 Section 17 of the Anatomy of Melancholy, Vol. 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, Vol. 2 by Robert Burton. Section 17. Partition 2. Section 2. Member 6. Subsections 2-3. Subsection 2. Help from friends by counsel, comfort. Fair and foul means, witty devices, satisfaction, alteration of his course of life, removing objects, etc. When the patient of himself is not able to resist or overcome these heart-eating passions, his friends or physician must be ready to supply that which he is wanting. Sui erit humanitatis et sapientii, which Tully enjoineth in like case. Siquid eratum curare, aute improvisum sui diligentia corgere. They must all join, nexatis medical, safe Hippocrates. Suum fecice of vicium, nisi suum corcre agrotis, suum astantes, etc. First, they must especially beware a melancholy discontented person, be it in what kind of melancholy soever, never be left alone or idle. But as physicians, prescribed Physic, cum custodia, let them not be left unto themselves, but with some company or other, lest by that means they aggravate and increase their disease. Non oportet egros fungios modi ese solis fel inter ignotos, fel inter eros corse non amant, out negligent. As Rodilicus, a Fonseca, Tome 1, Consultation 35, prescribes. Lugentes custodiae solemus, safe Seneca, ne solitudine male utantor. We watch a sorrowful person, lest he abuse his solitaryness. And so should we do a melancholy man. Set him about some business, exercise or recreation, which may divert his thoughts, and still keep him otherwise intent. For his fantasy is so restless, operative and quick, that if he be not in perpetual action ever employed, it will work upon itself, melancholize, and be carried away instantly, with some fear, jealousy, discontent, suspicion, some vain conceit or other. If his weakness be such that he cannot discern what is amiss, correct or satisfy, it behoves them by counsel, comfort or persuasion, by fair or foul means, to alienate his mind by some artificial invention, or some contrary persuasion. To remove all objects, causes, companies, occasions, as may any ways molest him, to humour him, please him, divert him, and if it be possible, by altering his course of life, to give him security and satisfaction. If he conceal his grievances, and will not be known of them, they must observe by his looks, postures, motions, fantasy, what it is that offends, and then to apply remedies unto him. Many are instantly cured when their minds are satisfied. Alexander makes mention of a woman, that by reason of her husband's long absence in travel, was exceeding peevish and melancholy. But when she heard her husband was returned, beyond all expectation, at the first sight of him she was freed from all fear, without help of any other physics, restored to her former health. Trincavelius, Consilium XII, Book I, have such a story of a venetian, that being much troubled with melancholy and ready to die for grief, when he heard his wife was brought to bed of a son, instantly recovered. As Alexander concludes, if our imaginations be not inveterate, by this art they may be cured, especially if they proceed from such a cause. No better way to satisfy, than to remove the object cause occasion, if by any art or means possible we may find it out. If he grieve, stand in fear, be in suspicion, suspense, or any way molested, secure him, solve a turmoil, give him satisfaction, the cure is ended. Alter his course of life, there needs no other physics. If the party be sad or otherwise affected, consider, says Tralianus, the manner of it, all circumstances, and force with make a sudden alteration, by removing the occasions, avoid all terrible objects heard or seen, monstrous and prodigious aspects, tales of devils, spirits, ghosts, tragical stories, to such as are in fear they strike a great impression, renewed many times, and recall such chimeras and terrible fictions into their minds. Make not so much a mention of them in private talk, or a dumb show tending to that purpose. Such things, safe galateas, are offensive to their imaginations, and to those that are now in sorrow, Seneca forbids all sad companions and such as lament, a groaning companion is an enemy to quietness. Or if there be any such party at whose presence the patient is not well pleased, he must be removed. Gentle speeches and fair means must first be tried, no harsh language used or uncomfortable words, and not expel as some do one madness with another. He that so does is madder than the patient himself. All things must be quietly composed. Aversa none ever tender, said Erigenda. Things down must not be dejected but reared as Cradle counsellor. He must be quietly and gently used, and we should not do anything against his mind but by little and little effect. As a horse that starts at a drum or trumpet, and will not endure the shooting of a piece, may be so manned by art, and animated that he cannot only endure, but is much more generous at the hearing of such things, much more courageous than before, and much delightous in it. They must not be reformed ex abrupto, but by all art and insinuation, made to such companies, aspects, objects they could not formally away with. Many at first cannot endure the sight of a green wound, a sick man, which afterward become good chirurgians, bold empirics. A horse starteth at a rotten host afar off, which coming near he quietly passes. It is much in the manner of making such kind of persons, be they never so averse from company, bashful, solitary, timorous, they may be made at last with those Roman matrons to desire nothing more than in a public show, to see a full company of gladiators breeze out their last. If they may not otherwise be accustomed to brook such distasteful and displeasing objects, the best way then is generally to avoid them. Montanus, concilium 229 to the Earl of Montfort, a courtier, and his melancholy patient, advised him to leave the court, by reason of those continual discontents, crosses, abuses, cares, suspicions, emulations, ambitions, anger, jealousy, which that face afforded, and which surely caused him to be so melancholy at the first. Maximus, quite-quite, domus, service ed plena, superbits, a company of scoffers and proud-jacks are commonly conversant, and attend such places, and able to make any man that is of a soft, quiet disposition, as many times they do, extorto insanum, if once they humour him, a very idiot or stark mad, a thing too much practised in all common societies, and they have no better sport than to make themselves merry by abusing some silly fellow, or to take advantage of another man's weakness. In such cases, as in a plague, the best remedy is Quito Longuetade. For to such a party, especially if he be apprehensive, there can be no greater misery, to get him quickly gone far enough off, and not be over-hasty in his return. If he be so stupid that he do not apprehend it, his friends should take some order, and by their discretion supply that which is wanting in him, as in all other cases they ought to do. If they see a man melancholy given, solitary, a verse from company, please himself with such private and vain meditations, though he delight in it, they ought by all means seek to divert him, to de-hort him, and to tell him of the event and danger that may come of it. If they see a man idle, that by reason of his means otherwise will be take himself to no course of life, they ought seriously to admonish him. He makes a noose to entangle himself. His want of employment will be his undoing. If he have sustained any great loss, suffered a repulse, disgrace, etc., if it be possible, relieve him. If he desire ought, let him be satisfied. If in suspense, fear, suspicion, let him be secured. And if it may conveniently be, give him his heart's content, for the body cannot be cured till the mind be satisfied. Socrates in Plato would prescribe no physics for Carmide's headache till first he had eased his troubled mind. Body and soul must be cured together, as head and eyes. If that may not be hoped or expected, yet ease him with comfort, cheerful speeches, fair promises, and good words. Persuade him, advise him. Many, safe Galen, have been cured by good counsel and persuasion alone. Heaviness of the heart of man doth bring it down, but a good word rejoices it, for verbs 12, 25. And there is he that speaketh words like the plicking of a sword, but the tongue of a wise man is health. Namque, south P.E. Animieth, Remedium. A gentle speech is the true cure of a wounded soul, as Plutarch contends out of estuous and euripides. If it be wisely administered, it easeeth grief and pain, as diverse remedies do many other diseases. Tis incantartionis insta, a charm, estuantis animi, the frigirium, that true nepenthe of Homer, which was no Indian plant or feigned medicine, which epitamless, Thoris's wife sent Helena for a token, as Macrovious, Gropius Gregorius, like the Ansem and others suppose but opportunity of speech. For Helena's bowl, Medea's unction, Venus's girdle, Cercay's cup, cannot so enchant, so forcibly move or alter as it doth. A letter sent for red will do as much, multum allievo cum tuas litteras lego. I am much ease, as Tully wrote to Pomponius Atticus, when I read thy letters, and as Julianus, the apostate, once signified to Maximus the philosopher. As Alexander slept with Homer's words, so do I with thine epistles. Tanquan peyoniis medica mentis, esque acidue tanquan, recentes et novus iteramus, scribae ergo, et acidue scribae, or else cum myself. Amacrus ad amacum benieis Assuredly, a wise and well-spoken man may do what he will in such a case. A good altar alone, as Tully holds, can alter affections by power of his eloquence, comfort such as our afflicted, erect such as our depressed, expel and mitigate fear, lust, anger, etc. And how powerful is the charm of a discreet and dear friend, ille regid dictis animus et temperat iras? What may he not affect? As Cremes told Manet Demas, fear not, conceal it not, O friend, but tell me what it is that troubles thee, and I shall surely help thee by comfort, counsel, or in the matter itself. Arnoldus speaks of a usual in his time, that upon a loss, much melancholy and discontent was so cured. As imagination, fear, grief, cause such passions, so conceits alone, rectified by good hope, counsel, etc., are able again to help. And it is incredible how much they can do in such a case, as Trincavelius illustrates by an example of a patient of his. Forphirius, the philosopher, in Plotinus's life, written by him, relates