ed, that within three days I should
die; nevertheless, they would try what good two things would do
me; one was to bleed me, the other to purge me; and thereby
prevent my humours altering, as they every moment expected, to
such a degree, as to ferment greatly, and bring on a high fever.
But I, on the contrary, who knew, that the sober life I had led
for many years past, had so well united, harmonized, and disposed
my humours, as not to leave it in their power to ferment to such
a degree, refused to be either bled, or purged. I just caused my
leg and arm to be set, an suffered myself to be rubbed with some
oils, which they said were proper on the occasion. Thus, without
using any other kind of remedy, I recovered, as I thought I should,
without feeling the least alteration in myself, or any other bad
effects from the accident; a thing, which appeared miraculous even
in the eyes of the physicians. Hence we are to infer, that whoever
leads a sober and regular life, and commits no excess in his diet,
can suffer but very little from disorders of any other kind, or
external accidents. On the contrary, I conclude, especially from
the late trial I have had, that excesses in eating and drinking are
fatal. Of this I convinced myself four years ago, when by the
advice of my physicians, the instigation of my friends, and the
importunity of my own family, I consented to such an excess, which,
as it will appear hereafter, was attended with far worse
consequences, than could naturally be expected. This excess
consisted in increasing the quantity of food I generally made use
of; which increase alone brought me to a most cruel fit of sickness.
And as it is a case so much in point to the subject in hand, and the
knowledge of it may be useful to some of my readers, I shall take
the trouble to relate it.

I say, then, that my dearest friends and relations, actuated by the
warm and laudable affection and regard they have for me, seeing how
little I eat, represented to me, in conjunction with my physicians,
that the sustenance I took could not be sufficient to support one
so far advanced in years, when it was become necessary not only to
preserve nature, but to increase its vigour. That, as this could
not be done without food, it was absolutely incumbent upon me to
eat a little more plentifully. I, on the other hand, produced my
reasons for not complying with their desires. These were, that
nature is content with little, and that