llegiate Diet, very
healthy; Husbandsmen and laborious People, more robust, and longer liv'd
than others of an uncertain extravagant Diet.

[83]----_Nam variae res_
_Ut noceant Homini, credas, memor illius escae,_
_Quae simplex olim tibi sederit_----

For different Meats do hurt;
Remember how
When to one Dish confin'd, thou
healthier wast than now:

was _Osellus's Memorandum_ in the Poet.

Not that variety (which God has certainly ordain'd to delight and assist
our Appetite) is unnecessary, nor any thing more grateful, refreshing
and proper for those especially who lead sedentary and studious Lives;
Men of deep Thought, and such as are otherwise disturb'd with Secular
Cares and Businesses, which hinders the Function of the Stomach and
other Organs: whilst those who have their Minds free, use much Exercise,
and are more active, create themselves a natural Appetite, which needs
little or no Variety to quicken and content it.

And here might we attest the _Patriarchal_ World, nay, and many
Persons since; who living very temperately came not much short of the
_Post-Diluvians_ themselves, counting from _Abraham_ to this Day; and
some exceeding them, who liv'd in pure Air, a constant, tho' course and
simple Diet; wholsome and uncompounded Drink; that never tasted _Brandy_
or _Exotic Spirits_; but us'd moderate Exercise, and observ'd good
Hours: For such a one a curious Missionary tells us of in Persia; who
had attain'd the Age of _four hundred_ Years, (a full _Century_ beyond
the famous _Johannes de Temporibus_) and was living _Anno_ 1636, and so
may be still for ought we know. But, to our Sallet.

Certain it is, Almighty God ordaining [84]_Herbs_ and _Fruit_ for the
Food of Men, speaks not a Word concerning _Flesh_ for two thousand
Years. And when after, by the _Mosaic_ Constitution, there were
Distinctions and Prohibitions about the legal Uncleanness of _Animals_;
_Plants_, of what kind soever, were left free and indifferent for every
one to choose what best he lik'd. And what if it was held undecent and
unbecoming the Excellency of Man's Nature, before Sin entred, and grew
enormously wicked, that any Creature should be put to Death and Pain for
him who had such infinite store of the most delicious and nourishing
Fruit to delight, and the Tree of Life to sustain him? Doubtless there
was no need of it. Infants sought the Mother's Nipple as soon as born;
and when grown, and able to feed themselves