an alone, saith [2926]Cardan, eats and drinks without appetite, and useth
all his pleasure without necessity, _animae vitio_, and thence come many
inconveniences unto him. For there is no meat whatsoever, though otherwise
wholesome and good, but if unseasonably taken, or immoderately used, more
than the stomach can well bear, it will engender crudity, and do much harm.
Therefore [2927]Crato adviseth his patient to eat but twice a day, and that
at his set meals, by no means to eat without an appetite, or upon a full
stomach, and to put seven hours' difference between dinner and supper.
Which rule if we did observe in our colleges, it would be much better for
our healths: but custom, that tyrant, so prevails, that contrary to all
good order and rules of physic, we scarce admit of five. If after seven
hours' tarrying he shall have no stomach, let him defer his meal, or eat
very little at his ordinary time of repast. This very counsel was given by
Prosper Calenus to Cardinal Caesius, labouring of this disease; and [2928]
Platerus prescribes it to a patient of his, to be most severely kept.
Guianerius admits of three meals a day, but Montanus, _consil. 23. pro. Ab.
Italo_, ties him precisely to two. And as he must not eat overmuch, so he
may not absolutely fast; for as Celsus contends, _lib. 1. Jacchinus 15. in
9. Rhasis_, [2929]repletion and inanition may both do harm in two contrary
extremes. Moreover, that which he doth eat, must be well [2930]chewed, and
not hastily gobbled, for that causeth crudity and wind; and by all means to
eat no more than he can well digest. "Some think" (saith [2931]
Trincavelius, _lib. 11. cap. 29. de curand. part. hum._) "the more they eat
the more they nourish themselves:" eat and live, as the proverb is, "not
knowing that only repairs man, which is well concocted, not that which is
devoured." Melancholy men most part have good [2932]appetites, but ill
digestion, and for that cause they must be sure to rise with an appetite;
and that which Socrates and Disarius the physicians in [2933]Macrobius so
much require, St. Hierom enjoins Rusticus to eat and drink no more than,
will [2934]satisfy hunger and thirst. [2935]Lessius, the Jesuit, holds
twelve, thirteen, or fourteen ounces, or in our northern countries, sixteen
at most, (for all students, weaklings, and such as lead an idle sedentary
life) of meat, bread, &c., a fit proportion for a whole day, and as much or
little more of drink. Nothing pesters