Sociable Letters 273 



knowledge doctors of physick sell, the more knowledge 

 they get for experience of diseases ; and so all things 

 come in more by practice than by study, and health 

 gains more by temperance, exercise, and air, than by 

 physick; and so adding my prayers to her temper- 

 ance, the doctor's skill, and physick, 



I rest, Madam, 

 Your faithful friend and servant. 



ON THE INFLUENCE OF THE PLANETS 



Madam, — I am not of the opinion, that the planets 

 have an influence or power on the fortunes, or any 

 outward accidents of men, as that such shall be 

 slaves, and such kings, such be rich, and such 

 poor, such be killed in the wars, and such drowned, 

 or killed with a stone falling on their heads; such 

 be burnt, such hanged, and such escape those and 

 the like dangers; such men and women shall love, 

 and marry, and such not ; also how many husbands 

 such a woman shall have, and such a one shall have 

 none, and so for men, mistresses, and wives, for 

 advancement and disgraces, honours and dignities, 

 of&ces and authorities, and for all manner of fortunes 

 or accidents, I say, I beheve the planets are not the 

 causes of these outward effects. But as I believe the 

 stars and planets have an influence upon the bodies 

 of men, as their bodies have on the planets and ele- 

 ments, so they may have an influence upon the 

 humours in the body, as upon phlegm, choler, melan- 

 choly, blood, and the like, and they may work effects 

 either for health, sickness, pains, and sores, rheums, 

 and the like. But I am in dispute with my self, 

 whether they also have an influence, or work several 



