Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	knowledge_n	understanding_n	wisdom_n	6,916	5	6.5948	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15775	The passions of the minde in generall. Corrected, enlarged, and with sundry new discourses augmented. By Thomas Wright. With a treatise thereto adioyning of the clymatericall yeare, occasioned by the death of Queene Elizabeth	Wright, Thomas, d. 1624.; Wright, Thomas, d. 1624. Succinct philosophicall declaration of the nature of clymactericall yeeres, occasioned by the death of Queene Elizabeth. aut	1604 (1604)	STC 26040; ESTC S121118	206,045	400

affections No better proofe we neede of this matter then the infinite experiences in every Countrie are tryed The same I may say of Ire Ambition c. All which Passions consisting in prosecution of some thing desired and bringing with them a certaine sence of delight enforce the mind● for fostering and continuing that pleasure to excogitate new meanes and wayes for the performance thereof How Passions seduce the Will CHAP. II. WIthout any great difficultie may be declared how Passions seduce the Will because the witte being the guide the The first reason why passions seduce the will eie the stirrer and directer of the Wil which of it selfe beeing blinde and without knowledge followeth that the wit representeth propoundeth and approveth as good and as the sensitive appetite followeth the direction of imagination so the Will affecteth for the most part that the vnderstanding perswadeth to bee best Wherefore the waves and billowes of apparant reasons so shake the sandye shealfe of a weake Will that they The second reason mingle it with them and make all one Besides the sensitive appetite beeing rooted in the same soule with the Will if it be drawne or flieth from any obiect consequently the other must follow even so the obiect that haleth the sensitive appetite draweth withall the Will and inclining her more to one part than another diminisheth her libertie and freedome Moreover the Will by yeelding to the Passion receyveth some little bribe of pleasure the which moveth her to let the bridle loose vnto inordinate appetites because she hath ingrafted in her two inclinations the one to follow Reason the other to content the Sences and this inclination the other beeing blinded by the corrupt iudgement caused by inordinate Passions here she feeleth satisfied Finally the Will being the governesse The third reason of the Soule and loathing to bee troubled with much dissention among her subiectes as an vncarefull Magistrate neglecteth the good of the Common-weale to avoyde some particular mens displeasure so the Will being afrayde to displease sense neglecteth the care she ought to have over it especially perceyving that the Soule thereby receyveth some interest of pleasure or escheweth some payne By this alteration which Passions worke in the Witte and the Will we may vnderstand the admirable Metamorphosis and change of a man from himselfe when his affectes are pacified and when they are troubled Plutarch sayde they changed them like Circes potions Plutarch in moralib from men into beastes Or we may compare the Soule without Passions to a calme Sea with sweete pleasant and crispling streames but the Passionate to the raging Gulfe swelling with waves surging by tempests minacing the stony rockes and endevouring to overthrowe Mountaines even so Passions make the Soule to swell with pride and pleasure they threaten woundes death and destruction by audacious boldnesse and ire they vndermine the mountaines of Vertue with hope and feare and in summe never let the Soule be in quietnes but ever eyther flowing with Pleasure or ebbing with Payne How Passions alter the Body CHAP. III. ALthough in the ninth Chapter sufficiently was declared how the Passions of the minde alter the humours of the body yet some peculiar discourses concerning that matter were reserved for this place Two sortes of Passions affect all men some as wee sayde before dilate and some compresse and restringe the heart Of the first was sayd Vita carninum est cordis Proverb 14. 3● sanitas the life of flesh is the health of heart for indeed a ioyfull and quiet heart reviveth all the partes of the body Of the other was written Spiritus tristis exsiccat prb 17. ossa a sadde Spirit dryeth the bones And for that all Passions bring with them ioy or payne dilate or coarct the heart therefore I thinke it not amisse to declare the reason why these two Passions worke such alterations in the body to the end that by the knowledge of them we may attayne to the vnderstanding of the rest Pleasure and Delight if it bee moderate bringeth health because the purer spirites retyre vnto the heart and they helpe marvellously the digestion of blood so that thereby the heart engendreth great aboundance and most purified spirites which after being dispersed thorow the body cause a good concoction to be made in all partes helping them to expel the superfluities they also cleare the braine and consequently the vnderstanding For although while the Passion endureth it blindeth a little the indifferent iudgement yet after that it is past it rendereth the brayne better disposed and apter to represent whatsoever occurreth for speculation From good concoction expulsion of supersluities and aboundance of spirites proceedeth a good colour a cleere countenance and an vniversall health of the body But if the Passion of pleasure bee too vehement questionlesse it causeth great infirmitie for the heart being continually invironed with great abundance of spibecommeth too hote and inflamed and consequently engendereth much cholericke and burned