Northern Europe - The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques And Discoveries Of The English Nation - Volume 1 - Collected By Richard Hakluyt
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But Whereas Strangers Boast That All Their Victuals Are More Pleasant And
Wholesome:
Yet we denie that to be a sufficient reason, why they should
vpbraid vs in regard of ours:
Neither do we thinke God to be a debter vnto
our deinty mouthes: but rather we giue him thanks with our whole hearts,
that he vouchsafeth without this delicate and nice fare, which is esteemed
to be so pleasant and wholesome, to grant euen vnto the men of our countrey
many yeeres, and a good age as also constant health, and flourishing
strength of body; all which we account to be signes of wholesome and
conuenient nourishment and of a perfect constitution. Besides, our wits are
not altogether so grosse and barren, as the philosophers seeme to assigne
vnto this our aier, and these nourishments, which perhaps many of our
countreymen could much rather verifie in deeds then in words, if (as the
Poet sayth) enuious pouerty did not holde vs downe.
But here the iudgement of the common people, as often in other matters,
doth too plainly deceiue (I except all good and well experienced men) some
of them which would seeme to be wise, namely, that whatsoeuer their vse
doth admit, or that they haue not seene, nor had trial of beforetime, they
presently condemne. As for example, he that neuer saw the sea will not be
persuaded that there is a mediterrane sea; so doe they measure all things
by their owne experience and conceit, as though there were nothing good and
profitable, but that onely wherewith they mainteine their liues.
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