 section 13 of the anatomy of melancholy volume 2 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for further information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the anatomy of melancholy volume 2 by Robert Burton section 13 partition 2 section 2 member 4 part 2 the country hath his recreations the city his several gymnastics and exercises may games feasts wakes and merry meetings to solace themselves the very being in the country that life itself is a sufficient recreation to some men to enjoy such pleasures as those old patriarchs did. Diocletian the Emperor was so much affected with it that he gave over his scepter and turned gardener. Constantine wrote 20 books of husbandry Lysander when ambassadors came to see him bragged of nothing more than of his orchard he's an ordinae is me what shall I say of Cincinnati's Cato, Tully and many such how have they been pleased with it to prune plant inoculate and graft to show so many several kinds of pears apples plums peaches etc. Nunc captare ferras laqueo nunc falare wisco aquetia magnos carnibus kecundare saltoos insidias awibus moliri incendere wepreis sometimes with traps deceive with line and string to catch wild birds and beasts encompassing the grove with dogs and out of bushes firing at needles awium scrutari etc. Yocundus in his preface to Cato, Varro, Columella etc. put out by him confessive of himself that he was mightily delighted with these husbandry studies and took extraordinary pleasure in them if the theory or speculation can so much affect what shall the place and exercise itself the practical part do the same confession I find in Herbastine, Porter, Camerarius and many others which have written of that subject if my testimony were all worth I could say as much of myself I am very Saturnus no man ever took more delight in springs woods groves gardens walks fishponds rivers etc. but tantalus alabri sitiens fugientia captat flumina and so do I well a liquette potiri non liquette every palace every city almost half its peculiar walks cloisters terraces groves theaters pageants games and several recreations every country some professed gymnastics to exhilarate their minds and exercise their bodies the Greeks had their Olympian Pithian Isthmian Nemean games in honor of Neptune Jupiter Apollo Athens hers some for honor Garland's crowns for beauty dancing running leaping like our silver games the Romans had their feasts as the Athenians and Lassidemonians held their public banquets in Pritaneo Panathaneis Thespereis, Viditiis, Plays, Namakis, places for sea fights, theatres, amphitheaters able to contain 70,000 men wherein they had several delightsome shows to exhilarate the people gladiators combats of men with themselves with wild beasts and wild beasts one with another like our bull baitings or bear baitings in which many countrymen and citizens amongst us so much delight and so frequently use dancers on ropes jugglers wrestlers comedies tragedies publicly exhibited at the emperors and cities charge and that with incredible cost and magnificence in the low countries as Mettern relates before these wars they had many solemn feasts plays challenges artillery gardens colleges of rhymers returritions poets and to this day such places are curiously maintained in Amsterdam as appears by that description of Izakus Pontanus so likewise not long since at Freiburg in Germany as is evident by that relation of Neander they had Ludos Septennales solemn plays every seven years which Boccarus one of their own poets hath elegantly described at nunc magnifico spectacula structa paratu quid memorem weteri non conchesura querino ludorum pompa etc in italy they have solemn declarations of certain select young gentlemen in Florence like those reciters in old Rome and public theaters in most of their cities for stage players and others to exercise and recreate themselves all seasons almost all places have their several past times some in summer some in winter some abroad some within some of the body some of the mind and diverse men have diverse recreations and exercises domitian the emperor was much delighted with catching flies augustus to play with nuts amongst children alexander severus was often pleased to play with welps and young pigs adrian was so wholly enamored with dogs and horses that he bestowed monuments and tombs of them and buried them in graves in foul weather or when they can use no other convenient sports by reason of the time as we do cock fighting to avoid idleness i think though some be more seriously taken with it spend much time cost and charges and are too solicitous about it severus used partridges and quails as many frenchmen do still and to keep birds in cages with which he was much pleased when at any time he had leisure from public cares and businesses he had saithland pridius tame pheasants ducks partridges peacocks and some 20 000 ring doves and pigeons muspequeas the emperor's orator when he lay in constantinople and could not stir much abroad kept for his recreation busying himself to see them fed almost all manner of strange birds and beasts this was something though not to exercise his body yet to refresh his mind conradus gessner at syrish in switzerland kept so likewise for his pleasure a great company of wild beasts and as he saith took great delight to see them eat their meat turkey gentle women that are perpetual prisoners still mewed up according to the custom of the place have little else beside their household business or to play with their children to drive away time but to dally with their cats which they have in deli to ease as many of our ladies and gentle women use monkeys and little dogs the ordinary recreations which we have in winter and in most solitary times busy our minds with our cards tables and dice shovel board chess play the philosophers game small trunks shuttlecock billiards music masks singing dancing yule games frolics jests riddles catches purposes questions and commands merry tales of errant knights queens lovers lords ladies giants dwarfs thieves cheaters which is fairies goblins friars etc such as the old woman told psyche in apuleos book aces novels and the rest quorum i'll detail a puerri de lectant or senes narratione which some delight to hear some to tell all are well pleased with amaranthus the philosopher met hermocles diophantus and philolouse his companions one day busily discoursing about epicurus and democratis's tenets very solicitors which was most probable and came nearest to truth to put them out of that surly controversy and to refresh their spirits he told them a pleasant tale of stratocles the physicians wedding and of all the particulars the company the cheer the music etc for he was new come from it with which relation they were so much delighted that philolouse wished a blessing to his heart and many a good wedding many such merry meetings mighty be at to please himself with the site and others with the narration of it news are generally welcome to all our ears awidae audimus au reis enim hominum noi taate lie tantor as pliny observes we long after rumour to hear and listen to it densum hu meris bibit au rei woogus we are most part too inquisitive and act to harken after news which Caesar in his commentaries observes of the old goals they would be inquiring of every carrier and passenger what they had heard or seen what news abroad quid toto fiat in orbay quid series quid thrakis agant secretan werkay et poori quis amit etc as at an ordinary with us bakehouse or barber's shop when that great gonsalva was upon some displeasure confined by king ferdinand to the city of loha in andalusia the only comfort saith jovious he had to ease his melancholy thoughts was to hear news and to listen after those ordinary occurrences which were brought him cum primis by letters or otherwise out of the remotest parts of europe some men's whole delight is to take tobacco and drink all day long in a tavern or ale house to discourse sing jest roar talk of a cock and bull over a pot etc and when three or four good companions meet tell old stories by the fireside or in the sun as old folks usually do quite aprici miminere senes remembering afresh and with pleasure ancient times and such like accidents which happened in their younger years others best pastime is to game nothing to them so pleasant he quenery in dulget hunk de cock wit alia many to nicely take exceptions at cards tables and dice and such mixed lusorious lots whom gattaca well confutes which though they be honest recreations in themselves yet may justly be otherwise accepted at as they are often abused and forbidden as things most pernicious insanam rem et dam nosam lemnus calls it for most part in these kind of despots tis not art or skill but subtlety cony catching navery chance and fortune carries all the way tis ambulatory a pecunia puncto mobili sorei permuta domino set cadet in altera yura they labor most part not to pass their time in honest disport but for filthy lucre and covetousness of money in for dissimum lucrum et hour itiam