"Reading the Salutary Maxims of Wise Men, with Attention, digesting them by Meditation, and imprinting them on the Memory, by frequent Recollection, is a Mind-Diet or Regimen, which will, in a short Time, restore Health to a decayed Constitution, and add incredible Vigour, to a Weak and Languishing Understanding."
— Hill, Aaron (1685-1750)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Date
Monday, June 22. 1724
Metaphor
"Reading the Salutary Maxims of Wise Men, with Attention, digesting them by Meditation, and imprinting them on the Memory, by frequent Recollection, is a Mind-Diet or Regimen, which will, in a short Time, restore Health to a decayed Constitution, and add incredible Vigour, to a Weak and Languishing Understanding."
Metaphor in Context
Reading the Salutary Maxims of Wise Men, with Attention, digesting them by Meditation, and imprinting them on the Memory, by frequent Recollection, is a Mind-Diet or Regimen, which will, in a short Time, restore Health to a decayed Constitution, and add incredible Vigour, to a Weak and Languishing Understanding. Minds the best arm'd, are not always Invulnerable: There are constantly some peevish Accidents, some cross and fretful Disappointments, in the rugged Road of Life, to throw a Cloud over the serenest, and discompose the most equal Tempers. But, there is not methinks, a quicker or sweeter Remedy than to step to the Closet, and take down a moral Draught, which will smooth us into the most perfect Calm. Gallus, Tibullus, Ovid, Catullus, will afford us Lenitives; and Horace, Juvenal and Persius, will furnish us with Corrosives, so that we may find a Cure for every Distemper. There are not any Infirmities, Pains, or Sufferings of the Mind, but what the Writings of some of these Doctors contain proper Specificks for. The best of this Method of prescribing, is, that the Physick is easy and delightful. For what does it consist in but Exercising one's Wits with some of the best Company in the World, whom even Ladies cannot go to for Diversion, without finding them at the same Time useful, or visit for Instruction, without finding them agreeable. Dryden, Congreve, &c. Have made them refined Englishmen, and our Modern Beauties have the same Advantages in their Translations, the Roman Ladies had in the Originals.
(pp. 215-6)
(pp. 215-6)
Categories
Provenance
ECCO-TCP
Citation
Text from The Plain Dealer: Being Select Essays on Several Curious Subjects: Relating to Friendship, ... Poetry, and Other Branches of Polite Literature. Publish'd originally in the year 1724. And Now First Collected into Two Volumes (London: Printed for S. Richardson, and A. Wilde, 1730.) <Link to Vol. I in ECCO-TCP><Link to Vol. II in ECCO-TCP>
Date of Entry
08/17/2013
