 and still finding myself sound and
 hearty1 content and chearful1 ,i never 
cease thanking the ,divine ,majesty for 
so great a blessing2 considering the    
usual fate of other old men4  ,these    
scarce attain the age of seventy1       
without losing their health and spirits2
 growing melancholy and peevish2 and    
continually haunted by the thoughts of  

death2 apprehending their last hour from
 one day to another1 so that it is      
impossible to drive such thoughts out of
 their mind2 whereas such things give me
 not the least uneasiness2 for1 indeed1 
,i cannot1 at all1 make them the object 
of my attention1 as ,i shall hereafter  
more plainly relate4  ,i shall1 besides1
 demonstrate the certainty ,i have of   
living to an hundred4 ,but1 to render   
this dissertation more methodical1 ,i   
shall begin by considering man at his   
birth2 and from thence accompany him    
through every stage of life to his      
grave4  ,i1 therefore1 say1 that some   
come into the world with the stamina of 
life so weak1 that they live but a few  
days1 or months1 or years2 and it cannot
 be clearly known1 to what such         
shortness of life is owing2 whether to  
some defect in the father or the mother1
 in begetting them2 or to the           
revolutions of the heavens2 or to the   
defect of nature1 subject1 as she is1 to
 the celestial influence4 ,for1 ,i could

 never bring myself to believe1 that    
nature1 common parent of all1 should be 
partial to any of her children4         
,therefore1 as we cannot assign causes1 
we must be content with reasoning from  
the effects1 such as they daily appear  
to our view4  ,others are born sound1   
indeed1 and full of spirits2 but1       
notwithstanding1 with a poor weakly     
constitution2 and of these some live to 
the age of ten2 others to twenty2 others
 to thirty or forty2 yet they do not    
live to extreme old age4  ,others1      
again1 bring into the world a perfect   
constitution1 and live to old age2 but  
it is generally1 as ,i have already     
said1 an old age full of sickness and   
sorrow2 for which they are to thank     
themselves2 because they most           
unreasonably presume on the goodness of 
their constitution2  and cannot by any  
means be brought to depart1 when brought
 to depart1 when grown old1 from the    
mode of life they pursued in their      
younger days2 as if they still retained 

all their primitive vigour4  ,nay1 they 
intend to live as irregularly when past 
the meridian of life1 as they did all   
the time of their youth2 thinking they  
shall never grow old1 nor their         
constitution ever be impaired4  ,neither
 do they consider1 that their stomach   
has lost its natural heat2 and that they
 should1 on that account1 pay a greater 
regard to the quality of what they eat1 
and what wines they drink2 and likewise 
to the quantity of each1 which they     
ought to lessen2 whereas1 on the        
contrary1 they are for increasing it2   
saying1 that1 as we lose our health and 
vigour by growing old1 we should        
endeavour to repair the loss by         
increasing the quantity of our food1    
since it is by sustenance that man is   
preserved4  ,in this1 nevertheless1 they
 are greatly mistaken1 since1 as the    
natural heat lessens as a man grows in  
years1 he should diminish the quantity  
of his meat and drink2 nature1          
especially at that period1 being content

 with little4  ,nay1 though they have   
all the reason to believe this to be the
 case1 they are so obstinate as to think
 otherwise1 and still follow their usual
 disorderly life4  ,but were they to    
relinquish it in due time1 and betake   
themselves to a regular and sober       
course1 they would not grow infirm in   
their old age1 but would continue1 as ,i
 am1 strong and hearty1 considering how 
good and perfect a constitution it has  
pleased the ,almighty to bestow upon    
them2 and would live to the age of one  
hundred and twenty4  ,this has been the 
case of others1 who1 as we read in many 
authors1 have lived a sober life1 and1  
of course1 were born with this perfect  
constitution2 and had it been my lot to 
enjoy such a constitution1 ,i should    
make no doubt of attaining the same age4
 ,but1 as ,i was born with feeble       
stamina1 ,i am afraid ,i shall not      
outlive an hundred4  ,were others1 too1 
who are also born with an infirm        
constitution1 to betake themselves to a 