hominum convertitor as daneus observes fonds fraudum et maleficiorum tis the fountain of cousinage and villainy a thing so common all over europe at this day and so generally abused that many men are utterly undone by it their means spent patchmen is consumed they and their posterity beggar besides swearing wrangling drinking loss of time and such inconveniences which are ordinary concomitance for when once they have got a haunt of such companies and a habit of gaming they can hardly be drawn from it but as an itch it will tickle them and as it is with whormasters once entered they cannot easily leave it off wexac mentes insani acupido they are mad upon their sport and in conclusion which charles the seventh that good french king published in an edict against gamesters and a p.i. at hillaris vitae suffolgium cibi sui square liberis toti quae familiae etc that which was once their livelihood should have maintained wife children family is now spent and gone myrore tegestas etc sorrow and beggary succeeds so good things may be abused and that which was first invented to refresh men's weary spirits when they come from other labours and studies to exhilarate the mind to entertain time and company tedious otherwise in those long solitary winter nights and keep them from worse matters an honest exercise is contrarially perverted chess play is a good and witty exercise of the mind for some kind of men and fit for such melancholy rashes holds as our idle and have extravagant impertinent thoughts or troubled with cares nothing better to distract their mind and alter their meditations invented some say by the general of an army in a famine to keep soldiers from mutiny but if it proceed from over much study in such a case it may do more harm than good it is a game too troublesome for some men's brains too full of anxiety all out as bad as study besides it is a testy choleric game and very offensive to him that loses the mate William the Conqueror in his younger years playing at chess with the Prince of France Dauphiné was not annexed to that crown in those days losing a mate not the chess board about his fate which was a cause afterward of much enmity between them for some such reason it is like that patricius forbids his prince to play at chess Hawking and hunting riding etc he will allow and this to other men but by no means to him in Muscovy where they live in stoves and hot houses or winter long come seldom or little abroad it is again very necessary and therefore in those parts say the best time much used at fairs in Africa where the liking convenience of keeping within doors is through heat it is very laudable and as lao afair relates as much frequented a sport fit for idle gentle women soldiers in garrison and courtiers that have nought but love matters to busy themselves about but not altogether so convenient for such as our students the like i may say of brooks's philosophy game dr. folx metromachia and his oronomachia with the rest of those intricate astrological and geometrical fictions for such especially as are mathematically given and the rest of those curious games dancing singing masking mumming stage plays however they be heavily censured by some severe katoes yet if opportunity and soberly used may justly be approved but what is that if they delight in it but in what kind of dance i know these sports have many of puners whole volumes writ against them when as all they say if duly considered is but ignoratio elenchi and some again because they are now cold and wayward past themselves cavill at all such youthful sports in others as he did in the comedy they think them illy cornasky senes etc some out of preposterous zeal object many times trivial arguments because of some abuse will take away the good use as if they should forbid wine because it makes men drunk but in my judgment they are too stern there is a time for all things a time to mourn a time to dance ecclesiastes three four a time to embrace a time not to embrace verse five and nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works verse 22 for my part i will subscribe to the king's declaration and was ever of that mind those may games wakes and wits and ails etc if they be not at unseasonable hours may justly be permitted let them freely feast sing and dance have their puppet plays hobby horses tables crowds bagpipes etc play at ball and barley breaks and what sports and recreations they like best in franconia a province of germany saith albanus bohemus the old folks after evening prayer went to the alehouse the young assault to dance and to say truth with salisbury and sis satius fuera seek otari quantorpius occupari better to do so than worse as without question otherwise such is the corruption of man's nature many of them will do for that cause plays masks gestures gladiators tumblers jugglers etc and all that crew is admitted and winked at total yocularium sena procured it at idio spectacular at miss asunt at infinita tirocchinia wanitatum otis occupator qui perniciosius otari solent that they might be busy about such toys that would otherwise more perniciously be idle so that as tacita said of the astrologers in rome we may say of them genus hominum est quadin kiwi tarti nostra et we tar bitur semper et reti nei bitur they are a debauched company most part still spoken against as well they deserve some of them for i so relish and distinguish them as fiddlers and musicians and yet ever retained evil is not to be done i confess that good may come of it but this is evil per accidents and in a qualified sense to avoid a greater inconvenience may justly be tolerated sir thomas more in his utopian commonwealth as he will have none idle so will he have no man labor over hard to be toiled out like a horse tis more than slavish in felicity the life of most of our hired servants and tradesmen elsewhere accepting his utopians but half the day allotted for work and half for honest recreation or whatsoever employment they shall think fit for themselves if one half day in a week were allowed to our household servants for their merry meetings by their hard masters or in a year some feasts like those roman saturnals i think they would labor harder all the rest of their time and both parties be better pleased but this needs not you will say for some of them do not but loiter all the week long this which i aim at is for such as our fratty enemies troubled in mind to ease them overtoiled on the one part to refresh over idle on the other to keep themselves busy and to this purpose as any labor or employment will serve to the one any honest recreation will conduce to the other so that it be moderate and sparing as the use of meat and drink not to spend all their life in gaming playing and pastimes as too many gentlemen do but to revive our bodies and recreate our souls with honest sports of which as there be diverse sorts and peculiar to several callings ages sexes conditions so they'll be proper for several seasons and those of distinct natures to fit that variety of humours which is amongst them that if one will not another may some in summer some in winter some gentle some more violent some for the mind alone some for the body and mind as to some it is both business and a pleasant recreation to oversee workmen of all sorts husbandry cattle horses etc to build plot project to make models cast up accounts etc some without some within doors new old etc as the season service and as men are inclined it is reported of filipus bonus that good duke of burgundy by lord of icus viveis epistles and heuter in his history that the said duke at the marriage of elionora sister to the king of portugal at bruge in flanders which was solemnized in the deep of winter when as by reason of unseasonable weather he could neither hawk nor hunt and was now tired with cards dice etc and such other domestic sports or to see ladies dance with some of his courtiers he would in the evening walk disguised all about the town it's so fortune as he was walking late one night he found a country fellow dead drunk snorting on a bulk he caused his followers to bring him to his palace and there stripping him of his old clothes and attiring him after the court fashion when he waked he and they were all ready to attend upon his excellency persuading him he was some great duke the poor fellow admiring how he came there was served in state all the day after supper he saw them dance heard music and the rest of those court-like pleasures but late at night when he was well tippled and again fast asleep they put on his old robes and so conveyed him to the place where they first found him now the fellow had not made them so good sport the day before as he did when he returned to himself all the jest was to see how he looked upon it in conclusion after some little admiration the poor man told his friends he had seen a vision constantly believed it would not otherwise be persuaded and so the jest ended Antiochus epiphanies would often disguise himself steal from his court and go into merchants goldsmiths and other