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xxiv
The PREFACE.

great Man's Aphorisms are so poor and vulgar, that they are not greatly superior to such Remarks as these: If a Man eats and sleeps, it is a good Sign. If he refuses Meat and cannot rest, it is bad. If he rejects his Medicines it is ill, nor is it well if he has a violent Pain in his Side. If a Man sprains his Leg it is ill, if he breaks it, it is worse: such as these are many of his certain Aphorisms. But his dubious ones are like a String of logical Topicks, or probable Doctrines in the Church of Rome, which are sometimes true and sometimes false, and as often fail as they hold good.

One would wonder how a Man that knew so little of Fevers, should be qualified for the Cure of the Plague, which is a Fever of the highest and most dangerous Kind: Yet it is reported by Historians that he gained great Fame, and even divine Honours for his Success in subduing that destructive Disease: But it is no Argument of his Humanity and Good-will to Mankind, that he has no where in his Works clearly communicated this efficacious Medicine or Method for the great Benefit of all succeeding Ages. One would be tempted to think there was some Juggle in this Matter, and that he never really

was