regular life1 as ,i have done1 they     
would attain the age of one hundred and 
upwards1 as will be my case4  ,and this 
certainty of being able to live a great 
age is1 in my opinion1 a great          
advantage1 and highly to be valued2 none
 being sure to live even a single hour1 
except such as adhere to the rules of   
temperance4  ,this security of life is  
built on good and true natural reasons1 
which can never fail2 it being          
impossible in the nature of things1 that
 he1 who leads a sober and regular life1
 should breed any sickness1 or die of an
 unnatural death1 before the time1 at   
which it is absolutely impossible he    
should live4  ,but sooner he cannot die1
 as a sober life has the virtue to      
remove all the usual causes of sickness1
 and sickness cannot happen without a   
cause2 which cause being removed1       
sickness is1 likewise1 removed2 and     
sickness being removed1 an untimely and 
violent death must be prevented4  ,and  
there is no doubt1 that temperance has  

the virtue and efficacy to remove such  
causes2 for since health and sickness1  
life and death1 depend on the good or   
bad quality of the humours1 temperance  
corrects their vicious tendencies1 and  
renders them perfect1 being possessed of
 the natural power of making them unite 
and hold together1 so as to render them 
inseperable1 and incapable of alteration
 and fermenting2 circumstances1 which   
engender cruel fevers1 and end in death4
  ,it is true1 indeed1 and it would be a
 folly to deny it1 that1 let our humours
 be originally ever so good1 time1 which
 consumes every thing1 cannot fail to   
consume and exhaust them2 and that man1 
as soon as that happens1 must die of a  
natural death2 but yet without sickness1
 as will be my case1 who shall die at my
 appointed time1 when these humours     
shall be consumed1 which they are not at
 present4 ,nay1 they are still perfect2 
nor is it possible they should be       
otherwise in my present condition1 when 
,i find myself hearty and content1      

eating with a good appetite1 and        
sleeping soundly4  ,moreover1 all my    
faculties are as good as ever1 and in   
the highest perfection2 my understanding
 clearer and brighter than ever2 my     
judgment sound2 my memory tenacious2 my 
spirits good2 and my voice1 the first   
thing which is apt to fail in others1   
grown so strong and sonorous1 that ,i   
cannot help chanting out loud my prayers
 morning and night1 instead of          
whispering and muttering them to myself1
 as was formerly my custom4  ,and these 
are all so many true and sure signs and 
tokens1 that my humours are good1 and   
cannot waste but with time1 as all      
those1 who converse with me1 conclude4  
,o1 how glorious this life of mine is   
like to be1 replete with all the        
felicities which man can enjoy on this  
side of the grave2 and even exempt from 
that sensual brutality which age has    
enabled my better reason to banish2     
because where reason resides1 there is  
no room for sensuality1 nor for its     

bitter fruits1 the passions1 and        
perturbations of the mind1 with a train 
of disagreeable apprehensions4  ,nor yet
 can the thoughts of death find room in 
my mind1 as ,i have no sensuality to    
nourish such thoughts4  ,neither can the
 death of grandchildren and other       
relations and friends make any          
impression on me1 but for a moment or   
two2 and then it is over4  ,sill less am
 ,i liable to be cast down by losses in 
point of fortune 7as many have seen to  
their no small surprise47 ,and this is a
 happiness not to be expected by any but
 such as attain old age by sobriety1 and
 not in consequence of a strong         
constitution2 and such may moreover     
expect to spend their days happily1 as  
,i do mine1 in a perpetual round of     
amusement and pleasure4  ,and how is it 
possible a man should not enjoy himself1
 who meets with no crosses or           
disappointments in his old age1 such as 
youth is constantly plagued with1 and   
from which1 ,i shall presently shew1 ,i 

have the happiness of being exempt8     
,the first of these is to do service to 
my country4  ,o6 what a glorious        
amusement1 in which ,i find infinite    
delight1 as ,i thereby shew her the     
means of improving her important estuary
 or harbour beyond the possibility of   
its filling for thousands of years to   
come2 so as to secure to ,venice her    
surprising and miraculous title of a    
maiden city1 as she really is2 and the  
only one in the whole world3 she will1  
moreover1 thereby1 add to the lustre of 
her great and excellent surname of queen
 of the sea3 such is my amusement2 and  
nothing is wanting to make it complete4 
,another amusement of mine1 is that of  
shewing this maid and queen1 in what    
manner she may abound with provisions1  
by improving large tracts of land1 as   
well marshes1 as barren sands1 to great 
profit4  ,a third amusement1 and an     
amusement too1 without any alloy1 is the
 shewing how ,venice1 though already so 
strong as to be in a manner impregnable1