tradesmen shops sit and talk with them and sometimes ride or walk alone and fall aboard with any tinker clown serving man carrier or whomesoever he met first sometimes he did ex inspirato give a poor fellow money to see how he would look or on set purpose lose his purse as he went to watch you found it and with all how he would be affected and with such objects he was much delighted many such tricks are ordinarily put in practice by great men to exhilarate themselves and others all which are harmless jests and have their good uses end of section 13 section 14 of the anatomy of melancholy volume two this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for further information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the anatomy of melancholy volume two by Robert Burton section 14 partition two section two member four part three but amongst those exercises or recreations of the mind within doors there is none so general so aptly to be applied to all sorts of men so fit and proper to expel idleness and melancholy as that of study studia etc find the rest in tali pro archia poeta what's so full of content as to read walk and see maps pictures statues jewels marbles which some so much magnify as those that fideos made of old so exquisite and pleasing to be beheld that as chrysostom thinketh if any man be sickly troubled in mind or that cannot sleep for grief and shall but stand over against one of fideos's images he will forget all care or whatsoever else may molest him in an instant there be those as much taken with michael angelos raffael de orbinos francesco franchies pieces and many of those italian and dutch painters which were excellent in their ages and a steam of it as a most pleasing sight to view those neat architectures devices escuptions coats of arms read such books to peruse old coins of several sorts in a fair gallery artificial works perspective glasses old relics roman antiquities variety of colors a good picture is fasa weritas et multa poesis and though as vive seith artificialia delectant said mox fastidimus artificial toys please but for a time yet who is he that will not be moved with them for the present when achilles was tormented and sad for the loss of his dear friend patroclus his mother thetis brought him a most elaborate and curious buckler made by vulcan in which were engraven sun moon stars planets sea land men fighting running riding women's scolding hills dales towns castles brooks rivers trees etc with many pretty landscapes and perspective pieces with sight of which he was infinitely delighted and much teased of his grief manibus tenens day splendid adona who will not be affected so in light case or see those well furnished cloisters and galleries of the roman cardinals so richly stored with all modern pictures old statues and antiquities cum sei spettando recreate simul et legendo to see their pictures alone and read the description as wasadas well ads whom will it not affect which bolsius pomponius lightus malianus scottus cavelerius rigorius etc and he himself hath well performed of late or in some prince's cabinets like that of the great dukes in france of phoenix platerus in basal or nobleman's houses to see such variety of attires faces so many so rare and such exquisite pieces of men birds beasts etc to see those excellent landscapes dutch works and curious cuts of sadlie of prog albertus dura gothseus frintes etc such pleasant pieces of perspective indian pictures made of feathers china works frames thaumaturgical motions exotic toys etc who is he that is now wholly overcome with idleness or otherwise involved in a labyrinth of worldly cares troubles and discontents that will not be much lightened in his mind by reading of some enticing story true or feigned whereas in a glass he shall observe what our forefathers have done the beginnings ruins falls periods of commonwealths private men's actions displayed to the life etc plute up therefore calls them secundas mensas et belaria the second course and junkets because they were usually read at nobleman's feasts who is not earnestly affected with a passionate speech well penned an elegant poem or some pleasant bewitching discourse like that of heliodorus obi oblectatio quite un placide fuit cum hilaritate conjuncta julian the apostate was so taken with an oration of libanius the sophista that he confesses he could not be quiet till he had read it all out leghi or attionem tu am magna exparte esterna diae antiprandium franzus vero sine ulla intermissione totam absolvi oh argumenta oh compositio nem i may say the same of this or that pleasing tract which will draw his attention along with it to most kind of men it is an extraordinary delight to study for what a world of books offers itself in all subjects arts and sciences to the sweet content and capacity of the reader in arithmetic geometry perspective optics astronomy architecture sculpture painting of which so many and such elaborate treatises are of late written in mechanics and their mysteries military matters navigation riding of horses fencing swimming gardening planting great tomes of husbandry cookery falconry hunting fishing fouling etc with exquisite pictures of all sports games and whatnot in music metaphysics natural and moral philosophy philology in policy heraldry genealogy chronology etc they afford great tomes or those studies of antiquity etc at quid subtilius arithmetic is inventionibus quid eucundius music is rationibus quid diwinius astronomic is quid rectius geometric is demonstrationibus what's so sure what's so pleasant he that shall but see that geometrical tower of garrits and ad bologna in italy the steeple and clock at strazburg will admire the effects of art or that engine of archimedes to remove the earth itself if he had but a place to fasten his instrument archimedes cochlear and rare devices to corivate water musical instruments and tri-syllable echoes again again and again repeated with myriads of such what vast tomes are extant in law, physics, and divinity for profit, pleasure, practice, speculation, in verse or prose etc their names alone are the subject of whole volumes we have thousands of authors of all sorts many great libraries full well furnished like so many dishes of meat served out for several palettes and he is a very bloc that is affected with none of them some take an infinite delight to study the very languages wherein these books are written hebrew, greek, syriac, kaldi, arabic etc me thinks it would please any man to look upon a geographical map swawi animum delettatione alikere ob incredibilem reorum varietatem et yucunditatem et ad pleniorem sui cognitionem excitare, choreographical topographical delineations to behold as it were all the remote provinces towns cities of the world and never to go forth of the limits of his study to measure by the seal and compass their extent distance examine their sight. Charles the Great as Platina writes had three fair silver tables in one of which superficies was a large map of Constantinople in the second Rome neatly engraved in the third and exquisite description of the whole world and much delight he took in them what greater pleasure can there now be than to view those elaborate maps of Ortelius Mercator, Hondius etc to peruse those books of cities put out by Brownus and Hogan Bergius to read those exquisite descriptions of Maginos, Munster, Herrera, Light, Merula, Boteros, Leander, Albertus, Camden, Leo Afer, Adricomius, Nicolas Gerbellius etc those famous expeditions of Christopher Columbus, Américus Vesputius, Marcus Polus the Venetian, Ludovicus Vettomanus, Aloysius Caramustus etc those accurate diaries of Portuguese, Hollander's, of Partisan, Oliver Anort etc, Huckowitz Voyages, Petrus Martyrs, Decades, Benzo, Lerius, Linscholden's relations, those Hodoipolicons are Meghan, Broccard the Monk, Bredin Barcius, Johannes Dublinius, Sands etc to Jerusalem, Egypt and other remote places of the world. Those pleasant itineraries of Paulus Hensyrus, Yorikus Sincerus, Dux Polonus etc to read Bolognus's observations, Petrus Gilius's surveys, those parts of America set out and curiously cut in pictures by Fratres Abri. To see a well-cut herbal, herbs, trees, flowers, plants, all vegetables expressed in their proper colors to the life, as that of Matiolis upon Dioscorides, Delacampius, Lobel, Bauhinus and that last voluminous and mighty herbal of Bezlar of Nuremberg, wherein almost every plant is to his own bigness. To see birds, beasts and fishes of the sea, spiders, gnats, serpents, flies etc, all creatures set out by the same art, and truly expressed in lively colors with an exact description of their natures, virtues, qualities etc, as hath been accurately performed by Alien, Gessna, Ulysses, Algiovandus, Bolognus, Rontolatius, Hippolytus, Salvianus etc. Arcana, Caeli, Natura, and Secreta, Ordinem, Universo, Skiere, Maioris, Feliquitatis, Etul, Cadenis est, Quam, Cogitatione, Quissa, Sequi, Posit, Alt, Murtale, Desperare. What more pleasing studies can there be than the mathematics, theoretical