manner Moreouer wee must not wonder if the sensitiue appetite in particular make so great an impression in the body This proceedes from the sympathy which is found in those powers which are gouerned by the same soule which imployes them so as the sensitiue appetite comming to play her part shee doth stirre vp the mouing faculty of the heart the which dilates it selfe or shrinkes vp according to the nature of the obiects which haue made impression vpon the sensitiue appetite whence grow al the alterations which are made in the body of man And here we must remember that nature hath fashioned the heart in such sort as it is in perpetual motion according vnto which it sometimes extendes it selfe and sometime retires of it selfe with a certaine measure and proportion the which continuing within the bounds which nature hath prescribed it as conformable vnto the condition of the creature this motion is wholy naturall but if it once come to breake this law and shew it selfe more violent or more slow then the nature of the creature requires the naturall harmony is broken and there followes a great alteration in the body of the creature Of all the powers of the soule those of the sensitiue appetite onely cause the alteratioÌ„ of this motion whose actions alone may make it more violent or more slowe then the lawes of nature doe allow And hence it comes that none but the actions of the sensitiue appetite are made with a visible change of the body and with a sensible alteration of the naturall constitution Yet as in this change the heart receiues an alteration so the spirits the blood and other humours are agitated and mooued beyond ordinary the which doth wholy trouble the naturall constitution of the creature The which happens after this manner The obiects of the senses strike first vpon the imagination and then this power hauing taken knowledge of theÌ„ conceiues them as good or bad as pleasing or troublesome and importune then afterwards propounds them as clothed with those qualities to the creature which apprehending them vnder this last coÌ„sideration excites the concupiscible or irascible power of the soule and induceth them to imbrace or flye them and by the impression of its motion agitates the spirits which we cal Vitall the which going from the heart disperse themselues throughout the whole body and at the same instant the blood which deriues froÌ„ the liuer participating in this agitatioÌ„ flowes throughout the veynes and casts it selfe ouer all the other parts of the body So as the heart and liuer beeing thus troubled in their naturall dispositions the whole body fâ—eles it selfe mooued not onely inwardly but also outwardly according to the nature of that passioÌ„ which doth trouble it For in motions of ioy and desire the heart melts with gladnesse In those of sorrow and trouble it shrinks vp and freezeth with griefe In those of choler and resolution it is inflamed and all on fire In those of feare it growes pale and trembling A Louers words are sweete and pleasing and those of a cholerick man are sharpe and rough Finally there riseth no passion in the soule which leaueth not some visible trace of her agitation vpon the body of man Lastly wee may gather from the definition of passion that this alteration which happeneth in the body is contrary to the lawes of nature for that as we haue said it transports the heart beyond the bounds which nature hath prescribed it and doth agitate it extraordinarily Hence it growes that amoÌ„g al the motioÌ„s of the sensitiue appetite those only are propâ—â—ly called passioÌ„s which are accompanied with some notable defect For as we call passions of the body diseases wounds paines inflammations incisions and all other violent accidents which happen extraordinarily So wee properly call passions of the soule those infirmities wherewith she is afflicted and troubled as pittie feare bashfulnesse or shame loue hatred desires Choler and the rest For in this subiect the word Passion is not taken in that sense whereas wee say that a subiect suffers when as it receiues some new forme bee it that at the comming of this forme it lose any thing of its owne or not as when the ayre is enlightned with the Sunne beams without losing any thing of her first constitution nor in that sense wherein we say that a subiect suffers when as it receiues a new quality which doth expell another whether it bee concurrent to its nature or contrary vnto it as when water growes cold or is made hot But the word Passion is taken here for a change which is made in man contrary to his naturall constitution and disposition from the which hee is as it were wrested by this change In which sense the Phylosophers say that things suffer when as they are drawne from their naturall disposition to a course that is contrary to their nature In the mean time you must not wonder if we ground the irregularity of the change which these passions breed vpon the disorder which the sensitiue appetite stirred vp by the sensible obiects casts into the heart being a thing which wee must constantly beleeue that this power of the soule bee it the irascible or coÌ„cupiscible hath its se at and mansion in the heart The which cannot be denied in the subiect of feare for that such as are transported therwith call back the blood and heate vnto the heart as to the place where feare doth exercise her tyranny therewith to defend themselues considering also that those creatures which haue the greatest and largest hearts are most fearefull for that their heate is more dispersed and consequently lesse able to resist the assaults of feare Some haue not beleeued that it was so of other passions but haue appointed theÌ„ their seates else-where and haue maintained that some did reside in the liuer others in the spleene and some in the gall as for anger they haue lodged it in the gall whereas choler resides which doth inflame it But they haue giuen loue his quarter in the liuer for that the saÌ„guine coÌ„plexion is inclined to loue for ioy they haue seated it in the Spleen for that melancholy proceeds from the distemperature of this part But notwithstanding this it is most certaine that both the powers of the sensitiue appetite I mean the Irascible and Concupiscible reside in the heart the which beeing the fountaine of life of all vital operations must also bee a lodge retraite to those appetites which nature hath gigiueÌ„ the creature to preserue his life to chase away those perils which may threaten it Wherby we see that the passioÌ„s of desire or anger are felt preseÌ„tly in the heart trouble the natural coÌ„stitution as soon as they rise wherby followeth a strange alteration throughout the whole body for the springs caÌ„not be troubled but the streams wil feele of it And therefore the passions being too vehement and making a violeÌ„t impressioÌ„ vppoÌ„ the hart they cause
be better vnderstood by experience then expounded by words Fiâ—st of all there is not any man which doth not feele in the midst of the ioy which hee receiues his heart to dilate it selfe and as it were open with gladnesse from whence it sends the signes tokens to the countenance by the laughter whicâ—â—t â—irres vp in the mouth where it causeth a visible change They that are tender hearted are apt to receiue the impressions of ioy and heauines like vnto soft wax wherein they do easily imprint the formes which are laid vpon them They that haue them firme and hot by reason of the heate conceiue ioy easily by reason of their constancy preserue it longer Whereas contrariwise they that haue it cold and hard are capable of heauinesse melancholly which makes an impression easily by reason of the coldnesse with the which she hath an affinity maintaines it selfe long by reason of the hardnesse as we see happen vnto melancholy men For sadnesse is an earthly Passion cold and dry whereas ioy is moist and hot And therefore it is easily framed in the hearts of children of young men and of those which are of a good complexion from this ioy which makes the heart to spread and dilate it selfe like vnto a flower growes laughter which is no Passion but an exterior effect of an interior Passion For the sweetnesse of Pleasure makes the heart to moue and open to receiue the forme euen as when wee go to meete a friend and open our armes when he presents himselfe vnto vs. And this his motion and interior ioy ascends vp vnto the countenance but it appeares chiefely in the opening of the mouth whereas laughter is framed and hath his seate from thence disperseth it self to the eyes and the rest of the face although that some hold it hath his seate within man and about his heart But to take away all kind of difficulty wee must vnderstand that sometimes laughter comes meerely from a corporall motion as that which proceeds from the tickling of the arme holes so as there haue bin seene sword players die laughing for that they haue beene wounded in that place Sometimes it riseth from indignation and despight which we haue conceiued of any thing we behold vnwillingly as we reade of Hannâ—bal who seeing the Carthaginians lament their estates for that the Romaines were maisters of their fortunes beganne to laughâ— whereat one being amazâ—d said vnto him that it was an act of great inhumanity to laugh at the teares of his fellow