 may be rendered still stronger2 and1   
though extremely beautiful1 may still   
increase in beauty2 though rich1 may    
acquire more wealth1 and may be made to 
enjoy better air1 though her air is     
excellent4  ,these three amusements1 all
 arising from the idea of public        
utility1 ,i enjoy in the highest degree4
  ,and who can say1 that they admit of  
any alloy1 as in fact they do not8      
,another comfort ,i enjoy1 is1 that     
having lost a considerable part of my   
income1 of which my grandchildren had   
been unfortunately robbed1 ,i by mere   
dint of thought1 which never sleeps1 and
 without any fatigue of body1 and very  
little of mind1 have found a true and   
infallable method of repairing such loss
 more than double1 by the means of that 
most commendable of arts1 agriculture4  
,another comfort ,i still enjoy is to   
think1 that my treatise on temperance1  
which ,i wrote in order to be useful to 
others1 is really so1 as many assure me 
by word of mouth1 mentioning that it has

 proved extremely useful to them1 as it 
in fact appears to have been1 whilst    
others inform me by letter1 that1 under 
,god1 they are indebted to me for life4 
,still another comfort ,i enjoy1 is that
 of being able to write with my own     
hand2 for1 ,i write enough to be of     
service to others1 both on architecture1
 and agriculture4  ,i1 likewise1 enjoy  
another satisfaction1 which is that of  
conversing with men of bright parts and 
superior understanding1 from whom1 even 
at this advanced period of life1 ,i     
learn something4  ,what a comfort is    
this1 that1 old as ,i am1 ,i should be  
able1 without the least fatigue1 to     
study the most important1 sublime1 and  
difficult subjects6  ,i must farther    
add1 though it may appear impossible to 
some1 and may be so in some measure1    
that at this age ,i enjoy1 at once1 two 
lives2 one terrestrial1 which ,i possess
 in fact2 the other celestial1 which ,i 
possess in thought2 and this thought is 
equal to actual enjoyment1 when founded 

upon things we are sure to attain1 as ,i
 ams sure to attain that celestial life1
 through the infinite goodness and mercy
 of ,god4  ,thus1 ,i enjoy this         
terrestrial life1 in consequence of my  
sobriety and temperance1 virtues so     
agreeable to the ,deity2 and ,i enjoy1  
by the grace of the same ,divine        
,majesty1 the celestial1 which he makes 
me anticipate in thought2 a thought so  
lovely1 as to fix me entirely on this   
object1 the enjoyment of which ,i hold  
and affirm to be of the utmost          
certainty4  ,and ,i hold that dying1 in 
the manner ,i expect1 is not really     
death1 but a passage of the soul from   
this earthly life to a celestial1       
immortal1 and infinitely perfect        
existence4  ,neither can it be          
otherwise3 and this thought is so       
superlatively sublime1 that it can no   
longer stoop to low and worldly objects1
 such as the death of this body1 being  
intirely taken up with the happiness of 
living a celestial and divine life2     

whence it is1 that ,i enjoy two lives4  
,nor can the terminating of so high a   
gratification1 which ,i enjoy in this   
life1 give me any concern2 it rather    
affords me infinite pleasure1 as it will
 be only to make room for another1      
glorious and immortal life4  ,now1 it is
 possible1 that any one should grow     
tired of so great a comfort and         
blessing1 as this which ,i really enjoy2
 and which every on else might enjoy by 
leading the life ,i have led8 an example
 which every one has it in his power to 
follow2 for ,i am but a mere man1 and no
 saint2 a servant of ,god1 to whom so   
regular a life is extremely agreeable4  
,and1 whereas many embrace a spiritual  
and contemplative life1 which is holy   
and commendable1 the chief employment of
 those who lead it being to celebrate   
the praises of ,god2 ,o1 that the would 
likewise1 betake themselves intirely to 
a regular and sober life6 how much more 
agreeable would they render themselves  
in the sight of ,god6 ,what a much      

