<Habits of body and mind.>
He thought much and with excellent method and stedinesse, which made him seldome make a false step.
His bookes, vide page[1441] 22. [1442]☞ He had very few bookes. I never sawe (nor Sir William Petty) above halfe a dozen about him in his chamber. Homer and Virgil were commonly on his table; sometimes Xenophon, or some probable historie, and Greek Testament, or so.
[1443]Reading. He had read much, if one considers his long life; but[1444] his contemplation was much more then his reading. He was wont to say that if he had read as much as other men, he[1445] should have knowne no more then other men.
[1446]His physique. He seldome used any physique (quaere Sir W<illiam> P<etty>). What 'twas I have forgot, but will enquire of Mr. Shelbrooke his apothecary at the Black Spread-eagle in the Strand.
Memorandum—Mr. Hobbes was very sick and like to dye at Bristoll-house in Queen Street, about 1668.
[1447]He had a sicknes, anno....
He was wont to say that he had rather have the advice, or take physique from an experienced old woman, that had been at many sick people's bed-sides, then from the learnedst but unexperienced physitian.
[1448]'Tis[1449] not consistent with an harmonicall soule to be a woman-hater, neither had he an abhorrescence to good wine but ...—this only inter nos.
[1450]Temperance and diet. He was, even in his youth, (generally) temperate, both as to wine and women, (et tamen haec omnia mediocriter)—