Citizens to whom he answered that this laughter was no signe of his ioy but a token of his despight for that he scorned the fruitlesse teares of those who lamented rather their particular losse then the misery of their common weale But when it is an effect of our passion and a signe of pleasure which our heart receiueth from pleasing obiects which present themselues vnto our senses it comes from a quicke and suddaine motion of the soule which desiring to expresse her ioy excites a great abundance of hot blood and multiplies the vitall spirits which agitate and stir vp the muscles which are about the heart those raise vp the muscles which are of either side of the mouth which vpon this occasion opens with a visible change of the whole forme of the face But it riseth from the pleasure and ioy which our soule conceiueth by reason of the pleasing obiects which present themselues vnto our sense It is certaine that as new things and not expected prouoke most ioy in our hearts so they stirre vs vp sooner to laughter For proof whereof hauing once accustomed our selues to see spectacles and sights how pleasing soeuer they be they doe not moue vs to laugh as they did when wee first behelde them And in like manner profound cogitations and meditations hinder laughter wherefore wise men doe not laugh so easily as others as well for that they haue alwayes their spirits busied and imployed about some serious meditations which will not suffer them to regard such triuiall things as commonly make the Vulgar to laugh As also for that the great knowledge they haue of things hinders them from esteeming many of those things newe or strange which the common sort admire And withall their complexion doâ—h contribute thereunto for that most commonly it inclines to melancholy which makes them pensiue and more difficult to moue to ioy The reason why many things please at the first approach and afterwards lose this grace by custome and continuance proceedes from nothing else but that at the first sight our thought is â—ied vnto it with a certaine vehemency which yeelding by little and little makes the pleasure decay The which is not onely seene in the obiects of the sight whereof our eyes growing weary by little begin to slacke in their action and to become more negligent in beholding them but also in the obiects of all the other senses wherewith our soule is loathed in the end after too long a continuance The reason is for that as in the action of the eyes the vitall spirits consume by the vehemency of the attention so in all other operations of the senses the disposition of the Organs alter and are changed by the motion and by the impression which the obiects that vnite themselues vnto our senses make so as it is impossible that the creature should long enioy one kinde of pleasure or suffer the same griefe And moreouer as we haue sayd before that diuersity as an Image of the changes of Nature is pleasing hath also a place in this subiect for that men are weary alwayes to enioy the same pleasures and see the same obiects Wherefore the continuance causeth distaste how sweete soeuer the possession be And therefore Lucian brings in a man who beeing made a god was weary of his diuinity and desired to dye that he might bee no more and his reason was that the life of men did not seeme tedious vnto him but onely for that hee still beheld the same things one Sunne one and the same Moone the same Starres the same meates and the same Pleasures which change not their face wherfore sayd he tasting nothing but the same thing in this Diuinity where I am I am weary and thereupon would needes dye to change Moreouer there are men who are wonderfull sensible of ioy which bee they to whom all things seem new as children and the ignorant multitude whom any sights prouoke to laugh whereas wise men are nothing mooued The complexion doth also helpe much to ioy as they which abound in blood and haue it not cholericke and adust but pure and sweete are Iouiall by nature and loue to laugh Whereas mellancholy men are hardly mooued to ioy The delight or pleasure which wee conceiue of the obiects which are agreeable vnto vs doth vsually stirre vp in vs an ardent desire and as it were a thirst of a new or a more full enioying The which proceedes
in publique assemblies We are also ashamed to shew our defects before those whom we thinke wee haue offended and are not our friends For that we know they will not faile to publish our imperfections Finally wee blush when as any thing vnworthy of our condition befalls vs in the view of such whose fauour friendship wee seeke ambitiously apprehending that this misfortune will bee an obstacle to our pursuites and a subiect to make vs be reiected As in like manner we blush to see our selues surprized in some notable fault by such as had vs in good esteeme especially if they be our familiar friends or of our owne family which discouer the error into which we had neuer before fallen or had alwaies cunningly concealed it There are also diuerse other subiects which make an impression of Shame and for example at our first speech to any one whom we know not well we blush for that being ignorant what account hee makes of vs or how hee is affected to vs wee are in suspence betwixt hope feare and know not how hee will entertaine our discourse And in like manner we are surprized with Shame when as wee are to speake before a great multitude and a concourse of people For that in this great diuersity of minds and humors we thinke it impossible but there is some one who hath no great disposition to fauour vs. Moreouer when as we are to speake before a person of eminent quality of exquisite knowledge or of exact iudgement wee blush and are amazed by reason of the great respect wee haue of him which makes vs feare to fayle before him and this feare fills vs with Shame and makes vs blush Wee are also not only ashamed of our defects but euen of all the signes and tokens of our vices and bad inclinations As wee blush not only at vncleannesse but also at all the signes of wantonnesse especially we are ashamed at licentious words which offend chaste eares Wherefore Alceus hauing opened his mouth to speake to Sapho then staying himselfe and pretending for his excuse that Shame had hindred his speech she answered If you had not had some bad desire but had meant to speake that which was honest and not licentious Shame had not appeared in your eyes neither had it tyed your tongue but you would haue deliuered your thoughts freely By all that we haue sayd it followeth that men are not ashamed to do or say any thing whatsoeuer before such as they do not esteeme but contemne Whereby it followes that they neither respect nor feare the eyes of children nor beasts But those before whom wee are most ashamed to shew our selues in our misfortune are our enemies to whom wee know our miseries are a sweete and pleasing spectacle As Caesar seeing himselfe a prisoner in the hands of Pirats said That his enemy Crassus would be glad of the misfortune which had befallen him To cōclude mē are ashamed to see thēselues defamed publikely as to be led to execution in the midst of a multitude of people to bee witnesses of their ignominy And yet the Poet Antiphon being condemned to dye with many others by Denis the Tyrant when as hee saw his companions going to execution passing before a great multitude to hide their faces as being ashamed beeing come out of the City he said vnto them What my friends d ee you feare that some one of these Gallants will see you againe to morrow and reproach you with your misfortune But doubtlesse euery man hath not this resolution nor so great a courage in the last indignities of life CHAP. 2. Of the Effects of Shame AS there are certayne Plants whose roots are venemous and mortall to such as vse them but their leaues are indued with excellent qualities and proper for the preseruation of the health of man So there are Passions of the soule which on the one side serue man as a spurre to vertue and on the other side precipitate him to vice And this is particularly incident to Shame the which doth sometime induce men to decline from wickednesse and sometime shee diuerts them from commendable vertuous actions by the apprehension of an imaginary dishonour Timoleon conceiuing that all the world did hate him for that he had consented to the death of his brother who was a plague to his common Wealth wandred vp and down the fields twenty years together and could not resolue to embrace the defence of his Citizens generously Others beeing ashamed to abandon their Countrey in publike calamities haue carried themselues couragiously to vndertake things for the which they knew they shold bee vnworthily recompenced by the ingratitude of their Citizens But before wee come to the effects which Shame produceth in the soule let vs see what impressions shee makes in the body for it seemes shee stirres vp an effect farre different from the cause from whence it proceedes Shame say the Philosophers Is a kinde of feare which ariseth for that man doubts some blame and some censure of his actions As Feare then retires the blood and makes it descend about the heart how comes it that Shame should cause the blood to ascend vnto the countenance and make the face to blush Whereunto they answer that