or practical parts, as to survey land, make maps, models, dials etc, with which I was ever much delighted myself. Thales est Mathematum Polcritudo, Saith Bluetark, Ortis indignum sit, Diwitiarum faliras estas et pulas, Edpuellaria spectacola comparari, such is the excellence of these studies that all those ornaments and childish bubbles of wealth are not worthy to be compared to them. Crede mihi, Saith one, Extinguidulche erit Mathematicarum artium studio, I could even live and die with such meditation, and take more delight, true content of mind in them, than thou hast it all thy wealth and sport, how rich so ever thou art. And, as Caden well seconds me, Honorificum Magis est et gloriosum, Haic intelligere, Quam prawinquiis praesse, Formosum autitem unem esse. The like pleasure there is in all other studies, to such as are truly addicted to them, ea swawitas, one holds, Out cum quis ea degustawirit, Quasi pokulis kirkeis kaptus, non posit unquam abili stiwelli. The like sweetness which asserts his cup, which is a student, he cannot leave off, as well may witness those many laborious hours, days and nights, spent in the voluminous treatises written by them, the same content. Julius Skaliger was so much affected with poetry, that he broke out into a pathetical protestation, he had rather be the author of twelve verses in Lucan, or such an ode in Horace, than Emperor of Germany. Nicholas Gerbellius, that good old man, was so much ravished with a few Greek authors restored to light, with hope and desire of enjoying the rest, that he exclaimed forthwith, Arabibus aqua indis omnibus erimus ditioris, we shall be richer than all the Arabic or Indian princes, of such esteem they were with him, incomparable worth and value. Seneca prefers Zeno and Crispus to doting Stoics, he was so much enamoured of their works, before any prince or general of an army, and Orontius, the mathematician, so far admires our comedies, that he calls him divinum et homine maiorem, a petty god, more than a man, and well he might, for ought I see, if you respect fame or worth. Pindarus of Thebes is as much renowned for his poems as Epaminondas, Pelopidas, Hercules or Bacchus, his fellow citizens, for their warlike actions, et si farmam rispigias, known palchiores Aristoteles quam Alexandre Memineront. As Cardan notes, Aristotle is more known than Alexander, for we have a bare relation of Alexander's deeds, but Aristotle, totus wewit in monumentis, is whole in his works. Yet I stand not upon this, the delight is it which I aim at, so great pleasure, such sweet content, there is in study. King James, 1605, when he came to see our University of Oxford, and amongst other edifices, now went to view that famous library renewed by Sir Thomas Bodley, in imitation of Alexander, at his departure break out into that noble speech, if I were not a king I would be a University man, and if it were so that I must be a prisoner, if I might have my wish, I would desire to have no other prison than that library, and to be chained together with so many good authors at Mortwis Magistris. So sweet is the delight of study, the more learning they have, as he that hath a dropsy, the more he drinks, the thirstier he is, the more they covet to learn, and the last day is prioris discipulus, harsh at first learning is radicase marcae, pat fructus duques, according to that of hisocrates, present at last. The longer they live, the more they are enamoured with the muses. Heinsius, the keeper of the library at Leiden in Holland, was mewed up in it all the year long, and that which to thy thinking should have bred a loathing, caused in him a greater liking. I know sooner, saith he, come into the library, but I bolt the door to me, excluding lust, ambition, avarice, and all such vices, whose nurse is idleness, the mother of ignorance, and a melancholy herself, and in the very lap of eternity amongst so many divine souls I take my seat, with so lofty a spirit and sweet content, that I pity all our great ones and rich men, that know not this happiness. I am not ignorant in the meantime, notwithstanding this which I have said, how barbarously and basely, for the most part, how rude a gentry esteem of libraries and books, how they neglect and contempt so great a treasure, so inestimable a benefit, as Isops cock did the jewel he found in the dung hill, and all through error, ignorance, and want of education, and tis a wonder with all, to observe how much they will vainly cast away in unnecessary expenses, Quot modis periant, saith Erasmus, magnatibus pecunii, Quantum absumant, alia, scorta, compotationes, profetiones, no neccessarii, pompei, bella quesita, ambitio, colax, morio, ludio, et cetera, what in hawks, hounds, lawsuits, vain building, gormandising, drinking, sports, plays, pastimes, et cetera. If a well-minded man to the muses would sue to some of them for an exhibition to the father maintenance or enlargement of a work, be it college, lecture, library, or whatsoever else may tend to the advancement of learning, they are so unwilling, so averse, that they had rather see these which are already, with such cost and care erected, utterly ruined, demolished, or otherwise employed, for they repine many and grudge at such gifts and revenues so bestowed, and therefore it were vain, as Erasmus well notes, well a peace, well a negotiatoribus, quise mammonae dedi derunt, improbum fortase tali o ficium exigere, to solicit or ask anything of such men that are likely damned to riches to this purpose. For my part I pity these men, stultos yubio esse libenter, let them go as they are in the catalogue of Ignoramus. How much, on the other side, are we all bound that our scholars, to those munificent ptolemies, bountiful my senuses, heroical patrons, divine spirits, quinovis haic ootia fei kerunt, nam querit ille mihi semper deus. These blessings, friend, a deity bestowed, for never can I deem him less than God, that have provided for us so many well furnished libraries, as well in our public academies in most cities, as in our private colleges. How shall I remember Sir Thomas Bodley amongst the rest, Otho Nicholson and the right reverent John Williams, Lord Bishop of Lincoln, with many other pious acts, who, besides that, at St John's College in Cambridge, that in Westminster, is now likewise in Fieri, with a library at Lincoln, a noble precedent for all corporate towns and cities to imitate, O quante memore, we rillustrisime quibose logiiis. But, to my task again, whosoever he is therefore, that is overrun with solitariness, or carried away with pleasing melancholy and vain conceits, and for want of employment knows not how to spend his time, or crucified with worldly care, I can prescribe him no better remedy than this of study, to compose himself to the learning of some art or science. Provided always that this malady proceed not from over much study, for in such case he adds fuel to the fire, and nothing can be more pernicious. Let him take heed, he do not overstretch his wits, and make a skeleton of himself, or such in amoratos, as read nothing but playbooks, idle poems, jests, amadis de gall, the night of the sun, the seven champions, palmarine de oliva, Juan of Bordeaux, etc. Such, many times, prove in the end as mad as Don Quixote. Study is only prescribed to those that are otherwise idle, troubled in mind, or carried headlong with vain thoughts and imaginations, to distract their cogitations, although variety of study, or some serious subject, would do the former no harm, and divert their continual meditations another way. Nothing in this case better than study. Semper aliquid memoritere discant, saith piso, let them learn something without book, transcribe, translate, etc., which Hyperius holds available of itself. The mind is erected thereby from all worldly cares, and hath much quiet and tranquillity. For, as Austin well hath it, tis schientia schientiarum, omni mele dulcur, omni pane suauior, omni we no hilario, tis the best nepenthi, surest cordial, sweetest alternative, presentest diverter, for neither, as Chrysostom well adds, those boughs and leaves of trees which are plashed for cattle to stand under, in the heat of the day, in summer, so much refresh them with their acceptable shade, as the reading of the Scripture doth recreate and comfort a distressed soul, in sorrow and affliction. Paul bids pray continually, quod kibus corpore lectio animai facchit, saith Seneca, as meat is to the body, such is reading to the soul. To be at leisure without books is another hell, and to be buried alive. Cardin calls a library, The Physic of the Soul, Divine Authors fortify the mind, make men bold and constant, and, as Hyperius adds, godly conference will not permit the mind to be tortured with absurd cogitations. Rassus enjoins continual conference to such melancholy men, perpetual discourse of some history, tale, poem, news, etc. Which feeds the mind as meat and drink doth the body, and pleaseth as much, and therefore the said Rassus, not without good cause, would have somebody still talk