358 HISTORY OF 



Secondly, On the other side, we denounce unto men that 

 they will give over trifling, and not imagine that so great a 

 work as the stopping and turning back the powerful course 

 of nature, can be brought to pass by some morning draught, 

 or the taking of some precious drug, but that they would 

 be assured that it must needs be, that this is a work of 

 labour, and consisteth of many remedies, and a fit connexion 

 of them amongst themselves ; for no man can be so stupid 

 as to imagine that what was never yet done can be done, 

 but by such ways as were never yet attempted. 



Thirdly, We ingeniously profess that some of those things 

 which we shall propound, have not been tried by us by way 

 of experiment (for our course of life doth not permit that), 

 but are derived (as we suppose) upon good reasons, out of 

 our principles and grounds (of which some we set down, 

 others we reserve in our mind), and are, as it were, cut and 

 digged out of the rock and mine of nature herself. Never 

 theless, we have been careful, and that with all providence 

 and circumspection (seeing the scripture saith of the body 

 of man, that it is more worth than raiment), to propound 

 such remedies as may at least be safe, if peradventure they 

 be not fruitful. 



Fourthly, We would have men rightly to observe and 

 distinguish that those things which are good for a healthful 

 life, are not always good for a long life ; for there are some 

 things which do further the alacrity of the spirits, and the 

 strength and vigour of the functions, which, notwithstand 

 ing, do cut off from the sum of life : and there are other 

 things which are profitable to prolongation of life, which 

 are not without some peril of health, unless this matter be 

 salved by fit remedies ; of which notwithstanding, as occa 

 sion shall be offered, we will not omit to give some cautions 

 and monitions. 



Lastly, We have thought good to propound sundry reme 

 dies according to the several intentions, but the choice of 

 those remedies, and the order of them, to leave to discretion ; 

 for to set down exactly which of them agreeth best, with 

 which constitution of body, which with the several courses 

 of life, which with each man s particular age, and how they 

 are to be taken one after another, and how the whole prac- 

 tique of these things is to be administered and governed, 

 would be too long, neither is it fit to be published. 



In the topics we propounded three intentions ; the pro 

 hibiting of consumption, the perfecting of reparation, and 

 the renewing of oldness. But seeing those things which 