men may be threatned with two kinds of miseries whereof the one is not onely contrary to the inclination of their senses but also tends to the destruction of their nature and being as extreame dangers and perills of death Others are onely contrary to the desires of the senses but doe not threaten man with death or the decay of his being As for example the blame and dishonour which wee apprehend for something we haue done When man then propounds vnto himselfe the forme of these first kindes of obiects that is to say of those calamities which tend to the dissolution of his being Nature beeing amazed by the impressiō which she receiues from the senses striues to succour them and drawes the blood and heate vnto the heart which is as wee haue said the fountaine of life whereupon the countenance being destitute of blood man growes pale in these great terrors But when as he apprehends onely the calamities of the second kinde that is to say those which tend not to the destruction of his beeing but onely to the decrease of his glory Nature is not so powerfully mooued by the senses for that the ruine of her consistence is not directly in question but leaues the griefe in the senses whose amazement doth not send the heat and blood into the body but causeth it to mount into the face which becomes all red and sanguine Some beleeue that this blushing is as it were a veile which Nature extends before her to couer her shame as wee see commonly they that are ashamed carry their hands before their faces and eyes for that those parts are most afflicted with shame in regard they are the most noble And the impression is particularly made in the eies
vnworthy They are angry also with such as dissemble things and make a ieast of that which they haue done seriously for this dissimulation and diuersion of their intensions is a signe of scorne Finally men are discontented with those which doe good to all the world yet do none to them in particular for they are conceited that such as haue no care to bind them vnto them shewing an inclination to oblige all the world witnesse thereby that they esteeme them not as they do other men but haue a most base conceit of their merit This consideration hath bred discōtents in the courts of great Princes for euery one holding himselfe as worthy as his companion to attain vnto the offices of State when as any one is aduanced without mention made of them they conceiue that his good fortune is a blemish to their glory makes them to be esteemed inferiour to his merite To cōclude forgetfulnesse prouokes choler for that forgetfulnesse is a signe of the little care they haue of men And this little care is a mark of contempt for that the things whereof they make account are most carefully recommended to memory CHAP. 3. Of the Effects and remedies of Choler AMONG all the Passions that trouble transport the soule of man there is not any accompanied with so great violence which shewes such brutishnesse or that produce such fatall and tragicall effects as Choler which seemes properly to be the spring frō whence flowes all the miseries and ruines which happen in the world For whereas other passiōs as Loue and Ioy Desire and Hope haue certain beams of sweetnesse which makes them pleasing Choler is full of bitternes hath no sweeter obiects thē punishments blood and slaughter which serue to glut her reuenge These be her delights these are her ioyes these are the sweetest and most pleasing spectacles which she can behold But if you desire to see how shee is the fountaine of all the horrors which are dispersed ouer the world and make it desolate reade in histories of the sacking of Townes of Prouinces ruined and made deserts obseruing the euersion and ouerthrow of Empires Diademes troden vnder foote Princes basely betrayed and smothered by poyson Kings murthered great Commanders in Warre cast into chaines and seruing as an example of humane miserie Consider that whole multitudes haue beene put to the sword or made Gallyslaues whole Natiōs rooted out the Temples wheras Diuinity dwels prophaned the Altars beaten down and whatsoeuer was most holy and most reuerend among men vnworthily violated and they shall find that all these tragicall spectacles are the effects of that cruell and inhumane fury But setting apart the horror of the effects which shee produceth generally let vs obserue the miseries whereof she is the cause in priuate persons that suffer themselues to bee transported with this Passion First then if the saying of Physitians be true that of all the infirmities wherewith we are afflicted there are none worse nor more dangerous then those which disfigure the face of man and which make it deformed and vnlike vnto himselfe we must conclude by the same reason that of all the Passions of man there is not any one more pernitious nor more dreadfull then Choler which alters the gracefull countenance and the whole constitution of man For as furious and mad men shew the excesse of their rage by the violent changes which appeare in their bodies euen so a man transported with Choler giues great signes of the frenzie that doth afflict him his eyes full of fire and flame which this Passion doth kindle seeme fiery sparckling his face is wonderfully inflamed as by a certaine refluxe of blood which ascends from the heart his haire stands vpright and staring with horror his mouth cannot deliuer his words his tongue falters his feete and hands are in perpetuall motion He vomits out nothing but threats hee speakes of nothing but blood and vengeance Finally his constitution is so altered and his lookes so terrible as he seemes hideous and fearefull euen to his dearest friends What must the soule then be within whose outward image is so horrible Wherefor an Ancient sayd that Choler was a short fury And another maintained that all violent Choler turned into madnesse The which we may confirme by that which is written of Hercules who growing furious knew not his owne wife and children vpon whom he exercised his rage tearing them inhumanely in peeces euen so they ouer whom Choler hath gotten absolute power forget all affinity and friendship and without any respect make their owne kinsfolkes and friends feele the effects of their fury For it is a Passion which growes bitter against all the world which springs aswell from loue as from hatred and is excited aswell in sport as in the most serious actions So as it imports not from what cause it proceeds but with what spirit it incounters As it imports not how great the fire is but where it falles for the most violent cannot fire marble whereas the smallest sparkles will burne straw Hereby wee gather that this Passion domineers principally in hot and fiery constitutions for that heate is actiue and wilfull and giues an inclination to these kinds of violence making vs to grow bitter easily yea vpon the least subiect that may be Finally to returne to our first purpose Choler doth not only disfigure the body but many times it ruines it wholy For some being extraordinarily moued haue broken their veines and vomited out their soule with the blood yea they which haue slaine themselues owe their misfortune to Choler which hath forced them to this last fury hauing then left such cruell signes of rage vpon the body she assailes the mind shee doth outrage to the soule and smothers reason in man and like vnto a thicke cloud will not suffer it to enlighten him and by this meanes fills him with disorder and confusion So as hee begins to shut his eare to all good aduice he will no more heare speake of that which may helpe to mollifie his courage which is full of bitternesse and violence so as taking pleasure in his owne affliction he abhorres all remedies and flies the hand of the Physitian which might cure him yea in this transport hee is offended at any thing and imitates the sauage beasts whom the most cheerefull colours thrust into fury An innocent smile a shaking of the head which signifies nothing a glance of the eye without dessigne is capable to draw him to the field But how often haue wee seene this inhumaine fury dissolue euen the most sacred friendship vpon very friuolous subiects hath shee not prouoked dearest friends to duells and made them serue as spectacles of infamy both to heauen and earth for quarrells imbraced without any ground It is then very apparant that this Passion is not only infamous but also most wretched seeing that vnder an weake pretext of reuenge she doth precipitate men into most horrible villanies makes them