seriously or dispute with them, and sometimes to cavill and wrangle, so that it break not out to a violent perturbation. For such altercation is like stirring of a dead fire to make it burn afresh, it wets a dull spirit, and will not suffer the mind to be drowned in those profound cogitations, which melancholy men are commonly troubled with. Ferdinand and Alphonsus, kings of Aragon and Sicily, were both cured by reading the history, one of Cirtius, the other of Livy, when no prescribed physics would take place. Camerarius relates as much of Lorenzo de' Medici. Heathen philosophers are so full of divine precepts in this kind, that, as some think, they alone are able to settle a distressed mind. Sunt verba et wociis, quibbus hunk l'enire dolorem, etc. Epictetus Plutarch and Seneca, qualis ille, quaitela, Scythlipsius, adversus omnes animicasus administrat, et ipsa mortem, quomodo wittia e ripit, infert wir tutes. When I read Seneca, we think I am beyond all human fortunes, on the top of a hill above mortality. Plutarch saith as much of Homer, for which cause be like Nicaratus in Xenophon, was made by his parents to con Homer's Iliads and Odysseys without book, ut in wirum bonum e war deret, as well to make him a good and honest man, as to avoid idleness. If this comfort be got from philosophy, what shall be had from divinity, what shall Austin, Scipian, Gregory, Bernhard's divine meditations afford us, qui quitsit pulchrum, qui turpe, qui utile, qui non, plenius et melius chrisippo et crantore dicunt. Nay, watch all the scripture itself, which is like an apothecary shop, wherein are all remedies for all infirmities of mind, purgatives, cordials, alteratives, corroboratives, lenitives, etc. Every disease of the soul, saith Austin, hath a peculiar medicine in the scripture. This only is required, that the sick man take the potion which God hath already tempered. Gregory calls it a glass wherein we see all our infirmities, ignitum colloquium, psalm 119 verse 140, or again a charm. And therefore Huron prescribes rusticus the monk continually to read the scripture, and to meditate on that which he hath read, for, as mastication is to meet, so is meditation on that which we read. I would for these causes wish him that his melancholy to use both human and divine authors, voluntarily to impose some task upon himself to divert his melancholy thoughts, to study the art of memory, cosmos Roselius, Petrus Ravenus, Schenkelius's detectus, or practice brachygraphy, etc. That will ask a great deal of attention, or let him demonstrate a proposition in Euclid, in his five last books, extract a square root or study algebra, than which, as Clavius holds in all human disciplines, nothing can be more excellent and pleasant, so abstrusen racquendite, so bewitching, so miraculous, so ravishing, so easy with all, and full of delight. By this means you may define ex Ungwe Leonem, as the diverbis, by his thumb alone, the bigness of Hercules, or the true dimensions of the great Colossus, Solomon's temple, and Domitian's amphitheater, out of a little part. By this art you may contemplate the variation of the twenty-three letters, which may be so infinitely varied that the words complicated and deduced dense will not be contained within the compass of the firmament. Ten words may be varied forty thousand three hundred and twenty several ways. By this art you may examine how many men may stand one by another in the whole superficies of the earth, some say a hundred and forty-eight billion, four hundred and fifty-six thousand, eight hundred million, a signando singleis passum quadratum, assigning a square foot to each. How many men supposing all the world as habitable as France, as fruitful and so long lived, may be born in sixty thousand years. And so may you demonstrate with Archimedes how many sands the mass of the whole world might contain, if all sandy, if you did but first know how much a small cube, as big as a mustard seed, might hold, with infinite such. But in all nature what is there so stupendous as to examine and calculate the motion of the planets, their magnitudes, apogees, perigees, eccentricities, how far distant from the earth, the bigness, thickness, compass of the firmament, each star, with their diameters and circumference, apparent area, superficies, by those curious helps of glasses, astrolabes, sextants, quadrants, of which, to cobray in his mechanics, optics, divine optics, arithmetic, geometry, and such like arts and instruments. What so intricate and pleasing with all, as to peruse and practice Heron Alexandrinus' works, De Spiritaribus, De Machinis Bellichis, De Machina Semuente, Giordani Nemoraii, De Ponderibus, Propositio XIII, that pleasant tract of macometes bragdedinus, De Superficiarum Divisionibus, Apollonius' conics, or Comandinus' labours in that kind, De Gentro Gravitatis, with many such geometrical theorems and problems. Those rare instruments and mechanical inventions of Bessonus and Cardin, to this purpose, with many such experiments, intimated long since by Roger Bacon, in his tract De secretis artis et naturai, as to make a chariot to move, sine animali, diving boats, to walk on the water by art, and to fly in the air, to make several cranes and pulleys, quibus homo trahat et sei mille homines, lift up and remove great weights, mills to move themselves, architas d'avs, albertus' brazen head, and such thematurgical works. But especially to do strange miracles by glasses, of which Proclus and Bacon writ of old, burning glasses, multiplying glasses, perspectives, ut unus homo appareat et circuitus, to see afar off, to represent solid bodies by cylinders and concaves, to walk in the air, ut vera kitera widiant, seith Bacon, aurum et argentum et quickrid aliud walunt, et cum weniant, ad locum wizionis nihilin weniant. Which glasses are much perfected of late by Baptista Porta and Galileo, and much more is promised by Maginus and Middorgius to be performed in this kind? Otto Custicon, some speak of, to intend hearing, as the other do sight. Markelos Frenken, a Hollander, in his epistle to Burgravius, makes mention of a friend of his, that is about an instrument quo wid debit quai in auterro horizontesint. But our alchemists, methinks, and rossicrucians, afford most rarities, and are fuller of experiments. They can make gold, separate, and alter metals, extract oils, salts, lees, and do more strange works than Geber, Lulius, Bacon, or any of those ancients. Crolius hath made, after his master Paracelsus, aurum fulminans, or aurum wallatile, which shall imitate thunder and lightning, and crack louder than any gunpowder. Cornelius dribble a perpetual motion in extinguishable lights, lino non ardens, with many such feats. See his book De Natura Elementorum. Besides hail, wind, snow, thunder, lightning, etc., those strange fireworks, devilish petards, and such like warlike machinations, derived hence of which read Tatalia and others. Ernestus Burgravius, a disciple of Paracelsus, hath published a discourse in which he specifies a lamp to be made of man's blood, Lucchernuiti et mortis index, so he terms it, which chemically prepared 40 days, and afterwards, kept in a glass, shall show all the accidents of this life. Which is the most wonderful? It dies with the party, cum homine perit et iwanescit, the lamp and the man, whence the blood was taken, are extinguished together. The same author hath another tract of mummia, all out as vain and prodigious as the first, by which he will cure most diseases, and transfer them from a man to a beast, by drawing blood from one, and applying it to the other, well in plantam derivare, and analexifarmacum, of which Roger Bacon evolved in his tract, de retardande senectute, to make a man young again, live three or four hundred years. Besides panaceas, martial amulets, unguentum armarium, balsums, strange extracts, elixirs, and such like magico-magnetical cures. Now, what so pleasing can there be as the speculation of these things, to read and examine such experiments, or if a man be more mathematically given, to calculate or peruse napier's logarithms, or those tables of artificial signs and tangents? Not long since, set out by my old collegiate, good friend and late fellow student of Christchurch in Oxford, Mr. Edmund Gunter, which will perform that by addition and subtraction only, which here too fore, regular montanus' tables did by multiplication and division, or those elaborate conclusions of his sector, quadrant and cross-staff, or let him that his melancholy calculates spherical triangles square a circle, cast a nativity, which, howsoever some tax, I say with garcaios, darbimus hawk petulantibus ingenius, we will in some cases allow, or let him make an ephemerides, read Swissay the calculator's works, scarighea de amendatione tempurum, and petavius his adversary till he understand them, peruse subtle scottus and swariz's metaphysics, or school divinity, occum thomas entisperus durand etc. If those other do not affect him, and his means be great, to employ his purse and fill his