their soules fight for her honor and hold it a punishment to offend her But these are not the effects of Iealousie which contrariwise violates the honour which is due to the party beloued and by a prodigious manner to blind the world will haue her fauour by wronging her treading her merits vnder foote We must then put a difference betwixt a respectiue feare which always doth accompany those that loue perfectly and Iealousie which is neuer found but with an imperfect passion which cannot iudge of the perfections of the party beloued They which know that these things are diuerse and as remote one from another as the earth is from heauen wil easily passe on this side and yeelde that Iealousie is neither competible with Loue nor is any signe thereof Yet if wee shall yeelde any thing to the opinion of the Vulgar we may freely confesse that Iealousie in truth is a signe of Loue but as the feuer is an argument of life It is vnquestionable that a feuer is a signe of life seeing the dead are not susceptible of this bad quality But as a feuer shewing that there are some reliques of life in the patient that is tormented accompanies him to his graue so Iealousie is I know not what signe of Loue seeing they which loue not cannot haue any Iealousie But it is certaine that if wee expell it not it will in the end ruine Loue like vnto a thicke smoake which smothers the brightest flame This is all we can yeelde vnto the Vulgar so as according to this opinion which we haue held the most probable Iealousie is to Loue as thicke mists are to flowers haile to haruest stormes to fruites and poison to our liues Of Hatred or Enmity CHAP. 1. AS the Lawes of Loue and Hatred are directly contrary by that which wee haue spoken of Loue it will be easie to iudge wherein Hatred consists and how farre her effects extends Hatred then is An auersion and horror which man hath of all that seemes contrary to his good or preiudiciall to his contentment Or else Hatred is an horror which the appetite hath of that which seemes pernicious vnto it so as the sheepe hate the wolfe as the enemy and persecuter of his life But wee must heere obserue that as all that is befitting Nature is put in the rancke of good so on the other side whatsoeuer is opposite vnto it must be placed in the rancke of euill Wherfore as the good is the obiect of Loue so the euill is the obiect of Hatred To vnderstand this we must remember that whether it be in the minde or in the body there is a befitting estate and as it were a naturall harmony which makes vs to abhorre that which may dissolue this consort This harmony considered in the body is no other thing then the good constitution by meanes whereof we enioy a perfect health the which being impayred our nature receiues pain as when we indure great hunger and thirst or when as wee receiue any hurt or wound As for the soule this same harmony may bee considered first in the senses as well externall as internall cōsist in the proportiō they haue with their obiects which is such as they hate whatsoeuer puls them away or which diuerts them by any kinde of violence As for example the eyes hate darkenesse and obscurity and our imagination is terrified and troubled by the fearefull apprehensions of dreames which it frameth during our rest This same harmony considered in reason either it regards the simple knowledge of the truth which our vnderstanding conceiues with pleasure or the vse and execution of things which depend on wisedome which wee doe with content In regard of the first our spirit is enemy to lying although at some times it takes delight in the art wherewith they colour a thing to giue it some shewe of truth So as the wisest are delighted in the reading and report of fables when as the intention hath any grace And as for the second there is such diuersity of iudgements in humaine actions which are as it were the Element of prudence as it is a thing in a manner incredible for hardly shall you see two persons which haue the same feeling and apprehension of affaires in regard whereof this life is full of Hatred and factions which grow from these diuerse opinions As for that which concernes the will her harmony consists in the proportion Loue which she beares to the good which makes her detest and abhorre whatsoeuer presents it selfe vnto her vnder the shew of euill as pernicious and hurtfull to her content and rest And therefore the harmony of the sensitiue appetite consisting in the familiarity and concurrence it hath with the good of the sences it doth abhorre and beares an irreconciliable hatred to whatsoeuer shall offend them hence it comes that wee so much abhorre whippes tortures punishmēts hunger thirst wounds such like which tend to the destruction of our being This Passion was ingraft in vs by nature to the end that at the first approach at the first taste and imagination of euill wee may retire our selues and flie it lest wee runne into ruine This kind of hatred then is proper to the concupiscible which is offended at diuerse things yea at small things and many times at those which haue no subiect of offence for you shall see some which cannot suffer the presence of certaine creatures others cannot endure the sight of certaine fruites though otherwise they be exceeding pleasant Finally there is no creature so fantasticke in his Appetite nor so sudden in the motions of Hatred and distastes of things which present themselues vnto his senses as man who not able to endure any thing makes himselfe insupportable in a like manner to all creatures but principally to his like But to giue more light to this discourse we wil obserue that there are diuerse sorts of Hatred and Enmities which may bee referred to foure chiefe heads for there is a natural Hatred and a brutish Hatred a melancholy Hatred and a humaine Hatred The naturall Hatred takes her beginning from a certaine antipathy and contrariety of nature which is found in creatures the which as it were abhorre one another and cannot frequent or conuerse together although the subiect of this Hatred appeare not and that shewes it selfe more in the effect then in the cause whereof wee haue prodigious examples in nature in plants in beasts and in men Brutish Hatred is rather a rage then a Passion for that it seekes a furious destruction of that it hates and to see the last relliques consumed so as it is more fitting for rauening wolues or for monsters then for men Such is the Hatred of those who not satisfied to haue slaine their enemies make their bodies to feele their fury practizing a thousand cruelties vpon their carcasses and making them to suffer after death all the indignities their rage can deuise This detestable Hatred sometimes passeth
whence retiring them when occasion requires she propounds them vnto the Appetite vnder the apparance of things that are pleasing or troublesom that is to say vnder the forme of Good and Euill and at the same instant the same formes enlightned with the Light of the vnderstanding and purged from the sensible and singular conditions which they retaine in the Imagination and insteed of that which they represented of particular things representing them generall they become capable to be imbraced by the vnderstanding the which vnder the apparance of things which are profitable or hurtfull that is to say vnder the forme of Good and Euill represents them vnto the Will the which being blind referres it selfe to that which the vnderstanding proposeth vnto it And then as Queene of the powers of the soule she ordaines what they shall imbrace what they shal fly as it pleseth her whereunto the Sensitiue Appetite yeelding a prompt obedience to execute her command from the which it neuer stâ—aies so long as it containes it selfe within the bounds and order prescrib'd by Nature quickneth all the powers and passions ouer which shee commands and sets to worke those which are necessary to that action and by their meanes commands the mouing power dispersed ouer all the members to follow or fly to approch or to recoyle or to do any other motion which it requireth And shee obeying suddenly if shee bee not hindred moues the whole body with the Organs which reside in the parts and induceth them to fly or imbrace things according to the command which she hath receiued After this manner Man proceeds in his free operations if he will obserue the order which he ought The which I say for that oftentimes â—ee ouerthrows and peruerts this order either by bad education or by custome or the organs being vnsound or for that his will hath bad inclination so as reason cannot enioy her power subiect the Sensuall Appetite vnto her but contrariwise hee abandons himselfe in prey vnto this disordered Appetite and suffers himselfe to bee transported by his furious motioÌ„s So as suddenly when as fantasie offers to the Appetite the formes which shee receiues from the Sences vnder the shew of Good or Euill he without stay to haue them iudged by the discourse of vnderstanding and chosen by the will commâ—nds of himselfe the mouing power makes it to act according to his pleasure And herein consistes the disorder which the passions cause in the life of man which diuert him many times from the lawes of Reason But wee haue spoken enough hereof let vs now enter into the subiect and beginne by the definition of passions to know their Nature and Essence To his long-lou'd and worthy friend Mr. Edward Grimeston Sergeant at Armes of his vnwearied and honored labors SVch is the vnequall and inhumane vice Of these vile Times that each man sets his price On others Labors And the lasiest Drone That neuer drop of honey of his owne Brought to the publique Hiue distasts all ours And in the worlds wit feeds far worthier Powers T is Noble to be idle Base to be Of any Art Good Mind or Industry Another sort of dull Opinionists Consume their stupid liues in learned mists Yet wold be seene poore soules beyond the Sun But that like Dolon in the darke they run Other Explorers fearing And these men Like Cheaters foyst in false dice to their Den To win mens thoughts of th' onely truly learnd And feede on that conceit before t is earnd To strengthen which their Markeâ—s are the Marts Where sounds and Names of Artsmen all Arts They stuffe their windy memories withall And then when ere their Creditors shall call They pay them with these Tokens all they owe Then Honest men they are then all things know When all employd in priuate conference They count all rude that are of open braines Feare to be fooles in print though in their Cels In Learn'd mens vizards they are little else They that for feare of being cald fooles hide Like hid men more they stir the more are spied Whose learnings are as ignorantly applied As those illiterate Peripaticke soules That all their liues do nought but measure Poules Yet neuer know how short or long it iâ— More then their liues or all their idle blisse In short All men that least deseruingâ— haue Men of most merit euer most depraue How euer friend t is in vs must assure Our outward Acts and signe their passe secure Nor feare to find your Noble paines impeacht But write as long as Foxe or Nowell preacht For when all wizards haue their bolts let fly There 's no such proofe of worth as Industry E merito solers Industria reddat honorem George Chapman A Table of the Chapters contained in this Treaty Of Humane Passions CHAP. 1. What Passion is fol. 1. CHAP. 2. Of the number of Passions fol. 29. CHAP. 3. Of the quality of Passions and whethey they be good or bad fol. 51. Of Loue the Preface fol. 78. CHAP. 1. Of the beginning of Loue. fol. 83. CHAP. 2. Wherein the Essence of Loue consists fol. 103. CHAP. 3. Of the persons to whom Loue extends fol. 121. CHAP. 4. Of the Effects of Loue. fol. 152. CHAP. 5. Of Iealousie whether it bee an effect and signe of Loue. fol. 175. CHAP. 1. Of Hatred and Enmity fol. 184. CHAP. 1. Of Desire and Cupidity and of the flight and horror we haue of things fol 216. CHAP. 1. Of Pleasure and Delight fol. 244. CHAP. 1. Of the Effects of Pleasure fol. 297. CHAP. 1. Of Griefe and Heauinesse fol. 317. CHAP. 2. Of Mercy and Indignation fol. 354. CHAP. 3. Of Indignation fol. 375. CHAP. 4. Of Enuy and Emulation fol. 389. CHAP. 1. Of Hardinesse and Courage fol. 411. CHAP. 1. Of Feare or Dread fol. 428. CHAP. 1. Of Shame fol. 473. CHAP. 2. Of the Effects of Shame 494. CHAP. 1. Of Hope and Despaire fol. 507. CHAP. 1. Of Choler fol. 547. CHAP. 2. Of those against whom wee are angry fol. 575. CHAP. 3. Of the Effects and remedies of Choler fol. 598. CHAP. 1. Of Mildnesse and Gentlenesse fol. 633. CHAP. 1. Of the diuers Passions of men according to their ages and conditions fol. 654. A Table of Humaine Passions CHAPTER 1. Wherein is expounded what Passion is SEeing there can be no better order obserued to expresse the nature of things then to beginne by the definitions which haue vsually giuen vs a full light of their essence wee must enter into this treaty of passions by the definition which Philosophers giue That which is called passion say they is no other thing but a motion of the sensitiue appetite caused by the apprehensioÌ„ or imagination of good or euill the which is followed with a change or alteration in the body contrary to the Lawes of Nature Whereby it appeares that passions to speak properly reside onely in the sensitiue appetite and that they are not fashioned but in the irrationall part
