quiet soul, is the only pleasure in the world, as what means? hic labor, hoc opus est. It is a Seneca truly recites his opinion, not that of eat-natural infirmity, a most powerful adversary, ing and drinking, which injurious Aristotle all men are subject to passions, and melancholy maliciously puts upon him, and for which he is above all others, as being distempered by their still mistaken, male audit et vapulot, slandered innate humours, abundance of choler adust, without a cause, and lashed by all posterity. weakness of parts, outward occurrences; and how "Fear and sorrow, therefore, are especially to shall they be avoided? the wisest men, greatest be avoided, and the mind to be mitigated with philosophers of most excellent wit, reason, judgmirth, constancy, good hope; vain terror, bad ment, divine spirits, cannot moderate themselves objects are to be removed, and all such persons in this behalf; such as are sound in body and mind, in whose companies they be not well pleased." Stoics, heroes, Homer's gods, all are passionate, Gualter Bruel, Fernelius, consil. 43, Mercurialis, and furiously carried sometimes; and how shall consil. 6, Piso, Jacchinus, cap. 15, in 9. Rhasis, we that are already crazed, fracti animis, sick in Capivaccius, Hildesheim, etc., all inculcate this body, sick in mind, resist? we cannot perform as an especial means of their cure, that their it. You may advise and give good precepts, as "minds be quietly pacified, vain conceits di- who cannot? But how shall they be put in verted, if it be possible, with terrors, cares, practice? I may not deny but our passions are fixed studies, cogitations, and whatsoever it is violent, and tyrannise of us, yet there be means that shall any way molest or trouble the soul," to curb them; though they be headstrong, they because that otherwise there is no good to be may be tamed, they may be qualified, if he done. "The body's mischiefs," as Plato proves, himself or his friends will but use their honest "proceed from the soul; and if the mind be not endeavours, or make use of such ordinary helps first satisfied, the body can never be cured." as are commonly prescribed. Alcibiades raves (saith Maximus Tyrius) and is sick, his furious desires carry him from Lyceus to the pleading-place, thence to the sea, so into Sicily, thence to Lacedæmon, thence to Persia, thence to Samos, then again to Athens; Critias tyranniseth over all the city; Sardanapalus is love-sick; these men are ill-affected all, and can never be cured, till their minds be otherwise qualified. Crato, 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, Quod reliquum est, animæ accidentia corrigantur, from which alone proceeds melancholy; they are the fountain, the subject, the hinges whereon it turns, and must necessarily be reformed. "For anger stirs choler, heats the blood and vital spirits; sorrow on the other side refrigerates the body, and extinguisheth 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 utmost of our power and most seriously, be removed. Elianus Montaltus attributes so much to them, "that he holds the rectification of them alone to be sufficient to the cure of melancholy in most patients." Many are fully cured when they have seen or heard, etc., enjoy their desires, or be secured and satisfied in their minds; Galen, the common master of them all, from whose fountain they fetch water, brags, lib. 1, de san. tucnd., that he, for his part, hath cured divers of this infirmity, solum animis ad rectum institutis, by right settling alone of their minds. Yea, but you will here infer that this is excellent good indeed if it could be done; but how shall it be effected, by whom, what art, He himself (I say); from the patient himself the first and chiefest remedy must be had; for if he be averse, peevish, 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 but he may magnam morbi deponere partem, be eased at least, if not cured. He himself must do his utmost endeavour to resist and withstand the beginnings. Principiis obsta, "Give not water passage, no not a little" (Ecclus. xxv. 27). If they open a little, they will make a greater breach at length. Whatsoever it is that runneth in his mind, vain conceit be it pleasing or displeasing, which so much affects or troubleth him, "by all possible means he must withstand it, expel those vain, false, frivolous imaginations, absurd conceits, feigned fears and sorrows; from which," saith Piso, "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 have hitherto run in a full career, and precipitated himself, following his passions, giving reins to his appetite, let him now stop upon a sudden, curb himself in; and as Lemnius 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 unto such fantastical imaginations, yet as Tully and Plutarch 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. "Tu tamen interea effugito quæ tristia mentem Solicitant, procul esse jube curasque metumque Pallentem, ultrices