LIFE AND DEATH. 353 



man, is not to be omitted, who adviseth interchanging and 

 alternation of the diet, but still with an inclination to the 

 more benign; as that a man should sometimes accustom 

 himself to watching, sometimes to sleep, but to sleep often- 

 est. Again, that he should sometimes give himself to fasting, 

 sometimes to feasting, but to feasting oftenest ; that he 

 should sometimes inure himself to great labours of the 

 mind, sometimes to relaxations of the same, but to relaxa 

 tions oftenest. Certainly this is without all question, that 

 diet well ordered bears the greatest part in the prolonga 

 tion of life ; neither did I ever meet an extreme long lived 

 man, but being asked of his course, he observed something 

 peculiar ; some one thing, some another. I remember an 

 old man, above a hundred years of age, who was produced, 

 as witness, touching an ancient prescription. When he had 

 finished his testimony, the judge familiarly asked him how 

 he came to live so long : He answered, beside expectation, 

 and not without the laughter of the hearers, By eating be 

 fore I was hungry, and drinking before I was dry. But of 

 these things we shall speak hereafter. 



47. A life led in religion, and in holy exercises, seemeth 

 to conduce to long life. There are in this kind of life these 

 things, leisure, admiration, and contemplation of heavenly 

 things, joys not sensual, noble hopes, wholesome fears, 

 sweet sorrows. Lastly, continual renovations by obser 

 vances, penances, expiations, all which are very powerful 

 to the prolongation of life. Unto which if you add that 

 austere diet which hardeneth the mass of the body, and 

 humbleth the spirits, no marvel if an extraordinary length 

 of life do follow ; such was that of Paul the hermit, Simeon 

 Stelita the columnar anchorite, and of many other hermits 

 and anchorites. 



48. Next unto this is the life led in good letters, such as was 

 that of philosophers, rhetoricians, grammarians. This life 

 is also led in leisure, and in those thoughts, which, seeing 

 they are severed from the affairs of the world, bite not, but 

 rather delight, through their variety and impertinency. 

 They live also at their pleasure, spending their time in such 

 things as like them best, and for the most part in the com r 

 pany of young men, which is ever the most cheerful. But 

 in philosophies there is great difference betwixt the sects, 

 as touching long life ; for those philosophies which have 

 in them a touch of superstition, and are conversant in 

 high contemplations, are the best, as the pythagorical and 

 platonic. Also those which did institute a perambulation of 



VOL. xiv. A A 