his desires and intentions But whence comes the power which this Passion hath thus to vnite the subiects where it worketh This cannot well bee explicated without the aide of Philosophy First of all Loue say the Philosophers is a desire to enioy the good wee propound vnto our selues as proper for our content and capable to make vs in some sort better by the fruition But this enioying participation cannot bee effected but by vniting the obiect to our affection which is the same good we propound vnto our selues wherefore it is of the Essence of Loue that it produceth this vnion Hence it proceeds that the presence of the party beloued is so deare and pretious vnto vs and that we feele our selues filled with content when as we may enioy him to entertaine our thoughts to taste the sweetnesse of his company and to discouer our Passions whereas his absence and separation giues vs a thousand torments and afflicts vs with a thousand sorrowes and discontents which wee would redeeme with our liues Wherefore when as death doth take violently from vs those whom wee loue dearely and by this meanes hath condemned vs as it were to a perpetuall absence we striue to ease our griefe and sweeten our losse by transporting our selues often to the places where we were accustomed to see theÌ„ representing vnto our selues their portracts and images reading ouer their letters stil handling al the gages and monuments they left vs of their affection Sometimes the same gages and the same momuments of their affection displease vs and wee do so abhorre them as wee cannot indure to see them nor handle them but this growes from the griefe of their absence for that we then represent them as infallible signes of our losse which they figure vnto vs as irreparable by reason whereof their pictures fill vs with bitternes But on the other side when as the same things seeme vnto vs to supply the presence wee Loue them dearely and cannot bee weary to entertaine our selues with those thoughts And if amidst all this we can inuent any thing that may serue to preserue the memory more liuely in our soules wee imbrace the inuention and are wonderfully pleased with this art Wherein doubtlesse Artimesia Queene of Caria shewed an act of wonderfull Passion towards her husband Mausolus For death hauing taken him away this desolate Princesse not knowing how to pull the thornes of her sorrow out ofher soule she caused his body to be reduced to ashes and mingled them in her drinke meaning to make her body a liuing tombe whereas the reliques of her deare husband might rest from whom shee could not endure to liue separated The most subtile Philosophers giue a second reason of this vnion which ariseth froÌ„ Loue. Loue say they hath her feate in the Will they doe not consider it as a Passion onely which riseth in the sences but also as a quality which in the end becomes spirituall but there is this difference betwixt the vnderstanding and Will the vnderstanding goes not out of it selfe to ioyne with his obiect but rather he drawes the obiect vnto him whereof the Image is framed to produce his action like vnto a seale which prints its forme in the waxe But the Will being toucht with the Loue of her obiect suffers it selfe to bee drawne to his Image and going out of it selfe vnites it selfe vnto him to take his forme like vnto the waxe which receiues impressions of the seale So as by this reason Loue is thoght to cause the vnion of him that loueth with the party beloued for that his will rauished by his loue hath no other Passion but to see her self vnited vnto her But these meditations are too nice for our subiect The second effect they attribute to Loue and which is as it were a branch and bud of the first is that it causeth the soule of him that loues to bee more where it loues then where it liues and that reciprocally the soule of the party beloued is more with the louer then with his owne body The reason is for that the soules of such as loue are perpetually attentiue to coÌ„template the image of that they loue and haue no other thoght nor greater pleasure then that they receiue by this sweete entertainment By reason whereof the soule making shew of a more exact presence where it doth most frequently worke it followes thereby that it is more with the party beloued then in its owne body But let vs heare the opinion of the Platonicians vpon this point The soule say they which is toucht to the quicke with Loue dying in iâ—s owne body findes life in that it loues And when this Loue is reciprocall it dies but once wheras it reuiues twice For he that loues dyes truly when as Loue makes him neglect and forget the causes of his life to thinke wholly vppon the party beloued but hee recouers his life doubly when as he sees himselfe imbraced and entertained by the party beloued and that he finds in his armes his deer Image which hee preserues more carefully then his own life Who will not then say they hold this death happy which is recompenced by two such sweete liues But this discourse of the Platonicians presupposeth an equall correspoÌ„dency in Loue without the which they maintaine that this Passion is full of despaire leaues nothing in our soules but importune and troublesome thornes Wherfore the Ancients said that to make Loue grow shee had neede of a brother But wee haue treated sufficiently of this Subiect They attribute other effects to Loue that is to say languishings extasies and amazements but that Loue must bee very violent which doth produce them And moreouer wee may consider these extasies and rauishâ—ments which may happen in a violent Loue after two sorts First we may obserue them as a true alienation of the sences which ariseth for that the spirit and will of him that loueth being wholy imployed in the contemplation and enioying of the thing beloued suffereth himselfe to bee so transported with this content as the soule remaines as it were quencht and without motion The which may also proceed from a more powerfull cause that is to say either from God or from euill spirits which somtimes stirre vp these rauishments and extraordinary extasies Secondly we may consider these extasies rauishments as a kind of madnes which transports them that Loue and makes them to commit many follies wherefore an Ancient sayd that Iupiter himselfe could not be wise and loue at one instant These extasies and rauishments produce sometimes prodigious effects in their soules that are afflicted with this Passion For that his soule that loues intirely is perpetually imployâ—ed in the contemplation of the party beloued and hath no other thoughts but of his merit the heate abandoning the parts and retiring into the braine leaues the whole body in great distemperature which corrupting and consuming the whole bloud makes the face grow pale wanne causeth
Porphyrie Marble Amber Câ—ystal Iuory Flowers tapistries Diamonds Rubies all other things where the eye discouers the wonders of nature and the Art of man are the obiects of an innocent pleasure if we could vse them moderately But wee suffer our selues to bee transported with so furious a Desire and we seeke them with such an inraged heate as it is rather a madnesse then a Desire An Ancient said That nothing had more distasted him from loue and the Passion of all those things then to see the stately Triumphs of Rome where they exposed to the sight all the gold and siluer of that great City to serue for an ornament and carried the Pictures Images Armes plate pretious stones Treasure Tapistry and the Mooueables of vanquished Kings the spoyles of their rich Prouinces to encrease their glory And his reason was for that said he all this pompe all this lustre all this glory and this abundance of treasure was seen in one day and then vanished So as in a short time our eyes might behold all the pride not only of Rome but of the world This was to make a man wise by sights whereas others become mad There are other pleasures of the eyes which pollute by the excesse of our cupidities and by the disorder of our desires as when our eyes not content to behold the beauty of a woman conceiue an vnchaste desire Besides these diuers pleasures of the eyes there are others of smelling hearing and feeling wherein wee obserue as little measure as in the rest Perfumes are exquisite presents of Nature but our effeminate delicacy hath made the vse infamous and shamefull Musick consorts and the sweetnesse of Instruments were things which wee might vse honestly without offence but we haue conuerted all into Luxury which prophanes the vse And amidst all this abundance neither doe our eyes satisfie their Desires by so many obiects which they behold neither doe our eares finde their heate quenched nor our other senses their passions by whatsoeuer offers it selfe to their desires The other pleasures wherunto man is addicted as play combats huntings exercises companies and whatsoeuer he doth to ease the cares of this life cannot satisfie nor giue any full contentment to man but amidst all these roses hee stil meets with some thornes and seekes dayly after newe contentment so insatiable are his Desires The same Cupidities also vary according to the ages complexions and humours of those which are toucht with this Passion Yong men are passionate after play and women and exceede in these pleasures The sicke wish for health as the souereigne good of his life old men desire good wine and good fare which seemes to make them liue againe to adde new vigor to their bodies Princes and generous spirits breath nothing but glory tryumphs and trophies which serue to aduance them beyond the ordinary of men They which are of a sanguine and hot complexion haue a Passion fit for all things and they pursue them with great heate but it lasts not long and is like a fire of straw inconstancy change accompanying them still in their pursuites Whereas they that are of a cold constitution haue no great desires by reason of the heauinesse of their humors But they are obstinate in their pursuits and can hardly bee diuerted from the obiect whereunto they are tied They which haue the least feeling of