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
their Authority by the terror of Armes and the terror of punishment yea they haue alwayes detested the furious words of him that said I care not to be hated so I may bee feared It were good among bruit beasts but men must be managed and gouerned by mildenesse And they willingly embrace such as they may trust and whose power is not fearefull vnto them Behold the persons to whom the Loue of men doth commonly extend In the meane time the true means to purchase Loue is to bind those whose friendship we affect by all sorts of benefites and good offices And to this end they must do good before it be demanded or that they bee forced to discouer their wants vnto vs for that were to put them on the racke to make them confesse our magnificence bounty Moreouer he must be carefull neuer to reproach the fauours which hee hath done them nor proclaime them to others with a vanity which seems to turne to their contempt He that obserues this mean in the benefits and fauours which hee bestowes seemes to haue propounded vnto himselfe the onely good of him whom he hath bound without any other particular interest In regard whereof he is also bound to acknowledge and Loue his freedome and bounty Of the Effects of Loue. CHAP. 4. AS the Ancient Romanes obseruing of the one side the conquests victories triumphes and glory which Caesar by his valour had purchased to their Empire and on the other side weighing the ruines miseries massacres and slaughters which he had caused in their Estate they were wont to say that it was difficult to iudge whether his birth had bene more fortunate or fatall to their Common wealth Euen so it is hard to say whether that Loue causeth more good or euill in the world It is true when as this Passion containes it selfe within the bounds of honesty it is a liuely spring and fountaine of all good things in the life of men It is also true that the author of nature hath ingrafted in vs the first motions and beames and it is true that it is borne with vs that it increaseth with vs that it doth alwayes accompany vs so as it cannot subsist without vs nor we Loue without it It is an immutable law which men haue not â—â—â—nd out lawgiuers haue not prescribed neither doth it depend vpon the examples or customes of nations but was grauen as we may say by the hands of nature in our Soules But when like a wild and vntamed beast it exceedes the bounds of reason there is no misery which it brings not into the world nor any disorder which it causeth not in our liues It is as it were a fatall source from whence flow all kinds of horror vncleanenes adulteries incests sacriledges quarrells warres treasons murders parricides cruelties and violences besides the particular torments it giues vnto the soules of such as giue themselues to be surprized filling them with enuies iealousies cares melancholies terrors yea and madnesse drawing them many times to despaire and to do things whereat heauen and earth blush and are ashamed wherein it is the more to bee feared for that as the first heauen by his motion doth violently draw whatsoeuer is beneath it so Loue prescribes a law to our other desires to all our other Passions so as we may tearme it the key and beginning of our thoâ—ghts of our words of our actions and of whatsoeuer wee do in this life So it makes the first impression in our soules where it excites the desire of that which we resolue to pursue then it fortifies this desire by hope which inflames vs to the pursuite of that we desire and if there appeare any obstacle it imbraceth Choller and hath no rest vntill it hath vanquished and surmounted all lets wherein she settles her coÌ„tentment rest And as the thunder breakes whatsoeuer resists it so this furious Passion being once inflamed striues to ouerthrow whatsoeuer opposes it selfe against her rage and violence Yet as the winds fill the sailes of Pyrats shippes but are not the cause of the murthers and thefts which they commit at sea But all these miseries proceed from the bad inclination and couetousnesse of these infamous Pyrats So although that Loue bee an assistant in many villanies which men commit yet it proceedes not from the malice of this Passion which contrariwise is framed to bring all good to the society of men but it growes from the liberty and excesse of men who peruert the vse of all things and conuert the causes of their felicity into instruments of their misery Let vs then see what bee the proper effects of Loue not staying at those which rise from the meere malice of men We will reduce them to three or foure heads the explanation whereof will giue sufficient light to the rest of the subiect The first effect they attribute to Loue is that it hath an vniting vertue by meanes whereof it causeth him that loueth to aspire to vnite himselfe to the thing beloued whereunto we may refer the fable of Androgenes where of Plato doth so much triumph but we must swallow so many fopperies before wee shall come to the mysteries of this fiction as it were better to passe it ouer in silence then to spend time to explicate it So it is that prophane and vnchast Loue seekes the vnion of bodies which is found euen among brute beasts and for this reason may be called brutish if it bee not sought with an honest intent by a lawfull marriage But chast and honest Loue seekes the vnion of affections and wills and exceeds not that which is decent and vertuous They which loue sayd Aristophanes would passionately desire to be traÌ„sformed chaÌ„ged one into another of two bodies to become one But for that this transformation cannot be without the destruction of their being they striue to recompence this defect by a ciuil and honest vnion which teÌ„ds not to the ruine of their nature but contents their affections that is to say they conuerse continually together entertaine their Passions and are as little absent as may bee one from another Moreouer they haue the same thoughts the same desires the same affections the same wils the same delights the same distastes seeme to be but one soule in two bodies So as that which is pleasing to him that loueth is in like manner to the party beloued what he affects the other imbraceth and what hee reiects the other flies and doth abhorre So as their willes being thus strictly vnited all their actions and carriages conspire to the same end and propound vnto themselues the same obiect For when as we haue graft the sience of one tree vpoÌ„ another stocke the fruits which grow follow the nature of the graft and sauor nothing of the stocke so the will of the louer being transported into that of the party beloued takes the tincture and doth not any thing but what is conformeable to
of their equalls offend them They that loue themselues too much are wonderfull apt to the same motions for that they take euery thing as an iniury and are so nice as they cannot endure any man But as Loue springs from a feeling of good and Hatred from an apprehension of Euill it happens that for that the good things we enioy in this life are neuer pure nor much durable they make no great impression neither do they leaue any great remembrance nor Loue of them in our soules But contrariwise euill things being very sensible long take deepe rooting in our hearts where by reason of our corruption they are are as it were in their proper Element so as we do more easily preserue the seeds of Hatred then of Loue Wherefore an Aâ—â—ient sayd that he whic◠〈◊〉 with griefe remembers it but hee that enioyes pleasure forgets Finally if wee would make good vse of our Hatred wee must imploy it against vice and against those obiects the Loue and pursuite whereof may pollute our hearts and blemish the Image of God which shines in our soules This Hatred must take her course from causes contrary to those which we haue formerly said are proper to induce Loue. As for example to roote out of the soule a dishonest Loue we must leaue to thinke of it and diuert our minds and sences from the continuall contemplation of the image which beginnes to make vs to feele her power lest that the beames of so pernitious an obiect kindle and nourish in our hearts bad desires and moreouer to fortifie our Hatred we must iudiciously weigh the defects which may incounter in the subiect which we Loue. And of this sort from the most perfect creature in the world being subiect to great imperfection we may easily if wee will finde occasion to separate our selues Wee must in like manner represent the miseries which do commonly accompany the pursuites of Loue we must also set before our eyes the shipwracke of so many famous peâ—sonages which haue lost themselues vpon this shelfe We must represent the infidelities cares crosses paine and torments which this wretched Passion doth cause And aboue all a Christian should apprehend the wrath of God and the horror of his iudgements which hee powres out vpon vncleaenenesse But this belongs to another Discourse Of Desire or Cupidity and of the flight and horror we haue of things CHAP. 1. AS NATVRALL things being farre from their center haue no rest vntill they attaine vnto it so man hauing a particular inclination to good as soone as he propounds vnto himselfe the obiect and ties it to his imagination if the enioying bee denied him he feeles himselfe surprized with a certaine vehemency which makes him to seeke it passionately And if it bee a good of the mind his will is inflamed and if this good concernes the contentment of the body his sences receiue the impression and long to enioy it According to this last motion Philosophers affirme that there is Passion in man which they call Cupidity or Desire which concerneth those things which we possesse not and which we thinke are fit and proper to giue vs content This Cupidity or Desire is no other thing but a Passion wee haue to attaine vnto a good which we enioy not which we imagine is fitting for vs. It differs from Loue and Pleasure for that Loue is the first inclination the first taste or as we may say the first sweetnesse we feele of good things or of those which are goodly or faire which rauish our sences and breed in vs this desire and longing to enioy them after which hope doth arise the which succeding the effect filles vs with ioy and contentment which is properly the pleasure wee conceiue when the thing hath succeeded Or to deliuer it more plainely Desire differs from Loue and Pleasure for that Loue is the first motion and the first Passion we haue of any good thing without respect whether it be present or absent Desire is a Passion for a good that is absent and pleasure a contentment wee haue to enioy when wee haue gotten it Whereby it followes that Desire as we say is a particular Passion for that it regards a sensible good vnder a sensitiue consideration that is to say vnder this consideration that it is absent and that in this absence it drawes vnto it the affection of man to pursue it For the sensible good which is the obiect of the sensuall appetite moues otherwise when it is present then when it is absent For when it is present the Appetite is at rest by the presence of the thing beloued whereas being absent the Appetite is moued and agitated with a desire and longing to pursue it and get it But there are two kinds of Desires and Cupidities which may make impression in our senses the one is naturall the other rise from our choice the naturall are those which agree with the nature of the creature as drinking eating sleeping and these are common to men brute beasts for that both the one and the other haue obiects befitting their nature Those which arise from our election are such as regard the things which are not altogether necessary for the creature but man hath inuented them for his greater ease and commodity as the delights of drinking eating baths play sights riches honor reputation and such like As for naturall desires they are not infinite but haue their bounds for that as nature contents it selfe with a little so shee prescribes vnto her selfe certaine limitts within the which she containes herselfe tying herselfe to the obiect which is fitting without any diuersion But those which follow our election haue no bounds so they grow infinite For as they depend of the imagination of man as this power represents the formes and images of infinit obiects so these desires multiply infinitely to pursue all those good things which the imagination hath propounded Whereby it happens that representing at one instant any thing that seems pleasing or profitable we desire it passionately and then changing opinion wee wish another and after it a third So as we feele as it were a swarme of desires disclose themselues in our thoughts which draw vs to diuerse obiects without rule or measure For as no aboundance of water can satisfie them that are sicke of the dropsie so there is no kind of goodnesse or pleasure that may content our desires The ancient Philosophers compared the first matter to an infamous strumpet who is neuer glutted with present pleasure but doth still meditate vpon new imbracings for that the first matter is neuer content with the formes which she enioyes but still desires new not caring whether they be more noble then that wherewith she is adorned But we haue more reason to apply this comparison to our Cupidities and Desires which shew themselues insatiable in all they pursue with what kind of Passion soeuer And herein appeares the great misery of man who
