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
straÌ„ge accidents in man As for exaÌ„ple a furious anger drawing the heate violently from the heart to those parts which are most remote froÌ„ the Center of life and by the same meanes inflaming choler which by her naturall lightnes mounts vp to the braine may depriue maÌ„ of the vse of reason make him furious and mad In like manner an extraordinary feare drawing the spirits and heate forcibly to the heart whereas she meanes to fortifie her selfe against her enemy may quench the natural heate and suffocate the man shame may doe the like whereof we haue prodigious examples in histories which testifie that great personages haue died with shame and griefe for that they could not find the knot or expound certaine riddles or difficult questions which had beene propounded vnto them yea they say that great ornament and Gemme of Phylosophy Aristotle died with griefe for that he could not finde the cause of the flowing and ebbing of Eurypus Whereby it appeares that the heart which is thus opprest by Passions when they are violent is the seate of both the powers of the sensitiue appetite that is to say of the Irascible and Concupiscible And whereas they obiect to the contrary that Choller resides in the Gall inferring thereby that the Irascible power should reside there also It is easily answered for that the Choller which remaines in the Gall is not the reason for the which Anger is inflamed but for that it is a hot and dry humor the which are fit qualities to produce that effect The like may be sayd of Loue and that the aboundance of bloud doth not make men more inclined to the Passions of loue forthat the Concupiscible power resides in the liuer which is the place where the blood takes his forme but for that they which are of a sanguine complexion haue a hot and moist temperature which is proper to that passion And as for ioy wee cannot conclude that it resides in the Spleene for that it being infirme many are opprest with melancholly for the reason why melancholly doth torment them which are troubled with the Spleene is not for that ioy resides there but for that adust choller preuailing causeth a troublesome and importune heauines Yet we will not so restraine these two powers within the bounds and extent of the heart but wee will confesse that although they haue their chiefe residence there yet they disperse themselues through the whole creature whereof wee haue good proofe in Lizards which being cut in peeces feele paine in all the parts where they are offended For the last of our obseruations vpon the subiect of passions it remaines to shew whether of the concupiscible and irascible powers bee the more noble and excellent some giue the preheminence to the concupiscible for that it is destined to serue the soule and to make it enioy the obiects of her passions The which made Aristotle to say that beasts put themselues into choller and fight for their desires But this reason doth nothing abase the Irascible power but contrariwise it shewes how much it is more excellent then the Concupiscible For as those souldiers are most valiant which maintaine the shocke of a battaile and defend the weaker euen so by consequence the Irascible power must haue more generosity then the concupiscible seeing she is ordained by nature for her defence And as the noblest vertues are formed in the most excellent powers so we see that force or valour which resides in the Irascible is a more worthy and more commendable vertue then temperance which hath her seat in the Concupiscible We finde also that it is more shamefull not to bridle the motions of the Concupiscible then those of the Irascible for that these are lesse offensiue to reason In regard whereof we blame them more which abandon themselues to pleasure and voluptuousnes then those which are subiect to motions of choller Of the Number of Passions CHAP. 2. AS they that haue treated of the Nature of the Winds haue written diuersly some setting foure others eight some eleauen and some two and thirty to the which they assigne diuers points in the horizon So the Philosophers which discourse of the PassioÌ„s of the Soule agree not of the number some naming more some lesse Yea there was an Ancient affirmed that as there are many Passions whereof we know the names so there are an infinite number which we know not Wherefore hee compared man to one of the monsters of antiquity which they represent vnto vs composed of the members and formes of diuers creatures for that his Cupidities and Passions are so prodigious and so many in number as they are able to amaze any one that shall iudiciously consider of the multitude and diuersity First of all there were some which haue beleeued that as there were foure chiefe winds which excite diuers stormes be it at land or sea so there are foure principall Passions which trouble our Soules and which stir vp diuers tempests by their irregular motions that is to say Pleasure Paine Hope Feare and in truth these foure haue as it were the Empiry ouer all the rest which propound themselues as the obiects of their motions for whatsoeuer men do either they feare or desire or afflict themselues or are contented which be the effects of these Passions Others will haue onely two that is to say Pleasure and Paine and some assigne but one and that is Loue to the which they refer all the rest as to their center and roote Others haue multiplied them and haue made twelue and some eleauen Amidst this diuersity of opinions that is