I may probably, respectable auditors, appear to descend too much to particulars, and to dwell too long upon trifles; but nothing is little or inconsiderable in physick: and it is a thing of so much importance to keep the blood from the heads of men of learning, that they should neglect nothing which may contribute to this end. They should therefore take care not to keep it warm with too much covering, or rather they should use themselves to go bare-headed from their childhood. Some men of learning have been so bold as to wrap their heads with a towel dipt in cold water, that they might be able to continue the longer at their studies: and what will not an inordinate desire of knowledge excite men to? Such rashness should be avoided; but it is of service to all, and especially to studious, sedentary men, to wash their ears, their faces, and their whole heads, hair and all, every morning in cold water. It is very good for the _literati_, when they feel the blood forced up into their heads, not to walk, or inquire sollicitously after medicines, but to sit upon their chair in total inaction, without ever uttering a word. The same necessity of keeping the blood from the head should prevent the learned from indulging in sleep after dinner; or, if they should sometimes be forced to yield to sleep, let them imitate the illustrious personage, so often mentioned already, AUGUSTUS CÆSAR, _who with the cloaths and shoes he had on took a short nap, having covered his eyes with his hand_[50]. I must likewise add this caution, that they should never compose themselves to sleep, without first unbinding all their ligatures. To wash their feet in warm water is likewise of great service to them. These are the chief helps by the assistance of which the learned will be enabled to prevent the ill effects of study; but when their application has produced real disorders, they will have occasion for other remedies. You will sometimes see them, when nature is quite exhausted by study, fall into a consumption: then the severity of the disorder requires some efficacious remedy; and the best is entirely to lay aside study, meditation, and books, to bid a long farewell to their musæums, and, giving themselves up to leisure, chearfulness, and country pleasures, to think of restoring their bodies alone, without troubling their heads about cultivating their minds; but let them become what men were designed for by nature, ploughmen or gardeners. _Difficile est longum subito deponere amorem,_ _Difficile est: verum hoc, qua lubet, efficias._ _Una salus hæc est, hoc est tibi pervincendum._ CATULL. 82. _It is a difficult matter to divest one’s self suddenly of a passion of a long standing: but this you may effect, if you desire it. This is the only thing that can preserve you, this you must endeavour to bring about at any rate._