Note 25 — ON THE DISEASES OF Literary and Sedentary Persons.

In studious men, who lead a sedentary life, whilst they grow pale with poring over books, an apoplexy often arises from such a cause; but it comes on slowly and gradually. For the first symptom is languor, and a love of indolence; then the understanding begins to grow dull, the memory to flag; they become sleepy, stupid, and often continue a long time in that state before their death. I have seen, and not without the greatest compassion, men of the most profound learning, and who had deserv’d highly of the republick of letters, who, as it were, surviv’d themselves above a twelvemonth in a state of total oblivion, and at last died of apoplexy. Van Swieten, tom. III. p. 263.