ntness are easily remedied by Rest and good Diet.

There are some who feed high, and maintain, that whatsoever they eat is so
little a Disturbance to them, that they cannot perceive in what Part of
the Body the Stomach lies; but I averr, they do not speak as they think,
nor is it natural? 'Tis impossible that any created Being should be of so
perfect a Composition, as that neither Heat nor Cold, Dry nor Moist should
have any Influence over it, and that the Variety of Food which they make
use of, of different Qualities, should be equally agreeable to them. Those
Men cannot but acknowledge, that they are sometimes out of Order; if it is
not owing to a sensible Indigestion, yet they are troubled with Head-achs,
Want of Sleep, and Fevers, of which they are cured by a Diet, and taking
such Medicines as are proper for Evacuations. It is therefore certain,
that their Distempers proceed from Repletion, or from their having eat or
drank something which did not agree with their Stomachs.

Most old People excuse their high Feeding by saying, that it is necessary
to eat a great deal, to keep up their natural Heat, which diminishes
proportionably as they grow into Years; and to create an Appetite, 'tis
necessary to find out proper Sauces, and to eat whatsoever they have a
Fancy for, and that without thus humouring their Palates, they would be
soon in their Graves.

To this I reply: That Nature, for the Preservation of a Man in Years, has
so composed him, that he may live with a little Food; that his Stomach
cannot digest a great Quantity, and that he has no need of being afraid of
dying for want of eating; since when he is sick, he is forced to have
recourse to a regular Sort of Diet, which is the first and main Thing
prescrib'd him by his Physician, that if this Remedy is of such Efficacy
to snatch us out of the Arms of Death, 'tis a Mistake to suppose that a
Man may not by eating a little more than he does when he is sick, live a
long Time without ever being sick.

Others had rather be disturb'd twice or thrice a Year with the Gout, the
Sciatica, and their Epidemical Distempers, than to be always put to the
Torment and Mortification of laying a Restraint upon their Appetites,
being sure, that when they are indisposed, a regular Diet will be an
infallible Remedy and Cure. But let them be informed by me, that as they
grow up in Years their natural Heat abates; that as regular Diet, despised
as a Precaution, and only look'd upon as