head, he may go find the philosopher's stone, he may apply his mind, I say, to heraldry and tiquity, invent impresses, emblems, make epithalamiums, epitaphs, eleges, epigrams, palindroma epigramata, anagrams, chronograms, acrostics, upon his friend's names, or write a comment on martianus capella tertulium de palio, the nubian geography, or upon ilia lilia chrispis, as many idle fellows have essayed, and rather than do nothing, very averse a thousand ways, with putian so torturing his wits, or as Rhaenerys of Lunaburg, 2,150 times, in his proteus poeticus, or scarighea, chrysolithus, clepisius, and others, have in like sort done. If such voluntary tasks, pleasure and delight, or crabidness of these studies, were not yet divert their idle thoughts, and alienate their imaginations, they must be compelled, seeth christophorus of aga, cogidebent, book five, chapter fourteen, upon some malt, if they perform it not, quod exoficio in cumbat, loss of credit, or disgrace, such as our public university exercises, for as he that plays for nothing will not heed his game, no more will voluntary employment so thoroughly affect a student, except he be very intent of himself, and take an extraordinary delight in the study about which he is conversant. It should be of that nature, his business, which volens nollens, he must necessarily undergo, and without great loss, mulked, shame, or hindrance, he may not omit. Now for women, instead of laborious studies, they have curious needle-works, cut-works, spinning, bone lace, and many pretty devices of their own making, to adorn their houses, cushions, carpets, chairs, stools, for she eats not the bread of idleness, Proverbs thirty-one, twenty-seven, quesivic lanam et leanum, confections, conserves, distillations, etc., which they show to strangers. Ipsa, comes, praises, quaperis, whenientibus ultro, hospitibus monstrare solet, non segnite horas, contestata soas, sed neccibi de peri ise, which to her guests she shows, with all her pelf, thus far my maids, but this I did myself. This they have to busy themselves about, household offices, etc., neat gardens, full of exotic, versicolor, diversely varied, sweet-smelling flowers and plants in all kinds, which they are most ambitious to get, curious to preserve and keep, proud to possess, and much many times brag of. Their merry meetings and frequent visitations, mutual invitations in good towns I voluntarily omit, which are so much in use, gossipping among the mean assault, etc. Old folks have their beads, an excellent invention to keep them from idleness that are by nature melancholy and past all affairs, to say so many pattern ostas, Ave Maria's, creeds, if it were not profane and superstitious. In a word, body and mind must be exercised, not one but both, and that in a mediocrity, otherwise it will cause a great inconvenience. If the body be overtired, it tires the mind. The mind oppresseth the body, as with students it often times falls out, who, as Blutarch observes, have no care of the body, but compel that which is mortal, to do as much as that which is immortal, that which is earthly, as that which is ethereal. But as the ox, tired, told the camel, both serving one master, that refused to carry some part of his burden, before it were long he should be compelled to carry all his back and skin to boot, which by and by, the ox being dead, fell out. The body may say to the soul, that will give him no respite or remission. A little after, an ague, vertigo, consumption, seizeth on them both. All his study is omitted, and they must be compelled to be sick together. He that tenders his own good estate and health, must let them draw with equal yoke, both alike. That so, they may happily enjoyed their wished health. End of Section 14 Partition 2, Section 2, Member 5 Waking and terrible dreams rectified As waking that hurts, by all means must be avoided, so sleep, which so much helps, by like ways, must be procured, by nature or art, inward or outward medicines, and be protracted longer than ordinary, if it may be, as being in a special help. It moistenes and fattens the body, concocts and helps digestion, as we see in dormice, and those alpine mice that sleep all winter, which guestness speaks of, when they are found sleeping under the snow in the dead of winter, as fat as butter. It expels cares, pacifies the mind, refresheth the weary limbs after long work. 1. Somnae quiae swerum, placedissime somnae deorum, pacs aneome, cremcoa frugit, cree corpore dois, fesamnisterios m'uque's ripararscria labore. Sleep, rest of things, o pleasing deity, peace of the soul which cares, doth crucify, weary bodies refresh and modify. The chiefest thing in all physical, Paracelsus calls it, omnia arcana gemorum superum et metallorum. The fittest time is two or three hours after supper, when as the meat is now settled at the bottom of the stomach, and is good to lie on the right side first, because at that site the liver does rest under the stomach, not molesting any way, but heating him as a fire doth a kettle that is put to it. After the first sleep it is not amiss to lie on the left side, that the meat may the better descend, and sometimes again on the belly, but never on the back. Seven or eight hours is a competent time for melancholy man to rest, as Crater thinks, but as some do to lie in bed and not sleep, a day or half a day together, to give assent to pleasing conceits and vain imaginations, is many ways pernicious. To procure this sweet moistening sleep it is best to take away the occasions, if it be possible, that hinder it, and then to use such inward or outward remedies which may cause it. Constate Haudier saves Brissardus in his trapped dimagia, Chapter 4. Moltus ita fascinari ut noctes intergras exigent in sonnes, summa, in creitudine animorum et corporeum. Many cannot sleep for witches and fascinations, which are too familiar in some places. They call it dare alecuri malam noctem. But the ordinary causes are heat and dryness, which must first be removed. A hot and dry brain never sleeps well. Grief, fears, cares, expectations, anxieties, great business, in orem or trunque or tiosae ut dormius, and all violent perturbations of the mind must in some sort be qualified before we can hope for any good repose. He that sleeps in the daytime, or is in suspense, fear, any way troubled in mind, or goes to bed upon a full stomach, may never hope for quiet rest in the night. Nec enymeritoria somnus admittant, as the poet says. Inns and such like troublesome places are not the sleep. One calls Osla another tabster, one cries and shouts, another sings, poops, halloos, absentum cantat amicam, motoc frolutus vapa nauta ad quivirto. Who not accustomed to such noises can sleep amongst them? He that will intend to take his rest must go to bed animo securo, quiato et libero, with a secure and composed mind, in a quiet place. Omnia noctis erund placida composta quiate, and if that will not serve, or may not be obtained, to seek then such means as our requisite. To lie in clean linen and sweet before he goes to bed, or in bed, to hear sweet music, which Vakinas commends, Book I, Chapter 4, or as Joburtus, Book III, Chapter 10, to read some pleasant author till he be asleep, to have a basin of water still dropping by his bedside, or to lie near that pleasant mamma, Leni sonantis aquae. Some floodgates, arches, falls of water, like London Bridge, or some continuate noise which may be none the senses, Lenius motus, Silentium et tenebra, tum et ipsa voluntas somnos faciunt. As a gentle noise to some procures sleep, so which Bernardinas, Telaecius, Libretis somno, well observes, Silence, in a dark room, and the will itself, is most available to others. Piso commends vacations, and Rubordae a good draught of strong drink before one goes to bed. I say a nutmeg and ale, or a good draught of muscadine, with a toast and nutmeg, or a posset of the same, which many use in the morning, but me thinks for such as have dry brains, are much more proper at night. Some prescribe a sup of vinegar as they go to bed, a spoonful, saith Aetius tetrabiblos, book 2 chapter 10, book 6 chapter 10 Egidneta, book 3 chapter 14 Piso, a little after-meat, because it rareifies melancholy, and procures an appetite to sleep. Donatus and Mercurialis approve of it, if the malady proceed from the spleen. Salustius Salvianus, book 2 chapter 1 de Remedias, Hercules de Saxonia and Elinas Montaltus de Morbibus Capitis, chapter 28 de melancholia, are altogether against it. Lordovicus Mercatus, in some cases doth allow it. Varsus seems to deliberate of it, though Simeon commends it in source for adventure. He makes a question of it, as for baths, formentations, oils, potions, simples or compounds, inwardly taken to this purpose, I shall speak of them elsewhere. If in the midst of the night, when they lie awake, which is usual to toss and tumble and not sleep, Manzovius would have them, if it be in warm weather, to rise and walk three or four terms, till they be cold, about the chamber, and then go to bed again. Against