that being in a discontented humour through insufferable anguish of mind, he was going to make away himself. But meeting by chance his master, Plotinus, who, perceiving by his distracted looks all was not well, urged him to confess his grief. Which when he had heard, he used such comfortable speeches that he redeemed him as falchivus eribi, pacified his unquiet mind, in so much that he was easily reconciled to himself, and much abashed to think afterwards that he should ever entertain so vile emotion. By all means, therefore, fair promises, good words, gentle persuasions are to be used, not to be too vigorous at first, or to insult over them, not to deride, neglect, or contempt, but rather, as Lemnus exoteth, to pity, and by all plausible means to seek to redress them. But if satisfaction may not be had, mild courses, promises, comfortable speeches, and good counsel will not take place. Then, as Christophers of Vega determined, Book 3, Chapter 14, de Melancholia, to handle them more roughly, to threaten and chide, says Altomiras, terrify sometimes, or as Salvianus will have them, to be lashed and whipped, as we do by a starting force, that is a fright without a cause, or as Rassus advises, one while to speak fair and flatter, another while to terrify and chide, as they shall see cause. When none of these precedent remedies will avail, it will not be amiss which Savonorora and Alien Montalthus so much commend, clavum clavo pelere, to drive out one passion with another, or by some contrary passion, as they do bleeding at nose by letting blood in the arm, to expel one fear with another, one grief with another. Christophers of Vega accounts it rational physic, non-alienum arattione, and Lemnus much approves it, to use a hard wedge to a hard knot, to drive out one disease with another, to pull out a tooth, or wound him, to gell him, says Platteras, as they did epileptical patients of old, because it quite alters the temperature, that the pain of the one may mitigate the grief of the other, and I knew one that was so cured of a court and agew, by the sudden coming of his enemies upon him. If we may believe, finally, whom Scaliga calls Mendecaiorum Patrem, the father of Rides, Quintus Fabius Maximus, that renowned consul of Rome, in a battle forth to the king of the hour of Borghese at the river Isaurus, was so rid of a court and agew. Valaceus in his controversies holds this an excellent remedy, and if it be discreetly used in this malady, better than any physics. Sometimes again, by some feigned lie, strange news, witty device, artificial invention, it is not a myth to deceive them. As they hate those, says Alexander, that neglect or deride, so they will give ear to such as will soothe them up. If they say they have swallowed frogs or a snake, by all means grant it, and tell them you can easily cure it. It is an ordinary thing. For the daughters, the physician, cured a melancholy king that thought his head was off by putting a leaden cap thereon. The weight made him perceive it, and freed him of his fond imagination. A woman in the said Alexander swallowed a serpent as she thought. He gave her a vomit and conveyed a serpent, such as she conceived, into the basin. Upon the sight of it, she was amended. The pleasantest dotage that ever I read, St. Laurentius, was of a gentleman at Senes in Italy who was afraid to piss, lest all the town be drowned. The physicians caused the belt to be run backward, and told him the town was on fire, whereupon he made water and was immediately cured. Another supposed his nose so big that he should dash it against the wall if he stirred. His physician took a great piece of flesh, and holding it in his hand, pinched him by the nose, making him believe that flesh was cut from it. Forestus had a melancholy patient who thought he was dead. He put a fellow in a chest like a dead man by his bedside, and made him rear himself a little, and eat. The melancholy man asked the counterfeit whether dead men used to eat meat. He told him yea, whereupon he did eat likewise and was cured. Lemnus hath many such instances, and Jovianus Fontana, but amongst the rest I find one most memorable, registered in the French Chronicle of an Advocate of Paris before mentioned, who believed barely he was dead, etc. I read a multitude of examples of melancholy men, cured by such artificial inventions. Subsection 3 Music a Remedy Many in sundry are the means which philosophers and physicians have described to exhilarate a sorrowful heart, to divert those fixed and intense cares and meditations, which in this malady so much offend. But in my judgment none so present, none so powerful, none so apposite as a cup of strong drink, mirth, music, and merry company. Ecclesiasticus 40-20 Wine and music rejoice the heart. Blastis, Altomars, Elianus, Montaltus, Viquinas, Benedictus, Victor, Parantinas are almost immodern in the commendation of it. A most forcible medicine, Jovianus calls it. Jason pretenses a most admirable thing and worthy of consideration, that can so mollify the mind and stay those tempestuous affections of it. Musica et mentis medicina moistile, a roaring med against melancholy, to rear and revive the languishing soul, affecting not only the ears, but the very arteries, the vital and animal spirits. It erects the mind and makes it nimble. Lemius chapter 44 This it will affect in the most dull, severe and sorrowful souls, expel grief with mirth, and if there be any clouds, dust or dreads of cares yet lurking in our thoughts, most powerfully it wipes them all away, and that which is more, it will perform all this in an instant. Cheer up the countenance, expel austerity, ring in hilarity, inform our manners, mitigate anger. Atheneus calls it an infinite treasure to such as our endowed with it. Dolchisonum replicit twistia cordon melos, aobalus hesus. Many other property, Casiodorus epistle 4, reckons up of this our divine music, not only to expel the greatest griefs, but it does extenuate fears and fury, appeases cruelty, abated heaviness, and to such as our watchful it calls it quiet rest. It takes away spleen and hatred, be it instrumental, vocal, with strings, wind, cry, as spiritus sine manium dexteritate guminato, etc. It cures all irksomeness and heaviness of the soul. Laboring men that sing to their work, can tell as much, and so can soldiers when they go to fight, whom terror of death cannot so much afight as the sound of trumpet, drum, fife, and such like music anime. Matis enen mortis, as kensorinas inform us. Musica depelletor, it makes a child quiet. The nurse's song, and many times the sound of a trumpet on a sudden, bells ringing, a carman's whistle, a boy singing some ballad tune early in the streets, altos, revives, recreates a restless patient that cannot sleep in the night, etc. In a word it is so powerful a thing that it ravishes the soul, reginas censorina, the queen of the senses by sweet pleasure, which is a happy cure, and corporeal tunes pacify our incorporeal soul, sine ore loquem dominatum in animam exerket, and carries it beyond itself, helps, elevates, extends it. Gallagher gives a reason of his effect, because the spirit about the heart take in that trembling and dancing air into the body, are moved together and stirred up with it, or else the mind, as some suppose harmonically composed, is roused up at the tunes of music, and is not only men that are so affected, but almost all are the creatures. You know the tale of Perky's gallop, Orpheus, and Amphion, bellicose animals, of it calls them, that could saxa movere somete studenis, etc., make stocks and stones, as well as beast and other animals dance after their pipes. The dog and the hare, wolf and lamb, vikinum quay lucob fiberic agna latus, clamosus draculus, stridula cornix, et jovis acula, as fellow stratus described it in his images, stood all gaping upon Orpheus, and trees pulled up by the roots came to hear him, et comitum quercum finus amica trahit. Arian made fishes follow him, which as common experience, a vintus, are much affected with music. All singing birds are much pleased with it, especially nightingales, if we may believe calca gnina, and bees amongst the rest, though they be flying away, when they hear any tingling sound, will tarry behind. Hearts, pines, horses, dogs, bears, are exceedingly delighted with it. Scalga exercise 302. Elephants, a gripper, adds, Leave room 2, Capitus 24, and in Lydia, in the midst of a lake, there be certain floating island, if you will believe it, that after music will dance. But to leave all declamatory speeches in praise of divine music, I will confine myself to my proper subject. Besides that excellent power it has to expel many other diseases, it is a sovereign remedy against despair and melancholy, and will drive away the devil himself. Carnus, a rodent fiddler in Philostratus, when Athelonius was inquisitive to know what he could do with his pipe, told him, that he would make a melancholy man merry, and him that was merry much merrier than before, a lover more enamoured, a religious man more devout. Is Menius the Theban? Chiron the Centaur, is said to have cured this and many other diseases by music alone, as now they do those, save Vodim, that are troubled with susbitus's bedlam dance. Timothyus, the musician, compelled Alexander to skip up and down and leave his dinner, like the tale of the friar and the boy, from Augustine, the civicati day, Book 17, Chapter 14, so much commends for it. Who has not heard how David's harmony drove away the evil spirits from King Saul? One Samuel 16, and Elisha, when he was much troubled by impulsion of kings, called for a minstrel, and when he played, the hand of the Lord came upon him, two Kings 3. King Surinus reports how Aspethiades, the physician, helped many frantic persons by this means. Venetic Corum mentees Morbo Tobartis. Jason Potensis has many examples, how Cynius and Empedocles cured some desperately melancholy, and some mad by this our music, which, because it hath such excellent virtues, be like Homer brings in Femius playing, and the muses singing at the banquet of the gods. Aristotle, Politics, Book 8, Chapter 5, Plato, Book 2, Delegious, highly approve it, and so do all politicians. The Greeks, Romans, have graced music, and made it one of the liberal sciences. Though it be now become mercenary, all civil commonwealths allow it. Cnaeus Manius, as Livius relates, Anno Ab-Obey Condita, brought first out of Asia to roam singing wenches, players, gestures, and all kinds of music to their feast. Your