your _Author_ finds much fault with them, and blames them for suffering men to die miserably; but God has given power to Nature to make certain dissolutions, although uncertain diseases, and uncertain remedies. Neither hath she in her power to give Immortal Life to particular Creatures, for this belongs to God alone, and therefore no Universal Medicine will keep out death, or prolong life further then its thread is spun, which I doubt is but a Chymæra, and an impossible thing, by reason there are not onely so many different varieties in several diseases, but in one and the same disease, as no Universal remedy would do any good. But your _Author_ is much pleased with Paradoxes, and Paradoxes are not certain Truths: Wherefore it is better, in my judgment, to follow the old approved and practised way of the Schools, grounded upon Experience and Reason, then his Paradoxical Opinions. To which Schools, as your _Author_ is a great Enemy, so I am a great Friend, as well as, Madam, _Your Ladiships_ _humble Servant._ [1] Of Cauteries. XXXVI. _MADAM,_ I approve well of your _Authors_ opinion,[1] That _Drink ought not to be forbidden in Fevers_; but yet I would not allow so much as to drown and oppress the Patients life, but onely so much as to refresh and moisten him; and therefore the best way is to drink little and often. But as for Wine, which your _Author_ commends in Fevers, I am utterly against it, unless the Fever proceed from a cold or crude cause, otherwise cooling Ptisans are most beneficial to those that are sick of a continual Fever, which for the most part is a general Fever throughout the whole body, one part infecting the other, until they be all infected, like as in the Plague. And to let you know the proof of it; when I was once sick beyond the Seas, I sent for a Doctor of Physick who was an Irish-man: and hearing of some that knew him, and his practice, that he was not successful in his Cures, but that his Patients most commonly died, I asked him what he used to prescribe in such or such diseases? where amongst the rest, as I remember, he told me, That he allowed his Patients to drink Wine in a Fever. I thought he was in a great error, and told him my opinion, that though Wine might be profitable, perhaps, to some few, yet for the most part it was very hurtful and destructive, alledging another famous Physician in _France_, Dr. _Davison_, who used in continual Fevers, to prescribe onely cooling Ptisan, made of a little Barley, and a great quantity of Water, so thin as the Barley was hardly perceived, and a spoonfull of syrup of Limmon put into a quart of the said Ptisan; but in case of a Flux, he ordered some few seeds of Pomegranats to be put into it, and this cold Ptisan was to be the Patients onely drink: Besides, once in Twenty four hours he prescribed a couple of potched Eggs, with a little Verjuice, and to let the Patient blood, if he was dry and hot; I mean dry exteriously, as from sweat; and that either often or