fearful and troublesome dreams, incubus and such inconveniences, where whiz melancholy men are molested, the best remedy is to eat a light supper, and of such meats as are easy of digestion, no hair, venison, beef, etc., not to lie on his back, nor to meditate or think in the daytime of any terrible objects, or especially talk of them before he goes to bed. 4. As he said in Lucian after such conference, Hercatis somniare mihi vidior. I can think of nothing but hobgoblins, and as Tully notes, for the most part our speeches in the daytime cause our fantasy to work upon the light in our sleep, which enius writes of Homer. Yet carnus insonus le poris vestigial atrat. As a dog dreams of a hare, so do men on such subjects they thought on last. Somniacuimentes ludant volitantibus ungris, nectilubridium, necab ethere numinam mittunt, sed sibe griscre facet, etc. For that cause when Ptolemy, king of Egypt, had posed the seventy interpreters in order, and asked the nineteenth man what would make one sleep quietly in the night, he told them the best way was to have divine and celestial meditations, and to use honest actions in the daytime. Lordovica's bivets wonders how schoolmen could sleep quietly, and were not terrified in the night or walk in the dark. They had such monstrous questions, and thought of such terrible matters all day long. They had needed, amongst the rest, to sacrifice to God Morpheus, whom for the strutters paints in a white and black coat, with a horn and ivory box full of dreams, of the same colours, to signify good and bad. If you will know how to interpret them, read Artemidorus, Sambucus, and Cardon, but how to help them I must refer you to a more convenient place. End of Section 15. Section 16 of the Anatomy of Melancholy, Volume 2. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Morgan Scorpion. The Anatomy of Melancholy, Volume 2 by Robert Burton, Section 16. Partition 2, Section 2, Member 6, Subsection 1. Perturbations of the mind rectified, from himself by resisting to the utmost, confessing his grief to a friend, etc. Whoever he is that shall hope to cure this malady in himself or any other, must first rectify these passions and perturbations of the mind. The chiefest cure consists in them. The quiet mind is that voluptus, or summum bonum, of Epicurus. Nondolary, Curus vacare, animal tranquillo ese. Not to grieve, but to want cares and have a quiet soul, is the only pleasure of the world, as Seneca truly recites his opinion. Not that of eating and drinking, which endures Aristotle maliciously puts upon him, and for which he is still mistaken. They outed Edvapo that, slandered without a cause, and lashed by all posterity. Fear and sorrow, therefore, are especially to be avoided, and the mind to be mitigated with mirth, constancy, good hope. Vain terror, bad objects, are to be removed, and all such persons in whose companies they be not well pleased. Vanilias, Concilium 43, Mercurialis, Concilium 6, Piso, Jacquinas, Chapter 15 in Nine Races, Capivacius, Hildesheim, etc. All inculcate this as an especial means of their cure, that their minds be quietly pacified. Vain conceits diverted, if it be possible, with terrors, cares, fixed studies, cogitations, and whatsoever it is that shall anyway molest or trouble the soul, because that otherwise there is no good to be done. The body's mischiefs, as Plato proves, proceed from the soul, and if the mind be not first satisfied, the body can never be cured. Alcubiades raves, St. Maximus Tyrius, and his sick, his furious desires carry him from Lycius to the pleading place, thence to the sea, so into Sicily, thence to Lacodemon, thence to Persia, thence to Samos, thence again to Athens. Critius tyrannizes over all the city. Sardinopolis is lovesick. These men are ill-affected all, and can never be cured, till their minds be otherwise qualified. Creto therefore, in that often cited counsel of his for a nobleman his patient, when he had sufficiently informed him in diet, air, exercise, venus, sleep, concludes with these as matters of greatest moment. Quadrelicum est animi acedentia corigantor, from which alone precedes melancholy, they are the fountain, the subject, the hinges, whereon it turns, and must necessarily be reformed. For anger stirs collar, heats the blood and vital spirits, sorrow on the other side refrigerates the body, and extinguishes natural heat, overthrows appetite, hinders concoction, dries up the temperature, and perverts the understanding. Fear dissolves the spirits, infects the heart, attenuates the soul, and for these causes all passions and perturbations must, to the uttermost of our power, and most seriously, be removed. Aelianus Montaltus attributes so much to them, that he holds the rectification of them alone to be sufficient to the cure of the melancholy in most patients. Many are fully cured when they have seen or heard, etc., enjoy their desires, or be secured unsatisfied in their minds. Galen, the common master of them all, from whose fountain they fetched water, brags Book 1 de Sanitate to Renda, that he for his part has killed divers of this infirmity, solemn animus adrectum institutis, by right settling alone of their minds. Yea, but you will hear in fur, that this is excellent good, indeed if it could be done, but how shall it be effected, by whom, what art, what means? Hic labor, hic opus est. Tis a natural infirmity, a most powerful adversary. All men are subject to passions, and melancholy above all others, as being distempered by their innate humours, abundance of colour and dust, weakness of parts, outward occurrences, and how shall they be avoided? The wisest men, greatest philosophers of most excellent wit, reason, judgement, divine spirits, cannot moderate themselves in this behalf, such as our sound in body and mind, stoics, heroes, homeless gods, all are passionate and furiously carried sometimes. And how shall we that are already crazed, fracti animus, sick in body, sick in mind, resist? We cannot perform it. You may advise and give good precepts as who cannot, but how shall they be put in practice? I may not deny it, but our passions are violent, and tyrannise of us. Yet there be means to curve them, though they be headstrong, they may be tamed, they may be qualified, if he himself or his friends will use their honest endeavours, or make use of such ordinary helps as are commonly prescribed. He himself, I say. From the patient himself the first and chiefest remedy must be had, for if he be a verse, purish, waspish, give way wholly to his passions, will not seek to be helped, or be ruled by his friends, how is it possible he should be cured? But if he be willing at least, gentle, tractable, and desire his own good, no doubt he may magnum morbideponere partum, be eased at least, if not cured. He himself must do his art most endeavoured to resist and withstand the beginnings. Fincipius Obsta. Give not water passage, no, not a little. Ecclesiasticus 25, 27. If they open a little, they will make a greater breach at length. Whatsoever it is that oneeth in his mind, vain conceit, be it pleasing or displeasing, which so much affects or troubles him, by all possible means he must withstand it. Expel those vain, false, riverless imaginations, absurd conceits, vain fears and sorrows, from which safe piezo this disease primarily proceeds, and takes his first occasion or beginning by doing something or other that shall be opposite unto them, thinking of something else, persuading by reason, or howsoever, to make a sudden alteration of them. Though he hitherto run in a full career, and precipitated himself following his passions, giving reigns to his appetite, let him now stop upon a sudden, curb himself in, and as lemnious adviseth, strive against with all his power to the utmost of his endeavour, and not cherish those fond imaginations which so covertly creep into his mind. Most pleasing and amiable at first, but bitter as gall at last, and so headstrong, that by no reason, art, counsel or persuasion they may be shaken off. Though he be far gone, and habituated into such fantastical imaginations, yet as Tully and Plutuck advise, let him oppose, fortify, or prepare himself against them, by premeditation, reason, or as we do by a crooked staff, bend himself another way. In the meantime, expel them from thy mind, pale fears, sad cares, and griefs which do it grind, revengeful anger, pain, and discontent, let all thy soul be set on merriment. If it be idleness hath caused disinformity, or that he perceive himself given to solitariness, to walk alone, and please his mind with fond imaginations, let him by all means avoid it. It is a bosom enemy, it is delightsome melancholy, a friend in show, but a secret devil, a sweet poison, it will in the end be his undoing. Let him go presently, task or set himself a work, get some good company. If he proceed as a nat flies about a candle, so long till at length he burn his body, so in the end he will undo himself. If it be any harsh object, ill company, let him presently go from it. If by his