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
absent then Flight or Auâ—rsion contrary to desire discouers it selfe but if it bee present she then conceiues griefe In this manner we finde out the number of the passions which reside in the concupiscible power those of the irascible are but fiue as feare courage hope despaire and choller for if the obiect which hath some shew of good presents it selfe being accompanied with difficultie and that man conceiues with himselfe that notwithstanding all that it is in his power to obtaine it then hope is framed but if there bee no likelyhood despaire pulls him back and diuerts him And touching that which regards the good wee enioy there is no passion in the irascible that concernes it seeing that which is in our power is not accompanied with any difficulty neither is it needfull the irascible shoulde mooue or worke for this subiect But if the euill which presents it selfe be ful of horror and difficulty it must either be present or absent if it be absent it excites courage or feare Courâ—ge if wee striue to surmount it and feare if we apprehend it as too doubtfull If it bee present it inflames choller which carries vs to reuenge to repell the iniurie that is done vs. And thus wee finde out the number of the Passions of the irascible power the which with the six of the Concupiscible make eleauen in aâ—l But wee must remember that notwithstanding this determined number yet wee finde as it were a swarme of others which notwithstanding take their beginning and spring from these as we haue obserued In this number the Philosophers put Bitternes Enuy Emulation Shamefastnes Impudency Mercy Humanity and a thousand others which were too long to relate But for that there are some without the knowledge whereof this treaty were imperfect wee will speake of them according the exigence of the subiect when occasion shal be offered here it shall suffice to obserue that as the generall Passions regard their obiects without any restriction but that of good or euill which presents it selfe so the more particular Passions contained vnder these generall regard the same obiects limitted to some speciall condition as for example Desire taken absolutly is a generall Passion which regards the obiect of good without any other limitation then vnder the apparance of good but if wee come to prescribe bounds to this good and that wee consider it vnder the forme of some particular good be it of Hâ—nor of Riches of Beauty or of any other thing the desire must also bee limited and then it shall bee a desire of honor which is called ambition or a desire of riches which we call couetousnes or a desire of beauty the which attributes vnto it selfe the name of the gender and is called loue And the like may bee sayd of the other limitations of this obiect so as these Passion of Loue Riches and Honor are more particular Passions then the desire which is as it were their gender and spring So griefe taken absolutely is a Passion which regards the obiect of euill in its generall extent without any other limitation then that of euill By reason whereof if this obiect come to bee restrained by vs to some speciall condition as to the misery or prosperity of another man or to our owne infamy then this griefe shall also be limited and restrained and shall become a griefe for another mans misfortunes and then it shal bee a compassion or it shal bee a griefe for another mans prosperity and then it shaâ—bee called an indignation or an enuie and despight or else it will become a griefe for our owne infamy and then it is a shame and so of the rest These Passions may bee infinite vnder the diuers limitations of obiects which are infinite and therefore they can hardly bee rancked vnder a certâ—ine science neither haue they particular names but borrow them from the limitation which the obiect giues them yet there are some which haue their proper names as Enuy Iealousie Compassion Shame but the rest many times carry the name of their Genders In the meane time a question is heere propounded whence it comes that considering the obiect of the Concupiscible appetite which containes the good and euill simply taken that is to say without shew of any difficulty added vnto it wee haue put ioy as a Passion which ariseth from the presence and enioying of the good and griefe as a Passion which growes from the present euill which cannot be auoided and yet considering the obiect of the Irascible power which comprehends the good which cannot be obtained but with difficulty and the euill which cannot be auoyded but with paine wee haue not set any Passion that riseth from the enioying of that good or from the presence of that euill which cannot bee eschued Whereunto we answere that this difficulty were allowable if these two appetits had their actions separated one from another but they are alwayes vnited and march ioyntly to the pursuit and enioying of good and to the flight and auoyding of euill So as the Irascible appitite neuer stirres but ioyntly with the Concupiscible for that it is ordained to succor and assist it whensoeuer there appeares any difficulty in the obiect which he is to pursue or auoyd In regard whereof notwithstanding any difficulty that may be incountered in the fight or pursuite of this obiect yet when it is obtained or auoyded all the paine or difficulty which did enuiron it vanisheth away and is dispersed It is not therefore necessary to ascribe any other Passions which grow from the enioying or flight of this obiect then the same which arise from the enioying or flight when as there is no apparent difficultie which doth crosse the possession or make the auoyding difficult and to the end wee may the better know what order these two appetites obserue in the execution of their offices wee may thus represent their motions and the order of the Passions which are framed in the one and the other As soone as any obiect presents it selfe vnto the sensible power vnder the forme of an apparent good as for example the beauty of a faire Hellen whether that the acquisition be accoÌ„panied with any difficulty or not this beauty doth first of all stirre vp a passion of loue from the which presently doth grow a desire which makes him seeke to enioy her and if in this pursuite there appeare no difficulty the possession wil be obtained without the assistance of the irascible appetite whence will arise ioy or pleasure But if during the heate of desire there appeares any difficulty to obtaine it then if the Concupiscible appetite were not assisted it would be danted with the least difficulty that should present it selfe and would cease to desire the thing or striue to enioy it for this reason the Irascible to preuent this causeth hope to arise to succour the concupiscible which supports desire and makes him striue to attaine vnto it and in this case it breedes no other
had neuer seene before Doth not this proue say they that it is nature which frames in vs this Passion and so they conclude that it cannot proceed but from the Author of nature others prefer the cause of loue to the Planets Starres and constellations and presuppose that the reason why Achilles loued Patroclus Alexander Hephestion and the Queene of the Amazons Alexander And to come to moderne examples that Charles the ninth loued the Marshall of Rais that Henry the third loued the Dukes of Ioyeuse and Espernon and Monsier de Termes that Henry the fourth loued the Duke of Suilly and that the King now gloriously reigning loues the Duke of Luines and his brethren are all effects of the aspects of the Planets which incountered at the natiuities of these Princes and Noblemen Others seeke the cause in the Parents as if they which bring vs into the world with our being did transfer and infuse into vs their Passions Others refer it to the good or bad education we receiue according to which wee frame our desires and affections The Platonicians imagine that wee must seeke it in the degrees of the harmony which is found in Soules which they beleeue are compounded as of a consort and proportion of numbers the which incountering equally in two persons incites them to loue one another But this is very mystical and requires a spirit accustomed to the imaginations of Plato To come then to the point it is certaine that God hath infused into our soules the seedes of loue seeing that he hath giuen vs the powers which are capable It is also certaine that the influence of the Planets may cōtribute to this Passion for that it resides in the concupiscible appetite the which is a sensitiue power and depends of the body ouer whose motions the Planets haue a kind of power It is also visible that nurture education sometimes the inclinations which our Parents haue ingrafted in vs may haue a share in the motions of our affections But to speake according to the rules of Philosophy wee must say precisely and absolutely that the bounty of things whether they bee found in them or that wee imagine them to be is the Spring beginning and mouing cause of the loue wee beare them For God the Author of nature who hath created all things in number weight measure hath also imparted to all Creatures inclinations and motions necessary to attaine vnto their ends So hee hath infused into his vnderstanding an inclination which makes him passionately to seeke the truth and to imbrace it when hee hath found it And in like manner hee hath ingrafted in the wil a desire and loue of good which is the only obiect which may moue it and enflame it to pursue it And as colours are the obiect of the sight which drawe it by a certaine attraction which growes from a naturall simpathy which is betwixt them like vnto that which is betwixt our vnderstanding and truth betwixt the eye and colours and betwixt the hearing and sounds Hence it growes that there is so strict a cōnexion betwixt the will and the good as the will cannot loue any thing which hath not a shew of good So as if it bee at any time deceiued and imbraceth the euill it is vnder a veile and shew of good which is imployed to abuse it and the like may bee sayd of the sensitiue appetite which in its motions follows the same instincts that the will doth But when as wee say that the good is the obiect of our will and loue vnder this good wee comprehend that which is faire for that goodly things haue an equall power with those things that bee good to inflame our wills as also beauty and bounty in effect are all one and differ not but only in our imagination The which the Platonicians demonstrate by excellent reasons calling loue simply a desire of beauty Yea to shew that beauty is louely of it selfe as well as bounty they adde that beauty which shines in the body is as it were a beame or image of the infinite beauty which is in God wherefore we admire it and loue it passionatly when it presents it selfe vnto our eyes and then say they the beauty of the body is also an image of the beauty of the mind for that the internall perfections ingender the externall as the lustre of pretious stones pearles growes from the perfect mixture of the foure Elemēts which are found in their constitution as flowers and leaues of trees borrow their