princes, emperors, and persons of any quality maintain it in their courts. No mercy without music. Sir Thomas Moore, in his absolutely utopian commonwealth, allows music as an appendix to every meal, and that so out to all sorts. Epictatus calls Mensa mutum viceppe, a table without music and manger, for the concert of musicians at a banquet is a car-bunker set in gold, and as the signet of an emerald well swims with gold, so is the melody of music in a pleasant banquet. Ecclesiasticus 32 by 6. Louis XI, when he invited Edward IV to come to Paris, told him that, as a principal part of his entertainment, he should hear sweet voices of children, Ionic and Lydian tunes, exquisite music. He should have a—and the cardinal of Rome to be his confessor, which he used as a most plausible argument, as to a sensual man indeed it is. Luchian in his book, the Saltatiione, is not a shame to confess that he took infinite delight in singing, dancing, music, women's company, and such like pleasures, and if thou, say, he, did but hear them play and dance, I know thou wouldst be so well pleased with the object that thou would dance for company thyself, without doubt thou would be taken with it. So's Gallagher ingeniously confessor, I am beyond all measure affected with music, I do most willingly behold them dance, I am mightily detained and allured with the grace and commoness of fair women. I am well pleased to be idle amongst them. And what young man is not, as it is acceptable and conducing to most, so especially to a melancholy man, provided always his disease perceived not originally from it, that he be not some like Imerato, some idle fantastic, who capers in conceit all day long, and thinks of nothing else but how to make jigs, sonics, madrigals, in commendation of his mistress. In such cases music is most pernicious, as a spur to a free horse will make him run himself blind, or break his wind, in quite a mentum enum amorous musical, for music enchants, as Menander holds, it will make such melancholy persons mad, and the sound of those jigs and hornpipes will not be removed out of the ears a week after. Plato, for this reason, forbids music and wine to all young men, because they are most part amorous, ne'er ignis adato igne, lest one fire increase another. Many men are melancholy by hearing music, but it is a pleasing melancholy that it causes, and therefore, to such as our discontent, in woe, fear, sorrow, or dejected, it is a most pleasant remedy, it expels cares, alters their gleavoured minds, and eases in an instant. Otherwise, saith Plutuck, musica magis de menta cram vinum, music makes some men mad as a tiger. Like Astolfos's horn in Ariosto, or Mercury's golden wand in Homer, that made some wake, others sleep, it has diverse effects, and Theophrastus right well prophesied that diseases were either procured by music or mitigated. End of Section 17. Section 18 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 18. Partition 2, Section 2, Member 6, Subsection 4. Merce and Merry Company, Fair Objects, Remedies Merce and Merry Company may not be separated from music, both concerning and necessarily required in this business. Merce, says Vivey, purges the blood, confirms health, causes a fresh, pleasing and fine colour. For rogue's life, wets the wit, makes the body young, lively and fit for any manner of employment. The merry at the heart, the longer the life. A merry heart is the life of the flesh, for verbs 14, 13. Gladness for long his days, Ecclesiasticus 30, 22. And this is one of the three Salerniton doctors, Dr. Merriman, Dr. Diet, Dr. Quiet, which cure all diseases. Men's Hilaris recreates Moderata Dieta. Genesis is a great magnifier of honest mirth, by which, says he, we cure many passions of the mind in ourselves and in our friends, which Galataeus assigns for a cause why we love merry companions, and well they deserve it. Being that, as Magninus holds, a merry companion is better than any music, and as the saying is, commes ducundus invia po vehiculo, as a wedding to him that is wearied on the way. Jacunda confabulatio, Salis, Jochai, Crescent's discourse, Jess, conceits, Merry tales, Meliti verborum globuli, as Petronius, Pliny, Spondanus, Thelius, and many good authors plead, are that sole nepenthes of Homer, Helena's bowl, Venus' girdle, so renowned of old to expel grief and care, to cause mirth and gladness of heart, if they be rightly understood or seasonably applied. In a word, Amor, Voluptus, Venus, Gaudium, Jochus, Ludus, Sermo, Suavis, Suaviatio, gratification, pleasure, love, joy, mirth, sport, pleasant words, and no alloy, are the true nepenthes, for these causes our physicians generally prescribe this as a principal engine to batter the walls of melancholy, a chief antidote and a sufficient cure of itself. By all means, Seth Messwe, procure mirth to these men in such things as our herd, seen, tasted, or smelled, or any way perceived, and let them have all enticement and fair promises. The sigh of excellent beauties, attires, ornaments, delight some passages to distract their minds from fear and sorrow, and such things on which they are so fixed and intent. Let them use hunting, sports, plays, jests, merry company, as Varsus prescribes, which will not let the mind be molested, a cup of good drink now and then. Hear music, and have such companions with whom they are especially delighted. Merry tales or toys, drinking, singing, dancing, and whatsoever else may procure mirth, and by no means, says Grinarius, suffer them to be alone. Benedictus, victorious Fabantinas, in his empirics, accounts it in a special remedy against melancholy, to hear and see singing, dancing, masquers, mamas, to converse with such merry fellows and fair maids, for the beauty of woman cheereth the countenants, Ecclesiasticus 3622. Beauty alone is a sovereign remedy against fear, grief, and all melancholy fits, a charm, as Peter de la Seine and many other writers affirm, a banquet itself. He gives instance in the discontented Menelaus, that was so often freed by Helen's fair face, and Tully III Tuscalans cites Epicurus as a chief patron of this tenet. To expel grief and procure pleasure, sweet smells, good diet, touch, taste, embracing, singing, dancing, sports, plays, and above the rest, exquisite beauties, Cribus oculi ducundi movento et animi, are the most powerful means, albeit former, to meet or see a fair maid pass by, or to be in company with her. He founded by experience, and made good use of it in his own person, if Plutarch belie him not, for he reckons up the names of some more elegant pieces, Leontia, Rodina, Hedieia, Nicadia, that were frequently seen in Epicurus's garden, and very familiar in his house. Neither did he try it himself alone, but if we may give credit to Atheneus, he practised it upon others. For when a sad and sick patient was brought unto him to be cured, he laid him on a down bed, crowned him with a garland of sweet-smelling flowers, in the fair perfumed closet delicately set out, and after a portion or two of good drink, which he administered, he brought in a beautiful young wench that could play upon a lute, sing and dance, etc. Tully three tusculans scoffed at Epicurus, for this his profane physique, as well he deserved, and yet father Enos and Stobias highly approve of it. Most of our looser physicians, in some cases, to such parties especially, allow of this, and all of them will have a melancholy sad and discontented person, make frequent use of honest sports, companies, and recreations, et incitandos ad venerum, as Rodriguez Alfonsoeca will, as spectu et contractu pulcherim marum verminarum, to be drawn to such consults, whether they will or know, not to be an auditor only, or a spectator, but sometimes an after himself. Dolce est desiperi in local, to play the fool now and then is not amiss, there is a time for all things. Grave Socrates would be merry by fit, sing, dance, and take his liquor too, or else the adoret belies him. So would old Cato, Tully by his own confession, and the rest. Xenophon, in his symposium, brings in Socrates as a principal actor, no man merrier than himself, and sometimes he would ride a cock-horse with his children, equitare in Arundine longa, though Alcubiades scoffed at him for it, and well he might. For now and then, says Plutarch, the most virtuous, honest, and gravest men will use feasts, jests, and toys as we do source to our meats. So did Scipio and Leilius, et scena in secreta remorant, Valorus, Scipio, and gentle Leilius, removed from the scene and routes of plumberers, will want to recreate themselves their robes laid by, whilst supper the cook was making ready. Machiavelle, in the eighth book of his Florentine history, gives this note of Cosmo de Medici, the wisest and gravest man of his time in Italy, that he would now and then play the most egregious fool in his carriage, and was so much given to jesters, players, and childish sports, to make himself merry, that he that should but consider his gravity on the one part, his folly and likeness on the other, would surely say there were two distinct persons in him. Now me thinks he did well in it, though Salisburyensis, be of opinion, that magistrates, senators, and grave men should not descend to lighter sports, neres publica ludere videator, but as then the stockleys still keep a stern and constant carriage. I commend Cosmo de Medici, and Castrucchius Castrucconus, than whom Italy never knew a worthy captain, another Alexander. If Machiavelle do not deceive us in his life, when a friend of his represented him for dancing beside his dignity, be like at some cushion dance, he told him again, que sapit interdue vix un cram noctiide desiv pit, he that is wise in the day may dote a little in the night. Paulus Jovius relates a much of Pope Leo Desmus, that he was a grave, discreet, stead man, yet sometimes most free, and too open in his sports, and is not altogether unfit or misbeseeming the gravity of such a man, if that decorum of time, place, and such circumstances be observed. Misce stulti atiam consiliis berevum, and as he said in an epigram to his wife, I would have every man say to himself or to his friend. Moll, once in pleasant company by chance, I wished that you for company would dance, which you refused, and said, your years require, now matron like both manners and attire. Well, Moll, if needs you will be matron like, then trust to this, I will be matron like. Yet so to you my love may never lessen, as you for church, house, bed, observe this lessen. Sit in the