the motions of Desire are such as haue no apprehensioÌ„ of the discoÌ„modities and miseries of this life as they that are young great spirits men ouertaken with wine and finally all such as haue much blood and heate gathered together about the heart As in like manner they are not much transported which haue neuer felt any vrgent necessity For as feare and distrustes increase Desire to prouide all things necessary for the preseruation of this life they which haue tasted of crosses apprehending to fall into their first miseries do Desire infinite things to fortifie themselues against all accidents supposing still that nothing can secure them sufficiently They also which haue little blood about their hearts that but luke-warme haue naturally cares and ardent desires to gather for that they feare to see themselues fall into want and pouerty and the importune care they haue to preuent this misery afflicts their soules and tortures their minds Hence it comes that we often see men who haue bene prodigall and very profuse in their youth so change their inclinations as when they come to age there can be nothing noted in them but base couetousnes in all their actions whereas on the other side wee commonly see that wine and Loue make couetous men bountifull Finally when we haue gotten with much paine the goods which we enioy wee shew more vehemency to keepe them The which may arise from two causes either for that we feare to fall againe into the necessity in which we haue bene and apprehend to see our selues forced to take new paines and to vndergo new toyles to recouer our estates Or else for that the things which we haue gotten with sweat and danger are more deare vnto vs then those which come without labour and paine So we see a young Heire which comes to a great Estate by the death of his father will bountifully bestow his gold and siluer and dissipate within few dayes what his miserable father had bene long a gathering and which he had not gotten but with infinite torments both of body and mind Whereas a Merchant who hath tried the dangers of traffique who hath grown pale a thousand times at Sea during his voyages who hath seene himselfe often neere death and ready to fall into the hands of Pyrates or theeues will not thrust his hand rashly into his coffers nor distribute his mony but with great stayednesse and wonderfull discretion which may make him to bee held base and couetous Doubtlesse wee haue seene in our times the most generous Prince of the world who shewed no such magnificence in the bestowing of his excessiue treasures as the glory of his birth and the splendor of his other actions seemed to require So as many had a conceite that he feared to fall into his first necessities but doubtlesse his good husbandry was far better then our profusions Wee haue spoken sufficiently of this Passion of Desire the which hauing in a manner all things common with Loue it shall not need any longer Treaty nor more words to explaine it As for the Passion which is contrary vnto it as it hath no name although it bee the same which makes vs abhorre and fly that which wee thinke is hurtfull to our nature so it is not needfull to seeke out the conditions and particularities seeing they are in a manner the same which we haue obserued vppon the subiect of Hatred Moreouer that from the nature of Desire we may gather what that of horror is seeing that one contrary deciphers another Of Pleasure or Delight CHAP. 1. AS this great Fabricke of
which are aboue all feared The first are such as are very happy which haue many friends abundance of wealth great Spirits great power and which haue not yet tryed the miseries of this life For this great felicity this immoderate wealth this exceeding power and the other aduantages of nature and Fortune make men hardy insolent outragious and to contemne all the world Whereas on the other side pouerty and weaknesse make men fearefull for that the callamity which doth presse vs being the obiect of Feare they which neither haue meanes nor power to defend themselues haue cause to apprehend The second sort of men are they which thinke they haue suffered the cruellist afflictions that can bee endured in this life and whom the custome of forepasâ—ed miseries haue made insensible of future calamities as they that are led to execution after that they haue bene tortured in prison But the chiefe reason why these men haue abandoned all Feare is that which Aristotle alledgeth that To haue an apprehension of the things which afflict vs there must bee some hope or some shew to be freed from it by industry And therefore Feare makes vs fly to Counsells and to seeke out remedies For no man consults of a businesse that is desperate So as these men seeing no reliefe in their affaires as they haue no more hope so they cannot Feare And touching that which Aristotle saith that Feare makes vs flie to Counsells some one may make a question whether that Feare doth contribute any thing to make men more wise and more disperse their Feare Whereunto the answere is easie that Feare makes an impression in vs of greater care to seeke for Counsell to fortifie vs against the calamities that do threaten vs but many times it doth hinder vs from reaping the fruits which we might gather without this apprehension The reason of the first is that Feare representing the danger hanging ouer our heads and hard to be auoyded it binds vs to seeke the meanes to diuert it and makes vs to craue aduice of our friends to supply our weaknesse The reason of the second is for that they which are troubled with Feare or transported with any other Passion imagine things to be greater or lesse then they are so as they that loue value the things beloued much they that Feare represent them more horrible Wherefore in that regard all Passions are enemies to wise Counsells and good resolutions Of the Effects of Feare CHAP. 2. THE Effects of Feare are diuerse strange for to leaue the impression which it makes in the mind of man whereof we will speake hereafter she doth produce all these effects vpon his body First shee shrinkes vp his heart and doth weaken it by the liuely apprehension which she doth giue it of the affliction By reason whereof all the heate that is in his face is forced to flie vnto it to succour it and when as that sufficeth not the blood of the other parts flow also vnto it So as they that are affrighted grow pale For prouident nature to preserue the life of man hauing thus call'd backe the blood and spirits from all the parts to succour the heart which is the fountaine speedily leaues the other parts wholy vnfurnisht and naked In regard whereof the blood being that which giues colour and makes man to haue a sanguine hew it being fled his complexion fades and hee growes pale For the same reason they that are amazed are presently surprized with a continuall shaking for that the heate which resides in the blood and spirits being that which supports and fortifies the members of man being destitute thereof they can hardly support themselues but tremble and shake in that manner And whereas the hands and lippes shew greater signes of alteration then the rest the reason is for that those parts haue a more strict bond with the heart and haue lesse blood then the rest and therefore cold doth more easily make an impression vpon them Finally the members which haue a particular connexion with the heart haue also a particular feeling of his agitation wherein it is strange that as trembling is an effect of the want of heate and that Feare chaseth the heate vnto the heart to preserue the center of life yet they that are terrified haue their hearts agitated and they beate in them as if they were destitute of heate The reason is although that prouident nature to preserue the heart sends downe the heate from aboue yet Feare doth not suffer it to subsist long there but doth chase it lower for that in them that feare their spirits grow thicke and become more heauy by reason of the cold which imaginatioÌ„ doth produce that they are not able to resist the danger which doth threaten them So as the spirits being growne thus heauy by reason of the cold which this imagination leaues tends downeward and remaines not about the heart They that are surprized with feare feele strange alteration and are wonderfully dry for that the heate which nature hath drawne about the heart burnes and filles the bowells with an exceeding heate which makes him to desire cold and moist things wherein thirst consists to quench this troublesome alteration to refresh the Creature and to free it from this insupportable heate And for that in this motion of feare the heate descends it made Homer to say of him that was without courage that his heart was fallen to his heeles after which there commonly followes many accidents which slacken and vnknit all the ioynts and ligatures of the body but especially they that are terrified haue their tongs tied can hardly speak causing them to â—umble in their discourses yea their voyce is very shrill and weake for that it is abandoned by the heate which should entertaine her force whereas in choler it shewes it selfe more strong for that the heate which ascends fortifies it makes it more powerfull Moreouer feare makes the hayres to stand vp with horror for that in the absence of heaâ—e the cold congealeth and stoppes the conduicts by which it passeth So as the haire as it were opprest in the rootes by the cold which diuerts their naturall nourishment for that they cannot suffer a strange humour full of excrements which doth rot them they stand vpright with horror the which sometimes workes so strange an effect by her vehemency as they make young men grow graye in an instant whereof wee haue a memorable example in the age of our fathers during the reigne of the Emperour Charles the fift For Francis Gonzague hauing caused a young man of his house to bee committed to prison for that he suspected hee had conspired against him this miserable young man was so terrified with his affliction as the same night hee was cast into prison his haire grew all white In the morning his Keeper seeing him thus changed went and made report thereof to Gonzague who being amazed at this prodigie coÌ„ceiued that it was a testimony of