beauty from the roote and as in beasts the good interior constitution is the cause of the beauty which appeares in the countenance So then wee conceiue that the external beauty of the body proceeds from the internall bounty of the mind so as bounty seemes to bee the roote of beauty and beauty the flower of that bounty which shines in creatures And therefore hee that containes himselfe within his bounds and in the innocency of loue seeing the beauty of the body imagines as it is true that this pleasing obiect is a beame of the infinit and immense beauty whereof the essence of God is as it were the center from whence shee deriues and takes her beginning and consequently that it is as it were a sience of the interior beauty which shines in the soule from whence the body hath taken life Thus the Platonicians proue that beauty as well as bounty makes an impression in our wills and proportionably inflames our desires begets affections and Passions which makes vs to seeke it But leauing all other reasons to proue this assertion wee will content our selues with the saying of Aristotle That to demaund why wee loue beautifull things were a question fit for a blind man for that the eyes feele and know how powerfull the charmes are to make an impression in the Soule By this which wee haue spoken it is easie to bee gathered that loue hath for obiect and mouing cause the bounty and beauty of things which by the sweetnes of the beames they cast forth make so powerfull an impression in our soules as they remaine as it were rauished or rather charmed with so pleasant a lustre so as to ascend vnto the Spring fountaine we must eleuate our selues to that great and immortal Essence which is as it were a notion of all the graces of all the beauties and of all the bounties which are infused into al the creatures We must I say raise vp our selues to that infinite and most happy Essence which is as it were the center from whence all the perfections which represent themselues so goodly vnto our eyes and so pleasing vnto our sense borrow their lustre and take their beginning And in this manner wee shall tie our affections to an obiect worthy of the generosity of their motions which should alwayes imitate the nature of fire which remaines vnwillingly in the earth and striues continually to mount towards heauen Finally wee must remember that Loue
is deuided into fiue branches and that there are fiue kinds which differ much one from another for there is a loue of naturall things there is a loue of creatures there is a loue of men there is a loue of Angells and there is a loue of God The Loue of naturall things is nothing else but the inclination which things destitute of knowledge haue to vnite themselues vnto their ends and to attaine the perfections of their nature to which sence an Ancient sayd that the loue of the bodies was nothing else but the weight wherewith they are ballanced bee it that the weight keepes them downe or that the lightnes raiseth them vp on high for God hath ingrafted these inclinations into all naturall things to the end they may attaine to their perfections and preserue them when they haue once gotten them The loue of creatures is nothing else but a vehement impression made in their sences surprized with things which they conceiue to be pleasing This Passion is many times blind importune obstinate and insolent and is common to men brute beastes which suffers themselues to bee transported with the motions of a dishonest pleasure Humaine Loue is a Passion which should follow the motions of reason and which being guided by the light of the soule shold only imbrace the true good to make it perfect for containing himselfe within these bounds it should no more be a violent furious passion which filles the world daily with so many miseries by her exorbitant and strang disorders The Loue of Angells flies yet higher for that those happy spirits enlightned with a more excellent light and illuminated with a more pure perfect splendour loue the soueraigne Good more ardently then all the creatures and by a reflux of this great Loue take an incredible care of the affaires of men and being neuer wearied in the seruice they do them by the coÌ„mandement of God assist them procure their safety with constancy and ioy full of amazement and wonder The Loue of God enters not into comparison with any other for that as there is no proportion betwixt things finite and infinite his motions being infinite they appeare with another lustre and shew themselues with a greater endeauor towards that he loues then the creatures can doe From this spring flow the admirable beauties which shine in the heauens in the Starres Planets Elements in bodies both simple and compound and in great meane and small things all which do feele the effects of his bounty and the perfect assistance of his prouidence From this spring proceedes the care which hee hath of men the graces which he imparts vnto them the good desires wherewith hee doth inspire them and the meanes which hee offers them to raise them vp to the height of his glory and to make them enioy the felicity of Angells But we will not treate of this kind of loue whereof wee had rather feele the flames then describe the perfection Neither will wee discourse of that of Angells which wee may better admire then set forth wee will not in like sort busie our selfe with that of naturall things or of creatures which is too base for our subiect but wee will represent the Loue which is a humaine Passion whereof morall Philosophy teacheth vs to discourse and whose essence we meane now to set downe Wherein the Essence of Loue doth consist CHAP. 2. AS in other subiects we dovsually ascend vnto the knowledge of the cause by the search of the effects so in this matter to attaine vnto an exact knowledge of the nature of Loue we must first vnderstand what it is to loue to the end the branch may discouer the nature of the roote Loue then is no other thing but To will good to some one not for our owne priuate interest but for the loue of himselfe procuring with all our power what we thinke may bee profitable for him or may giue him content Whereby it appeares there are foure things to be considered in Loue. The first is that wee be carefull of his good whom we Loue the which growes for that loue vnites the wills perfectly and makes vs esteeme the good which befalls him we loue as our owne particular wherefore the Ancients sayd that Loue was one soule in two bodies The which it seems that Alexander would giue Darius mother to vnderstand when he sayd that Hephestion was another AlexaÌ„der For he vsed this speech in regard of the great affection hee bare him the which was such as he held him another himself so as he would haue him a partaker of all his honors glory After this manner then wee should desire to our friends the same honors the same glory and all other felicities which we wish for our own proper contentment And when they succeed wee must reioyce as if wee our selues enioyed them seeing that all things are common among friends But secondly we must wish al this good to those we loue for their ownesakes and not for any priuate interest of our owne or for any profite wee expect to reape by them for the Epicures opinion who wil haue men loue for profit or pleasure is infamous and makes Loue either mercenary or of small continuance Wee must then remember that there are three kinds of friendship that is to say honest profitable and pleasing Betwixt the which there is this difference that the two last kinds are no true affections but rather shadowes of Loue whereas the first that is to say honest friendship which hath vertue for her obiect is solid and true and moreouer it is constant and of long continuance whereas the profitable and the pleasing last little and are dissolued vpon the first alteration which happens in the subiect whereunto they are tied As for example they that loue only for profit continue no longer in this affection then they whom they loue may be beneficiall vnto them the which ceasing they renounce the duties of friendship which they had formerly shewed for that the cause ceasing the effect of necessity must cease Hence it growes that the friendships of Court are so inconstant and variable for that Courtiers commonly â—â—e their affections to those which are in fauour haue some kind of credit to the end it may bee an entry for them to offices in the Estate But if there happen any alteration in their fortune by a disgrace with the Prince and that they see them vnable and incapable to assist them they presently abandon them and make no more account of them then of an image ouerthrowne yea they would haue men thinke that they neuer obserued them So in Tiberius time Seianus possessing his maister absolutely receiuing the fauor of this Prince with full sailes so as all the honors all the dignities and all the offices of the Estate depended of the inclination he had to those that courted him all the world adored him the people and Senate erected statues vnto him hee was publiquely
praised his house was neuer empty all the Orders went to consult with him as with an oracle or rather as the soule of the Empire But as soone as his fauour began to shake presently hee saw the affections of such as had so shamefully flattered him decay and die and when it was wholly falne there followed so prodigioâ—s a change in the affections of the Court and people as after they had vnworthily massacred him they drew his body through the streete into the riuer of Tiber his statues were beaten downe all his kinsfolkes persecuted his memory detested and the name of Seianus was held in execration to all the world But this is the ordinary course in Court whereas Fortune is alwayes adored As the affections which depend vpon profite decay as soone as the profite ceaseth in like manner that friendship which is supported only by pleasure continues no longer then the subiect of pleasure indureth For they that loue in consideration of beauty when as age or infirmities makes it to wither and decay their affection is gone and they esteeme no more that which they had formerly honored So as there is no true nor solid friendship but that which is grounded vpon vertue and honesty The rest hauing inconstant and wandring obiects are also inconstant and mutable and the interest and pleasures ceasing they die whereas honest loue propounding vnto it selfe a constant and durable obiect knowes no change They that Loue in this sort wish all good to him they loue for his owne sake and not for their priuate interest The third thing wee must consider in Loue is that wee are bound to imploy all our meanes to procure good to them wee loue For as the Sunne should not deserue the name of Sunne if it gaue not light to the whole world so wee cannot esteeme him a true friend which doth not imploy himselfe with all his power and meanes to bind him whom he makes profession to loue And this admits no limitation nor bounds for there is not any thing which Loue will not make him do that loues perfectly euen to contemne his owne life for the safety of him hee loues It is true that a perfect friend should wish that he to whom he hath ingaged his affection should haue all things happy and prosperous in the course of his life that hee be neuer shaken with any storme and that hee neuer feele any crosses of fortune but as the condition of man is fraile and exposed to a thousand calamities if it chance that hee fall into any infirmity he must participate of his paine If a tempest carries him through the waues of the sea hee must hoist saile to follow him yea if the billowes ouerset his ship he must seeke him in this shipwracke If Tyrants seaze vpon him if they cast him into prison loade him with chaines hee must offer his owne body to free his bonds and if they send him to execution he must present his head to redeeme his friends If hee see him assaulted by his enemies who seeke to murther him he must present himselfe to beare their blowes And if he see him in the throat of lions exposed to the rage of wild beasts hee must hazard himselfe to free him from danger and if he die he must in like manner abhorre life Hee that loues perfectly sayd Plato by the mouth of Phedro will rather abandon himselfe to death then expose that he loues to dangers And there is no man so faint hearted whom Loue doth not fill with courage and inflame with a force to make him in this subiect equall to the most generous soules For that which Homer saith that the Worthies are inspired with a diuine force and furie is more truely verified in those that loue whoÌ„ loue hath often inspired with a diuine fury which hath made