iras, sint omnia læta." "In the meantime expel them from my mind, Curas tolles graves, irasci crede profanum. If it be idleness hath caused this infirmity, or that he perceive himself given to solitariness, to walk alone, and please himself with fond imagination, let him by all means avoid it; it is a bosom enemy, it is delightful 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 gnat 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, through 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, calumny, death of 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, lib. 1. c. 15, de conser. vit.). Tu contra audentior 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," mala bonis persuadenda, set 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. in the water the picture of a dog, with reason overcame this conceit: quid cani cum balneo? what should a dog do in a bath? a mere conceit. Thou thinkest thou hearest and seest devils, black men, etc., it is not so; it is thy corrupt phantasy; 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 contemned, such as thou wilt surely deride, and contemn 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 mayest do it; Est in nobis assuescere (as Plutarch saith): we may frame ourselves as we will. As he that useth an upright shoe, may correct the obliquity or crookedness by wearing it on the other side; we may overcome passions if we will. Quicquid sibi imperavit animus, obtinuit (as Seneca saith) nulli tam ferti affectus, ut non disciplina perdomentur: 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 oughtest 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 then what thou canst do, and must do by compulsion; thou mayest refrain if thou wilt, and master thine affections. "As, in a city," saith Melancthon, "they do by stubborn rebellious rogues, that will not submit themselves to political judgment, compel them by force; so must we do by our affections. If the heart will Yea, but thou infer again, facile consilium not lay aside those vicious motions, and the damus aliis, we can easily give counsel to others; phantasy those fond imaginations, we have every man, as the saying is, can tame a shrew, another form of government to enforce and rebut he that hath her; si hic esses, aliter sentires; frain our outward members, that they be not led if you were in our misery, you would find it by our passions. If appetite will not obey, let otherwise; it is not easily performed. We know the moving faculty overrule her; let her resist this to be true; we should moderate ourselves; and compel her to do otherwise." In an ague, but we are furiously carried; we cannot make the appetite would drink; sore eyes that itch use of such precepts; we are overcome, sick, would be rubbed; but reason saith no; and male sani, distempered, and habituated to these therefore the moving faculty will not do it. Our courses; we can make no resistance; you may as phantasy would intrude a thousand fears, suswell bid him that is diseased, not to feel pain, as picions, chimeras upon us; but we have reason a melancholy man not to fear, not to be sad: it to resist; yet we let it be overborne by our is within his blood, his brains, his whole tempera- appetite. "Imagination enforceth spirits, which ture: it cannot be removed. But he may choose by an admirable league of nature compel the whether he will give way too far unto it; he may nerves to obey, and they our several limbs:" we in some sort correct himself. A philosopher was give too much way to our passions. And as, to bitten with a mad dog; and, as the nature him that is sick of an ague, all things are disof that disease is to abhor all waters, and liquid tasteful and unpleasant, non ex cibi vitio, saith things, and to think still they see the picture of Plutarch, not in the meat, but in our taste: so a dog before them, he went, for all this, reluctante many things are offensive to us, not of themselves, se, to the bath, and seeing there (as he thought) | but out of our corrupt judgment, jealousy, sus picion, 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 can- | not 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 breast; alitur vitium crescitque, tegendo, etc., and that which was most offensive to us, a cause of fear and grief, quod nunc te coquit, another hell; for strangulat inclusus dolor, atque exæstuat 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, curas sopit; and as a bull that is tied to a fig-tree, becomes gentle on a sudden (which some, saith Plutarch, interpret of good words), so is a savage, obdurate heart mollified by fair speeches. "All adversity finds ease in complaining," as Isidore holds, "and it is a solace to relate it 'Ayalǹ de wapaipaois éσriv éralpov. Friends' confabulations are comfortable at all times, as fire in winter, shade in summer; quale sopor fessis in gramine, meat and drink to him that is hungry or athirst. Democritus's collyrium is not so sovereign