the trâ—est which is receiued at this day and imbraced by all those that make an exact profession of Philosophy that is to say that there are eleauen primitiue and generall Passions whereof all the rest are but as it were budds and branches These generall Passions are Loue Hatred Desire Flight Pleasure Paine Feare Courage Hope Despaire and Choller And thus the Philosophers finde out the number Of Passions say they some regard the good or euill absolutely and simply considered And these belong to the Concupiscible power Others regard the good or euill accompanied with some difficulty and they appertaine vnto the irascible those of the Concupiscible power are six in number whereof three haue for their obiects the good that is to say Loue Desire and Pleasure and the other three haue for their obiect the euil that is to say Hatred Flight and Paine for presently that the obiect which hath the forme of good offers it selfe vnto the Concupiscible power shee presently feeles herselfe surprized and Loue is framed If this obiect bee present she receiues Pleasure and Delight if it bee absent she is toucht with a Desire to enioy it And in like manner as soone as the obiect presents it selfe vnto the selfe same power vnder the shew of euill it doth presently stirre vp a hatred contrary to loue and if during this horror it bee
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
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
which are in some sort pleasing vnto them for that the interior ioy doth mollifie their paine Whereof wee haue glorious examples in the constancy of our Martyres who to auoyd the blame and aspersion which had bene layd vpon them to haue offended God in burning incense to Idolls haue exposed themselues to the fire to tortures to wheeles and to the rage of wilde beasts for that they would not bee subiect to that ignominious reproach Finally heauines hath troublesome effects for that first of all if it be excessiue it quencheth the spirit and takes from it all meanes to attend the search of truth The reason is for that all the powers of our soule being tied vnto their essence as the branches vnto the tree it doth of necessity follow that when shee is wholy busied in the functions of one of her powers shee abandons the rest and cannot assist them in their actions Wherefore when as any thing drawes the soule wholy vnto it and imployes her whole action shee cannot attend any thing else by consequence whereof an exceeding heauines seazing vpon her it drawes her away so as shee cannot thinke of any thing else feeling her selfe opprest with Griefe as with a heauy burthen which beares her downe and hinders the liberty of her functions It is therefore generally true that there is no action of the soule whereunto heauines is not a hindrance and let The which we find verified in our selues for wee neuer do any thing so well being possest by cares as when we are in ioy whereof the reason is visible for that the will is the cause which excites vs to act the which hath the good for obiect and makes the more powerfull effect when it appeares pleasing and is accompanied with delight It is true that when there remaines any hope to surmount the causes of our displeasure then heauines may serue to fortifie our action and to inflame our courage for that the more we feele any Griefe the more wee striue to bee freed from it But if there be no hope remaining we become as it were senselesse and abandon our selues in prey to Griefe We flee the company of men we hate the light wee find the comforts and consolations of our friends importune and we haue no content but to feed our selues with bitternesse Besides the torments which heauines giues vnto our spirits she doth also produce fearefull effects vpon our bodies for that it is a maligne colde and dry Passion which wasteth the radicall humor and by little and little quenching the naturall heate of the body thrusts her poyson euen vnto the heart whose vigor shee causeth to wither and consumes the forces by her bad influence whereof wee see the signes after death when as they come to open those that haue beene smothered with melancholy For insteed of a heart they find nothing but a drie skinne like to the leaues in Autumne So as all things exactly considered we may say that there is not any thing that doth so much aduance our dayes as this cruell Passion which thus consumes our forces causeth our heart to languish and makes our life short but extreamely miserable There are many remedies against this Passion but most commonly the Griefe is so obstinate as all applications are vnprofitable To cure it we must first take away or at the least diminish the opinion of the euill which afflicts vs the which is easie to do seeing it depends of our opinion For as dignities honors crownes and triumphs giue vs no content but what wee take our selues when as they arriue for that we haue seene many weepe euen in the middest of all this pompe so the paines of this life ignominies banishment the losse of goods and kinsfolkes with all other miseries afflict vs not extraordinarily vnlesse wee our selues make them more bitter and violent by our owne weaknesse for that we haue seene many laugh in the middest of all these miseries wee must then represent these things otherwise then the Vulgar esteeme them for that the true cure of the euill must not bee expected from time but by our reason which must preuent it Otherwise wee shall receiue this disgrace that it will cause vs to do that we would not although it