his innocence whereupon he pardoned him This sudden change of the prisoners haire proceeded without doubt for that the vehemency of his feare caused the heate retire from his braine As in like manner old men grow white for want of heate which decayes with age Finally they that haue little hot blood about the heart are naturally fearefull So as those Creatures which haue great hearts to the proportion of their bodies as Stagges and Panthers are more subiect to feare for that hauing little heate it is weakned dispersing it selfe into a large exteÌ„t euen as a litle fire cannot so warme a large roome as it would do one that is lesse So as the blood growes cold is lesse able to warme the heart which is the seate of courage Whereas other creatures which haue more heat and the heart proportionably lesse are more hardy and couragious For that the heat abounding in them it is more actiue and the subiect where it workes dispersing not her action by extent shee workes more powerfully so as she enflames them to all generous enterprizes and glorious designes But let vs come to the effects which Feare breedes in the minde of man Besides all these strange accidents which she doth produce in the body shee causeth other disorders in the soule filling it with such confusion as shee leaues him neither memory nor iudgement nor will to encounter any danger that threatens his ruine Wherefore it is not the worke of an ordinary courage to haue a constant resolution in the middest of greatest dangers and suddenly to finde remedies against the mischiefes that threaten him As histories giue this commendation of Hannibal Iugurth Caesar Alexander and some few of those great spirits of former ages whose iudgements were neuer danted with apprehension of any danger but in the middest of combates they could speedily redresse all accidents which happening suddenly might amaze their Armies and depriue them of the victory Moreouer Feare like a feruile and base Passion depriues man of all courage and whereas the apprehension of danger is a spurre to generous spirits to fortifie them and to make them seek powerfull meanes to auoyde the danger it doth so deiect faint-hearted and fearefull men as they remaine as it were immoueable and vncapable of all action Moreouer it makes a man ashamed and confounded and to contemne himselfe he crosseth his armes and flatters them basely and vnworthily whom hee thinkes may ease his griefe It fills him also with amazement and as if it were able to conuert him into a rocke it reduceth him to that stupiditie as hee forgets himselfe and becomes as it were insensible of the miseries which oppresse him althogh they vexe him worse then death But you must remember that wee speake of a disordered Feare which doth wholly trouble the imagination of man for there is a kinde of moderate feare which striking reason but gentlely makes vs aduised to the which the Stoickes giue the name of circumspection to prouide with iudgement for that which concernes vs for that it makes vs carefull and atentiue to looke to our affaires and to giue order for that which is necessary to shelter vs from stormes Of Shame CHAP. 1. SEEING that Shame is as it were a shoote or a Sience of Feare wee must shew wherein it consists and what effects it doth produce to the end we may leaue nothing behinde that may concerne this subiect Shame then is A griefe and a confusion which growes from the apprehension of some crosses which may make man infamous And vnder this kinde wee comprehend those calamities which are preseÌ„t past or yet to come so as they bee of that nature as they may trouble and breed a confusion in the soule of man And impudency on the other side is a contempt of the same misery for want of feeling By the definition of Shame we may gather that men are ashamed of those things that they thinke will breed them infamy or lay some aspersion vpon them or their friends or vpon such as belong vnto them So as first of all all vices and all things that doe resemble or haue any shew of vice are capable to breede Shame in our soules As for example it is a shamefull thing to flye from the Army in a day of battaile for that this flight is a signe of basenesse and want of courage In like manner it is a shamefull thing to refuse to restore that which hath beene left with vs in guard and which hath beene consigned to our fidelity for that this refusall is a proofe oâ— our iniustice disloyalty It is also a shamefull thing to run indifferently into all dishonest places in the which as Diogenes said to a young man the fartheâ— he enters the more his infamy encreaseth for that it is a testimony of intemperance and dissolutenesse And againe it is a very shamefull thing to seeke to reape profite from all base and abiect things like â—o that Romane Emperour who said The fauour of gaine was alwayes sweete from whence soeuer it came for it is a signe of a prodigious couetousnesse Moreouer it is a shamefull thing to refuse to releeue them that are in misery and implore our aide with money or any other thing for it is a signe of our inhumanity yea it is a Shame not to assist them bountifully according to their meanes But especially when they are our kinsfolkes our Allies our friends or such persons as at another time may require the offices wee haue done them in their necessity It is a Shame to begge for fauor or to borrow money of an inferiour or that is poorer then our selues and wee cannot but blush to require money of him in lone who hath first demanded it of vs or to require of him who would gladly bee payd that which we owe him All these things cannot proceede but from a base minde and voyde of integrity Moreouer wee blush when as wee praise any one aboue his merit and when as we seeke to excuse in him the defects that are inexcusable to the end that wee may obtaine some fauour some present or some assistance from him And in like manner we cannot but blush when as to insinuate our selues into the fauour of any one wee abandon our selues to impudency to extoll his good fortune and the successe of his prosperity without measure As also wee are ashamed of the extraordinary demonstrations we do vsually make to men afflicted to witnesse vnto them the feeling wee haue of their griefe as when to comfort our Friend for the death of some one that was deere vnto him we wish although it bee farre from our thought that we were able to redeeme him whose losse is so bitter vnto him with the losse of our owne blood or life for all these are signes of insupportable flattery which cause euen our friends to blush when they heare vs. Wee blush in like manner when as wee refuse to endure the toyle of honorable imployments which
seeme to threaten him he goes couragiously to encounter them whereas when he is surprized by feare he faints and abandons himselfe vnto the misfortune his despaire rising from the difficulties which he apprehends in the good which he should hope for But to haue full knowledge of this subiect and of the whole matter we must in the end of this chapter shew how despaire is contrary to hope and seek the reason why it may sometimes make men valiant and to winne great victories First of all you must remember what wee haue formerly sayd that among the Passions of the soule they obserue two kinds of opposition The first is found among those that haue contrary things for obiects and that is onely a-among the passions of the Concupiscible part as for example betwixt Loue and Hatred whereof the one regards the good and the other the euill The second is obserued betwixt those that in truth regard the same obiect but with diuerse considerations and that is found among the Irascible passions whereof the one seekes the good and the other flies it by reason of the difficulty which doth inuiron it As for example Courage and Feare do both regard an imminent danger which presents it selfe to the imagination but courage lookes vppon it to encounter and vanquish it and feare regards it to auoyd it and flye from it if it be in her power After this manner then despaire is contrary to hope for that the obiect of hope which is a good difficult to obtaine drawes vs of the one side that is to say so farre as wee doe imagine a power to obtaine it But it doth reiect vs on the other side as when we apprehend that wee haue no meanes to enioy it for this apprehension