blood Besides it dilateth and resolveth the substance of the heart too much in such sort as the vertue and force thereof is greatly weakened Wherefore Socrates was wont to say that those men which live continently and frugally had more pleasure and lesse payne than those who with great care procured inticements to pleasure because intemperate pleasures besides the remorce of minde infamie and povertie which waiteth vpon them for the most part hurt more the body than delight it And some with too vehement laughter have ended their dayes as Philemon did Plutarch recounteth also howe Erasm lib. 6. Apotheg Plutarch in Hannib the Romanes leesing to Hannibal newes was brought to Rome and specially to two women that their sonnes were slaine afterwards a remnant of the souldiers returning these two afflicted ranne with many more to know the manner of their sonnes deaths and amongst the rest found them both alive who for ioy gave vp their ghosts And vniversally after much pleasure and laughter men feele themselves both to languish and to be melancholy Yet the Passions which coarct the heart as feare sadnesse and despayre as they bring more payne to the minde so they are more dangerous to the body and commonly men proove lesse harme in those than in these and many have lost their lives with sadnesse and feare but few with love and hope except they changed themselves into heavinesse and despayre The cause why sadnesse doth so moove the forces of the body I take to be the gathering together of much melancholy blood about the heart which collection extinguisheth the good spirits or at least dulleth them besides the heart being possessed by such an humour cannot digest well the blood and spirites which ought to be dispersed thorow the whole body but converteth them into melancholy the which humour being colde and drie dryeth the whole body and maketh it wither away for colde extinguisheth heate and drynesse moysture which two qualities principally concerne life These

the Gift in it selfe THe fuller Fountaine causeth a greater Spring the better Plant the more pretious Fruite the fatter Soile the more plentiful Harvest and the kinder Heart the greater Gifts Among speciall and intier friendes Gifts admitte not degrees of greater or lesser because such have all their goods and habilities one at the becke and least intimation of an other whereupon grew that solemne sentence Amicorum omnia sunt communia But this Circumstance holdeth among our common friends and generall wel-willers whose affections by little and little discover themselves vnto vs and this rule is not to be esteemed one of the worst that greatnesse of gifts argueth greatnesse of good will for although some few prodigall persons lavish forth their substances for a vaine proiect and estimation to be reputed liberall bountifull and despisers of Fortunes favours yet when evidently we are not certayne our Well-willer is such a braine-sick person right Reason teacheth vs to inferre out of the greater gift the greater good will and consequently to deserve a correspondence of a semblable affection Some gifts are so exceeding in value and so vnprizable that a man is never able perfitly to recompence them as for example yong Toby conferring with his old father what reward they should bestow vpon the Angell Raphael who had guided and protected him in Toby 12. all his iourney said thus vnto him What reward shall we give him or what thing worthie of his benefits he carried me and brought me back againe in health he received the money of Gabelus he procured me a Wife and delivered her of the Devill he comforted her parents he hindred the Fish from devouring me he hath caused you see the light of heaven and thus hath he replenished vs with all good things What condignely may we for all these bestow vpon him But I beseech you father to request him if perhaps he will vouchsafe to accept the one halfe of all these riches we have brought Thus the gratefull Toby acknowledged the Angels gifts greater then he could ever satisfie howbeit in recognition of his good will he offered halfe he had whereby with the greatnes of the remuneration he intended to declare vnto the Angell the greatnesse of his affection It is a common received principle as well among prophane philosophers as sacred writers that the gifts of God of nature and grace the gifts of parents of body and life the gifts of instructors in learning and manners are vnvaluable and inecompensable for as vertue learning body life soule grace farre surpasse in degree and perfection all other riches and treasures whatsoever so all men in respect of such persons must for ever hold themselves obliged and never out of debt because the vertue of gratitude is such that a man should ever recompense the benefit received like the earth which receiveth one graine of ●●lieate and yeeldeth therefore twenty and more so benefits should ever be repayed with interest for if we returne lesse we remayne in debt if equall we seeme to exchange and rather follow the law of iustice and equalitie then of friendship and amitie therefore by gratitude we ever ought to exceed the gift in value which we receive wherein equalitie releeseth recompense and the excesse an emulous superioritie in good will Zuxis a famous Painter so prized his Pictures that he gave them all away and never would sell any because he thought them so pretious as no gold could countervayle them Some others I have knowne who esteemed no lesse their literall labours because they were of-springs of wit distilled from the purest spirits in their braines the which therewith they had aboundantly consumed and therefore not to be bought with