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players； he who receives the ball； shifts and prepares； according as he
sees him move who strikes the stroke； and according to the stroke itself。
Experience has； moreover； taught me this； that we ruin ourselves by
impatience。 Evils have their life and limits； their diseases and their
recovery。
The constitution of maladies is formed by the pattern of the constitution
of animals； they have their fortune and their days limited from their
birth； he who attempts imperiously to cut them short by force in the
middle of their course； lengthens and multiplies them； and incenses
instead of appeasing them。 I am of Crantor's opinion； that we are
neither obstinately and deafly to oppose evils； nor succumb to them from
want of courage； but that we are naturally to give way to them； according
to their condition and our own。 We ought to grant free passage to
diseases； I find they stay less with me； who let them alone； and I have
lost some； reputed the most tenacious and obstinate； by their own decay；
without help and without art； and contrary to its rules。 Let us a little
permit Nature to take her own way； she better understands her own affairs
than we。 But such an one died of it； and so shall you： if not of that
disease； of another。 And how many have not escaped dying； who have had
three physicians at their tails？ Example is a vague and universal
mirror； and of various reflections。 If it be a delicious medicine； take
it： 'tis always so much present good。 I will never stick at the name nor
the colour； if it be pleasant and grateful to the palate： pleasure is one
of the chiefest kinds of profit。 I have suffered colds； gouty
defluxions； relaxations； palpitations of the heart； megrims； and other
accidents； to grow old and die in time a natural death。 I have so lost
them when I was half fit to keep them： they are sooner prevailed upon by
courtesy than huffing。 We must patiently suffer the laws of our
condition； we are born to grow old； to grow weak； and to be sick； in
despite of all medicine。 'Tis the first lesson the Mexicans teach their
children； so soon as ever they are born they thus salute them： 〃Thou art
come into the world； child； to endure： endure； suffer； and say nothing。〃
'Tis injustice to lament that which has befallen any one which may befall
every one：
〃Indignare； si quid in to inique proprio constitutum est。〃
＇〃Then be angry； when there is anything unjustly decreed against
thee alone。〃Seneca； Ep。； 91。＇
See an old man who begs of God that he will maintain his health vigorous
and entire； that is to say； that he restore him to youth：
〃Stulte； quid haec frustra votis puerilibus optas？〃
＇〃Fool！ why do you vainly form these puerile wishes？〃
Ovid。；Trist。； 111。 8； II。＇
is it not folly？ his condition is not capable of it。 The gout； the
stone； and indigestion are symptoms of long years； as heat； rains； and
winds are of long journeys。 Plato does not believe that AEsculapius
troubled himself to provide by regimen to prolong life in a weak and
wasted body； useless to his country and to his profession； or to beget
healthful and robust children； and does not think this care suitable to
the Divine justice and prudence； which is to direct all things to
utility。 My good friend； your business is done； nobody can restore you；
they can； at the most； but patch you up； and prop you a little； and by
that means prolong your misery an hour or two：
〃Non secus instantem cupiens fulcire ruinam；
Diversis contra nititur obiicibus；
Donec certa dies； omni compage soluta；
Ipsum cum rebus subruat auxilium。〃
＇〃Like one who； desiring to stay an impending ruin； places various
props against it； till； in a short time； the house； the props； and
all； giving way； fall together。〃Pseudo…Gallus； i。 171。＇
We must learn to suffer what we cannot evade； our life； like the harmony
of the world； is composed of contrary thingsof diverse tones； sweet and
harsh； sharp and flat； sprightly and solemn： the musician who should only
affect some of these； what would he be able to do？ he must know how to
make use of them all； and to mix them； and so we should mingle the goods
and evils which are consubstantial with our life； our being cannot
subsist without this mixture； and the one part is no less necessary to it
than the other。 To attempt to combat natural necessity； is to represent
the folly of Ctesiphon； who undertook to kick with his mule。＇Plutarch；
How to restrain Anger； c。 8。＇
I consult little about the alterations I feel： for these doctors take
