Introduction:
The essay entitled “Of Regiment Of Health” is full of practical wisdom and utility for the common man. Bacon presents his logical intellect in the essay. His observations and advice are based on sound commonsense and practical experience of life. In the essay, Bacon advises man to enjoy a sound health by maintaining a proper diet according to the circumstances and advancing age. He suggests that habits and food should be changed and controlled according to age. There should be a proper balance of everything. Bacon's observations are mostly based on the people of high status. In the present essay he recommends more than one physician. This thing is beyond the capacity of a common man because a common man cannot afford the expenses of two or three doctors at one time.
Summary of the Essay:
Man should observe himself what suits or does not suit his bodily constitution. After observing carefully, he should prepare a note of all those things separately which are beneficial and harmful. He should formulate his life accordance with his observation. It is the best way to the preservation of his health. He should immediately give up something which does not agree with his constitution. If something does no harm to him it is not reason enough for him to keep it going. During his youth man has great endurance power, so his excessive indulgence in sexual gratification, over - eating, over - drinking etc., may not affect his body and no negative influence of these things can be seen, but as the years decline, he loses all the features of his youth. The symptoms of old age can be seen clearly when his evil deeds committed in his youth bring several diseases and he gradually grows weak. In this way, he has to pay the debts of his evil doings of his youth. Nature does not excuse omissions and commissions and punishes the man in his old age for what he does in his youth.
Therefore, Bacon suggests that even in blind youth, man should keep in view the days to come and desist from outraging nature. Man can no longer expect always to indulge in bad habits that seem harmless in youth. A man should be very careful about his diet. He should not make any abrupt change in his diet. If such changes become essential, he should be very careful to make these changes. In writer's opinion, the changes are necessary because it is the law of nature. Politics also deserves the changes. A man should also examine his habits of diet, sleep, dress and other things and if something is giving him harm, he should discontinue it. But the change should be made gradually. If a man feels great trouble by making a change any of habits, he should adopt it again. It is difficult to distinguish which habit or change is good and wholesome for man's body. A man should remain cheerful and free from cares and worries at the time of eating, sleeping, and taking exercise. It is the best rule for living a long life. In order to lead a life of contentment, a man should keep his mind free from extremely desires. He should avoid envy, anxious, fears, anger, problematic investigation, excess of joy, admiration and novelties. Man's mind and body are eaten away gradually by worries and cares, if he broods upon them constantly. Worries and tensions are like a pyre. A man should not avoid medicines under all circumstances, nor should he have recourse to medicines even at the least complaint. In either case medicines will prove ineffective when they are most needed in time of illness.
A man should not neglect any slight change in the condition of his body, but he should consult a doctor in regard to this change. During his sickness, the principal aim of a person should be to get cured somehow and when he is in good health he should try to preserve it through proper exercise of the body. The writer tells that those who train their bodies with proper exercise and develop endurance power, soon get cured in non - serious diseases and they do not need to take any medicine. At such times, they need only a little precaution in diet and gentle nursing and looking after. A man should rely on diet rather than on medicine to keep healthy. Gentle variations of diet, sleep and exercise help in preserving health. If a man falls sick, he should be very careful in choosing the doctor.
Some doctors are so anxious to please the moods and caprices of their patients that they do not insist on their taking proper diet and medicine. Some others are so regular in working according with the set remedies that they do not care the particular nature of the patient or of his body. In this case, a man should select a doctor who is neither very lenient nor very strict. If these two qualities of being pleasant and discreetly strict are not found in one person, two doctors of each kind should be called to assist the personal physician of the patient. The personal doctor is conversant with the temperament and constitution of the patient as the other two are the persons with the best knowledge and professional skill and ability. Indeed this is the best and most appropriate combination for the patient. In this condition, the patient can get the best treatment and he can soon recover his health.