church as solemn as a saint, no deed, word, thought, your due devotion taint, veil, if you will, your head, your soul reveal, to him that only wounded souls can heal. Be in my house as busy as a bee, having a sting for every one but me, buzzing in every corner, gathering honey, let nothing waste that costs or yieldeth money, and when thou seest my heart to mirth incline, thy tongue, wit, blood, warm with good cheer and wine. Then of sweet sports let no occasion escape, but be as wanton, toying as an ape. Those old Greeks had their lubentium, deum, goddess of pleasure, and the lack of demonians instructed from Lycurgus did deo risui sacrificare, after their wars especially, and in times of peace, which was used in Thessaly, as it appears by that of Apryleus, who was made an instrument of their laughter himself, because laughter and merriment was to season their labours and modest a life. Rhysum enym divum atque, hominum est et tono voluptus. Princes use gestures, players, and have those masters of revel in their courts. The Romans at every supper, for they had no solemn dinner, used music, gladiators, gestures et cetera, as Suetonius relates of Tiberius, Deon of Commodus, and so did the Greeks. Besides music in Xenophon's Simpus, Philipus with dendi artefacts, Philip, a gesture, was brought to make sport. Paulus Jovius, in the eleventh book of his history, hath a pretty digression of our English customs, which, howsoever some may misconstrue, I for my part will interpret to the best. The whole nation, beyond all other mortal men, is most given to banqueting and feast, for they prolong them many hours together, with dainty cheer, exquisite music, and piquete gestures, and afterwards they fall adancing and courting their mistresses, till it be late in the night. Volateran gives the same testimony of this island, commending our jovial manner of entertainment and good mirth, and me thinks he saves well. There is no harm in it, long may they use it, and all such modest sports. Staceous reports of a Persian king, that had a hundred and fifty maids attending at his table, to play, sing, and dance by turns, and Geraldos of an Egyptian prince, that kept nine virgins still to wait upon him, and those of most excellent feature and sweet voices, which afterwards gave occasion to the Greeks of that fiction of the nine muses. The king of Ethiopia in Africa, most of our Asian princes have done so, and do. Those Sophies, Moghors, Turks, etc. solace themselves after supper amongst their queens and concubines. Quiet you can deurus oblecta mente causa, saith my norther. Corum regape salere et salterre consueverant, taking great pleasure to see and hear them sing and dance. This, and many such means to exhilarate the heart of men, have been still practised in all ages, as knowing there is no better thing to the preservation of man's life. What shall I say then, but to every melancholy man? Uterre convives, non-twistables Uterre amicus, cos duge et risus et gioca salsa durant. Feast often, and use friends not still so sad, whose jest and merrimance may make thee glad. Use honest and chaste sports, cynical shows, plays, games. Accedent du renuque cori, mistaic gré purée lie, and as Marsilius Viquinas concludes an epistle to Bernardo's Kenesianus, and some other of his friends, will I distract to all good students. Live merrily, O my friends, free from cares, perplexity, anguish, grief of mind. Live merrily, laititia kailam vos criavit, again and again I request you to be merry. If anything trouble your hearts, or vex your souls, neglect and contend it, let it pass. And this I enjoin you, not as a divine alone, but as a physician. For without this mirth, which is the life and quintessence of physics, medicines and whatsoever is used and applied to prolong the life of man, is dull, dead, and of no force. Dom farte synant vivite laitit, sonica, I say be merry. Nec lucibus verentem viduremus punctu ventum. It was teraceous the prophet's counsel to manifest, that travelled all the world over, even down to hell itself to seek content, and his last farewell to manifest, to be merry. Contend the world, saith he, and count that is in it vanity and toys. This only covet all thy life long. Be not curious or over solicitors in anything, but with a well composed and contented estate to enjoy thyself, and above all things to be merry. Nothing better to conclude with Solomon, Ecclesiastic III, 22, than that a man should rejoice in his affairs. It is the same advice which every physician, and in this case, rings to his patients. As capivacius, to his, avoid over much study and perturbations of the mind, and as much as in the lives live at heart's ease. Prosper callanus to that melancholy cardinal caseus. Amidst thy serious studies and business, use jests and conceits, plays and toys, and whatsoever else may recreate thy mind. Nothing better than mirth and merry company in this malady. It begins with soil, saith Montanus. It must be expelled with hilarity. But see the mischief. Many men, knowing that merry company is the only medicine against melancholy, will therefore neglect their business, and in another extreme spend all their days among good fellows in a tavern or an alehouse, and know not otherwise how to bestow their time but in drinking. Maltworms, men-fishes, or water-snakes. Quibbun solum runarum more, nihil comedentes, like so many frogs in a puddle. Tis their sole exercise to eat and drink, to sacrifice to Volupia, Rumana, Edulica, Portina, Milona is all their religion. They wish for Filuxenus' neck, Jupiter's Trinoctium, and that the sun would stand still, as in Joshua's time, to satisfy their lust, that they might D.A.'s Notesque per Graicari et Bibere. Flourishing wits and men of good parts, good fashion, and good worth, basely prostitute themselves to every rogue's company, to take tobacco and drink, to roar and sing sculler songs in base places. In Venea's Alecrem compercasore Jacentem, permissum nautis, out fullibus, out fulgitivis, which Thomas Erastus objects to Paracelsus, that he would be drinking all day long with Carmen and Tapsters in a brothel house, is too frequent among us with men of better note, like Timocrayon of Rhodes, Malta Pibens et Malta Volans, et cetera. They drown their wits, seize their brains in ale, consume their fortunes, lose their time, weaken their temperatures, contract filthy diseases, wounds, glopsies, calentures, tremor, get swollen jugulars, pimpled red faces, sore eyes, et cetera, heat their livers, alter their complexions, spoil their stomachs, overthrow their bodies, for drink drowns more than the sea, and all the rivers that fall into it, mere fungues and casks, confound their souls, suppress reason, go from skillar to caribidis, and use that which is a help to their undoing, quid refut morbo and ferro periamve ruina. When the black prince went to set the exiled king of Castile into his kingdom, there was a terrible battle fought between the English and the Spanish. At last the Spanish fled. The English followed them to the riverside, where some drowned themselves to avoid their enemies. The rest were killed. Now tell me what difference is between drowning and killing, as good be Melancholy still as drunken beasts and beggars. Company of sole comfort, and an only remedy to all kinds of discontent, is their sole misery and cause of perdition. As Hermione lamented in Euripides, Malai mulieres mefecorant Malam. Evil company marred her. May they justly complain, bad companions have been their bane. Four. Malus Malam volt footsid sui similis. One drunkard in a company, one thief, one whormaster. Will by his good will make all the rest as bad as himself. Et si noctonus durees te formidare vaporees. Be of what complexion you will. Inclination, love or hate, be it good or bad. If you do come amongst them, you must do as they do, yea, though it be to the prejudice of your health. You must drink venenum provino, and so like grasshoppers. Whilst they sing over their cups all summer, they starve in winter, and for a little vain merriment shall find a sorrowful reckoning in the end. End of Section 18. Section 19 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 19. Partition 2, Section 3, Member 1 A consolatory digression containing the remedies of all manner of discontents. Because in the preceding section I have made mention of good counsel, comfortable speeches, persuasion, how necessarily they are required to the cure of the discontent in our troubled mind, how present a remedy they yield, and many times a soul-sufficient cure of themselves. I have thought fit in this following section a little to digress, if at least it be to digress in this subject, to collect and glean a few remedies and comfortable speeches out of our best orators, philosophers, divines, and fathers of the Church tending to this purpose. I confess many have copiously written of this subject. Plato, Seneca, Plutarch, Xenophon, Epictatus, Theophrastus, Xenocrates, Grantor, Luchium, Berthius, and some of late, Staduletus, Cardon, Rudeus, Stella, Petrarch, Erasmus, besides Austin, Ciprian, Bernard, etc. And they so well, that as Hieromy in like case said, Sinostrum Aureth in Ganym, De Ilorum posset fontipus irrigarii. If our barren wits were dried up, they might be copiously irrigated from these wellsprings. And I shall but actum agere. Yet because these tracks are not so obvious and common, I will epitomise, and briefly insert some of their divine precepts, reducing their voluminous and vast treaties to my small scale, for it were otherwise impossible to bring so great vessels into so little a creek. And although, as Cardon said of his book, the consul Aoteone, I know beforehand, this tract of mine many will contemn and reject, they that are fortunate, happy, and in flourishing estate have no need of such consulatory speeches. They that are miserable and unhappy, think them insufficient to ease their grieving minds, and comfort their misery. Yet I will go on, for this must need to do some good to such as are happy, to bring them to a moderation, and make them reflect and know themselves, by seeing the inconstancy of human felicity, others' misery, and to such as are distress. If they will but attend and consider of this, it cannot choose but give some content and comfort. It is true, no medicine can cure all diseases. Some affections of the mind are altogether incurable, yet these helps of art, physics, and philosophy must not be contempt. Arianus and Plotinus are stiff in the contrary opinion, that