any treasure besides bookes divulged are generall gifts and common communications of wisdom the which ought so much more to be esteemed how much wisdome surpasseth all worldly wealth bonum quo communius eo melius and every good the commoner the better for it were malitious perversitie to withhold from others a good thing profitable to many without our impeachment and hindrance wherefore I cannot but condemne that repining indignation of Alexander the great who vnderstanding that Aristotle his in●●●●●or had divulged publiquely his booke of Metaphysicks which he had taught him privatly wrote vnto him in anger that in so doing he had left him nothing peculiar whereby he might excell all others in knowledge and science as though it grieved him that any man should be wise except himselfe With how much more reason and charity desired Moses that all the people might prophetize Quis tribuat vt omnis populus prophetet ●●● 11. 29. det eis dominus spiritum suum 6. Circumstance If the gift tended to our great good or riddance from some great evill A Showre of rayne after a long drought is more worth then ten showers another time Money lent a Merchant falling bankerout to vphold his credit may be accounted so much money given Those loaves of bread and that sword Achimelech gave David in his flight from the face of Saul were questionles in his penurie 1. Reg. 22. ten times more gratefull and acceptable then in his abundance Therefore it is great prudence friendly policy to reserve gifts and helps for men till great wants because they prize a little more then then much another time And withall it deserveth consideration that in such cases not only the affection wherewith we bestow the benefit vpon him but also the good which ensueth and the evill which he eschueth and all such desiderable consequent effects are thought intended wished and to proceed from that favour we shew in such a case so opportunely and in such extremity 7. Circumstance If it be given with alacritie I Have received some gifts of friends given with such a promptnes alacritie shew of affection as in very truth it seemed vno me that the very manner of giving doubled the gift When the Angels came to Abraham in the vale of Mambre he invited them to dinner with Gen. 1● such alacritie so civilly and affectuously as in very deed they had seemed to have vsed him discourteously if they had refused his importune courtesie 1 If you favour me 2 passe not your servant 3 I will bring a little water to wash your feet 4 and rest vnder the tree 5 I will bring you some bread 6 and you shal 〈◊〉 your harts 7 and then you shall depart 8 therfore you came this way the Angels accepted his invitation 9 and the good old man ranne presently and brought the tenderest and best calfe he had and caused one of his servants to kill him 10 Sara in as great haste moulded paste to make thē ember-cakes 11 when all was done Abraham stood served while they sat downe All these circumstances shew the great desier that Abraham had to entertaine those strangers I have seene some men so ready prompt to grant what was requested them that they would have moved

certaine signes wise men may gather the inclinations whereunto other men are subiect I omit heere what passions euery countrie inclineth vnto like wise to what sorte melancholy sanguine flegmaticke and cholericke persons are addicted for this was insinuated sufficiently aboue neither will I handle what sortes of men passions most ouer-rule for in the same place this was sufficiently entreated onely I will brieflie deliuer some meanes whereby in particular conuersation euery one may discouer his fellowes naturall inclinations not by philosophicall demonstrations but onely by naturall coniectures and probabilities because that wise men mortifie their passions and craftie men dissemble yet we may for the most part attaine vnto the knowledge of them for that most men follow the instinct of Nature and few either the precepts of reason or exquisit craftinesse by which two meanes passions are concealed He therefore that desireth to discouer an others passions or inclinations after he hath considered from what countrey he came if he be some of those mentioned heretofore then he may discourse vpon him and withall marke what passions are common to such persons and after descend to these notes For that we cannot enter into a mans heart and view the passions or inclinations which there reside and lie hidden therefore as Philosophers by effectes find out causes by proprieties essences by riuers fountaines by boughs and floures the kore and rootes euen so we must trace out passions and inclinations by some effects and externall operations And these be no more than two words deeds speech and action of which two knowledge may be gathered of those affections we carry in our minds therfore first I will entreate of words and then of deeds Words represent most exactly the very image of the mind and soule wherefore Democritus called speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lacitius image of life for in wordes as in a glasse may be seene a mans life and inclination Wherefore Diogenes Idem lib. 6. wondred that men would not buy earthen pottes before they proued by the sound whether they were whole or broken yet they would be contented to buy men by sight before they prooued their speech Whereupon grew that old prouerbe frequented of Socrates and approued of auntient Philosophers Loquere vt te videam speake that I may know thee for passions so swell within the soule that they must needs haue some vent as Elihu said of himself Loe my belly is like to new wine lacking Iob. 32. a vent the which breaketh