were in our power For there is no Griefe so bitter but time doth moderate seeing that as wee haue sayd the greatest pleasures decrease by too long enioying which causeth our soule to grow slacke so it is most certaine that excessiue sorrow by little and little decayes by the continuance and custome which the soule takes of the Griefe The which may also happen for that time doth change the condition of things and giues them another face and so doth mollifie or wholy take away the sorrow But not to yeeld to the euill when it comes to seaze vpon vs we must foresee the accidents of this life not as if they should happen infallibly for that were to make vs miserable before the time but as incident to all men and that being of this number if any crosse or misery shall fall vpon vs we may bee the lesse amazed For the crosses of Fortune which wee haue foreseene strike vs more gently and make a weaker impression in our soule Wherefore a wiseman of the world who had prepared himselfe for all the accidents of this life receiuing the heauy newes of the death of his sonne was no otherwise moued but only sayd I knew I had begotten a mortall creature Doubtlesse it is the effect of an exact and singular wisedome to haue this feeling of humaine accidents not to bee amazed at that which happens nor to see any thing befall him which he hath not foreseene So as a wiseman must alwaies remember that dangers losses banishment infirmities yea the death of his children wife and that which he holds most deare are things which may happen dayly and which threaten all men and therefore if hee bee exempt it is the benefite and guift of God and if they befall him that they are the miseries of his nature For hauing this consideration of the common miseries of men he finds himselfe bound â—o suffer constantly and with patience the necessities and crosses of this life Least he should seeme to fight against God who hath layd this yoake vpon him to punish his offences or to keepe him in awe But to mollifie our sorrowes wee must remember that the miseries of this life giue vs a glorious subiect to exercise our vertue and to shew our constancy before the eyes of heauen and earth which are witnesses of our combatts For as Pilots cannot shew their art and industry but in stormes nor soldiers giue proofes of their valour but in the middest of dangers So a vertuous man hath no meanes to make his vertues shine but amiddest the aduersities which befall him in this life as for example wee should haue knowne nothing of the great resolution of Sceuola if hee had not fallen into danger before the King
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
meanes to obtaine it for that when wee perswade our selues vpon any reason whatsoeuer as imagining that others haue attained vnto it that it hath at other times succeeded and that the same euents attend vs that time assists vs that the place is fauourable vnto vs that we haue friends or that wee are able enough of our selues to compasse our designes we fill our selues with Hope and doubt not but all will succeede happily So as there is no reason how light soeuer but it is sufficient to make vs hope for that which we propound vnto our selues wherein it seemes that amidst the miseries of this life and all publicke and priuate calamities which otherwise would be intollerable the wise prouidence of God hath prouided vs this remedy to fortifie our constancy and to keepe vs from shrinking and falling vnder the burthen of aduersities The which the Poets would represent vnto vs vnder the fable of Pandora in whose boxe beeing emptied of all good things there remained nothing but onely Hope vpon the brimme of the vessell And therefore a Rhodian being cast into an obscure and cruell prison among serpents and venemous beasts and coniured by some of his friends to make an end of so many miseries by a voluntary death he answered wisely that man hopes still whilst he breathes as if he would say that death onely could depriue man of the hopes of life and a better fortune The persons which fill themselues with Hopes are first of all those which haue had a long experience and a perfect knowledge of the affaires of the world As for example such as haue beene in many incounters and haue gotten great victories promise still vnto themselues a power to vanquish yea when they haue beene beaten And therefore that Romane Consull which escaped from the battaile of Cannas where his companion had beene slaine and the whole Romane Army defeated was commended for that he hoped well of the Common-weale And heere wee must remember what wee haue formerly said that the obiect of Hope is a difficult good but yet possible to attaine for thereby followes that one thing may contribute and serue to entertaine our Hope after two manners that is to say either in making the thing truely possible and put the effects into our power Or at the least in making vs beleeue that it is not impossible and that we may attaine vnto it by meanes which are not aboue our forces In the first sort whatsoeuer makes vs more powerfull increaseth our Hopes And in this kinde wee put riches Armes Courage Crownes Empires yea and a long experience of things for so we see that men powerfull in wealth assure themselues to compasse any thing As Philip of Macedon said that hee could force any place whereas money might enter And great Kings measuring enterprizes rather by their power and courage then the obstacles which present themselues haue an imagination to accomplish them happily And in