such precepts can do little good. Bertheus himself cannot comfort in some cases. They will reject such speeches like Bread of Stones, Insanas, Fultari, Mentis like Solatia. Words add no courage, which Catiline once said to his soldiers, A captain's oration does not make a coward a valiant man, and as Joe feelingly said to his friends, You are but miserable comfort is all. Tis to no purpose in that vulgar phrase to use a company of obsolete sentences, and familiar sayings, as Plinus Secundus, being now sorrowful and heavy for the departure of his dear friend Cornelius Rufus, a Roman senator, wrote to his fellow Tyro in like case. Either say something that I never read nor heard of before, or else hold thy peace. Most men will hear except trivial consolations, ordinary speeches, and known persuasions in this behalf will be of small force. What can any man say that has not been said? To what end are such perinetical discourses? You may as soon remove Mount Caucasus as ought of some men's affections. Yet sure I think they cannot choose but do some good, and comfort and ease a little, though it be the same again, I will say it, and upon that hope I will adventure. Non mayas sig thermo, tis not my speech this, but of Seneca, Plutarch, Epictatus, Austen, Bernard, Christ and his apostles. If I make nothing, as Montaigne said in like case, I will ma nothing, tis not my doctrine, but my study. I hope I shall do nobody wrong to speak what I think, and deserve not blame in imparting my mind. If it be not for thy ease, it may for mine own. So Tully, Cardon and Bertheus wrote to Consolatione as well to help themselves as others. Be it as it may, I will say. Discontents and grievances are either general or particular. General are wars, plagues, dearths, famine, fires, inundations, unseasonable weather, epidemical diseases which afflict whole kingdoms, territories, cities, or peculiar to private men, as cares, crosses, losses, death of friends, poverty, want, sickness, orbities, injuries, abuses, etc. Generally, all discontent, omnis, grottemore, fortunais, salo, no condition free, grisque sores, plottemore, manes, even in the midst of our mirth and jollity, there is some grudging, some complaint. As he says, our whole life is aglicific form, a bittersweet passion, honey and gall mixed together. We are all miserable and discontent, who can deny it? If all, and that it be a common calamity, an inevitable necessity, all distressed, then as carden infers, who art thou that hope us to go free? Why dost thou not grieve, thou art a mortal man, and not governor of the world? Ferre quam sortem pati unto omnis, nemo recuset. If it be common to all, why should one man be more disquieted than another? If thou alone weren't distressed, it were indeed more irksome and less to be endured. But when the calamity is common, comfort thyself with this. Thou hast more fellows. Solomon, Miserys, Socios, Haberissaid Dolores. It is not thy sole case, and why should thou be so impatient? Aye, but alas, we are more miserable than others. What shall we do? Besides private Miserys, we live in perpetual fear and danger of common enemies. We have bologna's whips and pitiful outcries for epithelamiums, for pleasant music, that fearful noise of ordnance, drums, and warlike trumpets still sounding in our ears. Instead of nuptial torches, we have firing of towns and cities, for triumphs, lamentations, for joy, tears. So it is, and so it was, and so it ever will be. He that refuses to see and hear, to suffer this, is not fit to live in this world, and knows not the common condition of all men, to whom so long as they live, with a reciprocal course, joys and sorrows are annexed, and succeed one another. It is inevitable, it may not be avoided, and why should thou be so much troubled? Gravey nihil est hominé called fet neccessitas, as Tully deems out an old poet, that which is necessary cannot be grievous. If it be so, then comfort thyself in this, that whether thou wilt or know, it must be endured, make a virtue of necessity, and conform thyself to undergo it. See longer est, levis est, see gravis est, levis est. If it be long, tis light, if grievous, it cannot last, it will away, tis de laurum minuit. And if not else, time will wear it out, custom will ease it. Oblivion is a common medicine for all losses, injuries, griefs, and detriments whatsoever, and when they are once past, this commodity comes of implicitly. It makes the rest of our life sweeter unto us. Art quay haik olim me menissay ju verbit. The collection of the past is pleasant. The privation and want of a thing many times makes it more pleasant and delightsome than before it was. We must not think the happiest of all of us to escape here without some misfortunes. Us quay aday au nulay est in carav oluptas, so lik it tum quay aliquid latest into venit. Heaven and earth are much unlike. Those heavenly bodies indeed are freely carried in their orbs without any impediment or interruption, to continue their course for innumerable ages and make their conversations. But men are urged with many difficulties, and have diverse hindrances, opposition still crossing, interrupting their endeavours and desires, and no mortal man is free from this law of nature. We must not therefore hope to have all things answer our own expectation, to have a continuance of good success and fortunes. Fortuna nunquam perpetua es brona, and as minutious Felix the Roman consul told that insulting Coriolanus drunk with his good fortunes, look not for that success though hast hitherto had. It never yet happened to any man since the beginning of the world, nor ever will, to have all things according to his desire, or to whom fortune was never opposite and adverse. Even so it fell out to him as he foretold, and so to others, even to that happiness of Augustus, though he were Jupiter's almanor, Pluto's treasurer, Neptune's admiral, it could not secure him. Such was Alcubiades' fortune. Narcetes, that great gonsulvus and most famous men, that as Jovius concludes, it is almost fatal to great princes, through their own default or otherwise circumvented with envy and malice, to lose their honours, and die contumiliously. To so still has been and ever will be, nihil est ab omniparte biatum. There's no perfection is so absolute, that some impurity does not pollute. Whatsoever is under the moon is subject to corruption, alteration, and so long as thou livest upon earth, look not for other. Though shalt not here find peaceable and cheerful days, quiet times, but rather clouds, storms, calmness, such is our fate. And as those errant planets in their distinct orbs have their several motions, sometimes direct, stationary, retrograde, in apogee, perigee, oriental, occidental, combust, ferrule, free, and as our astrologers will, have their fortitudes and abilities, by reason of those good and bad irradiations conferred to each other's sight in the heavens, in their terms, houses, case, detriments, etc. So we rise and fall in this world. Ebb and flow, in and out, reared and dejected, lead a troublesome life, subject to many accidents and casualties of fortunes, variety of passions, infirmities, as well as from ourselves as others. Yea, but thou thinkest thou art more miserable than the rest. Other men are happy, but in respect of thee, their miseries are but flea-bidings to thine. Thou alone art unhappy, none so bad as thyself. Yet if, as Socrates said, all men in the world should come and bring their grievances together of body, mind, fortune, sores, ulcers, madness, epilepsy's, agus, and all those common calamities of beddy, want, servitude, imprisonment, and lay them on a heap to be equally divided, wouldst thou share alike and take thy portion, or be as thou art? Without question thou wouldst be as thou art, if some Jupiter should say it, give us all content. Well, be it so then, you master-soldier shall be a merchant, you, sir lawyer, a country gentleman. Go you to this, that side you. Why, stand ye, it's as well as t'ere. Every man knows his own, but not an other's defects and miseries, and is the nature of all men still to reflect upon themselves their own misfortunes, not to examine or consider other men's, not to compare themselves with others, to recount their miseries, but not their good gifts, fortunes, benefits, which they have, or ruminate on their adversity, but not once to think on their prosperity, not what they have, but what they want, to look still on them that go before, but not on those infinite numbers that come after, whereas many a man would sing himself in heaven, a petty prince, if he had but the least part of that fortune which is ours so much with pines that abhorrest and countest, abhorrest and countest are most vile and wretched estate. How many thousands want that which thou hast? How many myriads of poor slaves, captives, of such as work day and night in coping, tin mines, with sore toil to maintain a poor living, of such as labour in body and mind, live in extreme anguish and pain, all which thou art free from? O fortune-artist, nimmium bona, si su amorent, thou art most happy if thou couldst be content and acknowledge thy happiness. Rem carendo, non fruendo, cognoschismus, when thou shalt hear after come to want that which thou now abhorrest, abhorrest, and art weary of, and tired with, rent his past, thou wilt say thou art most happy, and art a little miss, wish with all vain heart thou hadst the same content again, mightst lead but such a life, a world for such a life. The remembrance of it is pleasant. Be silent, then, rest satisfied. Descine, intu endsquay, in allium infortunia solare mentum. Comfort thyself with other men's misfortunes, and as the mould-warp in Esop told the fox, complaining for want of a tale, and the rest of his companions, You complain of toys, but I am blind, be quiet. I say to thee, be thou satisfied. It is recorded of the hares, that with the general consent they went to drown themselves out of a feeling of their misery, but when they saw a company of frogs more fearful than they were, they began to take courage and comfort again. Compare thine estate with others. Similes aliorum respique casus, mitius is the fairies. Be content and rest satisfied, for thou art well in respect to others. Be thankful for that thou hast, that God hath done for thee. He hath not made thee a monster, a beast, a base creature as he might, but a man, a Christian. Such a man consider a light of it. Thou art full well as thou art. Quick quid vult habere nemo protest. No man can have what he will. Il had protest, nor they caught none habit. He may choose whether he will desire that, which he hath not. Thy lot is fallen. Make the best of it. If we should all sleep at times, as Endymion is said to have done, who then were happier than his fellow. Our life is but short, a very dream, and while we look about immortality as adest, eternity is at hand. Our life is a pilgrimage on earth, which wise men pass with greater equity. If thou be in woe, sorrow, want, distress, in pain or sickness, think of that of our apostle. God justizeth them whom he loveth. They that sow in tears shall weep in joy. Psalm 126. 