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notwithstanding, that in Republics men cannot do so, being often abliged to expose themselves to heat, cold, and several other kinds of hardship, and other things, which are all so many disorders, and incompatible with a regular life. I answer that, I have already observed, these are not disorders attended with any bad consequences, or which affect either health or life, when the man who undergoes them observes the rules of sobriety, and commits no excess in the two points concerning diet, which a republican can well avoid, nay it is requisite he should avoid; because, by so doing he may be sure either to escape those disorders, which otherwise it would be no easy matter for him to escape, while exposed to hardships; or in case he could not escape them, he may more easily and speedily prevent their bad effects.

Here, it may be objected, and some actually do object, that he who leads a regular life, having constantly when well made use of food fit for the sick, and in small quantities, has no resource left in case of illness. To this I might, in the first place, answer, that nature, desirous to preserve man in good health as long as possible, informs him herself how he is to act in time of illness; for she immediately deprives him, when sick, of his appetite, in order that he may eat but little; because nature, as I have already said, is content with little; wherefore, it is requisite that a man when sick, whether he has been a regular or irregular liver, should use no meats but such as are suited to his disorder; and of these even in a much smaller quantity than he was wont to do when in health. For were he to eat as much as he then used to do, he would die by it; and this the rather, as it would be only adding to the burden with which nature was already oppressed, by giving her a greater quantity of food than she can in these circumstances support; which I imagine should sufficiently satisfy any sick person, But, independent of all this, I might answer others, and still better, that whoever leads a regular life cannot be sick; or at least but seldom, and for a short time; because, by living regularly he extirpates every seed of sickness and thus by removing the cause, prevents the effects; so that he who pursues a regular course of life need not be apprehensive of illness, as he need not be afraid of the effect, who has guarded against the cause.

Since, therefore, it appears that a regular life is so profitable and virtuous, so lovely and so holy, it ought to be universally followed and embraced; and the more so, as it does not clash with the means or duties of any station, but is rather easy to all; because to lead it, a man need not tie himself down to eat so little as I do, or not to eat fruit, fish, and other things of that kind, from which I abstain, who eat little, and but just enough for my puny and weak stomach; as fruit, fish, and other things VOL. XVIII. Pum. NO. XXXVI.

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of that kind disagree with me, which is my reason for not touching them. Those, however, with whom such things agree, may and ought to eat of them; since they are not by any means forbid the use of such sustenance: but then, both they and all others are forbid to eat a greater quantity of any kind of food, even of that which agrees with them, than their stomachs can easily digest; the same is to be understood of drink. Hence it is, that those with whom nothing disagrees are not bound to observe any rule but that relating to the quantity, and not the quality of their food; a rule which they may, without the least difficulty in the world comply with.

Let nobody tell me, that there are numbers who, though they live most irregularly, attain, in health and spirits, those remote periods of life attained by the most sober; for this argument being grounded on a case full of uncertainty and hazard, and which, besides, so seldom occurs, as to look more like a miracle than the work of nature, men should not suffer themselves to be thereby persuaded to live irregularly, nature having been too liberal to those who did so without suffering by it a favor which very few have any right to expect. Whoever, trusting to his youth, or the strength of his constitution, or to the goodness of this stomach, slights these observations, must expect to suffer greatly by so doing, and live in constant danger of disease and death. I therefore affirm, that an old man, even of a bad constitution, who leads a regular and sober life, is surer of a long one, than a young man of the best constitution who leads a disorderly life. It is not to be doubted, however, that a man blessed with a sound constitution may, by living temperately, expect to live longer than one whose constitution is not so good; and that God and nature can dispose matters so, that a man shall bring into the world with him so sound a constitution as to live long and healthy without observing such strict rules; and then die in a very advanced age through the mere resolution of his elementary parts, as was the case in Venice, of the Procurator, Thomas Contarini; and in Padua, of the Cavalier Antonio Capo di Vacca. But it is not one mar. in a hundred thousand, that so much can be said of. If others have a mind to live long and healthy, and die without sickness of body and mind, but by mere dissolution, they must submit to live regularly, since they cannot otherwise expect to enjoy the fruits of such a life, which are almost infinite in number, and each of them in particular of infinite value. For as such regularity keeps the humors of the body clean and temperate, it suffers no vapors to ascend from the stomach to the head; hence the brain of him who lives in that manner enjoys such a constant serenity, that he is always perfectly master of himself. He there

fore easily soars above the low and grovelling concerns of this life, to the exalted and beautiful contemplation of heavenly things, to his exceeding great comfort and satisfaction; because he, by these means, comes to consider, know, and understand that, which otherwise he would never have considered, known, or understood; that is, how great is the power, wisdom, and goodness of the Deity. He then descends to nature, and acknowledges her for the daughter of God; and sees, and even feels with his hands, that which, in any other age, or with a perception less clear, he could never have seen or felt. He then truly discerns the brutality of that excess, into which they fall who know not how to subdue their passions, and those three importunate lusts, which one would imagine came all together into the world with us, in order to keep us in perpetual anxiety and disturbance. These are the lust of the flesh, the lust of honors, and the lust of riches, which are apt to increase with years in such old persons as do not lead a regular life; because, in their passage through the stage of manhood, they did not, as they ought, renounce sensuality and their passions, and take up with sobriety and reason; virtues which men of a regular life did not neglect when they passed through the above-mentioned stage. For knowing Isuch passions and such lusts to be inconsistent with reason, to which they have become entirely addicted, they at once broke loose from all vicious restraint; and instead of being slaves any clonger to their inordinate appetites, they applied themselves to virtue and good work; and by these means they altered their conduct, and became men of good and sober lives. When, therefore, in process. of time they see themselves reduced by a long aseries of years to their dissolution, conscious that, through the singular mercy of God, they had so sincerely relinquished the paths of vice as never afterwards to enter them; and moreover -hoping, through the merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ, to die in this favor, they do not suffer themselves to be cast down at the thoughts of death, knowing that they must die.

