Versatile ingenium, The Wittie companion, or Jests of all sorts. From citie and countrie, court and universitie. : With an account of the life of the laughing philosopher Democritus of Abder̀a. / By Democritus Junior.

A brief Memorial of the life of Democritus the Philosopher, from the writings of Hippocrates, Laër∣tius, and others.

DEmocritus the famous Philosopher of Abdèra, was instructed first by the Magi and Chaldeans; afterwards became the Disciple of Anaxagoras: the estate left to him and his two brethren being divided, his part came to an hundred talents; this portion encouraged him to trrvel to Aethi∣opia, to Egypt, and some say to the Indies; cer∣certain it is great knowledg he attain'd to in Philosophie both Natural and Moral; great ex∣perience he had in the Mathematics, and all the liberal Sciences, being thus accomplished he grew at last so far in love with himself, that his solitude became his most real pleasure, all the various affairs of the general part of man-kind being to his Philosophic mind nothing more than a diversion from serious thoughts, a wild farce and rediculous Scene of things, he conld never consider the many little concerns of the multitude, or once look into the Labyrinth of the busie world, but he presently brake into a laughter to see

How busily about the streets men run, Some to un-do, and some to be un-don.

But it seems this same self-pleasing humour carried him at last too far, so that the citizens of

Abdèa for some time knew not well what to think of him, and at last concluded him abso∣lutely mad; they much lamented his condition exceeding loath they were that a person of so great worth should so mis-carry and be quite lost amongst them; they met together, and the result of their consult was to send for Hippocra∣tes, the greatest Physician the world then had (or perhaps may ever have) to undertake his re∣covery. The Physician came, and the people flock'd about him, entreating him to use the ut∣termost of his art: He visited the patient, whom he found in his garden, all alone under a Plane tree, without either stockings or shoose, with books before him intent at his study, haveing dissected several sorts of creatures which lay be∣fore him: Sir, said Hippocrates, I am glad to see you so well employ'd, I pray to what end are all these dissections? of late, answer'd he, I have been very curious to find out the true causes of Madness and Melancholy, and on this account it is that you see so many different Anatomies lie before me; Happy man, said Hippocrates, who can take to himself so much leasure thus to contemplate the works of God and Nature: and are not you too that happy man who can as∣sume to your self so much leasure when you please, replied Democritus? I wish indeed I were, said he; but how many concerns at home, how many affairs abroad of a quite different na∣ture am I to look into and dispatch for my self

and others? this neighbour or that friend, a ne∣cessarie, or a complemental visit, the health of this or the diseases of that, a wedding on the one hand, or a funeral on the other, wife, children, servants, such things as these take up the greatest portions of my time: at the hearing of this De∣mocritus so profusely laughed, that Hippocrates startled at it, and ask'd him the reason of it: can any man, says he, of reason forbear laughing at the contradictory vanities and absurd humours of men? how emptie are they of wit and vir∣tue, and what a bustle and stir do they make for gold? what end is there of their ambition? what infinite pains for a short pageantrie, a little glo∣ry, to acquire wealth or honour, tho their lifes are paid down in the purchase! some fancie an empire over dogs, and some over horses, some are for governing their wives, if they can, and some for ruleing provinces. How many have even do∣ted on their new brides, and yet ere long have forsaken them or wish'd them dead; and how many parents have given up their children to the worlds mercie, and yet by all means imaginable they must endeavour after wealth, tho when 'tis obtein'd 'tis not enjoyed, but either hoarded up or viciously spent, perverting that to the de∣struction of body and torment of mind which is design'd to sustein in the one & solace the other: what truth, what Justice is to be found amongst them? one pleads this and the other pleads that, they are going thurrow the world, and all the

way they pass they pull and hale and quarrel for that which they are leaving; and what is most of all to be laugh'd at is that those that are nearest their journeys end are the most sollicitous and greedy of all, so ear∣nestly grasping at what they cannot retain, with one foot in the grave laying a dead hold on that of which they can have no possession after death. When after this manner he had represented the ridiculous con∣trarieties that are every where to be found in the world, his Physician percieved that he had not to do with a sick man; all his discourse proveing so sound and rational; Divine Democritus, said he, surely all the world is mad but thee, and haveing took his leave of him, he declared to those that had commit∣ted Democritus to his care, that tho the Philosopher appeared indeed somewhat negligent as to his attire and diet, yet that the world had not a more judi∣cious, learned, or more generous spirited man than he, and that for the future any ones fancy to the contrarie should be to him one certain sign of that persons not being in his right wits who concieved so. The fame of Democritus his learning afterwards grew very much in the world; his predictions of future things were wonderfull; and particularly his skill in Physiognomy rendred Hippocrates himself an admirer of him; amidst manie one famous in∣stance upon this account we may well take notice of; 'twas this; A Maid came to him one day, and he call'd her Virgin, she came to him the next day im∣mediatly after, and he call'd her woman, and told her that he percieved she had lost her Maiden-head since shee had been last with him. He was honoured with great presents and verie magnificent statues: he protracted his death three days by smelling too hot breed; died near the 80th Olympiad, having li∣ved an 109 years; and had a very sumptuous funeral at the public charge of the citizens.

H. C.