6. As the furnace doth proveeth the pot as vessel, so doth temptation try men's thoughts. Ecclesiastes 25.5. Tis for thy good, peri-isseth, nissy peri-isseth. Had thou not been so visited, thou hadst been utterly undone, as gold in the fire, so men are tried in adversity. Tribulati ar ditut, and which Camerarius hath well shadowed in an emblem of a thresher and corn. Cetroa, Abbasid Palleus, St. Abdita, Grana. North Crocs, Mondanis, Separat, are Palleus. As threshing separates from straw the corn, by crosses from the world's chaff are we born. Tis the very same which Chrysostome comments, pp. 2 and 3 Matthew. Corn is not separated but by threshing, nor men from worldly impediments but by tribulation. Tis that which Cyprian ingeminates. Cervius 4, de immortale tarte. Tis that which Heron, which all the Father inculcate, so we are catechised for eternity. Tis that which the proverb insinuates. Nocumentum documentum. Tis that which all the world rings in our ears. Deus unicum habit, filium sine peccato, nullum sine phagello. God, says Augustine, hath one son without sin, none without correction. An expert seaman is tried in a tempest, a runner in a race, a captain in a battle, a valiant man in adversity, a Christian in temptation and misery. Basil, pp. 8. We are sent as so many soldiers into this world to strive with it, the flesh, the devil. Our life is a warfare, and who knows it not. Known est ad astra mollus et teres via, and therefore pro-adventure this world here is made troublesome unto us. That, as Gregory notes, we should not be delighted by the way, and forget whither we are going. Go then merrily to heaven. If the way be troublesome and you in misery in many grievances, on the other side you have many pleasant sports, objects, sweet smells, delight some taste, music, meats, herbs, flowers, etc., to recreate your senses. All put case thou art now forsaken of the world, dejected, contend, yet comfort thyself. As it was said to Agar in the wilderness, God sees thee, he takes notice of thee. There is a God above that can vindicate thy cause, that can relieve thee, and surely Seneca thinks he takes delight in seeing thee. The gods are well pleased when they see great men contending with adversity, as we are to see men fight, for a man with a beast. But these are toys in respect. Behold, saith he, a spectacle worthy of God, a good man contented with his estate. A tyrant is the best sacrifice to Jupiter, as the ancients held, and his best object of contented mind. For thy part, then, rest satisfied. Cast all thy care on him, thy birth on him, rely on him, trust on him, and he shall nourish thee, care for thee, give thee thine heart's desire. Say with David, God is our hope and strength, in troubles ready to be found. Psalm 46-1, for they that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed. Psalm 124-1, too. As the mountains are about Jerusalem, so is the Lord about his people, from henceforth and forever. End of Section 19. Section 20 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 20. Partition 2, Section 3, Member 2, Part 1. Deformity of body, sickness, baseness of birth, peculiar discontents. Particular discontents and grievances are either of body, mind, or fortune, which, as they wound the soul of man, produce this melancholy, and many great inconveniences, by that antidote of good counsel and persuasion, may be eased or expelled. Deformities and imperfections of our bodies, as lameness, crookedness, deafness, blindness, be they innate or accidental, torture many men, yet this may comfort them, that those imperfections of the body do not a wit blemish the soul, or hinder the operations of it, but rather help and much increase it. Thou art lame of body, deformed to the eye, yet this hinders not, but that thou mayst be a good, a wise, upright, honest man. Seldom, saith Plutarch, honesty and beauty dwell together, and often times, under a threadbare coat, lies an excellent understanding. Saipere sub-atrità latitat sapientia veste, Cornelius Mussus, that famous preacher in Italy, when he came first into the pulpit in Venice, was so much condemned by reason of his outside, a little lean, poor, dejected person, they were all ready to leave the church. But when they heard his voice, they did admire him, and happy was that Senator could enjoy his company, or invite him first to his house. A silly fellow to look to, may have more wit, learning, honesty, than he that struts it out, unpolis yaktans, etc., grandia gradiens, and is admired in the world's opinion. Willis Saipere Cados, nobile nectare habit, the best wine comes out of an old vessel. How many deformed princes, kings, emperors, could I reckon up? Philosophers, orators, Hannibal had but one eye, Apius Claudius, Timoleon, blind, Mollias, king of Tunis, John, king of Bohemia, Tiresius the prophet. The night hath his pleasure, and for the loss of that one sense, such men are commonly recompensed in the rest. They have excellent memories, other good parts, music, and many recreations. Much happiness, great wisdom, as Tully well discorseth in his tusculent questions. Homer was blind, yet who, saith he, made more accurate, lively, or better descriptions, with both his eyes. Democritus was blind, yet, as Lyatius writes of him, he saw more than all Greece besides, as Plato concludes, When our bodily eyes are at worst, generally the eyes of our soul see best. Some philosophers and divines have avarated themselves, and put out their eyes voluntarily, the better to contemplate. Angelus Politianus had a tether in his nose, continually running, fulsome in company, yet no man so eloquent and pleasing in his works. Esot was crooked, Socrates purblind, long-legged, hairy. Democritus withered, Seneca lean and harsh, ugly to behold. Yet show me so many flourishing wits, such divine spirits. Horace, a little blier-eyed, contemptible fellow, yet who's so sententious and wise? Marsilius Pekinus, Faber Stapulensis, a couple of dwarfs. Melanchthon, a short, hard-favoured man. Parvuserat, said Magnuserat, etc. Yet of incomparable parts, all three. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, by reason of a hurt he received in his leg at the siege of Pampaluna, the chief town of Navar in Spain, unfit for wars and less serviceable at court. Upon that accident betook himself to his beads, and by those means got more honour than ever he should have done with the use of his limbs and proponies of person. Wulnus known penetrat animum, a wound hurts not the soul. Galba, the emperor, was crook-backed, Epictetus lame, that great Alexander, a little man of stature. Augustus Caesar, of the same pitch, a Gesilaus despicabile forma. Bucaris, a most deformed prince, as ever Egypt had, yet, as diodorus Siculus records of him, in wisdom and knowledge far beyond his predecessors. Ulladislaus Kubitalis, that pygmy king of Poland, reigned and fought more victorious battles than any of his long-shanked predecessors. Nullam wirtus respuits datorum, virtue refuses no stature, and commonly your great vast bodies and fine features are sottish dull and leaden spirits. What's in them? Quid nisi pondus iners stolidae que ferrochia mentis. What in Osus and Ephialtis? Nectunes sons in Homer, nine acres long. Quio Magnus Orion, cum pedis in cedit, medii per maxima nere i stagna, we am findens humorous superaminet undas. Like Tolorion stalking o'er the flood, when with his brawny breast he cuts the waves, his shoulder scarce the topmost below laves. What in Maximminus, Ajax, Caligula, and the rest of those great Zanzumins, or gigantical Anakims, heavy, vast, barbarous lovers? Si membra tibidant grandia parkai mentis eges? Their body, saith Lemnius, is a burden to them, and their spirits not so lively, nor they so erect and merry. Known est in Magnocorpore Mycasalis. A little diamond is more worth than a rocky mountain, which made Alexander Aphrodisius positively conclude the lesser the wiser, because the soul was more contracted in such a body. Let Bodin plead the rest, the lesser they are, as in Asia, Greece, they have generally the finest wits. And for bodily stature, which some so much admire, and goodly presents, it is true, to say the best of them, great men are proper and tall, I grant, caput internubila condunt, hide their heads in the clouds, but belli pusilli, little men are pretty, said si belos homo est cotta pusillos homo est. Sickness, diseases, trouble many, but without a cause it may be tis for the good of their souls, pares fati fo it, the flesh rebels against the spirit, that which hurts the one, must needs help the other. Sickness is the mother of modesty, putith us in mind of our mortality, and when we are in the full career of worldly pomp and jollity she pulleth us by the ear, and maketh us know ourselves. Pliny calls it the sum of philosophy, if we could but perform that in our health, which we promise, in our sickness, cum infirmisumus optimisumus, for what sick man, as secundus expostulates with rufus, was ever lascivious, covetous or ambitious. He envies no man, admires no man, flatters no man, despiseth no man, listens not after lies and tales, etc. And were it not for such gentle remembrances men would have no moderation of themselves, they would be worse than tigers, wolves and lions, who should keep them in awe? Princes, masters, parents, magistrates, judges, friends, enemies, fair or foul means, cannot contain us, but a little sickness, as Chrysostom observes, will correct and amend us. And therefore with good discretion Jovianus Pontanus caused this short sentence to be engraven on his tomb in Naples. Labour, sorrow, grief, sickness, want and woe, to serve proud masters, bear that superstitious yoke and bury your dearest friends, etc. are the sources of our life. If thy disease be continuate and painful to thee, it will not surely last. And a light affliction, which is but for a moment, causeth unto us a far more excellent and eternal weight of glory, to Corinthians 4.17. Bear it with patience. Women endure much sorrow in child-bed, and yet they will not contain, and those that are barren wish for this pain. Be courageous, there is as much valour to be shown in thy bed as in an army, or at a sea-fight. Outwinketur, outwinket, thou shalt be rid at last. In the meantime, let it take its course. Thy mind is not any way disabled. Billy Baldus Pirchimurus, Senator to Charles V, ruled all Germany, lying most part of his days, sick of the gout upon his bed. The more violent thy torture is, the less it will continue, and though it be severe and hideous for the time, comfort thyself, as martyrs do, with honour and immortality. That famous philosopher, Epicurus, being in as miserable pain of stone and colic as a man might endure, solaced himself with a conceit of immortality. The joy of his soul for his rare inventions repelled the pain of his bodily torments. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For further information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Section 21. Partition 2, Section 3, Member 2, Part 2. Baseness of birth is a great disparagement to some men, especially if they be wealthy, bear office, or come to promotion in a common wealth. Then, as he observes, if their birth be not answerable to their calling and to their fellows, they are much abashed and ashamed of themselves. Some scorn their own father and mother, deny brothers and sisters with the rest of their kindred, and friends, and will not suffer them to come near them when they are in their pomp, accounting it a scandal to their greatness to have such beggarly beginnings. Simon, in Lucian, having now got a little wealth, changed his name from Simon to Simonides, for that there were so many beggars of his kin, and set the house on fire where he was born, because nobody should point at it. Others buy titles, coats of arms, and by all means, screw themselves into ancient families, forcifying pedigrees, usurping scutions, and all because they would not seem to be base. The reason is for that this gentility is so much admired by a company of outsides, and such honor attributed unto it, as amongst Germans, Frenchmen, and Venetians, the gentry scorn the commonality, and will not suffer them to match with them, they depress and make them as so many asses to carry burdens. In our ordinary talk, and foolings out, the most appropriate and scurril name we can fasten upon a man, or first give, is to call him base rogue, beggarly rascal, and the like. Whereas, in my judgment, this ought of all other grievances to trouble men least. Of all Venetians and Fopperies, to brag of gentility is the greatest. For what is it they crack so much of, and challenge such superiority as if they were demigods? Birth? Tantenevos generis tenuit fiducia vestri? It is known hence, a mere flash, a ceremony, a toy, a thing of nought. Consider the beginning, present estate, progress, ending of gentry, and then tell me what it is. Oppression, fraud, cousining, usury, navery, bordery, murder and tyranny are the beginning of many ancient families. One hath been a bloodsucker of pariside, the death of many a silly soul in some unjust quarrels, seditions, made many an orphan and poor widow, and for that he is made a lord or an earl, and his posterity, gentlemen, for ever after. Another hath been a board, a panda to some great men, a parasite, a slave, prostituted himself, his wife, daughter to some lascivious prince, and for that he is exalted. Tobiris preferred many to honours in his time, because they were famous hall masters and sturdy drinkers. Many come into this parchment row, so one calls it, by flattery or cousining. Search your old families, and you shall scarce find of a multitude, as Ines Silvius observes, qui sceleratum non havent ortum, that hath not a wicked beginning. Out qui we et dollo ae fastigii no nascendunt, as that plebian in Machiavel, in a set oration, proved to his fellows, that do not rise by navery, force, foolery, villainy, or such indirect means. They are commonly able, that are wealthy, virtue and riches seldom settle on one man, who then sees not the beginning of nobility, spoils in rich one, usury another, treason a third, witchcraft a fourth, flattery a fifth, lying, stealing, bearing false witness, a sixth, adultery the seventh, etc. One makes a fool of himself to make his lord marry, another dandles my young master, bestows a little nag on him, a third marries a cracked piece, etc. Now, may it please your good worship, your lordship, who was the first founder of your family? The poet answers, out pastorfu it, out illud quodigre no lo. Are he or you the better gentleman? If he, then we have traced him to his form. If you, what is it of which thou boastest so much, that thou art his son? It may be his heir, his reputed son, and yet indeed a priest or a serving man may be the true father of him, but we will not controvert that now. Married women are all honest, thou art his son's son's son, begotten and born infracuator maria, etc. Thy great great great grandfather was a rich citizen, and then in all likelihood a usurer, a lawyer, and then a courtier, and then a country gentleman. Then he scraped it out of sheep, etc., and you are the heir of all his virtues, fortunes, titles, so then what is your gentry, but as hereom saeth, opes antiquae, in wetterate di wittii, ancient wealth, that is the definition of gentility. The father goes often to the devil, to make his son a gentleman. For the present what is it? It began, saeth a gripper, with strong impiety, with tyranny, oppression, etc., and so it is maintained. Wealth began it, no matter how got. Wealth continued and increased it. Those Roman knights were so called, if they could dispend per annum so much. In the kingdom of Naples and France, he that buys such lands buys the honor, title, barony, together with it. And they that can dispend so much amongst us must be called to bear office, to be knights, or fine for it, as one observes. Nobiliorum excensu eudicant. Our nobles are measured by their means. And what now is the object of honor? What maintains our gentry but wealth? Nobilitas sinere proiecta willior algar. Without means, gentry is not worth. Nothing so contemptible and base. Disputare de nobilitate generis sinere di witteis est disputare de nobilitate stercoris, saeth Neuissanos the lawyer. To dispute of gentry without wealth is, saving your reverence, to discuss the original of a mead. So that it is wealth alone that denominates, money which maintains it, gives esse to it, for which every man may have it. And what is their ordinary exercise? Sit to eat, drink, lie down to sleep and rise to play, wherein lies their worth and sufficiency, in a few coats of arms, eagles, lions, serpents, bears, tigers, dogs, crosses, bends, fesses, etc., and such like baubles, which they commonly set up in their galleries, porches, windows, on bowls, platters, coaches, in tombs, churches, minns, sleeves, etc. If he can hawk and hunt, ride a horse, play at cards and dice, swagger, drink, swear, take tobacco with a grace, sing, dance, wear his clothes in fashion, court and please his mistress, talk big, bustion, insult, scorn, strut, condemn others, and use a little mimical and apish compliment above the rest. He is a complete, egregia muero laudem, a well qualified gentleman. These are the most of their employments, this their greatest commendation. What is gentry, this parchment nobility then, but as a gripper defines it, a sanctuary of navery and naughtiness, a cloak for wickedness and execrable vices, of pride, fraud, contempt, boasting, oppression, dissimulation, lust, gluttony, malice, fornication, adultery, ignorance, impiety. A nobleman, therefore, in some likelihood, as he concludes, is an atheist, an oppressor, an epicure, a gull, a desire, an illiterate idiot, an outside, a glow worm, a proud fool, an errant ass, ventris et inguinis manchipium, a slave to his lust and belly. Solar que li bidine fortis. And, as Salvianus observed of his countrymen, the aquitains in France, secret titulis primifuere siquet witteis, as they were the first in rank, so also in rottenness, and cabined yua, their own writer, distinctly of the rest. The nobles of Berry are most part leches, they of Turenne thieves, they of Nabon covetus, they of Guyenne coiners, they of Provence atheists, they of Reims superstitious, they of Leon treacherous, of Normandy proud, of Piccadilly insolent, et cetera. We may generally conclude, the greater man, the more vicious. In fine, as Ineos Silvius adds, they are most part miserable, sottish and filthy fellows, like the walls of their houses, fair without foul within. What dost thou vaunt of now? What dost thou gape and wonder at? Admire him for his brave apparel, horses, dogs, fine houses, manners, orchards, gardens, walks? Why? A fool may be possessor of this as well as he, and he that accounts him a better man, a nobleman, for having of it, he is a fool himself. Now go and brag of thy gentility. This is it, be like, which makes the Turks at this day scorn nobility and all those huffing bombast titles, which so elevate their poles. Except it be such as have got it at first, maintain it by some super eminent quality, or excellent worth. And for this cause, the Ragusian Commonwealth, Swissers and the United Provinces, in all their aristocracies or democratical monarchies, if I may so call them, exclude all these degrees of hereditary honours, and will admit of none to bear office, but such as are learned, like those Athenian Ariopagites, wise, discreet and well brought up. The Chinese observe the same customs, no man amongst them noble by birth. Out of their philosophers and doctors they choose magistrates. Their politic nobles are taken from such as be moralitair nobilities, virtuous noble, nobilitas or olimaboficio, known anatura, as in Israel of old, and their office was to defend and govern their country, in war and peace, not to hawk, hunt, eat, drink, game alone, as too many do. Their loisii, mandorini, literati, licentiati, and such as have raised themselves by their worth, are their nobleman only, though fit to govern the state. And why then should any that is otherwise of worth be ashamed of his birth? Why should not he be as much respected that leaves a noble posterity as he that hath had noble ancestors? Nay, why not more? For plures solem orientem, we adore the sun rising most part. And how much better is it to say, Ego mayis