This is particularly the case when, loaded with honor and sated with life, they see themselves arrived at that age which not one sin many thousands of those who live otherwise ever attains. They shave still the greater reason not to be dejected at the thoughts of death, as it does not attack them violently and by surprise, with a bitter and painful turn of their humors, with feverish sensations, and sharp pains, but steals upon them insensibly and with the greatest ease and gentleness; such an end, proceeding entirely from an exhaustion of the radical moisture, which decays by degrees like the oil of a lamp; so that they pass gently, and with

out any sickness, from this serene and mortal, to a celestial and eternal life.

O holy and truly happy regularity! How holy and happy should men in fact deem thee, since the opposite habit is so wretched, as evidently appears to those who consider the opposite "effects of both! so that men should know thee by thy voice alone, and thy lovely name; for what a glorious name, what a noble thing is an orderly and sober life, as on the contrary the bare mention of disorder and intemperance is offensive to our ears. Nay, there is the same difference between the mentioning of these two things, as between the uttering of the words angel and devil!

Thus, I have assigned my reasons for abandoning intemperance, and betaking myself entirely to a sober life; with the method I pursued in doing so, the consequences resulting from it; and finally, the advantages and blessings which a sober life confers upon those who embrace it. Some sensual, inconsiderate persons affirm, that a long life is no blessing; and that the state of a man who has passed his seventy-fifth year cannot really be called life, but death; but this is a mistake, as I shall fully prove; and it is my sincere wish that all men would endeavour to attain my age, in order that they also may enjoy that period of life, which of all "others is the most desirable.

I will therefore give an account of my recreations, and the 'relish which I find at this stage of life, in order to convince the public, which may likewise be done by all those who know me, that the state I have now attained is by no means death, but real life; such a life, as by many is deemed happy, since it abounds with all the felicity that can be enjoyed in this world. And this testimony they will give, in the first place, because they see, and not without the greatest amazement, the good state of health I enjoy; how I mount my horse without any assistance, or advantage of situation; and how I not only ascend a single flight of stairs, but climb up hill from bottom to top, afoot, and with the greatest ease and unconcern; then how gay, pleasant, and goodhumored I am; how free from every perturbation of mind, and every disagreeable thought; in lieu of which, joy and peace have so firmly fixed their residence in my bosom, as never to depart from it. Moreover, they know in what manner I pass my time, so as not to find life a burden; seeing I can contrive to spend every hour of it with the greatest delight and pleasure, having frequent opportunities of conversing with many honorable gentlemen; men valuable for their good sense and manners, their · acquaintance with letters, and every other good quality. Then,

when I cannot enjoy their conversation, I betake myself to the reading of some good book. When I have read as much as I like, I write; endeavouring, in this as in every thing else, to be of service to others, to the utmost of my power.

These things I do with the greatest ease to myself, at their proper seasons, in a house of my own; which, being situate in the most beautiful quarter of Padua, is in itself. really convenient and handsome, such, in a word, as it is no longer the fashion to build; for in one part of it I can shelter myself from extreme heat, and in the other from extreme cold; having contrived the apartments according to the rules of architecture, which teach us what is to be observed in practice. Besides this house, I have my sexe-. ral gardens, supplied with purling streams, in which I always find something to do that amuses me.

I have another way of diverting myself, which is, going every April and May, and likewise every September and October, for some days, to enjoy an eminence belonging to me in those Euganean hills, and in the most beautiful part of them, adorned with fountains and gardens; and, above all, a convenient and handsome lodge; in which place I likewise now and then make one in some hunting party suitable to my taste and age.

Then I enjoy, for as many days, my villa in the plain, which is, laid out in regular streets, all terminating in a large square, in the middle of which stands the church, suited to the condition of the place. This villa is divided by a wide and rapid branch of the river Brenta, on both sides of which there is a considerable extent of country, consisting entirely of fertile and well-cultivated fields.

Besides, this district is now, God be praised, exceedingly well inhabited, which it was not at first, but rather the reverse; for it was marshy, and the air so unwholesome, as to make it a residence fitter for adders than men. But on my draining off the waters, the air mended, and people resorted to it so fast, and increased to such a degree, that it soon acquired the perfection in which it now appears; hence I may say with truth, that I have given in this place an altar and a temple to God, with souls to adore him. These are things which afford me infinite pleasure, comfort, and satisfaction, as often as I go to see and enjoy them...

At the same seasons every year I revisit some of the neighbouring cities, and enjoy such of my friends as live there, taking the greatest pleasure in their company and conversation; and by their means I also enjoy the conversation of other men of parts, who live in the same places; such as architects, painters, sculptors, musicians, and husbandmen, with whom this age most certainly abounds. I visit their new works; Lrevisit their former ones; and always learn something which gives me satisfaction. I see