t Frugality passes for Avarice and
Sordidness in the Eyes and Acceptation of most Men: Here is a visible
Error which Custom and Habit have established.

The Error has so far seduc'd us, that it has prevail'd upon us, to
renounce a frugal Way of living, though taught us by Nature, even from the
first Age of the World, as being that which would prolong our Days, and
has cast us into those Excesses, which serve only to abridge the Number of
them. We become old before we have been able to taste the Pleasures of
being young; and the time which ought to be the Summer of our Lives, is
often the beginning of their Winter, we soon perceive our Strength to
fail, and Weakness to come on apace, and decline even before we come to
Perfection.

On the contrary, Sobriety maintains us in the natural State wherein we
ought to be. Our Youth is lasting, our Manhood attended with a Vigour that
does not begin to decay 'till after a many Years. A whole Century must be
run out before Wrinkles can be form'd on the Face, or Grey-hairs grow on
the Head: This is so true, that when Men were not addicted to
Voluptuousness, they had more Strength and Vivacity at Fourscore, than we
have at present at Forty.

It cannot indeed be expected, that every Man should tie himself strictly
to the Observations of the same Rules in his Diet, since the Variety of
Climates, Constitution, Age, and other Circumstances may admit of
Variations. But this we may assert as a reasonable, general, and
undeniable Maxim, founded upon Reason and the Nature of Things; that for
the Preservation of Health and prolonging a Man's Life, it is necessary
that he eat and drink no more than is sufficient to support his natural
Constitution; and on the contrary, whatsoever he eats and drinks beyond,
that is superfluous, and tends to the feeding of the corrupt and vicious
Humours, which will at last, though they may be stifled for a Time, break
out into a Flame and burn the Man quite down, or else leave him like a
ruinated or shattered Building.

This general Maxim which we have laid down, will hold good with respect to
Men of all Ages and Constitutions, and under whatsoever Climate they
live, if they have but the Courage to make a due Application of it, and to
lay a Restraint upon their unreasonable Appetites.

After all, we will not, we dare not warrant, that the most strict and
sober Life will secure a Man from all Diseases, or prolong his Days to the
greatest old Age. Natural Inf