ither to offend the Brain, or dull the
Senses; and in the greatest Dearth of Corn, a little Bread suffic'd.
In all Events,

_Panis ematur, Olus, Vini Sextarius adde_
_Queis humana sibi doleat natura negatis_.

Bread, Wine and wholsome Sallets you may buy,
What Nature adds besides is Luxury.

They could then make an honest Meal, and dine upon a _Sallet_ without
so much as a Grain, of _Exotic Spice_; And the _Potagere_ was in such
Reputation, that she who neglected her _Kitchen-Garden_ (for that was
still the Good-Woman's Province) was never reputed a tolerable Hus-wife:
_Si vespertinus subito te oppresserit hospes_, she was never surpriz'd,
had all (as we said) at hand, and could in a Trice set forth an handsome
_Sallet_: And if this was Happiness, _Convictus facilis sine arte mensa_
(as the _Poet_ reckons) it was here in Perfection. In a Word, so
universal was the _Sallet_, that the [120]Un-bloody Shambles (as _Pliny_
calls them) yielded the [121]_Roman_ State a more considerable Custom
(when there was little more than honest _Cabbage_ and _Worts_) than
almost any thing bessides brought to Market.

They spent not then so much precious time as afterwards they did,
gorging themselves with _Flesh_ and _Fish_, so as hardly able to rise,
without reeking and reeling from Table.

[122]----_Vides ut pallidus omnis_
_Coena desurgat dubia? quin corpus onustum_
_Hesternis vitiis, animum quoque praegravat una,_
_Atque affigit humo divinae particulam aurae_.

See but how pale they look, how wretchedly,
With Yesterday's Surcharge disturb'd they be!
Nor Body only suff'ring, but the Mind,
That nobler Part, dull'd and depress'd we find.
Drowsie and unapt for Business, and other nobler Parts of Life.

Time was before Men in those golden Days: Their Spirits were brisk and
lively.

----_Ubi dicto citius curata sopori_
_Membra dedit, Vegetus praescripta ad munera surgit_.

With shorter, but much sweeter Sleep content,
Vigorous and fresh, about their Business went.

And Men had their Wits about them; their Appetites were natural, their
Sleep _molli sub arbore_, sound, sweet, and kindly: That excellent
Emperour _Tacitus_ being us'd to say of _Lettuce_, that he did _somnum
se mercari_ when he eat of them, and call'd it a sumptuous Feast, with
a _Sallet_ and a single _Pullet_, which was usually all the Flesh-Meat
that sober Prince eat of; whilst _Maximinus_ (a profess'd Enemy to
_Sallet_)