, seldom
Mirth and Cheerfulness are housed in indispos'd Bodies, because they are
deficient of that abundance of Light, and clear Spirits, required to
produce them. No Wonder the Vulgar is so opinionated in the Affair of
their Temperament, when belabour'd with a Disease; since in their
healthful State, it's impossible for a Physician to engage their Opinion
otherwise, than to believe themselves phlegmatick and melancholy.

To return to the Point of declaring how the Vulgar strives even with
Violence to be cheated, not in their Purses only, but in their Fancies and
Opinion; and in this Particular, our Women are so violent eager, that if
the Vulgar Physician can but make a true Sound upon the Treble of their
Fancy, will produce such a Harmony as shall sound his Praise through City
and Country; and without those Female-Instruments, or She-Trumpets, it's
almost impossible for a Vulgarist to arrive to a famous Report, who having
once by his Tongue-Harmony inchanted the Woman, doth by the same Cheat
subject the Opinion of Man to his Advantage, Women generally usurping, and
impropriating the Affair of their Husbands Health to their own
Management; for if a Man chance to be surpriz'd with Sickness, he
presently asks his Wife what Doctor he shall send to, who instantly gives
her Direction to him that had her by the Nose last. In this Piece of
Subtilty, the Doctor shews him self no less cunning than the Serpent in
_Genesis_, who, to cheat _Adam_, thought it expedient first to deceive
_Eve_.

Now without any further Preamble, I must tell you the Humour many a sick
Woman delights to be coaks'd in by the Ordinary Physician, _viz._ She
loves to be told she is very melancholy, tho' of never so merry a
Composure, and in that Part of the Litany, Mr. Doctor is a perfect Reader;
for a Woman making Complaint she is troubled with Drowsiness, want of
Stomach, Cough, or any other Distemper; he answers her, she is in an ill
State, and troubled with great and dangerous Diseases, and all engender'd
by Melancholy; and then tells her over again, she is very melancholy, and,
saith he, probably occasion'd by coarse Treats at Home, or some Unkindness
of Friends, which makes the poor Heart put Fingers in her Eye, and force a
deep Sigh or two; and all this possibly for being deny'd the extravagant
Charge of a Tea-Equipage, or a new Gown on a _May_-Day; which being
refresh'd in her Memory, doth certainly assure her, the Impression of that
Melancholy to