mayoribus, where tu te priluxi, I have outshone my ancestors in virtues, to boast himself of his virtues than of his birth. Cuthis Baus, Sultan of Egypt and Syria, was by his condition a slave, but for worth valour and manhood, second to no king, and for that cause, as Jovius writes, elected emperor of the Mamluks. That poor Spanish pizarro, for his valour made by Charles V, Marquis of Anatio, the turkey-pashes are all such. Pertinex, Philippus Arabs, Maximinos, Probus, Aurelius, etc., from common soldiers became emperors, Cato, Sincinatus, etc., consuls, Pius II, Sixtus Quintus, Johann II, Nicholas Quintus, etc., popes, Socrates, Virgil, Horace, Libertino, Partenatus. The kings of Denmark fetched their pedigree, as some say, from one Ulfo, that was the son of a bear. A tenui casa, saipae, wir Magnus exit. Many a worthy man comes out of a poor cottage. Hercules, Romulus, Alexander, by Olympia's confession, Themistocles, Eugurtha, King Arthur, William the Conqueror, Homer, DeMosthenes, Petrus Lombard, Petrus Comestor, Bartholus, Adrian IV, Pope, etc., bastards. And almost in every kingdom, the most ancient families have been at first princes' bastards. Their worthiest captains, best wits, greatest scholars, bravest spirits in all our annals have been base. Carden, in his subtleties, gives a reason why they are most part better able than others in body and mind, and so, per consequence, more fortunate. Castrucius Castucanus, a poor child found in the field exposed to misery, became prince of Lucca and Sene in Italy, a most complete soldier and worthy captain. Machiavell compares him to Scipio or Alexander, and is a wonderful thing, saipae, to him that shall consider of it, that all those, or the greatest part of them, that have done the bravest exploits here upon earth, and excelled the rest of the nobles of their time, have been still, born in some abject, obscure place, or of base and obscure abject parents. A most memorable observation, Scaliger accounts it. I could recite a great catalogue of them. Every kingdom, every province were yield innumerable examples, and why then should baseness of birth be objected to any man? Who thinks worse of Tully for being Arpinus, an upstart, or Agathocles, that Cilician king for being a potter's son? Iphicrates and Marius were meanly born. What wise man thinks better of any person for his nobility? As he said in Machiavell, omnes aeod empatre nati, Adams sons, conceived all and born in sin, etc. We are by nature all as one, all alike, if you see us naked. Let us wear theirs, and they our clothes, and what is the difference? To speak truth, as Bael did of Petrus Scalicius, I more esteem thy worth learning honesty than thy nobility. Honor thee more that thou art a writer, a doctor of divinity, than Earl of the Huns, Baron of Scradine, or haste title to such and such provinces, etc. Thou art more fortunate and great, so Jovius writes to Cosmo de Medici, then Duke of Florence, for thy virtues, than for thy lovely wife and happy children, friends, fortunes, or great duchy of Tuscany. So I account thee, and who doth not so indeed? Abdolominus was a gardener, and yet by Alexander, for his virtues, made king of Syria. How much better is it to be born of mean parentage, and to excel in worth, to be morally noble, which is preferred before that natural nobility, by divines, philosophers, and politicians. To be learned, honest, discreet, well qualified, to be fit for any manner of employment, in country and common wealth, war and peace, than to be de generes neoptolimi, as many brave nobles are, only wise because rich, otherwise idiots, illiterate, unfit for any manner of service. Udalricus, Earl of Silia, upbraided John Huniades with the baseness of his birth, but he replied, In te ciliensis comitatus turpiter extinguitur, In me gloriause bistricensis exoritur, Thine earldom is consumed with riot, mine begins with honor and renown. Thou hast had so many noble ancestors, what is that to thee, wix ea nostro volco? When thou art a desert thyself, quod prodest pontike, longos demate, quensere, etc. I conclude, hast thou a sound body, and a good soul, good bringing up, art thou virtuous, honest, learned, well qualified, religious, like thy conditions good, thou art a true nobleman, perfectly noble, although born of thercites, dumorotus cis, aeachidae similis, nonatus, sed factus, noble, cut ex hoc hein, for neither sword nor fire nor water nor sickness, nor outward violence nor the devil himself can take thy good parts from thee. Be not ashamed of thy birth, then, thou art a gentleman all the world over, and shalt be honoured, when as he strip him of his fine clothes, dispossess him of his wealth is a funge. Which, poliniquez, in his banishment found true by experience, gentry was not esteemed, like a piece of coin in another country, that no man will take, and shall be contend. Once more, though thou be a barbarian, born at Tontonteac, a villain, a slave, a Saldanian negro, or a rude Virginian in Dassamon Quepec, he of French Monsieur, a Spanish Don, a Signore of Italy, I care not how descended, of what family, of what order, baron, count, prince, if thou be well qualified, and he not, but a degenerate neoctolemus. I tell thee in a word, thou art a man, and he is a beast. Let no tereifilius or upstart insult at this which I have said. No worthy gentleman take offence. I speak it not to detract from such as a well-deserving, truly virtuous, and noble. I do much respect and honour true gentry and nobility. I was born of worshipful parents myself, in an ancient family, but I am a younger brother. It concerns me not. Or had I been some great heir, richly endowed, so minded as I am, I should not have been elevated at all, but so esteemed of it, as of all other human happiness, honours, etc., they have their period of brittle and inconstant. As he said of that great river Danube, it rises from a small fountain, a little brook at first, sometimes broad, sometimes narrow, now slow, then swift, increased at last to an incredible greatness. By the confluence of 60 navigable rivers, it vanishes in conclusion, loses his name, and is suddenly swallowed up of the Uxine Sea. I may say of our greatest families, they were mean at first, augmented by rich marriages, purchases, offices. They continue for some ages, with some little alteration of circumstances, fortunes, places, etc., by some prodigal son, for some default or want of issue, they are defaced in an instant, and their memory blotted out. So much in the meantime I do attribute to gentility, that if he be well descended of worshipful or noble parentage, he will express it in his conditions. Neck and in ferroquese progenerant aquile columbus. And although the nobility of our times be much like our coins, more in number and value, but less in weight and goodness, with finer stamps, cuts, or outsides than of old, yet if he retain those ancient characters of true gentry, he will be more affable, courteous, gently disposed, of fairer carriage, better temper, or a more magnanimous, heroical, and generous spirit, than that vulgus hominum, those ordinary boars and peasants, qui adio improbi agrestes et inculti pleurum que sunt, ne dica malichiosi, ut nemini ullum humanitatis oficium pristent, ne ipsideo si adweinerit. As one observes of them, a rude, brutish, uncivil, wild, a curish generation, cruel and malicious, incapable of discipline, and such as have scarce common sense, and it may be generally spoken of all which Lemnius, the physician, said of his travel into England, the common people were silly, sullen, doggie, clowns, said, mitio nobilitas ad omne humanitatis oficium paratissima. The gentlemen were courteous and civil. If it so fall out, as it often doth, that such peasants are preferred by reason of their wealth, chance, error, etc., or otherwise, yet as the cat in the fable, when she was turned to a fair maid, would play with mice. A cur will be a cur, a clown will be a clown, he will likely savor of the stock whence he came, and that innate rusticity can hardly be shaken off, liquet superbus ambulet pecunia fortuna non multat genus. And though, by their education, such men may be better qualified and more refined, yet there be many symptoms by which they may likely be described, an affected fantastical carriage, a tailor-like spruce-ness, a peculiar garb in all their proceedings, choicer than ordinary in his diet, as Hieron well describes such a one to his nepotium, an upstart born in a base cottage that scarce at first had coarse bread to fill his hungry guts, must now feed on kick-shaws and made dishes, will have all variety of flesh and fish, the best oysters, etc. A beggar's brat will be commonly more scornful, imperious, insulting, insolent than another man of his rank. Nothing so intolerable as a fortunate fool, as Tully found out long since out of his experience, asperius nihilest humili cum surgit in altum, set a beggar on horseback, and he will ride a gallop, a gallop, etc. He forgets what he was, domineers, etc., and many such other symptoms he hath, by which you may know him from a true gentleman. Many errors and obliquities are on both sides, noble, ignoble, factis, natis, yet still in all callings, as some degenerate, some are well deserving, and most worthy of their honours. And as Busbequeus said of Suleiman the Magnificent, he was Tanto dignus imperio, worthy of that great empire. Many, meanly descended, are most worthy of their honour, politicae nobiles, and well deserve it. Many of our nobility so born, which one said of Hephaestion, Ptolemaeus, Selucus, Antigonus, etc., and the rest of Alexander's followers, they were all worthy to be monarchs and generals of armies, deserved to be princes. And I am so far forth of Cecelius's mind that they ought to be preferred, if capable, before others, as being nobly born, ingenuously brought up and from their infancy trained to all manner of civility. For learning and virtue in a nobleman is more eminent, and as a jewel set in gold is more precious and much to be respected, such a man deserves better than others, and is as great an honour to his family as his noble family to him. In a word, many nobleman are an ornament to their order. Many poor men's sons are singularly well endowed, most eminent and well deserving for their worth, wisdom, learning, virtue, valour, integrity, excellent members and pillars of a common wealth. And therefore to conclude that which I first intended to be based by birth, meaningly born, is no such disparagement. End of section 21