140 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [X. 6. 



do enact a law of neglect, and exempt ignorance from 

 discredit. 



7. Nay further, I esteem it the office of a physician 

 not only to restore health, but to mitigate pain and 

 dolors ; and not only when such mitigation may conduce 



to recovery, but when it may serve to make 



De Euthan- . . n 



. a fair and easy passage, ror it is no small 

 as/a extert- 

 ore felicity which Augustus Caesar was wont to 



wish to himself, that same Euthanasia; and 

 which was specially noted in the death of Antoninus Pius, 

 whose death was after the fashion and semblance of a 

 kindly and pleasant sleep. So it is written of Epicurus, 

 that after his disease was judged desperate, he drowned 

 his stomach and senses with a large draught and in- 

 gurgitation of wine ; whereupon the epigram was made, 

 Hinc Slygias ebrius hausit aquas ; he was not sober 

 enough to taste any bitterness of the Stygian water. But 

 the physicians contrariwise do make a kind of scruple 

 and religion to stay with the patient after the disease is 

 deplored ; whereas in my judgement they ought both to 

 inquire the skill, and to give the attendances, for the facil 

 itating and assuaging of the pains and agonies of death. 



8. In the consideration of the cures of diseases, I find 



a deficience in the receipts of propriety, re- 

 Medtcin&amp;lt;B t h e particular cures of diseases : for 



e the physicians have frustrated the fruit of 

 tradition and experience by their magistral- 

 ities, in adding and taking out and changing quid pro 

 quo in their receipts, at their pleasures ; commanding so 

 over the medicine, as the medicine cannot command 

 over the disease. For except it be treacle and mithri- 

 daium, and of late diascordium, and a few more, they tie 

 themselves to no receipts severely and religiously. For as 