like manner experience by meanes whereof man hath gotten the knowledge of meanes fit to procure things to succeed easily makes him cōceiue a certain Hope to haue good successe of that which hee proiects Wherefore an Ancient said that no man apprehends to vndertake that which hee hath learned well and can do accordingly In the second sort whatsoeuer makes vs esteeme things easie or which diminish the difficulties may also serue to fortifie our hopes And of this sort an exquisite knowlege or a powerfull remonstrance may contribute much And therefore in great battailes Generalls haue beene accustomed to represent vnto their souldiers their valours tryed in many occasions the little courage of their enemies and whatsoeuer may assure them of the victory In this manner their experience may preuaile much for by the experience which a man hath of things he perswades himselfe that what others hold impossible may notwithstanding succeede happily It is true also that experiēce may weaken Hope according to the resolution or want of courage where it resides Wherefore Aristotle said that old men haue weak or bad hopes for that the long experience they haue of things the changes they haue seene the deceits which they haue tried the fraudes wherewith they haue beene circumuented the practises wherewith they haue beene abused and the little integrity and sincerity they haue found in the actions of men fills them with iealousie and distrust Adding moreouer that they liue rather by memory then Hope for that they haue a small share in future things which is the ground of Hope and that they haue a great Idea of what is past which serues to entertaine the memory But contrariwise young men are full of Hopes for three reasons grounded vpon three conditions required in the obiect of this Passion which we haue sayd should bee a good not yet present difficult but yet possible to obtaine for young men haue little knowledge of what is past and haue a great part in the future by reason of their age In regard whereof memory being of things past and Hope of things to come they do not much build vppon their memory but feed themselues with hopes which are many times vaine And moreouer young men haue much heate and aboundance of spirit which puffes vp their hearts and makes them aspire to great matters little esteeming any difficulties which present themselues Thirdly as they that haue receiued no repulse in their enterprizes nor found any obstacles in their dessignes they perswade themselues easily that they shal attaine vnto their desires young men hauing no experience of the crosses and hinderance which are found in affaires imagine that all will succeed happily and therefore they are still full of Hope They also which are surprized with wine conceiue great hopes both by reason of the heate and aboundance of spirits caused by the excesse of wine as also for that their spirits being drowned in wine cannot apprehend the dangers nor foresee the obstacles which they may find in their dessignes For the same reason mad men who are neither capable of counsell nor iudgement are easily carried to Hope for all that which they imagine and they vndertake foolishly whatsoeuer comes into their fancies for as Aristotle sayth to speake of all things and leaue nothing vncensured is a marke of folly so to attempt all things and to Hope for all is a signe of little iudgement If against this which we haue propounded that young men such as are ouertaken with wine and mad-men are commonly full of great hopes they obiect that neither the one nor the other haue any kind of experience whereof they may make vse nor any firme resolution neither yet any great power to effect their dessignes all which are necessary conditions to frame hopes they must remēber that although these men in effect haue none of these qualities but are for the most part vnprouided yet they are rich in imagination and thinke they enioy them And we haue sayd that the obiects of Hope make not their impression in
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
as they finde resistance which they did not expect they are amazed at the strangenesse of this accident and their hearts grow cold and relent in such sort as sometimes they flye before their enemies But the contrary happens to those that are truely valiant for when as they gouerne their courages by wisedome and measure their forces attempting nothing aboue their strength or against reason there is no sudden accident that may befall them that can trouble them in any action of Armes whereas commonly they finde lesse resistance then they expected before they entred the fight so as their resolution is alwayes fortified and neuer decayes And then propounding honor only before their eyes the feare of the losse of life cannot amaze them but their vertue surmounting all accidents it causeth them notwithstanding all hazzards to persist couragiously in that which they haue gloriously begunne Yea commonly they shew themselues more cold in the beginning then at the ending for that it is not the Passion that doth animate them but it is iudgement which doth act in their courages By reason whereof in the beginning of the actioÌ„ they are more cold are not enflamed but with fighting But it hath bin obserued in many valiant men which had their hearts all couered with haire whereof wee haue a famous example in that couragious Lacedemonian Leonidas who with fiue hundred men kept the streight of Thermopiles against that huge Army of Xerxes who had the courage and