own default, so ill diet, bad air, want of exercise, etc., let him now begin to reform himself. It would be a perfect remedy against all corruption, if as Roger Bacon hath it, we could but moderate ourselves in those six non-natural things. If it be any disgrace, abuse, temporal loss, calamity, death or friends, imprisonment, banishment, be not troubled with it, do not fear, be not angry, grieve not at it, but with all courage sustain it. Gordonius. To contra ardentio ito. If it be sickness, ill success, or any adversity that hath caused it, oppose an invincible courage, fortify thyself by God's word, or otherwise, Malabonius persuadenda, search prosperity against adversity, as we refresh our eyes by seeing some pleasant meadow, fountain, picture or the like. Recreate thy mind by some contrary object, with some more pleasing meditation divert thy thoughts. Yea, but if you infer again, baccalae concilium damus aliae, we can easily give counsel to others. Every man, as the saying is, contame a shrew, but he that hath her, cichic essays alata sentires. If you were in our misery, you would find it otherwise, it is not so easily performed. We know this to be true. We should moderate ourselves, but we are furiously carried. We cannot make use of such precepts. We are overcome, sick, malesani, distempered and habituated to these courses. We can make no resistance. You may as well bid him that his disease not feel pain, as a melancholy man not fear, not be sad. It is within his blood, his brains, his whole temperature, it cannot be removed. But he may choose whether he will give way too far unto it. He may in some sort correct himself. A philosopher was bidden with a mad dog, and as the nature of that disease is to abhor all waters and liquid things, and to think they still see the picture of a dog before them, he went for all this, reluctant to say to the bath, and seeing there, as he thought, in the water the picture of a dog, with reason overcame this conceit, great carny cumbal nail. What should a dog do in a bath, a mere conceit? Thou thinkest thou hearest and seeest devil, black men, etc. It is not so. It is thy corrupt fantasy. Settle thine imagination, thou art well. Thou thinkest thou hast a great nose, thou art sick. Every man observes thee, laughs thee to scorn. Persuade thyself, it is no such matter. This is fear only, and vain suspicion. Thou art discontent, thou art sad and heavy, but why, upon what ground? Consider of it. Thou art jealous, timorous, suspicious, for what cause? Examine it thoroughly, thou shalt find none at all, or such as is to be content, such as thou wilt surely deride and contend in thyself when it is past. Rule thyself then with reason, satisfy thyself, accustom thyself, wean thyself from such fond conceits, vain fears, strong imaginations, restless thoughts, thou mayst do it. Est in nobis as wa scere, as Plutarch say, we may frame ourselves as we will. As he that useeth an upright shoe may correct the obliquity, or crookedness, by wearing it on the other side, we may overcome passions if we will. Quid quid si be imperavit animus obtinuit, as Seneca say. Nullitam ferii affectus, od non disciplina per domen tor. Whatsoever the will desires, she may command. No such cruel affections, but by discipline they may be tamed. Voluntarily thou wilt not do this or that, which thou oughtst to do, or refrain, etc. But when thou art lashed like a dull jade, thou wilt reform it. Fear of a whip will make thee do, or not do. Do that voluntarily that which thou canst do, and must do by compulsion. Thou mayst refrain if thou wilt, and master thine affections. As in a city safe from the lamp-phone, they do by stubborn rebellious robes that will not submit themselves to political judgment, compel them by false. So must we do by our affections. If thy heart will not lay aside those vicious motions, and the fantasy those fond imaginations, we have another form of government to enforce and refrain our outward members, that they be not led by our passions. If appetite will not obey, let the moving faculty overrule her. Let her resist and compel her to do otherwise. In an egg you the appetite would drink. So eyes that itch would be rubbed, that reason saith no, and therefore the moving faculty will not do it. Our fantasy would intrude a thousand fears, suspicions, chimeras upon us, that we have reason to resist. Yet we let it be over-born by our appetite. Imagination in force of spirits, which, by an admirable league of nature, compel the nerves to obey, and they are several limbs. We give too much weight to our passions, and as to him that is sick of an aegyo, all things are distasteful and unpleasant. None ex-kibi vitio, saith Plutarch. Not in the meat, but in our taste. So many things are offensive to us, not of themselves, but out of our corrupt judgment, jealousy, suspicion, and the like. We pull these mischiefs upon our own heads. If then our judgment be so depraved, our reason overruled, will precipitated, that we cannot seek our own good, or moderate ourselves, as in this disease commonly it is, the best way for ease is to impart our misery to some friend. Not to smother it up in our own breasts, alliter, vitium, crescate, crate, agendo, etc. And that which was most offensive to us, a cause of fear and grief, cordonancte coquit, another hell. For strangulat increases dolo ad quae excise stewat intus. Grief concealed strangles the soul, but when as we shall but impart it to some discreet, trusty, loving friend, it is instantly removed, by his counsel, happily, wisdom, persuasion, advice, his good means, which we could not otherwise apply unto ourselves. A friend's counsel is a charm, like mandrake wine, call us, stop it, and as a ball that is tied to a fig tree becomes gentle on a sudden, which some, say flutarch, interpret of good words. So is a savage, obdurate heart, modified by fair speeches. All adversity finds ease in complaining, as Isidore holds, and tis a solace to relate it. Agatid of power fassis estin etairu. Friends' confabulations are comfortable at all times, as fire in winter, shade in summer, quale sopo fesis in graminé, meat and drink to him that is hungry all thirst. Democritus's callirium is not so sovereign to the eyes as this to the heart. Good words are cheerful and powerful of themselves, but much more than friends, as so many props, mutually sustaining each other, like ivy and a wall, which counter-various have well illustrated in an emblem. Lenit animum simplex velcyphe neuratio. The simple narration many times eases our distressed mind, and in the midst of greatest extremities, so diverse have been relieved by exonerating themselves to a faithful friend. He sees that which we cannot see for passion and discontent. He pacifies our minds. He will ease our pain, assuage our anger. Quante indavor luptas, quanta securita, chrisostomads. What pleasure, what security by that means. Nothing so available. Or that so much refresheth the soul of man. Tully, as I remember, in an epistle to his dear friend Atticus, much condols the defects of such a friend. I live here, safe he, in a great city, where I have a multitude of acquaintance. But not a man of all that company with whom I dare familiarly breathe or freely jest. Wherefore I expect thee, I desire thee, I send for thee, for there have been many things which trouble and molest me, which had I but thee in presence I could quickly disburden myself of in a walking discourse. The like-per-adventure may he and he say with that old man in the comedy. Nemo est mayorum am a corum hodie, afod creme ex promere oculta mea audium. And much inconvenience may both he and he suffer in the meantime by it. He or he, or whosoever then labours of this melody, all means let him get some trusty friend. Semper haven's pila demque ale creme crecuret orestum, a pileadies, to whom freely and securely he may open himself. For, as in all other occurrences, so it is in this, see Chris in Calum as gen disset, et cetera, as he said in Tully. If a man had gone to heaven, seen the beauty of the skies, the stars aren't fixed, et cetera, in suavis erit admiratio. It will do him no pleasure except he have somebody to impart what he has seen. It is the best thing in the world, as Seneca therefore advises in such a case, to get a trusty friend, to whom we may freely and sincerely pour out our secrets. Nothing so delighteth and easeth the mind as when we have a prepared bosom to which our secrets may descend, of whose conscience we are assured. As our own, whose speech may ease our succourous estate, counsel relieve, merc expel our mourning, and whose very sight may be acceptable unto us. It was the counsel which that politic commonaise gave to all princes and others distressed in mind, by occasion of Charles, Duke of Burgundy, that was much perplexed, first to pray to God and lay himself open to him, and then to some special friend, whom we hold most dear, to tell all our grievances to him. Nothing so forcible to strengthen, recreate, and heal the wounded soul of a miserable man.