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CHAP. LXXXVIII.
Of Dieting.
THere is yet the Dieting part of Physick, the first Au∣thor whereof was Asclepiades, who altogether re∣jecting the use of Medicaments, reduced all Cure to the Order of Diet, observing the quantity, quality, and
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seasoning of Meats; from whom other Physicians do not much disagree, yet believing that the one has want of the other, that Diet is assisted by Medicaments, and Medicaments by order and course of Diet. Upon these grounds, they command, forbid, curse, and discom∣mend the Meats and Drinks that God has created, fra∣ming Rules of Diet difficult to be observ'd; and those morsels which they forbid others to taste of, they them∣selves, as Hogs eat Acorns, greedily devour; and those Laws of living which they prescribe to others, they themselves either altogether neglect, or contemn. For should they live according to their own Rules, they would run not a small hazard of their Health; and should they permit their Patients to live after their own Examples, they would altogether lose their profits. But of these Diet-mongers thus S. Ambrose writes: The Precepts of Physick are contrary to divine living; for they call men from Fasting, suffer um not to watch, seduce um from opportunities of meditation. They who give themselves up to Physicians, deny themselves to themselves. And S. Bernard upon the Canticles, thus asserts: Hippo∣crates and Socrates teach how to save Souls in health in this world; Christ and his disciples, how to lose um: which of the two will ye have to be your Masters? He makes himself noted, that in his disputations teaches how such a thing hurts the Eyes, this the Head, that the Stomach; Pulse are windy, Cheese offends the stomach, Milk hurts the head, drinking Water is hurtful to the lungs: whence it happens, that in all the Rivers, Fields, Gardens and Markets, there is scarce to be found any thing fitting for a man to eat. But grant these words of S. Ambrose and Bernard were onely written to the Monks, for whom perhaps it is not so needful to take so much care of their Healths, as of their Professions: and that va∣riety of dishes and feasts may not be unlawful for civil men to use, with consideration of their Health; the
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first the Art of Dieting performs, the second the Art of Cookery, being the dressing and ordering of Victuals. For which reason Plato calls it the Flatteress of Phy∣sick; and many account it a part of Dietary Physick. Though Pliny and Seneca, and the whole throng of o∣ther Physicians, confess that manifold Diseases proceed from the variety of Costly food
Of Dieting.
THere is yet the Dieting part of Physick, the first Au∣thor whereof was Asclepiades, who altogether re∣jecting the use of Medicaments, reduced all Cure to the Order of Diet, observing the quantity, quality, and
Page 306
seasoning of Meats; from whom other Physicians do not much disagree, yet believing that the one has want of the other, that Diet is assisted by Medicaments, and Medicaments by order and course of Diet. Upon these grounds, they command, forbid, curse, and discom∣mend the Meats and Drinks that God has created, fra∣ming Rules of Diet difficult to be observ'd; and those morsels which they forbid others to taste of, they them∣selves, as Hogs eat Acorns, greedily devour; and those Laws of living which they prescribe to others, they themselves either altogether neglect, or contemn. For should they live according to their own Rules, they would run not a small hazard of their Health; and should they permit their Patients to live after their own Examples, they would altogether lose their profits. But of these Diet-mongers thus S. Ambrose writes: The Precepts of Physick are contrary to divine living; for they call men from Fasting, suffer um not to watch, seduce um from opportunities of meditation. They who give themselves up to Physicians, deny themselves to themselves. And S. Bernard upon the Canticles, thus asserts: Hippo∣crates and Socrates teach how to save Souls in health in this world; Christ and his disciples, how to lose um: which of the two will ye have to be your Masters? He makes himself noted, that in his disputations teaches how such a thing hurts the Eyes, this the Head, that the Stomach; Pulse are windy, Cheese offends the stomach, Milk hurts the head, drinking Water is hurtful to the lungs: whence it happens, that in all the Rivers, Fields, Gardens and Markets, there is scarce to be found any thing fitting for a man to eat. But grant these words of S. Ambrose and Bernard were onely written to the Monks, for whom perhaps it is not so needful to take so much care of their Healths, as of their Professions: and that va∣riety of dishes and feasts may not be unlawful for civil men to use, with consideration of their Health; the
Page 307
first the Art of Dieting performs, the second the Art of Cookery, being the dressing and ordering of Victuals. For which reason Plato calls it the Flatteress of Phy∣sick; and many account it a part of Dietary Physick. Though Pliny and Seneca, and the whole throng of o∣ther Physicians, confess that manifold Diseases proceed from the variety of Costly food