716 — Retrospect of French LiteratureMiscellantes. 
so that, after a cruel struggle between the 
strength of his constitution, and the dis- 
order just alluded to, he died at Paris, in 
the 59ch vear of his life. 
“* Le: Gingko Biloba:’—The Gingko 
Biloba. 
This tree is a native of China, and the 
first time thatit has flowered in Europe was 
jn the hotanical garden of M. Ciement, 
at Rouen, in Normandy. It has been 
planted upwards cf twenty years, is 
twelve feet high, and its teunk, which 
is crooked, does not exceed three or four 
inches in diameter. it grows under the 
shade of a very fine cypress. 
“ De la Goutte.”—Concerning the 
Gout. 
A late French author expresses himself 
thus gayly, on the subject of this disease : 
“In the whole Jist of maladies with 
which suffering humanity is afflicted, 
pone is more common, and assuredly 
none less pitied, than the gout. Itjis a 
painful periodical affection, and appears 
to be better calculated to attract the plea- 
santries, than to excite the sympathy of 
ove’s friends, notwithstanding the sutler- 
ing may be extreme. 
“A physician being called oneday toa 
great personage of my acquaimtance, the 
Jatter demanded, amidst his anguish, 
what could be the cause of this disease? 
The former replied, merrily, that the ma- 
Jady in question was called fructus bellz, 
one of the accidents of war; which asto- 
nished his patient not a litle, because 
he was of a very pacific profession, beng 
a member of the long robe (a lawyer), 
who lived at a distance from the tumult 
of camps and the chances of battles, and 
who in truth never slept on his arms for 
anight, (aw divowac) during the whole 
course of his Jife. 
‘¢ 7, who am subject to the gout my- 
self, have a fellow-feeling in respeet ta 
others; and I here presentittem with the 
result of a professional consultation: even 
those who have been aflicted w:il read it” 
with pleasure, and it will inspire the move ~ 
conhdence, as the persen from whom [ 
received it practised his receipt on lim- 
self. This celebrated physician died in 
1781, leaving behind him many posthu- 
mous writings of great reputation, and 
also the character of being a man at once 
amiable, learned, and generous, It is 
true, and, perhaps, this will spoil all ; 
that being a friend of humanity, he was | 
also a friend of philosophers, and what 
1s still worse, perhaps a philosopher him- 
self; for this is the greatest of all public 
evils, and the only one that cannot pe 
pardoned, the union and exercise of alt 
the pious and social virtues being inca~ 
pable of expiating it. A 
“« ]t is pretended, that certain mala- 
dies descend from father to child; and 
that this is the case with the gout, [ my- 
self am a living example, being the son 
and grandson of persons atilicted with 
this disease : in conformity ‘to this prin- 
ciple, I ought to be, and actually am, 
subject to it. After the two first fits, 
which took place at twenty-eight months ~ 
distance from each other, (I was then be- 
tween thirty-three and thirty-five years 
of age,’ and resided at the city of Ro- ° 
chelie,) one of my friends told me, he 
had just learned, that Doctor Tronchin, . 
physician to a former Duke -of Orleans, 
grandfather io him now in England, had 
radically cured that Prince, by the sole 
regimen of drinking two glasses of ho- 
ney-water, every morning, fasting: 
“© Although I doubted greatly of the’ 
efficacy of such a simple prescription, 
yet Ldetermined to render myself mas- 
ter of the fact ; and resolved accordingly 
to address a letter to this physician. The 
following is the answer, written with his 
own hand: a 
“© Paris, June, 17729: 
« You are in the right, Sir, to distrust 
all secrets respecting the cure of the 
gout. ‘There is only one known to me 
by experience, for | also have had the 
gout, although.I begin to think, I shall 
never have it-again. 
to you, consists in peace of mind, tem- 
perance, -exercise, and.chastity. © 
“TJ confided this recipe, some ume 
since, to the Duke of Orleans; he then 
followed and stilj continues to practise it, 
although not quite ‘so exactly as myself, 
Affairs of great importance, added to a 
delicious table, still derange sometimes 
the peace of his mind, and the tempe- 
rance of his body. In respect to these 
two points, I possess some advantage 
over him. Heaven, indeed, is thus 
pleased to deal out our lots in pretty 
equal portions; for, by bestowing on 
princes both riches and honours, it some- 
times refuses both that peace of mind 
% 
This secret then, > 
which I shall fairly and honestly confide” 
ge, 
-_— 
oan 
and temperance bestowed upon such as_ 
you and me: in fact, this is the true honey- 
water which will cure you, asit hath cured 
me, provided yoa unjte with it exercise 
and chastity; and even if a perfect cure 
should not be attained, your disease will 
assuredly ‘be rendéred so supportable, 
that you will scarcely have any reason to 
complain. 
In 
