Finding myself, therefore, between my thirty-fifth
and fortieth year in such unhappy circumstances,
and having tried everything that could be thought of
to relieve me, but to no purpose, the physicians gave
me to understand that there was one method left to
get the better of my complaints, provided I would
resolve to use it, and patiently persevere. This was
to live a strictly sober and regular life, which would
be of the greatest efficacy; and that of this I might
convince myself, since, by my disorders I was become
infirm, though not reduced so low but that a regular
life might still recover me. They further added, that,
if I did not at once adopt this method of strict living, I should in a
few months receive no benefit from
it, and that in a few more I must resign myself to
death.
These
arguments made such an impression on me,
that, mortified as I was, besides, by the thought of dying in the prime
of life,
though at the same time perpetually tormented by various diseases, I
immediately resolved, in order to avoid at once both disease and death,
to betake
myself to a regular course of life. Having upon this inquired of them
what rules
I should follow, they told me that I must only use food, solid or
liquid, such
as is generally pre scribed to sick persons; and both sparingly. These
directions, to say the truth, they had before given me, but I had been
impatient
of such restraint, and had eaten and drank freely of those things I had
desired. But, when I had once resolved to live soberly, and according
to the
dictates of reason, feeling it was my duty as a man so to do, I entered
with so
much resolution upon this new course of life, that nothing since has
been able
to divert me from it. The consequence was, that in a few days I began
to
perceive that such a course agreed well with me; and, by pursuing it, I
found
myself in less than a year (some people, perhaps, will not believe it)
entirely
freed from all my complaints.
Having
thus recovered my health, I began seriously
to consider the power of temperance: if it had efficacy enough to
subdue such
grievous disorders as mine it must also have power to preserve me in
health and
strengthen my bad constitution. I therefore applied myself diligently
to
discover what kinds of food suited me best. But, first, I
resolved to try whether those which pleased my palate were agreeable to
my
stomach, so that I might judge of the truth of the proverb, which is so
universally held, namely:—That, whatever pleases the palate,
must agree with
the stomach, or, that whatever is palatable must be wholesome and
nourishing.
The issue was, that I found it to be false, for I soon found that many
things
which pleased my palate, disagreed with my stomach. Having thus
convinced myself
that the proverb in question was false, I gave over the use of such
meats and
wines as did not suit me, and chose those which by experience I found
agreed
well with me, taking only as much as I could easily
digest, having strict
regard to quantity as well as quality; and
contrived matters so as never
to cloy my stomach with eating or drinking, and always rose from the
table with
a disposition to eat and drink more. In this I conformed to the
proverb, which
says, that a man to consult his health must check his appetite. Having
in this
manner conquered intemperance I betook myself entirely to a temperate
and
regular life, and this it was which effected in me that alteration
already
mentioned, that is, in less than a year, it rid me of all those
disorders which
had taken such hold on me, and which appeared at the time incurable. It
had
likewise this other good effect, that I no longer experienced those
annual fits
of sickness, with which I used to be afflicted while I followed my
ordinary
free manner of eating and drinking. I also became exceedingly healthy,
as I have
continued from that time to this day; and for no other reason than that
I never
transgressed against regularity and strict moderation.
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