them to contemne death to preserue the life of those they haue loued The last thing that is to be considered in Loue is that we wish vnto our friends the things which we thinke truely are good for them that is to say that we desire for them the things that are iust and that are adorned with all the circumstances of vertue In regard whereof hee spake wisely which answered his friend who would haue him forsweare himselfe that hee was a friend euen vnto the altars hauing no intent to serue his friend against his conscience In this case then Loue admits bounds limitations and it were to abuse the name to bind him that loues to commit vniust things in fauour of them to whom he wisheth well So when as Charles of Burbon to reueÌ„ge his priuate discoÌ„tent abandoned France and his King and imbraced the party of Spaine the Emperour the Princes Noblemen his friends whereof he had many in Court did not hold themselues bound to follow him and to make themselues confederates of his despight and rebellion So as these words which are at this day in the mouth of many that they are ready to turne Turkes for their friends yea and to follow them into hell is the speech rather of a fury then the discourse of men transported with true Loue for Loue must coÌ„taine it selfe within the bounds of iustice honesty and vertue and not make vs do any thing which may breed vs shame And moreouer they that make these impious protestations haue them more in their mouthes then in their harts and I know not how they can make them without blushing By al this which we haue sayd it is easie to gather wherein the essence of Loue doth properly consist the which we may define in this manner Loue is a wellwishing which we testifie with all our power to those to whom we haue an inclination procuring them for their owne sakes all the good we think may giue them content According to which hee is a friend that loues and is reciprocally beloued for loue being as it were a torch which lightens another friends must beleeue that affections are reciprocall and that as they loue so they are beloued wherein they must not shew themselues vnpleasing or importune to sound the hearts one of another which will bewray a diffidence and distruct But content themselues with the true signes of loue which their friends shew them These signes of true Loue are reduced to three principall heads The first is that friends reioyce grieue for the same things wherfore Homer describing AgamemnoÌ„s affliction when as he was forced to sacrifice his daughter Iyhigenia he represents al his friends accompanying him to this sacrifice with mournefull countenances full of sorrow and at Rome when as any one was accused and brought in question for his life al his friends changed their robes with him to shew that they did participate with his affliction The reason is for that sorrow and ioy are the markes of our affections and of that wee haue in the soule which reioyceth or afflicts it selfe as the obiects which present themselues are pleasing
or distastfull And for this reason sorrow and ioy discouer the inclination we haue to any one The second is that friends share equally betwixt them the good and euill They say that there are images of wax vpon the which inchanters deliuer such powerfull spells as being made to represent any person as soone as they are wronged the body of him for whom they were fashioned feeles paine In this sort there is such a bond of affection betwixt friends as the harme which happens to the one afflicts the other and fills him with bitternesse so as many times we haue seene true friends die with sorrow for the losse of their friend Yea prophane histories are full of Persons which haue slaine themselues for that they would not suruiue them whom they haue loued dearely In like manner the prosperity of friends passeth from one to another so as the tryumphs of Alexander are the coÌ„tentments of Ephestion and the glory of Ephestion is the ioy of Alexander The third is that they which loue should haue the same friends and the same enemies They say the Adamant or Loadstone doth not only make an impression vpon iron which it drawes but doth also impart his vertue by his touching so as the iron which it hath toucht drawes other iron vnto it and makes as it were a continued chaine In the same manner a friend brings his friends to him he loues and he reciprocally imparts vnto him his friends whereof there is framed a common bond which makes them ready to succor one another as if they were members of one body To what Persons Loue extends CHAP. 3. ALthough that loue hath for his generall obiect the bounty and beauty which shines in those things which present them selues vnto our eyes and soules yet there are diuerse particular considerations and diuerse beames which excite this Passion and fashion it in the hearts of men Aristotle numbers fifteene causes the which are also diuided into other branches whereof we will treate as briefely as wee may taking only that which shall belong vnto our subiect First sayth he men loue them which do them good or whom they thinke haue a will to do it or to their friends In truth there is nothing that more bindes the hearts of men and induceth them more to loue then benefits For euen bruite beasts feele the good which they receiue from men and there is no creature so wild whom good vsage doth not make gentle and tame They that gouerne Lyons feare not their rage but play about them without any apprehension of their fury for that this generous Creature knowes him that hath a care to feede him By continuall feeding they bring Elephants to do what seruice they desire And wee must not obiect against it that it hath beene a common complaint in the mouth of men in all ages that most of the benefits that are bestowed in the world are lost for that they fall vpon vngratefull soules who do not acknowledge themselues in any sort bound For as an Ancient hath obserued this proceedes not from the nature of the benefits which contrariwise haue a particular vertue to draw the affection and to charme the will but most commonly the fault proceeds from our selues for that wee either erre in our election doing good to vnworthy persons or we distribute it ill if we take away the grace For wee must not think that our benefites bind a friend if we suffer our selues to be too much courted if we make him to languish in the pursuite or if we do it with a kind of vnwillingnesse for by these meanes wee take away all the merrit and bond of the benefit for that no man will thinke himselfe beholding for that which hee hath purchased so dearely wherefore an Ancient called benefits of that nature a loafe filled with stones which no man can vse Men therefore thinke themselues bound to those from whom they receiue benefits whether they be great and worthy to bee acknowledged in regard of their greae shew and magnificence or that they which are the authors bestow them freely without importunity and with a singular demonstration of Loue or that such as giue haue made a sit choice of time to bind them assisting them when as they or their friends had extreame neede and when as they thinke that for their owne sakes they haue bound them by these benefits They also Loue the friends of their friends and such as haue any conformity with them in the subiect of their affection and that Loue those whom they Loue and who also make profession to be enemies to their enemy The reason is that reputing their friends good as their owne they beleeue that the good which is done vnto their friends extends vnto themâ—selues and that they do participate wholy thereof In regard whereof they loue the spring and fountaine And contrariwise they beleeue that the auersion and distast they haue of their enemies is a token of the loue they beare them They also loue those that succour them with their meanes or bind them with the hazard of their liues For first of all men loue bountifull friends passionatly imagining that they are borne for the good of mankind As for the second men loue great courages imagining that they are supporters of their liues that they will neuer suffer wrong to bee done vnto the weake and feeble They also loue such as they hold to bee iust and resemble not the Harpeys or rauening birds which liue of spoyle but content themselues with their owne fortunes committing no outrage nor offering violence to any And in this rancke they put labourers and handicrafts men to whom all the world seemes to beare an affection in regard of the innocency of their profession They also put in the same rancke temperate persons in whom they see some great modesty to shine which shew that their soules are not inclined to any kind of iniustice They againe esteeme those that leade a peaceable life which haue no curiosity and which pry not into the liues of other men but content themselues to order gouerne those that are submitted to their care and charge presupposing that such as containe themselues within these bounds thinke not of any iniustice or wickednesse Men also Loue famous persons who by their vertue haue attained to an eminent glory and an extraordinary reputation bee it generally in the world or only among good men or among such as they haue in admiration or by whom they themselues are admired and they especially make great shew of their affection when as they presume that these Persons in all their dignity and greatnes disdaine them not but are wel pleased with the testimonies of their Passion so wee haue seene people runne by whole troupes from all the corners of the world to see conquerours such as did triumph men of holy life and Persons indued with rare knowledge or wisedome aboue the common sort of men The reason is for that
thing that hath any corresponcy with him so as respecting him whom he loues as another himselfe hee cannot but bee inflamed with this consideration The Platonicians had another reason the which in my opinion concurres with this Loue say they makes an impression in the soule of him that loues of the Image and forme of the thing beloued But man loueth not onely his being and his true and reall forme but also his imaginary forme as appeares by pictures and looking-glasses in which we behold with content our portraicts formes Wherefore there is a certaine Passion for the thing beloued in whose soule he doth contemplate his forme which Loue hath ingrauen After this manner resemblance breedeth Loue and vnites the affections of men The truth hereof appeares for that men do commonly loue those that are allyed vnto them in neernesse of blood so as Kinsmen doe commonly loue one another or by some conformity of humours and complexions which maketh melancholy men loue the company of their like and Iouiall spirits delight in the company of them that are pleasant Or by some commerce of profession which maketh Philosophers to loue Philosophers and Painters delight in Painters Or some equality of age which makes young men delight in the company of youth and olde men to conuerse with them that are graue Or some coherence of manners which makes good men loue the vertuous and the wicked seeke after such as are wickedly affected But notwithstanding that which we haue said that coÌ„monly men of one profession loue one another must bee vnderstood according to the true nature of things for by occasion and accident this coÌ„formity of professions may ingender hatred and enuy that is to say when as they of one trade and profession liuing of their art and labour hinder one another as for example when as a tradsman hauing gotten some reputation doth hinder the profit of his companions then iealousie riseth amongst them according to the saying of an Ancient The Potter enuies the Potter The Philosophers giue an excellent reason hereof He that loues say they loues himselfe more deerely then all other things besides for that he is vnited to himselfe by Essence and Nature whereas hee is not conioyned to him that he loues but by some accidentall and externall forme And therefore if this conformity crosseth his priuate good and be preiudiciall vnto him hee findes himselfe more strictly tied vnto himselfe then to his like wherefore seeing his losse concurring with his passion he whom hee loued being an obstacle to his desire he growes odious vnto him as opposite to his good Men doe also loue those that aspire to the same honors and dignities at the least when they may attaine vnto them and enioy them together without any obstacle or wrong one vnto another For competency causing an hinderance as it did in the pursuit of the Consulate at Rome it happeneth as wee haue said of men of the same profession that it excites enuy and hatred