Being now free from Public business and enabled to attend to myself, when in my usual retreat I consider, what is the reason why so very few endeavour to learn the Art of dying Well, (which all men ought to know,) I can find no other cause than that mentioned by the Wise man: The perverse are hard to be corrected, and the number of fools is infinite. For what folly can be imagined greater than to neglect that Art, on which depend our highest and eternal interests; whilst on the other hand we learn with great labour, and practise with no less ardour, other almost innumerable arts, in order either to pre serve or to increase perishable things?