272 The Duchess of Newcastle 



THE LADY S. K. AND HER AILMENTS 



Madam, — The Lady S. K. presents her service to 

 you ; truly she is not well, although not so sick, as forced 

 to keep her bed ; I knownot howto judge of her disease, 

 for she is both lean and fat, like as the idol mentioned 

 in the Holy Scripture, which was partly clay, partly 

 stone, and partly metal, onely, as I remember, its 

 feet and legs were made of clay, whereas her feet and 

 legs are all bone, for they are so wasted, as they have 

 no flesh on them ; but her hips, body, and breast are 

 so fleshy and fat, as one may think she had no bones, 

 by reason none can be seen, or felt; and her arms, 

 hands, neck, and face are so pale and lean, that they 

 appear white as silver, and for want of blood and flesh, 

 they are so dry, as they are so rough as unpolished 

 stone ; and with her sickness she is become so melan- 

 choly as she appears like a dead image, or senseless 

 idol. But her real virtue, and noble soul, and honour- 

 able life, hath made her more worthy of human 

 worship, than the signifying fore-mentioned idol, or 

 image, his idolatrous, divine worship, and she is 

 more worthy to be set up on an altar of fame, than 

 such idols on an altar of religion, and to have praises, 

 though not prayers, offered to her. Thus she may 

 be worshipped as a goddess, without superstitious 

 idolatry, and have virtuous devours; but yet she 

 desires she may have the best doctor's advice for her 

 health, wherefore she intreats you to send her the 

 most renowned doctors of physick that are in your 

 city, she will not spare cost, if they have skill, but 

 pay them for their advice; for doctors sell their 

 knowledge, and patients buy healths, and their 

 knowledge is a staple - commodity, for the more 