Wherefore in the loue of women they can endure no corriuals for that with honesty they cannot be enioyed by two They also loue those with whom they haue any familiarity which is not scrupulous hauing free liberty without apprehension of disdaine to doe and say things in their presence which they would not act or speake before the world As for example they affect those before whom they may freely discourse of their loues of their pursuites and of their other Passions But wee must remeÌ„ber that there are some things which are dishonest of themselues the which a good man may neither do or speak before the world or before his friends But there are others which are shameful only in the opinioÌ„ of the world and not according to the truth of things and these a good man vsing an honest familiarity with his friends may doe and speake in their presence although he would not doe it in publike before the world like vnto King Agesilaus being in priuate with his children playd with them with a fatherly liberty but beeing surprized by one who knew not how farre the loue of a father might extend he was discontented Men also testifie that they loue those before whom they are ashamed to doe or say those things which are of themselues shamefull or dishonest wherein wee may say that the Persians gaue good testimony of their loue to their wiues when as they caused them to retire from their banquets being vnwilling that their eies shold be spectators of their excesse admitting none but their Concubines For this respect and reuerence which they gaue them was a signe of true Loue for that wee are ashamed to commit any vnworthy Act before them wee affect They also willingly imbrace such as they haue seene faithfull and constant in their affections and who loue equally both present absent For which consideration they desire to insinuate themselues into their friendship which testifie their loue vnto the dead who adorne their Tombes erect Statues and make other monuments for them to preserue their memory among men They also affect such as abandon not their friends in the crosses and iniuries of fortune whereof wee haue a worthy example in the subiect of Damon and Pithias whereof the one beeing condemned to die by the tyrant Dionisius and desiring some respite to goe and settle the affaires of his house his companion yeelded himselfe a pledge for his returne with this condition that if hee returned not backe within the prefixed time hee should vndergo the rigour of the same sentence but the condemned man presenting himselfe at the day appointed the tyrant was so rapt with admiration to see the faith which he had vnto his friend in a matter of that importance and of so great danger that in stead of putting him to death he coniured these two perfect friends to accept of him as a third man in their friendship Behold how the most sauage and vntamed spirits are forced to loue those that shew an vnuiolable constancy in their affectioÌ„s Men doe also loue such as they see full of freedome and without dissimulation towards them In which ranke they nuÌ„ber such as make no scruple to discouer their errors vnto them and who entertaine them freely with their priuate passions For as wee haue shewed before we blush not to say or doe in priuate with our friends that which we would not doe publickely before the world Wherefore as he that is ashamed to doe any thing before another shewes that hee loues him not perfectly so he that hath not this apprehension giues a manifest testimony that he hath a full confidence in his friendship wherefore wee loue such as make shewe to rely vpon vs euen discouering their imperfections vnto vs. Againe they affect those whose authority is not fearefull vnto them whose power they thinke they shall haue no cause to apprehend for no man euer loued him whom he feared seruilely and herein Tyrants abuse themselues thinking to seâ—le
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
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
vnlesse it extend vnto the senses Wherefore some affirme that this kinde of ioy is found in the Essence of God and in the nature of Angels And they are accustomed to propound a question vpon this subiect which be the greatest pleasures and delight most whether those of reason or those of the senses But the answer is easie for that vndoubtedly the intellectuall and those of the minde if we consider them in themselues are more delightfull then those of the senses And this made Aristotle to say that the sweetest and most pleasing content wee can haue in this life is that which proceedes from the exercises and actions of wisedome which is spent in the contemplation of the first causes The reason why the pleasures of the minde haue an aduātage ouer those of the body is for that to cause pleasure or delight in vs there must concurre three things that is to say the obiect vnited to the power the power to the which it is vnited and the actuall vnion of the one with the other which presupposeth knowledge of this good As for example to beget the pleasures of our taste there must bee delicate meates a taste well disposed and moreouer the vnion of these two things must bee made by the naturall organs with his knowledge that must receiue the impression of this pleasure For if the most exquisite meates were put into the mouth of a man that slept hee should receiue no pleasure for that hee had no feeling nor knowledge And first of all the goods of the minde in the enioying whereof consist the intellectuall pleasures are more noble and more louely then all the goods of the senses and body whereof we haue a notable proofe in that wee see men yea most abandoned to vice depriue themselues of the sweetest pleasures of the body to purchase glory which is a good of the mind So they sayd of Caesar who in his great inclination to loue and women renounced all his pleasures to get the honor of a Triumph Moreouer the power of the will in which is made the impression of these kinde of Pleasures being intellectuall and much more excellent then the senses which are corporeall the actions which she produceth and which are followed by these Pleasures are also more noble then those which deriue from the senses And by consequence the vnion which is made of spirituall obiects with the will is farre more strict more worthy and more durable then that which happens betwixt the senses and the obiects which they pursue It is more strict for that the senses regard onely the superficies of things and doe not busie themselues but to consider the accidents which inuiron them as colours smelling noyse sweetnesse and the like whereas the vnderstanding pierceth into the Essence and substance of the obiects It is more worthy for that it is made without any alteration or corporeall change whereas the obiect pleasing to the senses cannot be vnited with them but it will cause some kinde of change which is full of imperfection It is more durable for that the obiects of the sēses are of perishable goods which soon faile whereas the obiects of the minde are of eternall felicity which continues for euer Yet it is true that the obiects of the senses make a more violent impression in our soules and that the pleasure which we receiue toucheth vs much more then that which the spirits gathers from the obiects which are pleasing vnto it The which happens first for that the goods of the body are borne with vs encrease with vs and are preserued with vs· So as handling them daily and hourely we haue a more exact knowledge then of the goods of the vnderstanding which are remoued from vs. We haue said that knowledge is necessary for the enioying of pleasures wherefore where this knowledge hath least power there the pleasures are least sensible This also happens for that we vse pleasures as remedies and cures against the crosses troubles and cares of this life which are sweetned and as it were charmed by their presence But most men being either indisposed or not capable to raise themselues vp to spiritual consolations seeke and tye themselues to pleasing obiects which present thēselues easily to their senses The which is fortified for that the sweetnesse of obiects which delight our senses are suddainely tasted and doe not much trouble vs to seeke them It is an infallible Maxime in Philosophy that the obiects by their presence make a more powerfull impression in our soules then when they are absent And those things which giue vs least paine are most sweete in their acquisition so as for all these considerations the Pleasures of the body seeme vnto vs greater then those of the minde We may say in a word that those of the senses are more sēsible but these more perfect more excellent In the mean time all the wise men of the world exhort vs to set a careful guard ouer the Pleasures of the senses which they call the poyson of the minde For the which wee must the more carefully prouide for that these Passions are accompanied with a certaine sweetenesse which flatters vs at her first approach and surprizeth our iudgement and charmes it in such sort as it helpes to deceiue it selfe So as in this subiect wee must imitate those wise old men of Troy who counselled Priam to send backe Hellen to the Grecians and not suffer himselfe to be any longer abused with the charms of her great beauty for that keeping her within their City was to entertaine the siege of a fatall and dangerous warre and to nourish a fire which would consume it to ashes The euent did shew that it was wisely fore-seene and pronounced as an Oracle for in the same manner wee should chase from vs the obiects of Pleasures lest they be the cause of our ruine To which purpose an Ancient said That nature had engrafted no such pernicious Desires as those of the Pleasures of the body for that these desires growing vnbridled doe so enflame the courages where they get possession as they leaue nothing vndone to content their Passion Whence spring treacheries and treasons which make men to sell their friends and countrey from thence proceedes ruines and defolation of Estates the conspiracies against Common weales As it appeared in that of Catilyne who practized the ruine of Rome from thence the murthers violences burnings and all the miseries of this life take their spring and beginning The reason is for that pleasures quench the Iudgement and smother all the seedes of vertue and wisedome in man the which they effect more powerfully when they are most violent as it appeares in those which are transported with Loue who are not maisters of themselues but suffer themselues to be wholy guided by their Passions wherefore a wiseman of the world was wont to say that he had rather fall into frenzy then suffer himselfe to bee surprized with Pleasures for that
either from the condition of the thing which is not capable to satisfie our desire at one instant As we see in drinking and eating to which we must returne diuerse times to entertaine life Or from the imperfection of enioying as they which haue but tasted the first sweetnes of friendship desire to haue a fuller content Like vnto those which loue Poësie who hauing heard a peece of a goodly verse such as Vergil wrote wish to heare the rest to make their pleasure perfect Or else it growes from the nature it selfe of Pleasure which is so sweete as it inflames the soule to desire the continuance The which is seldome seene in the pleasures of the senses and of the body but which is felt with infinite delight by those which drink of that torrent of Pleasure which the Scripture describes vnto vs in heauen for they drinke eternally and are neuer satisfied We must also remember that there is great difference betwixt the Pleasures of the senses and of the minde for the delights of the senses charging and as it were importuning our naturall dispositions becomes troublesome and tedious as it falls out when we suffer our selues to be surprized with the excesse of eating and drinking Whereas those of the mind neuer exceed the carriage nor capacity of the naturall disposition of the soule but rather adde perfectiō to her nature wherefore when they are fully enioyed they delight most And if there be at any time a distaste it is for that the actiō of the mind is accōpanied with the action of the inferior powers the which being corporeall they are tired with the cōtinuance of so long an imployment Wherefore they call backe the spirit that it may giue some rest vnto the body And doubtlesse it is the onely reason why those happy soules are neuer weary to behold the diuine Essence for that the contemplation of this pleasing obiect doth not ouercharge nor weaken the spirits but doth ease and fortifie them And