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But I may
go a step farther, and show how favourable to recovery is a temperate
life, in case of accident. At the age of seventy years, I happened, as
is often the case, to be in a coach, which, going at a smart rate, was
upset, and in that condition drawn a considerable way before the horses
could be stopped. I received so many shocks and bruises, that I was
taken out with my head and body terribly battered, and a dislocated leg
and arm. When the physicians saw me in so bad a plight, they concluded
that in three days I should die, but thought they would try what
bleeding and purging would do, in order to prevent inflammation and
fever. But I, on the contrary, knowing that, by reason of the sober
life I had lived for so many years, my blood was in good and pure
condition, refused to be either purged or bled. I just caused my arm
and leg to be set, and suffered myself to be rubbed with some oils,
which they said were proper on the occasion. Thus, with- out using any
other kind of remedy, I recovered, as I thought I should, without
feeling the least alteration in myself, or any bad effects from the
accident; a thing which appeared no less than miraculous in the eyes of
the physicians. Hence, we may infer, that he who leads a sober and
regular life, and commits no excess in his diet, can suffer but little
from mental disorders or external accidents. On the contrary, I
conclude, especially from the late trial I have had, that excesses in
eating and drinking are often fatal. Four years ago, I consented to
increase the quantity of my food by two ounces, my friends and
relations having, for some time past, urged upon me the necessity of
such increase, that the quantity I
took was too little for one so advanced in years;
against this, I urged that nature was content with
little, and that with this small quantity I had pre-
served myself for many years in health and activity,
that I believed as a man advanced in years, his stomach grew weaker,
and therefore the tendency should
be to lessen the amount of food rather than to in-
crease. I further reminded them of the two proverbs,
which say: he who has a. mind to eat a great deal,
must eat but little; eating little makes life long, and,
living long, he must eat much; and the other proverb
was: that, what we leave after making a hearty meal,
does us more good than what we have eaten. But my
arguments and proverbs were not able to prevent
them teasing me upon the subject; therefore, not to
appear obstinate, or affecting to know more than the
physicians themselves, but above all, to please my
family, I consented to the increase before mentioned;
so that, whereas previous, what with bread, meat, the
yolk of an egg, and soup, I ate as much as twelve
ounces, neither more nor less, I now increased it to
fourteen; and whereas before I drank but fourteen
ounces of wine, I now increased it to sixteen. This
increase, had, in eight days' time, such an effect upon
me, that, from being cheerful and brisk, I began to
be peevish and melancholy, so that nothing could
please me. On the twelfth day, I was attacked with a violent pain in my
side, which lasted twenty-two
hours and was followed by a fever, which continued
thirty-five days without any respite, insomuch that
all looked upon me as a dead man; but, God be
praised, I recovered, and I am positive that it was
the great regularity I had observed for so many
years, and that only, which rescued me from the jaws
of death.
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