ON A TEMPERATE AND HEALTHFUL LIFE
Luigi Cornaro

And these are two great evils to all men who live a free life; the one is troublesome and painful, the other, dreadful and insupportable, especially when they reflect on the errors to which this mortal life is subject, and on the vengeance which the justice of God is wont to take on sinners. Whereas, I, in my old age, praise to the Almighty, am exempt from these torments; from the first, because I cannot fall sick, having removed all the cause of illness by my regularity and moderation; from the other, that of death, because from so many years' experience, I have learned to obey reason whereas, I not only think it a great folly to fear that which cannot be avoided, but likewise firmly expect some consolation, from the grace of Jesus Christ, when I arrive at that period. 

But though I know I must, like others, reach that term, it is yet at so great a distance that I cannot discern it, because 1 know 1 shall not die except by were dissolution having already, by my regular course of life, shut up all other avenues of death, and thus prevented the humours of my body making any other war upon me, than that which I must expect from the elements employed in the composition of this mortal frame. I am not so simple as not to know that, as I was born, so I must die; but the natural death that I speak of does not overtake one, until after a long course of years; and even then, I do not expect the pain and agony which most men suffer when they die. But I, by God's blessing, reckon that I have still a long time to live in health and spirits, and enjoy this beautiful world, which is, indeed, beautiful to those who know how to make it so, but its beauty can only be realized by those who, by reason of temperance and virtue, enjoy sound health of body and mind.