to the eyes, as this is to the heart; good words are cheerful and powerful of themselves, but much more from friends, as so many props, mutually sustaining each other, like ivy and a wall, which Camerarius hath well illustrated in an emblem. Lenit animum simplex vel sæpe narratio, the simple narration many times easeth our distressed mind; and in the midst of greatest extremities, so divers 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; Quanta inde voluptas, quanta securitas, Chrysostom adds: 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 condoles the defect of such a friend. "I live here," saith 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 be 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 peradventure may he and he say with that old man in the comedy: "Nemo est meorum amicorum hodie, Apud quem expromere occulta mea audeam;" and much inconvenience may both he and he 66 suffer in the meantime by it. He or he, or whosoever then labours of this malady, by all means let him get some trusty friend, Semper habens Pylademque aliquem, cui curet Oresten, a Pylades, to whom freely and securely he may open himself. For, as in all other occurrences, so it is in this, si quis in cœlum ascendisset, etc., as he said in Tully, if a man had gone to heaven, 'seen the beauty of the skies," stars errant, fixed, etc., insuavis erit admiratio, it will do him no pleasure, except he have somebody to impart to what he hath seen. It is the best thing in the world, as Seneca therefore adviseth 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 succourless estate, counsel relieve, mirth expel our mourning, and whose very sight may be acceptable unto us." It was the counsel which that politic Commineus 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.' REMEDIES OF ALL MANNER OF 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, homines quatimur for tunæ salo. No condition free, quisque suos patimur manes. Even in the midst of our mirth and jollity, there is some grudging, some complaint, as he saith, our life is a glucupricon, a bitter-sweet 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 Cardan infers, "Who art thou that hopest to go free? Why dost thou not grieve thou art a mortal man, and not governor of the world?" Ferre quam sortem patiuntur omnes, Nemo recuset, "If it be common to all, why should one man be more disquieted than another?" If thou alone wert 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, Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris; it is not thy sole case, and why shouldst thou be so impatient? 'Ay, but alas we are more miserable than others, what shall we do? Besides private miseries, we live in perpetual fear and danger of common enemies we have Bellona's whips, and pitiful outcries, for epithalamiums: 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 refuseth 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 then shouldst thou be so much troubled? Grave nihil est homini quod fert necessitas, as Tully deems out of an old poet, "That which is necessary cannot be grievous." If it be so, then comfort thyself in this, "that whether thou wilt or no, it must be endured:" make a virtue of necessity, and conform thyself to undergo it. Si longa est, levis est; si gravis est, brevis est. If it be long, it is light; if grievous, it cannot last. It will away, dies dolorem minuit, and if nought 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 infelicity, it makes the rest of our life sweeter unto us:" Atque hæc olim meminisse juvabit, "recollection of the past is pleasant:" "the privation and want of a thing many times makes it more pleasant and delightsome than before it was." fortune, Narsetes, that great Gonsalvus, and most famous men's, 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 contumeliously." It is so, still hath been, and ever will be, Nihil est ab omni parte beatum, "There's no perfection is so absolute, That some impurity doth not pollute." Whatsoever is under the moon is subject to corruption, alteration; and so long as thou livest upon earth look not for other. "Thou shalt not here find peaceable and cheerful days, quiet times, but rather clouds, storms, calumnies; 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, feral, free, and as our astrologers will, have their fortitudes and debilities, by reason of those good and bad heavens, in their terms, houses, case, detriments, irradiations, conferred to each other's site in the 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 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-bitings 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, We must not think, the happiest of us all, to ulcers, madness, epilepsies, agues, and all those escape here without some misfortunes, "Usque adeo nulla est sincera voluptas, 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 conversions: but men are urged with many difficulties, and have divers