240 History of Nature. [ BOOK VII. 



and come, not for certain Hours only, but by Day and by 

 Night : one while every Third, and at others every Fourth 

 Day and Night, even through the whole Year. And it is 

 some sort of Disease to die through wisdom, for Nature 

 hath set down certain Laws, even to Diseases ; as that the 

 circle of a Quartan Fever never beginneth in the shortest 

 Days of the Year, neither in the Months of Winter; that 

 some Diseases are not incident to those that are above Sixty 

 Years of Age ; that others again pass away when young 

 People come to the Age of Puberty ; and especially this is 

 observed in young Women. Old People are the least liable 

 to take the Plague. Also there are Sicknesses that follow 

 particular Regions, affecting the Inhabitants generally 

 therein. There are some again that take hold of Servants 

 only ; others touch the highest Persons alone : and so from 

 degree to degree. But in this Place it is to be observed, that 

 a Pestilence beginneth in the South parts, and always goeth 

 toward the West ; and it scarcely ever doeth otherwise, 

 except in Winter, and then it doth not exceed three 

 Months. 1 



CHAPTER LI. 

 Of the Signs of Death* 



Now let us take a View of the fatal Signs in Sickness 

 In the Disease of Fury (Madness), to Laugh is such a Sign : 

 In the Sickness of Wisdom (Frenzy), to have a care of 

 the Fringes of their Garments and Bedclothes, to smoothe 

 them down ; the neglect of such things as would prevent 

 their Sleep; the apologising letting go of their Water. It 



1 This remark has been already referred to c. 37, p. 221 ; and it is the 

 more worthy of notice, since there is reason to believe that all the epidemics 

 which have traversed Europe since the time when Pliny wrote have 

 conformed to the same rule. Wern. Club. 



2 Celsus considers this subject, book ii. c. 6, and the medical nature 

 and treatment of insanity, book iii. c. 18. Byfuroris morbus (madness 

 or mania), and sapientice cegritudine (frenzy), he seems to mean, the 

 former, insanity of the passions ; and the latter, insanity of the under- 

 standing. Wern. Club. 