greater honour and ornament would the be
 to the world6 ,they would then be      
considered as saints1 indeed1 upon      
earth1 as those primitive ,christians   
were led1 who joined sobriety to so     
recluse a life4  ,by living1 like them1 
to the age of one hundred and twenty1   
they might1 like them1 expect1 by the   
power of ,god1 to work numberless       
miracles2 and they would1 besides1 enjoy
 constant health and spirits1 and be    
always happy within themselves2 whereas 
they are now1 for the most part1 infirm1
 melancholy1 and dissatisfied4  ,now1 as
 some of these people think1 that these 
are trials sent them by ,god ,almighty1 
with a view of promoting their          
salvation1 that they may do penance1 in 
this life1 for their past errors1 ,i    
cannot help saying1 that1 in my opinion1
 they are greatly mistaken4  ,for ,i can
 by no means believe1 that it is        
agreeable to the ,deity1 that man1 his  
favourite creature1 should live infirm1 
melancholy1 and dissatisfied1 but rather

 enjoy good health and spirits1 and be  
always content within himself4  ,in this
 manner did the holy fathers live1 and  
by such conduct did they daily render   
themselves more acceptable to the       
,divine ,majesty1 so as to work the     
great and surprising miracles we read in
 history4  ,how beautiful1 how glorious 
a scene should we then behold6 far more 
beautiful than in those antient times1  
because we now abound with so many      
religious orders and monasteries1 which 
did not then exist2 and were the members
 of these communities to lead a         
temperate life1 we should then behold   
such a number of venerable old men1 as  
would create surprise4  ,nor would they 
trespass against their rules2 they would
 rather improve upon them2 since every  
religious community allows its subjects 
bread1 wine1 and sometimes eggs 7some of
 them allow meat7 besides soups made    
with vegetables1 sallets1 fruit1 and    
cakes1 things which often disagree with 
them1 and even shorten their lives4     

,but1 as they are allowed such things by
 their rules1 they freely make use of   
them2 thinking1 perhaps1 that it would  
be wrong to abstain from them1 whereas  
it would not4  ,it would rather be      
commendable1 if1 after the age of       
thirty1 they abstained from such food1  
confined themselves to bread1 wine1     
broths and eggs3 for this is the true   
method of preserving men of a bad       
constitution2 and it is a life of more  
indulgence than that led by the holy    
fathers of the desart1 who subsisted    
intirely on wild fruits and roots1 and  
drank nothing but pure water2 and1      
nevertheless1 lived1 as ,i have already 
mentioned1 in good health and spirits1  
and always happy within themselves4     
,were those of our days to do the same1 
they would1 like them1 find the road to 
heaven much easier2 for it is always    
open to every faithful ,christian1 as   
our ,saviour ,jesus ,christ left it1    
when he came down upon earth to shed his
 precious blood1 in order to deliver us 

from the tyrannical servitude of the    
devil2 and all through his immense      
goodness4  ,so that1 to make an end of  
this discourse1 ,i say1 that since      
length of days abounds with so many     
favours and blessings1 and ,i happen to 
be one of those who are arrived at that 
state1 ,i cannot 7as ,i would not       
willingly want charity7 but give        
testimony in favour of it1 and solemnly 
assure all mankind1 that ,i really enjoy
 a great deal more than what ,i now     
mention2 and that ,i have no other      
reason for writing1 but that of         
demonstrating the great advantages which
 arise from longevity1 to the end that  
their own conviction may induce them to 
observe those excellent rules of        
temperance and sobriety4  ,and therefore
 ,i never cease to raise my voice1      
crying out to you1 my friends3 may your 
days be long1 that you may be the better
 servants to the ,almighty6    ,,letter 
,,from ,,signor ,,lewis ,,cornaro1 ,,to 
,,the ,,right ,,reverend ,,barbaro1     

,,patriarch ,,elect ,,of ,,aquileia4    
,the human understanding must certainly 
have something of the divine in its     
constitution and frame4  ,how divine the
 invention of conversing with an absent 
friend by the help of writing6  ,how    
divinely it is contrived by nature1 that
 men1 though at a great distance1 should
 see one another with the intellectual  
eye1 as ,i now see your lordship6  ,by  
means of this contrivance1 ,i shall     
endeavour to entertain you with with    
matters of the greatest moment4  ,it is 
true1 that ,i shall speak of nothing but
 what ,i have already mentioned2 but it 
was not at the age of ninety-one1 to    
which ,i have now attained2 a thing ,i  
cannot help taking notice of1 because as
 ,i advance in years1 the sounder and   
heartier ,i grow1 to the amazement of   
all the world4  ,i1 who can account for 
it1 am bound to shew1 that a many may   
enjoy a terrestrial paradise after      
eighty2 which ,i enjoy2 but it is not to
 be obtained except by temperance and   