resolution to passe through the midst of his armed souldiers to wrest the Diadeâ—e from his head For when as after his death the King of Persia amazed at so great a resolution had caused him to bee opened his heart was found all couered with haire Some it may be would put this among the prodigies or rather among the scornes of Nature but the reason is easie to bee giuen for they that are extraordinarily valiant haue an exceeding heat which drawes from their heart a fume of excrements which thickens and is conuerted into haire the which is a marke of their courage and a signe of valour CHAP. 1. Of Feare or Dread ALTHOVGH it seems that feare is a dead Passion that it shold not make any great impressions in our soules nor cause any strange alterations in the world yet as there bee certaine starres which beeing in a manner continaully hidden haue notwithstanding very maligne and pernicious influences so although shee seeme not to bee so actiue as the rest and remaines as it were couered hidden yet she doth cause strange accidents in the life of man for that shee hath sometimes ruined powerfull Armies brought Kingdomes and States into dangers and ouerthrowne the fortunes of priuate persons Wherefore wee haue seene great Commanders in warre who troubled by some sinister and vnexpected accident in a day of battaile haue had recourse to vowes and prayers and haue promised to build temples to Feare and palenesse to diuert the ruine that threatned them if the amazement spread ouer the whole Army had not beene as it were miraculously dispersed Wherefore seeing that Feare doth produce such powerfull changes in the affaires of men and withall that this life is dayly threatned with infinite miseries which giue vs still cause to feare wee must see wherein shee consists how shee is framed and in what soules she doth reside Feare then is no other thing but A griefe and distresse of the soule troubled by the imagination of some approaching Euill wherewith man is threatned without any apparence to be able to auoyd it easily although it tend to the destruction of his being or cause him some strange calamity in the course of his life It is first of all a griefe and a distresse for that as pleasures fill the senses with delight and ioy so the imagination of an infallible euill which cannot bee auoyded fills vs with griefe and heauinesse But secondly the causes of this griefe are not alwayes solid nor true but many times they are vaine and imaginary for that wee doe frame or rather forge to our selues the miseries whereof the apprehension afflicts our mindes and torments our senses The which made an Ancient say that there are more things which amaze vs then that presse vs and that most commonly opinion and apprehension doth vs more harme then the thing it selfe Wherein doubtlesse the condition of man is lamentable for that as if he were not inuironed by a sufficient nuÌ„ber of true miseries he forgets others which are not in nature to encrease his miseries For wee see daily that although there appeare no presages nor any signes of a calamity that doth threaten vs yet our minds do frame false imaginations and vaine feares which many times are the causes of our ruine There are some things which torment vs more then they should do others trouble vs before the time and some afflict vs without cause or subiect for that we either increase our griefes and paines or we forge them our selues or else wee run before them and anticipate them And whereas wee should striue against these iealousies and false opinions which cause them wee suffer our selues to be vanquished resembling therein certaine Soldiers who being amazed at a little dust raisd by a flocke of sheepe turned their backes as if the enemy had beene at their heeles These vaine feares may sometimes grow from the ignorance of things which they imagine to bee of bad presage although they bee meere effects of nature which they should obserue without trembling as we haue many times seene an Eclipse of the Sun or of the Moone which haue their naturall causes trouble whole Armies and terrifie their Commanders Thirdly wee must obserue that to cause Feare the euill that doth threaten vs must not bee present but to come for that when it is present it is no more a Feare but a meere heauinesse And then the euill which wee doubt must bee full of horror and threaten vs with the losse of life or some other great preiudice For things of small weight are not capable to make any impression of Feare at the least if there remaine any sparke of generosity in our hearts Yea all kind of calamities how great so euer are not able to cause Feare if it be not accompanied with a certaine horror which amazeth the sences As for example men apprehend not to become vniust or wicked although they be things more to bee feared then all the miseries of this life But the nature of vice is such as the horror of her presence is not sensible vnto vs for that shee seemes not to destroy our being nor to cause in vs any great alterations that should afflict vs. Moreouer to bee terrified with any euill it must bee as it were hanging ouer our heads and threaten vs with a ruine at hand for when as we imagine that it is farre from vs how fearefull soeuer the forme be yet we are not amazed Euen so although that death bee the most horrid
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
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
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
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