moreouer she doth not worke by the meanes of the senses and corporeall Organs which are subiect to grow slack in their actions I might adde that this happy contemplation of the diuine Essence is alwayes accompanied with new subiects of admiration in regard wherof it can neuer be troublesome and moreouer although the obiect bee soueraignely simple yet it comprehends all the good things which may fall into the thought or desire of man so as it can neuer cause any distaste But this belongs vnto another discourse The pleasure of the senses produceth a pernicious and dangerous effect in vs it binds our reason and takes away the vse the which happens by three occasions The first for that imploying the soule wholly in the feeling and enioying of the sweetenesse which doth accompany it she retires it from the consideration of all spirituall goodnesse and makes it lesse capable of reason in regard of the heate of the passion which doth agitate it Secondly for that most part of the pleasures of the body at the least when they tend to excesse and disorder are contrary to the motions of reason And it is an vndoubted truth That one contrary doth alwayes expell and destroy another wherefore pleasure yeeldes no place to the motions of Reason The which made Aristotle to say that although that pleasure corrupts not the Theory and simple knowledge wee haue of things as for example she doth not hinder vs from knowing that a Triangle hath three corners and that the whole is bigger then its parts distinctly comprized yet shee depraues the iudgement and hinders the esteeme wee should make by the lawes of wisedome of that which is good For that although we know well that temperance is a vertue yet we flie it for that it is cōtrary to the pleasures of our senses which suffers vs not to esteeme it as we ought The third is for that the pleasures of the senses cause a greater and a more violent alteration and change in our bodies then that of the other Passions The reason is for that wee imbrace with more vehemency and tie our selues more strictly to the obiects which please vs when they are present then when they are absent These changes and sensible alterations in the body cause trouble to the soule As it appeares in those which are surprized with wine in whose actions there is no shew of reason the excesse of wine hauing altered their braine and made them incapable of the functions of the mind But honest and moderate Pleasure addes perfection to her actions as beauty and a good grace giues the last ornament to youth aswell for that she is the end and scope which wee propound vnto our selues when we meane to worke as also for that shee makes her actions agreeable by the content she ingrafts in our senses So as to entertaine this Pleasure shee causeth vs to imploy our selues with more heate and attention to accomplish them Wherefore an Ancient sayd that nature had ioyned Pleasure to actions necessary for the entertainment of the life of creatures or for the preseruation of their kinds as eating drinking and generation to the end it might bee as salt which seasoneth meate That is to say to the end it might make those actions delightfull and that the creatures might not bee drawne vnto them with distaste And touching that which concernes the allurements and inticements of honest Pleasures we must still remember the wise counsell of Aristotle who perswades vs not to obserue them at their first approach but at their parting for that although the entry bee sweete and pleasant the end is alwayes bitter and tragicall They say that among the Pagans there was a Temple of Diana whose image did shew a sadde and seuere countenance to those that entred to worship it but at their departure it seemed more pleasant and smiling But it is contrary in Pleasures for at their first approach they present nothing but roses and sweete contents and in the end they leaue vs nothing but thornes and importune griefes especially for that they diuert vs from the soueraigne Good and from the loue of spirituall delights without the which our soules can finde no solide nor soueraigne content Of Griefe and Heauinesse CHAP. 1. AS among all creatures there is not any one exposed vnto so many outrages of Fortune as man whom we may rightly tearme an image of misery and weaknes So it is most certaine that there is not any Passion wherewith hee is more afflicted in this life then with Griefe and Sorrow whose obiects present themselues continually to his sense and mind Wherefore although that by the light which we finde in contrary things when they are opposed and compared one with another we may iudge of the condition of Griefe and Sorrow by that which we haue spoken of Pleasure and Delight yet for a more ample knowledge of a thing which is so common vnto vs it shall be fit to treate more exactly vpon this subiect Griefe then is
a violent Passion of the Soule entertained by some sensible discontent Or else Griefe is a torment of the mind and body Or againe Griefe is a Passion of the mind afflicted by some kind of euill which presents it selfe Or to describe it more particularly Griefe is a Passion of the Soule which riseth from a discontent she receiueth from obiects contrary to her inclinations which present themselues vnto the senses and afflict them But wee must obserue that there are two kinds of Griefe The one which resides in the sensuall Appetite and the other hath his seate in the rationall This last which afflicts the minde is properly called heauines and differs from the other for that a sensible Griefe is alwayes accompanied with a visible alteration and change of the body which is moued whereas the Griefe of the mind hath not alwayes an agitation of the body but most commonly containes it selfe within the bounds of the power where it is framed in regard whereof it is sometimes attributed to God and the Angells These two kinds of Griefe differ also one from another for that the cause of the sensible Griefe resides in the body which suffers some violent impression that alters it But the cause of the intellectuall Griefe resides in the rationall part and in the mind which represents vnto it selfe the euill which she receiues from the obiects which present themselues vnto her thought They differ againe for that the apprehension and knowledge which the exterior senses haue of things they do only regard the present obiects which make an actuall impression in them but the vnderstanding not only conceiues things present but euen those that are past and which may happen or fall vnder the imagination of man Hence it comes that corporeall Griefe which followeth the apprehension which present things make in the senses growes onely from the presence of obiects contrary to their inclinations Whereas the Griefe of the mind following the knowledge of the vnderstanding may grow from obiects that are present past or to come and from those which man doth presuppose may succeed vnto him So as the noblest powers of our soule and those which are the richest ornaments of our nature as the vnderstanding imagination and memory helpe to increase our paines and to augment our afflictions As if the presence of heauen which giues vs some prerogatiue ouer beastes should make vs more miserable For the most sauage beastes flie dangers when as they present themselues vnto their eyes But being escaped they remaine quiet and assured whereas we not only torment our selues for the euill which doth oppresse vs but euen for which is not yet happened But you must vnderstand that to speake properly Griefe which is one of the Passions of the soule is that which is framed in the sensitiue appetite with a visible alteration of the body which is agitated and moued exteriorly by the euill or paine which it suffers So as the cause doth reside in the body which receiues some kind of outrage But the motion of Griefe is alwayes framed in the soule for that the body is not capable but by the presence of the soule Wee must also remember that as to excite Pleasure in our senses the pleasing obiect must not only be vnited but also knowne and perceiued by the senses as we haue formerly obserued so to cause Griefe the afflicting obiect must touch our senses so as by the impâ—â—ssion it makes thâ—y must pâ—rcâ—iue at it 〈◊〉 painefull For it is certaine that as there is no good but that which is sensibly present can cause Pleasure to the senses so there is not any but a present euill can procure a sensible Griefe But vnder the obiect of Griefe we comprehend not only the euill which afflicts vs but also the good which we haue lost For euen as the weight of bodies causeth that not only they haue an inclination to rest in the center but also is the cause that they are neuer farre remote without suffering a visible violence in their nature So men are naturally carried not only to Loue but with a sensible Griefe of their losse So the couetous man torments himselfe for the losse of his wealth The voluptuous is grieued to see an end of the obiects of his content The mother afflicts her selfe for her only son we see many who after good cheare great feasts and dancings hauing spent the time in all kind of Pleasures suddenly grow heauy and pensiue and yet can giue no reason of this sudden change which proceeds only from the disquietnesse of our minds which grieues at contentments past and afflicts it selfe the which makes him heauy and this heauinesse conuerts into melancholy which augments his anguish and torments him without any other forme of euill that presents it selfe vnto his senses As for the causes of griefe and Heauinesse being consisidered in regard of their subiects where they incounter we obserue three For first of all our Cupidities and Desires do many times cause great vexation and discontents as when any one is surprized with the Loue of a pleasing obiect if they hinder the enioying or but only delay the possession they are so many thornes of Griefe which pierce his soule For as the hope to obtaine the possession causeth Pleasure and Delight so the despaire to attaine vnto that we passionatly desire giues cruell afflictions and insupportable torments Moreouer the Loue wee beare to the preseruation of our beiâ—g doth oftentimes cause sorrow and 〈…〉 for that we apprehend the destruction euen as wee see all creatures afflict theÌ„selues for that which offends them and are very carefull to shelter their bodies from all outrage Wherefore wee may say that Griefe is no other thing but an apprehension and feeling of the destruction of our good which makes vs impatient Thirdly the soule helpes to afflict herselfe whether that melancholy workes this effect or that the continuall afflictions oppresse her in such sort as she doth nothing but sigh vnder the burthen of sorrow and like vnto a bad Pilot which abandons his ship to the waues and storme shee suffers her selfe to be so ouercome with Griefe as she augments her owne paine and increaseth her misery For we often see men who in the middest of their afflictions and discontents do nothing but sigh and powre forth teares and will not yeeld themselues capable of any kind of consolation But although wee shew our selues more sensible of the Griefe of the senses then that of the mind yet it is most certaine that the interior Griefes which afflict the soule are much greater then the exterior paines which torture the body For that the apprehension of the mind and imagination is much more powerfull and more noble then that of the senses and especially then that of feeling which hath the greatest share in corporeall paines For proofe whereof wee see great courages to auoyd inferior Griefe expose themselues voluntarily to the exterior paines of torments and punishments
