As to what remains, I honour physicians, not according to the precept for their necessity (for to this passage may be opposed another of the prophet reproving King Asa for having recourse to a physician), but for themselves, having known many very good men of that profession, and most worthy to be beloved.  I do not attack them; ’tis their art I inveigh against, and do not much blame them for making their advantage of our folly, for most men do the same.  Many callings, both of greater and of less dignity than theirs, have no other foundation or support than public abuse.  When I am sick I send for them if they be near, only to have their company, and pay them as others do.  I give them leave to command me to keep myself warm, because I naturally love to do it, and to appoint leeks or lettuce for my broth; to order me white wine or claret; and so as to all other things, which are indifferent to my palate and custom.  I know very well that I do nothing for them in so doing, because sharpness and strangeness are incidents of the very essence of physic.  Lycurgus ordered wine for the sick Spartans.  Why? because they abominated the drinking it when they were well; as a gentleman, a neighbour of mine, takes it as an excellent medicine in his fever, because naturally he mortally hates the taste of it.  How many do we see amongst them of my humour, who despise taking physic themselves, are men of a liberal diet, and live a quite contrary sort of life to what they prescribe others?  What is this but flatly to abuse our simplicity? for their own lives and health are no less dear to them than ours are to us, and consequently they would accommodate their practice to their rules, if they did not themselves know how false these are.

’Tis the fear of death and of pain, impatience of disease, and a violent and indiscreet desire of a present cure, that so blind us:  ’tis pure cowardice that makes our belief so pliable and easy to be imposed upon:  and yet most men do not so much believe as they acquiesce and permit; for I hear them find fault and complain as well as we; but they resolve at last, “What should I do then?” As if impatience were of itself a better remedy than patience.  Is there any one of those who have suffered themselves to be persuaded into this miserable subjection, who does not equally surrender himself to all sorts of impostures? who does not give up himself to the mercy of whoever has the impudence to promise him a cure?  The Babylonians carried their sick into the public square; the physician was the people:  every one who passed by being in humanity and civility obliged to inquire of their condition, gave some advice according to his own experience.  We do little better; there is not so simple a woman, whose gossips and drenches we do not make use of:  and according to my humour, if I were to take physic, I would sooner choose to take theirs than any other, because at least, if they do no good, they will do no harm.  What Homer and Plato said of the Egyptians,