new vessels Sometimes I haue enquired of sundry persons what they thought of certaine mens inclinations I found that almost whatsoeuer they had noted in others commonly to proceed from one sort of speech or other Plainely you may perceiue if mens words openly tend to their owne commendations if they bragge or boast of their valor in wars learning qualities giuen by nature or purchased by labour that they are of a proud disposition if they discourse lasciuiously or shamelesly questionlesse what the tongue speaketh the heart affecteth if men talke of meat and drinke of ●●●ling and feasting wishing for this meat lamenting of that meat such persons for most part addict themselues to gluttonie if they rage with furious words braull or wrangle such carie the conscience of cholericke Thus you may coniecture by words the passions of the mind when the speech manifestly carieth the coat of pride choller lust or gluttonie But many there be more wise than to commit such notorius errours and blaze their imperfections to the eyes of the world therefore wee must sound out a little further and wade something deeper into a certaine secret suruey of mens speeches to see if we may discouer some more hidden passions And this either in the maner or matter of speech Much talke HEe that talketh and pratleth too much both by prophane and holy Writers is accounted vnwise or rather foolish Hereupon came those voices Totum spiritum suum profert stultus The foole putteth Pro. 29. 11. foorth all his spirit but Sapiens differt reseruat in posterum A wise man deferreth and reserueth it for afterwardes And beneath Vidisti hominem velocem ad loquendum stultitia magis speranda est quam illius correptio Hast thou seene a man prone to speake foolishnesse is Verse 20. rather to be expected than his amendment Wherefore fooles cary their hearts in their mouthes wise men their mouthes in their hearts for fooles speake and then deliberat but wisemen first deliberat with reason and then speake with circumspection By this may be gathered the reason why ianglers praters deserue to be registred in the catalogue of fooles because many fancies come into mens minds he that wil poure foorth all he conceiueth deliuereth dregges with drinke and as for the most part presently men apprehend more folly than wisedom so he that sodainely vttereth all he vnderstandeth blabbeth foorth more froath than good liquor and thus much speech and hastie proceedeth from rash foolishnesse the which passion raigneth for the most part in yong men women and doting proud old age Therefore Theocritus sayd that Anaximines had a flood of words Stob. serm 34. and a drop of reason For if you descant vpon some long tale or discourse of theirs you shall find them as void of matter as prodigall in words The cause hereof I take to be their lacke of iudgement for whatsoeuer occurreth to their minds concerning any matter they thinke such conceits as they are new to them so they should be to others whereas in very deed other better wittes reiect and contemne them wherefore the leaues of loquacitie spring from the root of small capacitie Taciturnitie SOme contrariwise bee of too little speech the which taciturnitie although it repugneth to modestie which standeth betwixt these two extreames yet commonly wise men account this extreame more secure for many words almost euer offend but silence very rarely and therefore the Philosophers say that he which will learne to speake ought first to learne to hold his peace This silence may proceed sometimes of sottishnesse because a man knowes not how to reason and so you see clownes or dull persons not able to speake in a wise company Sometimes of feare as I haue knowne a most excellent Rhetoritian in writing yet most vnable in speaking for the presence of his auditors did exceedingly affright him Others vse it for prudence pollicie because in conseruation when men either would conceale their owne affections or discouer others prudence and pollicie require a space of silence because the wisest man in the world if hee talke long and much without premeditation will hardilie keepe close his passions from discreet hearers Slownesse in speech SOme sorts of men speake very slowly and so leisurely that a cart of hay might passe almost betwixt one word and another the which manner of speech is very lothsome and tedious to their auditors and especially to some quicke spirits

intollerable This lingering may proceed from some impediment of the instruments of speaking a slownesse of conceiuing or a certaine vaine conceit that men haue of their owne wisedome the which they would distill into other men drop by drop as water falleth from the Limbecke for they thinke if they doe vtter their words faster they should spill some of their prudence And indeed among dull persons of slow capacitie I thinke it not farre amisse except they linger so long that before their ending they forget their beginning but amongst persons of good vnderstanding it argueth either slownesse of wit or contempt of their vnderstanding and it cannot be but maruellous molestfull vnto them like as if a man were extreamely thirstie and one should giue him drinke by drops which maner of deliuerie cannot but grieue him although the drinke be neuer so excellent euen so men of quicke capacitie haue a sharpe appetite and would be presently satisfied wherefore long lingering in speech hindereth greatly their naturall inclination and desire Yet for all this I must confesse that in some maiesticall and very graue persons whose prudence and wisedome men much admire few words pithie and leisurely spoken argue both wisedome grauitie and magnanimity as afterwards in the passion of boldnesse shall be declared Rashnesse in speech AS some men slide into slouthfulnesse and lingering too much in their words so others fall into a greater extreamitie of rashnes and precipitation These Iob. 32. may well bee compared to new wine that by venting bursteth the bottle these bee foolish mouths which Prouer. 