sobriety1 virtues so acceptable to the  
,almighty1 because they are enemies to  
sensuality1 and friends to reason4      
,now1 my lord1 to begin1 ,i must tell   
you1 that1 within these few days past1  
,i have been visited by many of the     
learned doctors of this university1 as  
well physicians and philosophers1 who   
were well acquainted with my age1 my    
life1 and manners2 knowing how stout1   
hearty1 and gay ,i was2 and in what     
perfection all my faculties still       
continued2 likewise my memory1 spirits1 
and understanding2 and even my voice and
 teeth4  ,they knew1 besides1 that ,i   
constantly employed eight hours every   
day in writing treatises1 with my own   
hand1 on subjects useful to mankind1 and
 spent many hours in walking and        
singing4  ,o1 my lord1 how melodious my 
voice is grown6 were you to hear me     
chant my prayers2 and that to my lyre1  
after the example of ,david1 ,i am      
certain it would give you great         
pleasure1 my voice is so musical4  ,now1

 when they told me that they had been   
already acquainted with all these       
particulars1 they added1 that it was1   
indeed1 next to a miracle1 how ,i could 
write so much1 and upon subjects that   
required both judgement and spirit4     
,and1 indeed1 my lord1 it is incredible1
 what satisfaction and pleasure ,i have 
in these compositions4  ,but1 as ,i     
write to be useful1 your lordship may   
easily conceive what pleasure ,i enjoy4 
,they concluded by telling me1 that ,i  
ought not to be looked upon as a person 
advanced in years1 since all my         
occupations were those of a young man2  
and1 by no means1 like those of other   
aged persons1 who1 when they have       
reached eighty1 are reckoned decrepid4  
,such1 moreover1 are subject1 some to   
the gout1 some to the sciatica1 and some
 to other complaints1 to be relieved    
from which they must undergo such a     
number of painful operations1 as cannot 
but render life extremely disagreeable4 
,and1 if1 by chance1 one of them happens

 to escape a long illness1 his faculties
 are impaired1 and he cannot see or hear
 so well2 or else fails in some or other
 of the corporeal faculties1 he cannot  
walk1 or his hands shake2 and1 supposing
 him exempt from these bodily           
infirmities1 his memory1 his spirits1 or
 his understanding fail him2 he is not  
chearful1 pleasant1 and happy within    
himself1 as ,i am4  ,besides all these  
blessings1 ,i mentioned another1 which  
,i enjoyed2 and so great a blessing1    
that they were all amazed at it1 since  
it is altogether beside the usual course
 of nature4  ,this blessing is1 that ,i 
had already lived fifty years1 in spite 
of a most powerful and mortal enemy1    
which ,i can by no means conquer1       
because it is natural1 or an occult     
quality implanted in my body by nature2 
and this is1 that every year1 from the  
beginning of ,july till the end of      
,august1 ,i cannot drink any wine of    
whatever kind or country2 for1 besides  
being during these two months quite     

disgustful to my palate1 it disagrees   
with my stomach4  ,thus losing my milk1 
for wine is1 indeed1 the milk of old    
age2 and having nothing to drink1 for no
 change or preparation of waters can    
have the virtue of wine1 nor of course  
do me any good2 having nothing1 ,i say1 
to drink1 and my stomach being therefore
 disordered1 ,i can eat but very little2
 and this spare diet1 with the want of  
wine1 reduces me1 by the middle of      
,august1 extremely low2 nor is the      
strongest capon broth1 or any other     
remedy1 of service to me2 so that ,i am 
ready1 through mere weakness1 to sink   
into the grave4  ,hence they inferred1  
that were not the new wine1 for ,i      
always take care to have some ready by  
the beginning of ,september1 to come in 
so soon1 ,i should be a dead man4  ,but 
what surprized them still more was1 that
 this new wine should have power        
sufficient to restore me1 in two or     
three days1 to that degree of health and
 strength1 of which the old wine had    

