Utile Dulci

Edmund Calamy the Historian, A Continuation, Vol. 1., pp. 15-16:

As to Mr. [Matthew] Poole, I have been inform'd, that it was his usual Way while he was drawing up his Synopsis, and Annotations, to rise very early in the Morning, about three or four a Clock, and take a raw Egg about eight or nine, and another about twelve, and then to continue his Studies till the Afternoon was pretty far advanc'd; at which Time he laid Study aside, went abroad, and spent the Evening at the House of some Friend, and at no place more frequently than at Alderman Ashurst's. At such Times he would be exceedingly but innocently merry, very much diverting both himself and his Company. After Supper, when it grew towards Time to go home, he would say, Now let us call for a Reckoning, and then would begin some very grave and serious Discourse, and when he found the Company was compos'd and serious, he would bid them good Night, and go home. This Course was doubtless very serviceable to his Health, and tended to enable him to go through the great Fatigue of his Studies, and it seems a noble Example of mixing utile, dulci.