15. euer bluster foorth follies these beare words in their mouths as dogs arrowes shot in their thighs the which Ecclesi 19. so trouble tosse and turmoile them that they neuer can be quiet till they be drawne forth euen so rash men in speech haue an arrow in their tongues they neuer rest till they haue vttered their minds Such commonly are with child with their owne conceits and either they must be deliuered of them or they must die in child-bed I haue seene some of these men of very fine wits but not setled iudgements they excell in apprehension but faile in discretion if they could stay themselues and moderat a little their naturall furie and hastinesse these would become very rare men but for the most part those I dealt withall of this constitution I haue found to follow their owne inclination and so with many good things they vtter many follies yea many pernicious conceits and often daungerous because as they apprehend in euery matter many things and passe beyond the common reach of ordinarie wits so they without discretion blab out good or bad right or wrong daungerous or not daungerous and vtter what they conceiue without iudgement discourse or reason wherfore such men may well bee called wittie but not wise These also easily contemne others they are very hote in what they apprehend and selfe-loue adioyneth an account of their credit and so rendereth them obstinat in their owne opinions This effect in fine proceedeth from lacke of iudgement a prowd conceit of their owne conceits a bold hote and rash affection and in fine they often change their purposes and alter their determinations Affectation in speech SOme haue a peculiar manner of parley they speake in print hunt after metaphors coyne phrases and labour extreamely that their wordes may smell of subtilitie elegancie and neat deliuerie in such affected sort that for the most part they leaue nothing behind them but a sent of foolish affectation and verball pride These may well be compared to certaine birds which sing well yet carie no flesh vpon their backes but are as leane as carion they are not vnlike strumpets who veile diseased carcasses vnder rich attire Amongst a thousand you shall scarse finde one ripe in iudgement or sound in conceit these men doe spend their time and studies to find out new phrases and that which they conceiued with great labour they vtter with extreame difficultie they stammer often and commit many discords if they continue long in discourse for the most part their Epilogue consorteth not with their Exordium If they pen any thing to bee presented vnto the view of the world you shal euer haue one new coined word or other which neuer saw light before it issued out of the mint of their imagination and it will beseeme them as well as a peacoks fether a fooles cap. I heard once one of these worthy parolists who had got by the end the word intricat he comming among as wise men as him selfe tould them that such a gentleman and he did beare most intricat loue one to another he would haue said intier Another had got the word expostulat and he imagined it was to require and so he requested a friend of his to expostulat a certaine fauour at his lords hands in his behalfe This affectation in speech proceedeth from a most vaine and notorious pride the which no man almost will deny that conuerseth with such sorts of persons for if you demand any of their acquaintaunce what opinion they hold of such men no other aunswere they can yeeld you than that their words smell of presumption and arrogance I cannot moreouer excuse most of these persons from certaine effeminat affections because such speeches especially were inuented to tickle women and gallants eares that by alluring wordes they might win the credit of wittie and so beguile the weaker mindes These inameld speakers for the most part condemne others as barbarous and ignorant because they frame not their speeches according to their humors yea they will passe further and despise all Authors who affect not in writing that they frequent in prating And I my selfe haue heard some of them as presumtuously as ignorantly censure most profound Doctours yea and call them dunces and dolts because they either could not or would not deliuer their conceits after the others customarie follies Scoffing speeches CErtaine men entertaine their company with scoffing nipping gibing and quipping they thinke to haue wonne a great victorie if in discouering some others defect they can make the company laugh merrily they wil seeme to make much of you but the embracements of scorpions follow stinging tailes This scoffing proceedeth from some of meere simplicitie and foolishnesse as common iesters and therefore wise men weigh not such follies others iest for recreation without harme with no other intention but onely to be merry but those which especially ought to be marked and their company eschewed so quip and nip that they principally pretend to discredit or shame those persons at whom they iest and this scoffing manner is most malicious and it proceedeth from pride and enuy because either they would contemne others or else make men not haue so good a conceit as they had before And thus much concerning the maner of speech As for the matter and obiect of talke much might bee said but I will abridge the matter as briefly as I