robbed me2 a fact1 they themselves have 
been eye-witnesses of1 within these few 
days2 and which a man must see to       
believe it2 insomuch that they could not
 help crying out2 ,many of us1 who are  
physicians1 have visited him annually   
for several years past2 and ten years   
ago1 judged it impossible for him to    
live a year or two longer1 considering  
what a mortal enemy he carried about    
him1 and his advanced age2 yet we do not
 find him so weak at present as he used 
to be4  ,this singularity1 and the many 
other blessings they see me enjoy1      
obliged them to confess1 that the       
joining of such a number of favours was1
 with regard to me1 a special grace     
conferred on me1 at my birth1 by nature1
 or by the stars2 and to prove this to  
be a good conclusion1 which it really is
 not 7because not grounded on strong and
 sufficient reasons1 but merely on their
 own opinions7 they found themselves    
under a necessity to display their      
eloquence1 and to say a great many fine 

things4  ,certain it is1 my lord1 that  
eloquence1 in men of bright parts1 has  
great power2 so great1 as to induce     
people to believe things which have     
neither actual nor possible existence4  
,i had1 however1 great pleasure and     
satisfaction in hearing them2 for1 it   
must1 no doubt1 be a high entertainment 
to hear such men talk in that manner4   
,another satisfaction1 without the least
 mixture of alloy1 ,i at the same time  
enjoyed1 was to think1 that age and     
experience are sufficient to make a man 
learned1 who without them would know    
nothing2 nor is it surprizing they      
should1 since length of days is the     
foundation of true knowledge4           
,accordingly1 it was by means of it     
alone ,i discovered their conclusion to 
be false4  ,thus1 you see1 my lord1 how 
apt men are to deceive themselves in    
their judgement of things1 when such    
judgement is not built upon a solid     
foundation4 ,and1 therefore1 to         
undeceive them1 and set them right1 ,i  

made answer1 that their conclusion was  
false1 as ,i should actually convince   
them by proving1 that the happiness ,i  
enjoyed was not confined to me1 but     
common to all mankind1 and that every   
man might equally enjoy it2 since ,i was
 but a mere mortal1 composed1 like all  
others1 of the four elements2 and       
endued1 besides existence and life1 with
 rational and intellectual faculties1   
which are common to all men4  ,for it   
has pleased the ,almighty to bestow on  
his favourite creature man these        
extraordinary blessings and favours     
above other animals1 which enjoy only   
the sensible perceptions2 in order such 
blessings and favours my be the means of
 keeping him long in good health2 so    
that length of days is a universal      
favour granted by the ,deity1 and not by
 nature and the stars4  ,but man being  
in his youthful days more of the        
sensual1 than of the rational animal1 is
 apt to yield to sensual impressions2   
and1 when he afterwards arrives at the  

age of forty or fifty1 he ought to      
consider1 that he has attained the noon 
of life1 by the vigour of his youth1 and
 a good tone of stomach2 natural        
blessings1 which favoured him in        
ascending the hill2 but that he must now
 think of going down1 and approaching   
the grave1 with a heavy weight of years 
on his back2 and that old age is the    
reverse of youth1 as much as order is   
the reverse of disorder4  ,hence it is  
requisite he should alter his mode of   
life in regard to the articles of eating
 and drinking1 on which health and      
longevity depend4  ,and as the first    
part of his life was sensual and        
irregular1 the second should be the     
reverse2 since nothing can subsist      
without order1 especially the life of   
man1 irregularity being without all     
doubt prejudicial1 and regularity       
advantageous to the human species4      
,besides1 it is impossible in the nature
 of things1 that the man1 who is bent on
 indulging his palate and his appetite1 

should not be guilty of irregularity4   
,hence it was that to avoid this vice1  
as soon as ,i found myself arrived at   
maturer years1 ,i embraced a regular and
 sober life4  ,it is1 no doubt1 true1   
that ,i found some difficulty in        
compassing it2 but1 in order to conquer 
this difficulty1 ,i beseeched the       
,almighty to grant me the virtue of     
sobriety2 well knowing1 that he would   
graciously hear my prayer4  ,then1      
considering1 that when a man is about to
 undertake any thing of importance1     
which he knows he can compass1 though   
not without difficulty1 he may make it  
much easier to himself by being steady  
in his purpose2 ,i pursued the same     
course4  ,i endeavoured gradually to    
relinquish a disorderly life1 and to    
accustom myself insensibly to the rules 
of temperance3 and thus it came to pass 
that a sober and regular life no longer 
proved uneasy or disagreeable2 though1  
on account of the weakness of my        
constitution1 ,i tied myself down to    

