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THE ANATOMY OF MELANCHOLY
his table daily furnished with variety of meats: but hear the physician, he pulls thee by the ear as
thou sittest, and telleth thee, "that nothing can be more noxious to thy health than such variety
and plenty." Temperance is a bridle of gold, and he that can use it aright, ego non summis viris
comparo, sed simillimum Deo judico, is liker a God than a man: for as it will transform a beast to
a man again, so will it make a man a God. To preserve thine honour, health, and to avoid
therefore all those inflations, torments, obstructions, crudities, and diseases that come by a full
diet, the best way is to feed sparingly of one or two dishes at most, to have ventrem bene
moratum, as Seneca calls it, "to choose one of many, and to feed on that alone," as Crato
adviseth his patient. The same counsel Prosper Calenus gives to Cardinal Caesius, to use a
moderate and simple diet: and though his table be jovially furnished by reason of his state and
guests, yet for his own part to single out some one savoury dish and feed on it. The same is
inculcated by Crato, consil. 9. l. 2. to a noble personage affected with this grievance, he would
have his highness to dine or sup alone, without all his honourable attendance and courtly
company, with a private friend or so, a dish or two, a cup of Rhenish wine, &c. Montanus,
consil. 24. for a noble matron enjoins her one dish, and by no means to drink between meals. The
like, consil. 229. or not to eat till he be an hungry, which rule Berengarius did most strictly
observe, as Hilbertus, Cenomecensis Episc. writes in his life,
------"cui non fuit unquam
Ante sitim potus, nec cibus ante famem,"
and which all temperate men do constantly keep. It is a frequent solemnity still used with
us, when friends meet, to go to the alehouse or tavern, they are not sociable otherwise: and if
they visit one another's houses, they must both eat and drink. I reprehend it not moderately used;
but to some men nothing can be more offensive; they had better, I speak it with Saint Ambrose,
pour so much water in their shoes.
It much avails likewise to keep good order in our diet, "to eat liquid things first, broths,
fish, and such meats as are sooner corrupted in the stomach; harder meats of digestion must
come last." Crato would have the supper less than the dinner, which Cardan, Contradict. lib. 1.
tract. 5. contradict. 18. disallows, and that by the authority of Galen. 7. art. curat. cap. 6. and for
four reasons he will have the supper biggest: I have read many treatises to this purpose, I know
not how it may concern some few sick men, but for my part generally for all, I should subscribe
to that custom of the Romans, to make a sparing dinner, and a liberal supper; all their preparation
and invitation was still at supper, no mention of dinner. Many reasons I could give, but when all
is said pro and con, Cardan's rule is best, to keep that we are accustomed unto, though it be
naught, and to follow our disposition and appetite in some things is not amiss; to eat sometimes
of a dish which is hurtful, if we have an extraordinary liking to it. Alexander Severus loved hares
and apples above all other meats, as Lampridius relates in his life: one pope pork, another
peacock, &c.; what harm came of it? I conclude our own experience is the best physician; that
diet which is most propitious to one, is often pernicious to another, such is the variety of palates,
humours, and temperatures, let every man observe, and be a law unto himself. Tiberius, in
Tacitus, did laugh at all such, that thirty years of age would ask counsel of others concerning
matters of diet; I say the same.
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