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IN Eleusine, after the solemn celebration of the Sacred Mysteries, Glaucias the Orator enter∣tain'd us at a Feast; where after the rest had done, Xenocles his Brother, as his humour is, began to be smart upon my Brother Lamprias for his
good Beotian Stomach; and I, in his defence, op∣posing Xenocles, who was an Epicurean, said, Pray, Sir, do not all place the very height of pleasure in pri∣vation of pain and indolence? But Lamprias, who prefers the Lycaeum before the Garden, ought by his practice to confirm Aristotles Doctrine; for he affirms that every Man hath a better Stomach in the Autumn, than in other Seasons of the Year; and gives the reason which I cannot remember at present: So much the better (says Glaucias) for when Supper's done, we will endeavour to discover it our selves: that being over, Glaucias and Xenocles drew various reasons from the Au∣tumnal Fruit; one said, that it scoured the body, and by his Evacuation continually rais'd new Appetites, Xenocles affirm'd, that ripe fruit had usually a pleasing, vellicating sapor, and thereby provokt the Appetite better than Sauces, or Sweet-meats; for Sick-men of a vitiated Stomach usu∣ally recover it by eating Fruit: But Lamprias said, that our natural heat, the principal instru∣ment of Nutrition, in the midst of Summer is scatter'd, and becomes rare and weak, but as that declines, unites again and gathers strength, being shut in by the ambient cold, and contraction of the Pores; and I, for my part, said, in Summer we are more thirsty, and use more moisture than in other Seasons, and therefore Nature (she ob∣serves the same method in all her operations) at this change of Seasons employs the contrary, makes us hungry, and to maintain an equal tem∣per in the Body, gives us dry Food to counter∣vail the moisture taken in the Summer; yet none can deny but that the Food it self is a partial cause, for not only new Fruit, Bread, Corn, but Flesh of the same Year is better tasted than those
of the former, more forcibly provokes the Guests, and enticeth them to eat on.