Critical Analysis of the Essay:
Introduction:
This essay entitled “Of Regiment of Health” appeared in the second edition in 1612. It is a beautiful essay. It has been adorned with great practical wisdom and utility for the common man. In the present essay, Bacon has presented his observations and advice which are completely based on sound commonsense and practical experience of life. Bacon's insight into human affairs and his sense of balance and proportion are also seen to advantage. Although most of Bacon's essays are meant for people of high status, power and influence yet this essay is equally important for the common man. But in the end of essay, Bacon recommends more than one physician - such a thing is beyond the resources of a man of meagre resources. Only the rich people and the people of high status can appoint their personal and family doctors and can also consult with more than one doctor. A man of ordinary income has to depend upon only one doctor's treatment and he does not exploit the nature, attitude and tendency of a doctor. He knows it well that he has to live within his little resources, hence no question raises to judge the skill and knowledge of a doctor.
Thought - Content:
A man's self - observation is very necessary to keep his body fit and healthy. After clear and close observation, he can find out what is harmful and beneficial for him. Especially, a man should be very careful about his diet which has primary concern with his health. He should maintain the rules and habits according to his age. The changes in diet and habits are necessary, but they should be made after great personal study and observation. The sudden change may be fatal and it creates a disturbance in routine life. In the matter of medicine Bacon advises to adopt the middle way of taking medicines. He tells that a man should neither abstain from taking medicines altogether nor should he become an addict. In either case it is harmful for a person during his sickness. Physical exercises play a vital role in keeping fit and healthy. It develops an endurance power to overcome the attack of the diseases. Due to taking physical exercises daily, non-serious diseases are controlled easily without medicines. The physicians should be selected carefully. The disease should be examined under the different doctors. The doctors, who are chosen, should be skilled and master of their profession.
The Importance of Personal Observation in Maintaining Health:
Through a personal observation in diet and habits, a good health can be maintained. By analytical observation and close study, a man can be able to judge what he should give up and ignore and what is worth adopting. Before bringing a change in routine life, a man should take great care. A man should not hurry in bringing an abrupt change. This fact is acceptable that changes are essential, but if not suitable, there is no need to change in diet and other things.
Practical Wisdom in taking Medicines:
A man should avoid excesses and extremes in the case of medicines. A man should not avoid medicines under all circumstances, nor should he have recourse to medicines even at the least complaint. In either case medicines will prove ineffective when they e most needed - in times of illness. If a man has never taken a medicine, it will not do its work when he does need it badly, because his body is not accustomed to it. The medicine will be alien to his constitution. On the contrary, if a man has been drugging himself recklessly, he will develop a sort of immunity to that drug, the result being the inefficacy of the drug in times of urgent need.
Wisdom in Physical Exercise:
Bacon observes and experiences those physical exercises are of great importance. Through the physical exercise, a man can keep himself fit and healthy and can also enhance the enduring capacity in order to stand against disease. By having enduring capacity, a man does not need to take medicine in non - serious diseases. If a man possesses enduring capacity, the attack of fatal disease may also be reduced. The physical exercise helps man in recovering soon.
Wisdom in the Selection of the Physician:
The writer observes that the choice of a proper physician is of the greatest importance. A man should select a physician who is neither very lenient nor very strict. It is very difficult to find out these two qualities in one physician. Hence, two doctors should be chosen to help the personal doctor of the patient because the personal doctor is completely familiar with the nature and constitution of the patient. In this way, the patient - can get the best treatment.
Language and Style:
Bacon's sentences are more modern in their structure. Closely allied with simplicity, directness and clarity of Bacon's style is its terseness. Terseness of expression arising from condensation of thought was a single great virtue of Bacon and he possessed it in a greater measure than any other writer. This terseness is obtained by the use of the weightiest and simplest words and by a persistent avoidance of superfluous words and very often, connectives. Bacon abhors padding, and disdains to waste a word. He offers us infinite riches in a little phrase. His style is also coloured by wit, imaginative insight and poetry of his own. Besides metaphors, Bacon uses antithesis and balance to give point to his observation.