our soules by the truth alone of things but also by the vaine imaginations which wee frame in our selues Wherefore although they bee without experience without resolution and without great meanes to effect what they haue propounded yet they do promise much vnto themselues and Hope for all And although that loue be the fountaine of all the Passions of the soule yet Hope may be the cause that we loue any one For Hope may propound vnto it selfe two things that is to say the good which wee hope for and the meanes to obtaine it Wherefore an obiect of good presenting it selfe vnto vs which wee are not able to attaine vnto but by the assistance of some other for this reason Hope doth also regard those that assist vs and make the thing easie Seeing then that Hope regards the obiects which wee propound vnto our selues vndoubtedly loue is the root and cause of Hope for that we hope not for any thing but that wherewith wee are in loue and whereunto we haue tied our affections desiring passionately to enioy it But for that hope regards him which doth open to vs the meanes and makes the thing possible loue is a bud of hope seeing that we loue him for that we hope to attaine vnto our desires by his assistance So as the first impression which the obiect wee pursue makes in our soules is an effect of the loue wee beare it conceiuing it to bee a good fit for vs. But the consideration of the meanes to attaine vnto it which comes from others makes a second impression in vs and induceth vs to loue him that doth procure it representing him vnto vs as profitable vnto our dessigne and therefore worthy to be beloued Touching that which concernes the effects of hope we will not make any particular discourse but content our selues to say that as the North Star is the marriners guide who looke continually vpon her light to assure their nauigation so Hope is that which inflames vs to all the difficult actions wee vndertake And as the brightnes of this Star doth fill them with ioy that saile by sea but when as it shines not they are dismaide feare hourely to perish by the violence of some storme or to see their ship split vpon some rocke So whilest wee haue any remander of hope our soules are content but if it bee quite vanished we hold out selues miserable and begin to neglect and forget our selues The first effect of Hope is that it breeds a singular contēt in vs which makes our pursuites pleasing Wherefore all the Philosophers concurre in this Maxime that hope fortifies our resolutions and makes them more prompt in their actions The which is for two reasons The first for that she hath for her obiect a good hard to bee obtained But the apprehension of the difficulty which presents it selfe in the pursuite of the good whereunto wee doe aspire doth vsually make vs gather our forces together to vanquish all obstacles and to attaine vnto it notwithstanding all the difficulties that may bee encountered And therefore wee imploy more care and diligence by meanes whereof wee attaine more easily to the end of our dessignes Secondly Hope breeds this pleasure and sweetnes whereof wee haue spoken which makes vs more actiue and more ready to pursue that which we desire for that we behold nothing painful wherin we take deligh◠Wee must then remember here what we haue spoken elsewhere that Hope is a sweete imagination which we frame in our selues of a good whereunto wee aspire And that this imagination begetts in our soules a second contentment for that it is accompanied with this beleefe that wee may attaine vnto it Wherefore as pleasure makes all actions delightfull vnto men so the content we receiue from our hopes according vnto the Philosophers makes vs to pursue with more heate and lesse paine that which wee haue once conceiued in our thoughts This ioy which proceeds from a certaine hope we haue of enioying deriuing from the soule disperseth it selfe into all the members of man the which do ioyfully receiue the impressions of the mouing faculty yeelding vpon this occasion a more prompt obedience to execute the commandements of the Irascible the which of the one side is inflamed with desire to incounter vanquish whatsoeuer opposeth it selfe against her and on the other she is sweetly entertained in this resolution by the pleasure which imaginatiō giues her representing that shee may vanquish all these obstacles and be victorious in this combate and in the end obtaine the good whereunto she aspires But particularly this ioy falles about the heart which sends it backe againe and makes it ascend vnto the eies and countenance Wherefore we reade in their faces that are full of good hope the contentment which their imagination giues them In regard of the ioy and cōtentment which hope giues vs wee do easily deuoure all the toyles and paines which present themselues in our pursuites especially when the good which we pursue is endued with some excellent perfection which makes vs to esteeme it greatly or to loue it ardently As for example at the seege of Troy the Grecians were not discouraged with the tediousnesse of the time nor with the toyles and dangers of warre for that they imagined the beauty of Hellen deserued their long labor to restore her to her husband and to reuenge the reproach and infamy of Greece So Iacob being passionately in loue with faire Rachell hee patiently endured the rigors of her father the toyles of his seruice and the afflictions of his mind for that he liued daily in hope of this in comparable beauty And therefore Hope hath so great power in humane affaires in which there is found some kinde of difficulty The laborer would not expose himselfe so freely to the rigor of the aire nor endure with such patience the iniuries of times in tilling his land if hee did not promise vnto himselfe a rich haruest for the fruit of his labour the souldier would not cast himselfe into dangers he would not mount vp to breaches nor thrust himselfe into the fury of combates if the expectance of glory or hope of booty did not animate his courage The Merchant would not passe through rockes fires waues and stormes running from Sea to Sea and from Port to Port if hee did not promise vnto himselfe great wealth in recompence of his voyages and trauailes Yea Alexander himselfe going to the warre of Asia where hee should expose himselfe to a thousand dangers protested that he was wholly thrust on by Hope to enioy all the glory and treasures of the East by subduing those Barbarians So as hope is as it were the soule of goodliest actions making vs to surmount all the difficulties and obstacles which might hinder the execution by the mollifying of our resolutions Yea it is certaine that Courage hath alwayes beene held an effect of good hope for when as man hopes to surmount those fearefull things 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
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
this life is subiect Finally they desire rather to vndertake those things which are honorable then that which concernes profit For that they gouerne themselues rather by their owne courage and the bounty of their nature which hath the honesty of things for obiect then by the discourse of reason which doth commonly propound for end that which is most profitable Young men doe also loue indifferently the company of such as are of their age and condition not making any curious choyce of their friends the which shewes that they haue more curiosity then care of that which may auaile them in the course of their liues They are also violent and obserue no moderation in their motions and actions so as if they loue they loue furiously and if they hate it is extreame and so in all other things they keepe no mediocrity The which grows from their presumption and for that they haue a conceit to know any thing which makes them to speake boldly and to defend their impertinencies wilfully They commit many errors but commonly they are the defects of youth which proceede from the heat of blood so as there is more insolency in their actions then affected crimes They are moreouer pittifull and gentle for that measuring others by their own innocency they beleeue that al the world is good and that they which suffer any extraordinary miserie haue not deserued it and for that reason they haue compassion of them Finally young men are pleasant witty and loue to laugh and to heare a witty ieast which they thinke is a signe of a good spirit and therefore admire him They also loue horses dogges huntings combates and other exercises which haue some kinde of violence or pleasure To conclude young men are commonly rich in inuention but poore in matters of iudgement they are fit for execution but incapable for any great dessigne They are borne to excite troubles but are not able to pacifie them they imbrace much but hold little they aspire to the end but looke not to the meanes and when they haue committed an error they will hardly acknowledge it and leaue it like vnto those resty horses which leape and bound and will neither stand still nor go forward As for those that grow to age they haue Passions in a manner quite contrary to young men for hauing liued long and beene often deceiued hauing themselues committed many errors and knowing also that the world is full of subtilty and villainy they are not assured of any thing but looke vpon all things with distrust and if they deliuer their opinion in any businesse it is with a kind of feare so as it seemes they will make it knowne that in all things there is more coniecture then certainty wherfore their ordinary restriction in their answers and discourses is It may be peraduenture it is true The which proceedes frō the great Idea they haue of the inconstancy of things the deceits of men For the same reason they are malicious being a meere malice to interpret as they doe all things in the worst sence and for the same reason they are also distrustfull and suspitious suspitious by reason of their distrust and distrustfull in regard of the experience they haue of things Finally they neuer loue entirely neither is their hatred furious but they loue commonly as if they should hate and they hate as if they shold he moued to loue Moreouer their courage is weake both in respect of the coldnes of their blood and spirits as also by reason of calamities past and the miseries which they haue tried And for this reason vnlesse they haue some spice of folly they doe seldome attempt any hardy enterprizes nor hazard their fortunes and honors but they are content to seeke that which may protect them from necessity whereby they are couetous and fast fearing to diminish that which they thinke is necessary for them whereunto they are drawne by experience which hath taught them how hard a thing it is to gather great wealth and how easie it is to lose it They are in like manner fearefull and encrease their apprehensions by imagination and by the fore-sight of the future wherewith they are alwayes troubled the which proceeds from the coldnesse of their blood For this coldnesse which is common to olde men makes them enclined to feare whereas heate incites courage and resolution Moreouer they loue life much and especially vpon the declining of their dayes for that men desire that naturally whereof they haue great neede and when as they feare it should fly from them then they desire it more passionately They commonly powre forth cōplaints which are signes of their weaknesse and which makes them importune And then they rather imbrace that which is profitable then what is honorable wherein they shew themselues commonly extreame euen base the which growes from the loue they beare vnto themselues For profit is the good of that priuate person that doth enioy it but honour tends to good absolutely without consideration of the interest of any particular After this they are rather impudent then bashfull for respecting not honour so much as their owne commodities they care not for the opinion of the world but contemne it Finally they renounce in a manner all good hopes and haue none but bad both for that they are distrustfull and fearefull as for that experience hath taught them that most things are bad and that they impaire daily so as they liue rather by memory then hope for that they haue not long to liue and haue liued long for hope is of future things and memory of what is past And this is the cause that old men are great talkers for that they take a singular content to commend the times past In our times say they we did this wee did that taking a wonderfull content to remember what is past As for their choler it is sudden and violent but it is like a fire of straw that is soon quencht Their desires are mortified or weake and cannot bee quickened or receiue any vigor vnlesse the loue of money possesse them And therefore they are temperate and loue frugality which is a kinde of sparing for that they gouerne themselues rather by the discourse of reason then by their owne genius or their proper inclination for as wee haue said discourse aymes at the end and courage hath a respect to honesty as a companion to vertue Their faults sauour more of iniustice then insolency or outrage They are inclined to mercy yea more then young men but for diuers reasons for young men are pittifull by humanity and old men by weaknesse whose age makes them apprehend the miseries wherewith they see other men afflicted as if it hung ouer their heads which is a consideration as wee haue said else-where moues to mercy and pitty And for this reason they doe nothing but complaine and they loue not to see any one laugh neither doe they willingly frequent any that are pleasant and