hindrances, oppositions, 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 perpetuo est bona. And, as Minutius Felix, the Roman consul, told that insulting Coriolanus, drunk with his good fortunes, look not for that success thou 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 almoner, Pluto's treasurer, Neptune's admiral, it could not secure him. Such was Alcibiades' common calamities of beggary, 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, to give us all content: "Jam faciam quod vultis; eris tu, qui modo miles, "Well, be't 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 well as 'tis. ' "Every man knows his own, but not others' defects and miseries; and it 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 think himself in heaven, a petty prince, if he had but the least part of that fortune which thou so much repinest at, abhorrest, and accountest a 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 coal-pits, 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 fortunatos nimium bona si sua norint: Thou art most happy if thou couldst be content, and acknowledge thy happiness; Rem carendo non fruendo cognoscimus, when thou shalt hereafter come to want that which thou now loathest, abhorrest, and art weary of, and tired with, when it is past thou wilt say thou wert most happy: and after a little miss, wish with all thine heart thou hadst the same content again, mightest lead but such a life, a world for such a life: the remembrance of it is pleasant. Be silent then, rest satisfied, desine, intuensque in aliorum infortunia solare mentem, comfort thyself with other men's misfortunes, and as the moldiwarp in Æsop told the fox, complaining for want of a tail, and the rest of his companions, tacete, quando me oculis captum videtis, 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 a 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 respice casus, mitius ista feres. 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 aright of it, thou art full well as thou art. Quicquid vult, habere nemo potest, no man can have what he will, Illud potest nolle quod non habet, 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 all 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, immortalitas adest, eternity is at hand: (6 life is a pilgrimage on earth, which wise men pass with great alacrity." If thou be in woe, sorrow, want, distress, in pain, or sickness, think of that of our apostle, "God chastiseth them whom He loveth: they that sow in tears shall reap in joy" (Ps. cxxvi. 5). "As the furnace proveth, the potter's vessel, so doth temptation try men's thoughts" (Ecclus. xxv. 5), it is for thy good, Periisses nisi periisses: hadst thou not been so visited, thou hadst been utterly undone: "as gold in the fire," so men are tried in adversity. Tribulatio ditat: and which Camerarius hath well shadowed in an emblem of a thresher and corn. our "Si tritura absit paleis sunt abdita grana, Nos crux mundanis separat a paleis." "As threshing separates from straw the corn, By crosses from the world's chaff are we born." It is the very same which Chrysostom comments, "Corn is not separated but hom. 2, in 3 Mat. by threshing, nor men from worldly impediments but by tribulation." It is that which Cyprian ingeminates, Ser. 4, de immort. It is that which Hierom, which all the fathers inculcate; "so we are catechised for eternity." It is that which the proverb insinuates. Nocumentum documentum; it is that which all the world rings in our ears. Deus unicum habet filium sine peccato, nullum sine flagello: God, saith Austin, hath one son without sin, none without correction. 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 tentation and misery" (Basil. hom. 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? Non est ad astra mollis e terris via: "and therefore peradventure 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." 66 "Ite nunc fortes, ubi celsa magni Ducit exempli via: cur inertes Terga nudatis ? superata tellus Sidera domat." "An Go on 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, delightsome tastes, music, meats, herbs, flowers, etc., to recreate Or put case thou art now forsaken your senses. of the world, dejected, contemned; 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 "The gods are takes delight in seeing thee. well pleased when they see great men contending with adversity," as we are to see men fight, or 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 state." A tyrant is the best sacrifice to Jupiter, as the ancients held, and his best object "a contented mind." For thy part then, rest satisfied; "Cast all thy care on Him, thy burden 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" (Ps. xlvi. 1); "for they that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion, which cannot be removed" (Ps. cxxv. 1, 2); "as the mountains are about Jerusalem, so is the Lord about His people, from henceforth and for ever." |