such strict rules in regard to the      
quantity and quality of what ,i eat and 
drink4  ,but others1 who happen to be   
blessed with a stronger temperament1 may
 eat many other kinds of food1 and in   
greater quantities2 and so of wines2    
whereas1 though their lives may still be
 sober1 they will not be so confined as 
mine1 but much more free4  ,now1 on     
hearing these arguments1 and examining  
the reasons on which they were founded1 
they all agreed that ,i had advanced    
nothing but what was true4  ,indeed the 
youngest of them said1 that though he   
could not but allow the favour of       
advantages1 ,i had been speaking of1 to 
be common to all mankind1 yet ,i enjoyed
 the special grace of being able to     
relinquish with ease one kind of life1  
and embrace another2 a think which he   
knew by experience to be feasible2 but  
as difficult to him as it had proved    
easy to me4  ,to this ,i replied1 that1 
being a mortal like himself1 ,i likewise
 found it a difficult task2 but it did  

not become a person to shrink from a    
glorious but practicable undertaking1 on
 account of the difficulties attending  
it1 because in proportion to these      
difficulties1 is the honour he acquires 
by it in the eye of man1 and the merit  
in the sight of ,god4  ,our beneficent  
,creator is desirous1 that1 as he       
originally favoured human nature with   
longevity1 we should all enjoy full     
advantage of his intentions2 knowing1   
that1 when a man has passed eighty1 he  
is intirely exempt from the bitter      
fruits of sensual enjoyments1 and is    
intirely governed by the dictates of    
reason4  ,vice and immorality must then 
leave him2 hence ,god is willing he     
should live to a full maturity of years2
 and has ordained that whoever reaches  
his natural term1 should end his days   
without sickness by mere dissolution1   
the natural way of quitting this mortal 
life to enter upon immortality1 as will 
be my case4  ,for ,i am sure to die     
chanting my prayers2 nor do the dreadful

 thoughts of death give me the least    
uneasiness1 though1 considering my great
 age1 it cannot be far distant1 knowing1
 as ,i do1 that ,i was born to die1 and 
reflecting that such numbers have       
departed my life without reaching my    
age4  ,nor does that other thought1     
inseperable from the former1 namely the 
fear of those torments1 to which wicked 
men are hereafter liable1 give me any   
uneasiness2 because ,i am a good        
,christian1 and bound to believe1 that  
,i shall be saved by the virtue of the  
most sacred blood of ,christ1 which he  
has vouchsafed to shed1 in order to free
 us from those torments4  ,how beautiful
 is the life ,i lead6 how happy my end6 
,to this1 the young gentleman1 my       
antagonist1 had nothing to reply1 but   
that he was resolved to embrace a sober 
life1 in order to follow my example2 and
 that he had taken another1 more        
important1 resolution1 which was1 that1 
as he had been always very desirous to  
live to be old1 so he was now equally   

impatient to reach that period1 the     
sooner to enjoy the felicity of old age4
  ,the great desire ,i had1 my lord1 to 
converse with you at this distance1 has 
forced me to be prolix1 and still       
obliges me to proceed2 though not much  
farther4  ,there are many sensualists1  
my lord1 who say1 that ,i have thrown   
away my time and trouble in writing a   
treatise on ,temperance1 and other      
discourses on the same subject1 to      
induce men to lead a regular life2      
alledging1 that it is impossible to     
conform to it1 so that my treatise must 
answer as little purpose as that of     
,plato on government1 who took a great  
deal of pains to recommend a thing      
impracticable2 whence they inferred1    
that as his treatise was of no use1 mine
 will share the same fate4 ,now this    
surprises me the more1 as they may see  
by my treatise1 that ,i had led a sober 
life for many years before ,i had       
composed it2 and that ,i should never   
have composed it1 had ,i not previously 

been convinced1 that it was such a life 
as a man might lead2 and being a        
virtuous life1 would be of great service
 to him2 so that ,i thought myself under
 an obligation to represent it in a true
 light4  ,i have the satisfaction now to
 hear1 that numbers1 on seeing my       
treatise1 have embraced such a life2 and
 ,i have read1 that many1 in times past1
 have actually led it2 so that the      
objection1 to which ,plato's treatise on
 government is liable1 can be of no     
force against mine4 ,but such           
sensualists1 enemies to reason1 and     
slaves to their passions1 ought to think
 themselves well off1 if1 whilst they   
study to indulge their palate and their 
appetite1 they do not contract long and 
painful diseases1 and are not1 many of  
them1 overtaken by an untimely death4   
,,finis