SECTION VI. 573 case, nor be persuaded by all the force of reason to displease their palates and save their own lives. Such a humourous conduct, will afford their departing souls but small comfort in the reflection : 1° I went on in a course of resolute sick- ness and death, because the doses of physic were bitter to the taste, and the methods of health were troublesome and painful. I know some will be ready to think this a needless page in the book, for they can hardly conceive any part of mankind can be so obstinately foolish, as to lose health and life in this manner. I wish there might be no future examples of this kind found in the world; but what has been, may be : Human nature is like itself, and all these folliesof our species have their rounds ; the repetition of them is too often seen in every age, though some of my readers may not have happened to meet with them. Such as have been trained up in a humourous niceness from the cradle, who have been indulged in the strength of their wills, and never been taught to think, nor to use their understandings,are in a fair way to remain in a state of childhood all their lives, and to die for want of learning to obey reason. III. An ambitious pursuit of glory, in such feats of activity and strength as throw life into the most imminent hazard, this is another frequent method of self-destruction. There are some persons who assume to themselves so much pride and vanity, from the firmness of their constitution, or the agility of limbs, that God their Creator has bestowed upon them, that theyare fond of gaining public applause upon this account. They enter into foolish contracts, and they lay wild wagers of their strength or swiftness : They impose on themselves most excessive burdens, they labour beyond all their strength, they engage to run or ride most unreasonable stages in a few hours, or endure some incredible hardships and fatigues. Hereby they oftentimes break all their boasted powers of nature, and bring themselves in haste to the grave ; and they leave their names be- hind them upon the lists of folly among the men who have sold their lives for a trifle. There have been others, who bave bound themselves by wa- gers to more brutal and guilty follies, and their death bath been highly criminal and unpitied. One has gloried in the prodigious power of his appetite to devour flesh, and the equal capacity of his stomach for the stowage of a most unreasonable load of eata- bles. Another path boasted of his ability to drain whole gallons of common liquors dry, or to swill down amazing quantities of stronger drink. Such wretches are only fit to enter the lists with bears or swine. It is a mortal shame to human nature that such creatures should belong to it, and that any other men should be- come their rivals. Some of these have died upon the spot, and
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