advantage； when they have you at their mercy； they surfeit your ears with
their prognostics； and formerly surprising me； weakened with sickness；
injuriously handled me with their dogmas and magisterial fopperiesone
while menacing me with great pains； and another with approaching death。
Hereby I was indeed moved and shaken； but not subdued nor jostled from my
place； and though my judgment was neither altered nor distracted； yet it
was at least disturbed： 'tis always agitation and combat。
Now； I use my imagination as gently as I can； and would discharge it； if
I could； of all trouble and contest； a man must assist； flatter； and
deceive it； if he can； my mind is fit for that office； it needs no
appearances throughout： could it persuade as it preaches； it would
successfully relieve me。 Will you have an example？。 It tells me： 〃that
'tis for my good to have the stone： that the structure of my age must
naturally suffer some decay； and it is now time it should begin to
disjoin and to confess a breach； 'tis a common necessity； and there is
nothing in it either miraculous or new； I therein pay what is due to old
age； and I cannot expect a better bargain； that society ought to comfort
me； being fallen into the most common infirmity of my age； I see
everywhere men tormented with the same disease； and am honoured by the
fellowship； forasmuch as men of the best quality are most frequently
afflicted with it： 'tis a noble and dignified disease： that of such as
are struck with it； few have it to a less degree of pain； that these are
put to the trouble of a strict diet and the daily taking of nauseous
potions； whereas I owe my better state purely to my good fortune； for
some ordinary broths of eringo or burst…wort that I have twice or thrice
taken to oblige the ladies； who； with greater kindness than my pain was
sharp； would needs present me half of theirs； seemed to me equally easy
to take and fruitless in operation； the others have to pay a thousand
vows to AEsculapius； and as many crowns to their physicians； for the
voiding a little gravel； which I often do by the aid of nature： even the
decorum of my countenance is not disturbed in company； and I can hold my
water ten hours； and as long as any man in health。 The fear of this
disease；〃 says my mind； 〃formerly affrighted thee； when it was unknown to
thee； the cries and despairing groans of those who make it worse by their
impatience； begot a horror in thee。 'Tis an infirmity that punishes the
members by which thou hast most offended。 Thou art a conscientious
fellow；〃
〃Quae venit indigne poena； dolenda venit：〃
＇〃We are entitled to complain of a punishment that we have not
deserved。〃Ovid； Heroid。； v。 8。＇
〃consider this chastisement： 'tis very easy in comparison of others； and
inflicted with a paternal tenderness： do but observe how late it comes；
it only seizes on and incommodes that part of thy life which is； one way
and another； sterile and lost； having； as it were by composition； given
time for the licence and pleasures of thy youth。 The fear and the
compassion that the people have of this disease serve thee for matter of
glory； a quality whereof if thou bast thy judgment purified； and that thy
reason has somewhat cured it； thy friends notwithstanding； discern some
tincture in thy complexion。 'Tis a pleasure to hear it said of oneself
what strength of mind； what patience！ Thou art seen to sweat with pain；
to turn pale and red； to tremble； to vomit blood； to suffer strange
contractions and convulsions； at times to let great tears drop from thine
eyes； to urine thick； black； and dreadful water； or to have it suppressed
by some sharp and craggy stone； that cruelly pricks and tears the neck of
the bladder； whilst all the while thou entertainest the company with an
ordinary countenance； droning by fits with thy people； making one in a
continuous discourse； now and then making excuse for thy pain； and
representing thy suffering less than it is。 Dost thou call to mind the
men of past times； who so greedily sought diseases to keep their virtue
in breath and exercise？ Put the case that nature sets thee on and impels
thee to this glorious school； into which thou wouldst never have entered
of thy own free will。 If thou tellest me that it is a dangerous and
mortal disease； what others are not so？ for 'tis a physical cheat to
expect any that they say do not go direct to death： what matters if they
go thither by accident； or if they easily slide and slip into the path
that leads us to it？ But thou