lent genius withal) arriv'd at his great skill in the profession. However it happen'd, but true it is, that all mankind ever since, have as unsuccessfully consulted the physician in the gout, as king Asa did. God almighty has thought fit to set times to all useful inventions in every art, and now only (I think) we may with sure effect pronounce a remedy for Asa's distemper, in the sacred words of the great Prophet and legislator, which I have quoted in the title page.
'Tis impertinent to be tedious in giving a description of the gout. The poets study nature, and I cannot take any method so proper to paint the direness of it, as in their words. For which purpose I chuse Lucian's, in his merry and witty play call'd Tragopodagra. He suffer'd under the distemper and dy'd of it. Thus he describes it.
Χειρῶν ἀπ' ἄκρων, εἰς ἄκρας ποδῶν βάσεις
ἱχῶρι φάυλω, καὶ πικρῶ κυμῶ χολής,
Πνεύματι βιαίω τῶδε δια σφίγγον πύρους
ἔστηκε, καὶ μεμυκὸς ἐπιτείνει πόνους.
σπλαγχνων δ' επ' αὐτῶν, διά πυρον τρέχεικακὸν,
δίναισι φλογμῶν σάρκα πυρ πολούμενον,
ὁποῖα κρητὴρ μέστὸς Αἰτναίου πυρὸς,
ἤ Σικελὸς αὐλὼν ἀλιπόρου δια σφαγος,
ὅπου δυσεξέλικτα κυματούμενος,
σηραγξε πετρῶν σκολιὸς εἵλεῖται κλυδών.
ὥ δυστέκμαρτον πᾶσιν ἀνθρὠποις τἐλος!
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