daunts our resolution or that as Aristotle teacheth the impossibility which wee imagine in things makes vs to giue ouer their pursuit Wherefore in this consideration despaire is quite contrary to hope But some one may say How comes it that many times in warre despaire makes men valiant and giues them great victories as well as Hope for that it is not the custom of nature to produce the like effects from contrary causes To which we answer that when in the midst of despaire men resolue to fight valiantly as we reade of the English in the plaines of Poictiers where they tooke one of our Kings prisoner it happens for that they haue not lost all hope for they that see no apparence of safety by flying and apprehend that it cannot preserue them from falling into their enemies hands but will purchase them eternall shame with their miserie losing all hope of that side they resume new courage and resolue to sell their liues dearely and to reuenge their deaths gloriously Wherefore great Captaines haue alwaies held opinion that enemies should not bee thrust into despaire beeing put to flight but rather make them a bridge of gold to giue them meanes to passe riuers lest that finding themselues staied and despairing of all safety they should take more courage and generously reuenge their first basenesse by a cruell slaughter of their enemies Of Choler CHAP. 1. OF all the passions of the soule there is not any one that takes such deepe root or extends her branches farther then Choler wherof neither age condition people nor nation are fully exempt There are whole Countries which liuing vnder a sharp rough climate are not acquainted with pleasures There are others who contenting themselues with those benefits which nature presents vnto them are not enflamed with any ambition Some there be to whom misery is familiar as they fear not any accidents of fortune But there is not any ouer whom Choler doth not exercise her power and shew the excesse of her rage Yea she enflames whole kingdomes and Empires whereas the other passions doe onely trouble and agitate priuate persons Wee haue neuer seene a whole Nation surprized with the loue of one woman It was neuer foūd that a whole City hath beene transported with a desire to heape vp treasure Ambition doth puffe vp but certaine spirits But we see Cities Prouinces and whole States enflamed with Choler and transported by this fury with a publicke conspiracy of great small young and olde men and children Magistrates and multitude we see Commonalties whom this fury hath incensed runne all to Armes to reuenge a disgrace or a wrong which they pretend hath beene done them Wee haue also seene great and powerfull Armies which haue bene the terror of the world ruine themselues by this fury which hath thrust them into mutiny against their Commanders Wherefore if there be any passion which is pernicious vnto man-kind it is this which seemes neither to haue bounds nor limits nor any shew of reason It shall bee therefore fit to know the nature properties and effects thereof to the end wee may finde out some remedy to diuert the miseries which shee brings into the world Let vs begin by the Definition which giues a full light of the Essence of the thing and makes vs to know perfectly Choler is an ardent passion which vpon the apparence there is to be able to reuenge our selues incites vs to a feeling of a contempt and sensible iniury which we beleeue hath been vniustly done either to our selues or to those we loue Whereby it appeares first that Choler is accompanied with a heate which is framed and ingendred in vs for that this passion enflames the blood and spirits which are about the heart by meanes of the gall which in this heat exhales it selfe and ascends vnto the braine where it troubles our imagination This heate differs from that which proceedes from loue for that the heate which is found in loue tending to the thing beloued to vnite it selfe with it is mixt with a certaine sweetenesse so as the Philosophers compare it to the moderate heate of the ayre or blood Wherefore we say that sanguine complexions are most capable of loue that the bounty of the liuer wheras the blood is framed induceth to loue But the heate of Choler is boyling full of bitternesse and accompanied with sharpenes which tends to the destruction of the obiect which it pursues and is properly like to the heate of a great fire or to adust choler extraordinarily mooued which consumes the subiect whereunto it is fixed and therefore the Philosophers maintaine that it proceedes from the gall It appeares also by the Definition of Choler that she hath alwayes for obiect the particular persons which haue wronged vs. Wherein she differs from hatred which extends to a multitude of men As for example wee detest all murtherers all theeues all poysoners and all slanderers euen as wee abhorre all serpents vipers and venemous beasts And therefore it is not sufficient to satisfie our Choler that he that hath done vs wrong fall into some disaster which might suffice to giue satisfaction to our hatred But moreouer to giue vs full contentment hee must know that
tread all diuine and humaine lawes vnder feete to satiate her inâ—olency and rage Wherein doubtles she is more to bee blamed then all the other Passions wherewith the soule of man is afflicted For that the other Passions haue this property that euen at the very instant when as they are as it were in the height of their transport giue way somewhat to reason and yeeld in some sort vnto her commandements when as shee presents her self to pacifie them Whereas Choler doth like vnto Marriners which are amazed or corrupted and will giue no eare to the voice of their Pilot Or as mutinous souldiers which will not heare the aduice of their Leaders Yea shee despiâ—es truth if shee opposeth against her rage and although she come to know the innocency of the party whom shee persecutes yet she holds obstinacy more honorable then repentance So as nothing shal be able to make her desist from her vniust and violent pursuites And continuing this Iniustice against himselfe shee sometimes constraines the most couetous profusely to cast away their most pretious treasure and to make a heape of their wealth and then to set fire on it and many times also shee forceth ambitious men to refuse and reiect the honours which they had passionatly affected before their despight who doth not then see that this Passion more then any other quencheth the light of reason The cause is for that of all the Passions whether they haue the good for their obiect or regard the euill those cause the greatest perturbations in our soules which are the most violent there is not any that doth exceed or equall Choler in violence which doth inflame the whole blood and all the spirits which flowe about the heart which is the most powerfull organ of Passions by reason whereof there followes a wonderfull disorder not onely in the sensible and corporeall powers but euen in the reason For although she vse no corporeall organs in her proper functions yet to produce them forth shee hath need of the powers of the sences whose actions are crost and disquieted by the trouble which riseth in the heart and the whole body by reason whereof Choler doth darken yea hinder the whole light which she striues to cast forth whereof wee haue two apparant signes for that the members wherein the image of the heart doth most shine as the tong the eies the countenance feele the most violent force of this fury It is true that Aristotle sayth that Choler doth in some sort giue eare to reason But that must be vnderstood touching the report which she makes of the iniury receiued wherein shee takes a singular content but shee giues no â—are vnto her but reiects her aduertizements in the measure and moderation which shee ought to hold in the reuenge So as in truth there must bee some kind of reason to prouoke Choler for that men which are stupid dull are not capable of these motions but when this Passion is fully inflamed then she doth wholy darken reason And as the same Philosopher sayth that they which are full of wine and drinke are not mooued with any thing for that their reason being drowned in wine they are not capable to ballance an iniury or to obserue a contempt But such as are not fully drunke are moued to Choler for that there remaines some weake beames of iudgement to discerne that which hath an apparance of iniury or outrage but this PassioÌ„ riseth in them without subiect and without any great occasion for that their reason is captiuated by the wine which hath gotten the maistry Euen so in the beginning of Choler reason may giue some light to the Irascible power but wheÌ„ she hath gotten the absolute coÌ„mand and is become Mistresse of the senses Reason is darkened and is of no vse in a soule thus transported But we must not conceiue that this mischief is absolutely incurable but wee must rather imagine that as Helleborum hath power to cure mad men so there are remedies against Choler The most powerful are those which are taken from the Law of God who teacheth vs nothing but patience charity mildenesse humanity and sufferance But wee will rest satisfied to set downe the instructions of Philosophy which may serue to this effect First of all Philosophers aduise vs to entreate this passion as they do monsters and serpents whom they striue to smother as soone as they are disclosed for they will that man should haue a care to the beginning of Choler which many times ariseth from so light an occasion and so poore a subiect as it is vnworthy a great spirite should bee transported therewith And as it is easie to quench a fire of straw in the beginning but if we suffer it to take holde of more solid matter it passeth all our labour and industry and makes a pittifull ruine euen so he that will obserue Choler from the beginning seeing it beginne to fume and kindle for some light quarrell and small offence it is easie for him to suppresse it and to stay her course But if shee be once setled and beginnes to swell and that he himselfe blowes the bellowes that is to say if hee stirres it vppe and enflames it it will bee hard for him afterwards to quench it whereas he might easily haue done it before by silence Wherefore as Pilots foreseeing a tempest doe vsually retire themselues into a road or vnder the Lee of some rock before the storme come so he that feeles the first motions of Choler should haue recourse to reason and oppose it to the passion to controule her violence For the first meanes to vanquish Choler as an vniust tyrant is not to yeelde any obedience to her nor to beleeue her in any thing she saith or doth to inflame vs to reuenge we finde in other Passions that the liberty wee giue them brings some ease As when young men which are enflamed with Loue goe in maske make dances combates or feasts in fauour of the party they loue all this giues some ease vnto their passion and when as they suffer those that are afflicted to weep in the midst of their afflictions the teares they powre forth carry with them a part of their griefe But Choler hath nothing of al this she growes bitter and is incensed by the liberty wee giue her and is enflamed the more in that we giue way to her fury And as they that are subiect vnto the falling sickenesse hauing any signe or beginning of their fit retire themselues suddainly and take all the remedies which may diuert so troublesome an accident or at least hide the shame so they which see themselues transported with Choler should retaine themselues and striue to moderate their passion and diuert the infirmity which seekes to seaze vpon them Wherevnto they should the more willingly resolue for that all other passions doe but draw men to euill but this doth precipitate them those doe shake them but this doth ouerthrow them Those
the trembling of the heart breeds strange convulsions and retires the spirits in such sort as he seemes rather an image of death then a liuing creature These accidents are followed with passionate and heart-breaking sighes as it appeared in young Antiochus at the sight of Stratonice Or when as they only make mention of her as if the spirit were eased and free from a heauy burthen and receiued content by this thought or presence Teares in like manner fly to succor this afflicted soule for that the heate which is mounted vp to the braine causeth the humor to dissolue and discharge it selfe by the eyes But this poore soule thus agitated hath no certaine consistence but floting betwixt hope and feare she sometimes giues signes of ioy sometimes markes of sorrow she is sometime frozen and congealed sometimes all on fire she goes she comes without any stay or rest and doth many things which shew that shee is as it were incensed For she proclames the merit and glory of that she loues and giues extraordinary commendations which are the signes of her rauishment Suddenly changing her humor shee makes her griefe and discontent ascend vp into heauen shee accuseth the innocent Starres she complaines of destiny and fortune and blames that which she loues and suddenly returning to herselfe shee condemnes herselfe of wrong Then she powres forth her spleene against such as she thinks haue crost her rest and hindred her content so as she suffers cruel tormēts in this agitatiō Many times euen in the heat of his Passion the party toucht with loue can indure no lōger discourse his words are short scarce intelligible for that the soule being thus tied to the obiect which it loues it cannot giue it self the leasure to speake of any other thing And that which is full of admiratiō this Passion doth so chāge trāsform men as it makes the wisest to commit great follies it humbles the grauest to seruices vnworthy of their rancke it makes the most glorious to become humble and meeke the couetous to be profuse and prodigall and cowards to shew themselues hardy and valiant But for that some of these effects exceed the ordinary of a morall Passion we will leaue them to discourse particularly of Iealousie vpon which subiects there are great controuersies and disputes that is to say whether it bee one of the effects of Loue as the Vulgar sort imagine or whether it be rather the poyson of Loue as others presuppose but we will referre the discourse to the following Chapter Of Iealousie whether it be an Effect and signe of Loue. CHAP. 5. THE Vulgar sort thinke that as the Sun runnes not his course without light so Loue cannot bee without Iealousie and they adde that as lightning is an infallible signe of Thunder which breakes forth so Iealousie is a certaine signe of Loue which desires to shew it selfe powerfully But they that haue a more exact and particular knowledge of Humane Passions maintaine that as the Sunne beeing come to the South which is the point of the perfection of his light casts no shadow but spreads his beames all pure vpon the earth so a true and perfect loue is not subiect to the inclinations of Iealousie And they say moreouer that this vniust Passion is no more a signe of Loue then stormes and tempests are shewes of faire weather this opinion is more probable for to begin with the proofs how can Iealousie subsist and remaine with Loue vnlesse we will ouerthrow the Lawes of Nature which suffer not two contraries to subsist in one subiect Is there any thing more contrary to Loue then Iealousie Can the world see a greater Antipathy then that which is obserued in these two qualities whereof the one doth participate with the condition of monsters and the other is the very Idea of perfection Loue vnites the wils and makes that the desires of them that loue striue to take as it were the same tincture to the end they may resemble one another And contrariwise what doth so much distract the Wills and diuide the hearts as Iealousie Loue binds vs to interpret fauourably of all the actions of the party beloued and to take in good part that which we ought to beleeue she hath done with reason whereas Iealousie makes bad interpretations not onely of her actions but euen of her very thoughts Is there any innocency that can bee sheltred from the outrages of this inhumane fury If the party beloued hath any ioy it then presupposeth a riuall if she be pensiue they are suspitions of contempt if shee speakes to another it is Infidelity if she haue wit they apprehend practises if shee be aduised they imagine subtilties if she be plaine they call it simplicity if shee bee well spoken it is affectednesse if she be courteous it is with a designe So as Iealousie is like vnto those counterfeit glasses which neuer represent the true proportion of the face and what more sinister iudgements could the most cruell enemy in the world giue of the party beloued But not content thus to blemish the particular perfections of that shee seemes to loue she seekes to depriue it of the sweetest content in this life which is by communicatiō with men of honor and merit who doe not visite her but for the esteeme they make of her vertues So as many times to please an importune who is himselfe a great burthen to them that suffer him shee must forbeare all good company What iustice can force a soule well bred to indure this brutish rigot Loue is a liuely fountaine of ioy and contentment which banisheth all cares and melancholy but Iealousie what is it else but a nursery of grief◠and waywardnesse whereas wee see thornes of despaire and rage to grow vp among the sweetest and most pleasing flowers that Nature can produce How then can any man beleeue that these two contrary Passions can subsist in one subiect If they oppose heereunto experience and the testimony of many persons worthy of credite which protest that they haue loued sincerely and yet were neuer without Iealousie and will thereby inferre that at the least Iealousie is a signe of loue which is the second thing we must incounter to satisfie that which hath bene formerly propounded it sufficeth to answer that although for respect we yeelde to those personages what they publish of their Passions yet as one Swallow makes no Spring so that which happens to particulars cannot prescribe a law to the generall But to containe our selues within the bounds of our first proposition we say that these persons are much deceiued in this subiect and their error growes for that they cannot giue proper names to things for that of a respectiue feare competible with loue whereof it is full they make an vniust Iealousie with the which Loue can no more subsist then water with fire They that loue intirely are in truth full of respect to the party beloued honor her with all the passions of