[115]conceit, or to give satisfaction to all? Some understand too
little, some too much, qui similiter in legendos libros, atque in
salutandos homines irruunt, non cogitantes quales, sed quibus vestibus
induti sint, as [116]Austin observes, not regarding what, but who
write, [117]orexin habet auctores celebritas, not valuing the metal,
but stamp that is upon it, Cantharum aspiciunt, non quid in eo. If he
be not rich, in great place, polite and brave, a great doctor, or full
fraught with grand titles, though never so well qualified, he is a
dunce; but, as [118]Baronius hath it of Cardinal Caraffa's works, he is
a mere hog that rejects any man for his poverty. Some are too partial,
as friends to overween, others come with a prejudice to carp, vilify,
detract, and scoff; (qui de me forsan, quicquid est, omni contemptu
contemptius judicant) some as bees for honey, some as spiders to gather
poison. What shall I do in this case? As a Dutch host, if you come to
an inn in. Germany, and dislike your fare, diet, lodging, &c., replies
in a surly tone, [119]aliud tibi quaeras diversorium, if you like not
this, get you to another inn: I resolve, if you like not my writing, go
read something else. I do not much esteem thy censure, take thy course,
it is not as thou wilt, nor as I will, but when we have both done, that
of [120]Plinius Secundus to Trajan will prove true, Every man's witty
labour takes not, except the matter, subject, occasion, and some
commending favourite happen to it. If I be taxed, exploded by thee and
some such, I shall haply be approved and commended by others, and so
have been (Expertus loquor), and may truly say with [121]Jovius in like
case, (absit verbo jactantia) heroum quorundam, pontificum, et virorum
nobilium familiaritatem et amicitiam, gratasque gratias, et multorum
[122] bene laudatorum laudes sum inde promeritus, as I have been
honoured by some worthy men, so have I been vilified by others, and
shall be. At the first publishing of this book, (which [123]Probus of
Persius satires), editum librum continuo mirari homines, atque avide
deripere caeperunt, I may in some sort apply to this my work. The
first, second, and third edition were suddenly gone, eagerly read, and,
as I have said, not so much approved by some, as scornfully rejected by
others. But it was Democritus his fortune, Idem admirationi et
[124]irrisioni habitus. 'Twas Seneca's fate, that superintendent of
wit, learning, judgment, [125]ad stuporem doctus, the best of Greek and
Latin writers, in Plutarch's opinion; that renowned corrector of vice,
as, [126]Fabius terms him, and painful omniscious philosopher, that
writ so excellently and admirably well, could not please all parties,
or escape censure. How is he vilified by [127] Caligula, Agellius,
Fabius, and Lipsius himself, his chief propugner? In eo pleraque
pernitiosa, saith the same Fabius, many childish tracts and sentences
he hath, sermo illaboratus, too negligent often and remiss, as Agellius
observes, oratio vulgaris et protrita, dicaces et ineptae, sententiae,
eruditio plebeia, an homely shallow writer as he is. In partibus spinas
et fastidia habet, saith [128]Lipsius; and, as in all his other works,
so especially in his epistles, aliae in argutiis et ineptiis
occupantur, intricatus alicubi, et parum compositus, sine copia rerum
hoc fecit, he jumbles up many things together immethodically, after the
Stoics' fashion, parum ordinavit, multa accumulavit, &c. If Seneca be
thus lashed, and many famous men that I could name, what shall I
expect? How shall I that am vix umbra tanti philosophi hope to please?
No man so absolute ([129]Erasmus holds) to satisfy all, except
antiquity, prescription, &c., set a bar. But as I have proved in
Seneca, this will not always take place, how shall I evade? 'Tis the
common doom of all writers, I must (I say) abide it; I seek not
applause; [130]Non ego ventosa venor suffragia plebis; again, non sum
adeo informis, I would not be [131]vilified:
[132]———laudatus abunde,
Non fastiditus si tibi, lector, ero.
I fear good men's censures, and to their favourable acceptance I submit
my labours,
[133]———et linguas mancipiorum
Contemno.———
As the barking of a dog, I securely contemn those malicious and
scurrile obloquies, flouts, calumnies of railers and detractors; I
scorn the rest. What therefore I have said, pro tenuitate mea, I have
said.
One or two things yet I was desirous to have amended if I could,
concerning the manner of handling this my subject, for which I must
apologise, deprecari, and upon better advice give the friendly reader
notice: it was not mine intent to prostitute my muse in English, or to
divulge secreta Minervae, but to have exposed this more contract in
Latin, if I could have got it printed. Any scurrile pamphlet is welcome
to our mercenary stationers in English; they print all
———cuduntque libellos
In quorum foliis vix simia nuda cacaret;
But in Latin they will not deal; which is one of the reasons
[134]Nicholas Car, in his oration of the paucity of English writers,
gives, that so many flourishing wits are smothered in oblivion, lie
dead and buried in this our nation. Another main fault is, that I have
not revised the copy, and amended the style, which now flows remissly,
as it was first conceived; but my leisure would not permit; Feci nec
quod potui, nec quod volui, I confess it is neither as I would, nor as
it should be.
[135]Cum relego scripsisse pudet, quia plurima cerno
Me quoque quae fuerant judice digna lini.
When I peruse this tract which I have writ,
I am abash'd, and much I hold unfit.
Et quod gravissimum, in the matter itself, many things I disallow at
this present, which when I writ, [136]Non eadem est aetas, non mens; I
would willingly retract much, &c., but 'tis too late, I can only crave
pardon now for what is amiss. I might indeed, (had I wisely done)
observed that precept of the poet, ———nonumque prematur in annum, and
have taken more care: or, as Alexander the physician would have done by
lapis lazuli, fifty times washed before it be used, I should have
revised, corrected and amended this tract; but I had not (as I said)
that happy leisure, no amanuenses or assistants. Pancrates in
[137]Lucian, wanting a servant as he went from Memphis to Coptus in
Egypt, took a door bar, and after some superstitious words pronounced
(Eucrates the relator was then present) made it stand up like a
serving-man, fetch him water, turn the spit, serve in supper, and what
work he would besides; and when he had done that service he desired,
turned his man to a stick again. I have no such skill to make new men
at my pleasure, or means to hire them; no whistle to call like the
master of a ship, and bid them run, &c. I have no such authority, no
such benefactors, as that noble [138]Ambrosius was to Origen, allowing
him six or seven amanuenses to write out his dictates; I must for that
cause do my business myself, and was therefore enforced, as a bear doth
her whelps, to bring forth this confused lump; I had not time to lick
it into form, as she doth her young ones, but even so to publish it, as
it was first written quicquid in buccam venit, in an extemporean style,
as [139]I do commonly all other exercises, effudi quicquid dictavit
genius meus, out of a confused company of notes, and writ with as small
deliberation as I do ordinarily speak, without all affectation of big
words, fustian phrases, jingling terms, tropes, strong lines, that like
[140]Acesta's arrows caught fire as they flew, strains of wit, brave
heats, elegies, hyperbolical exornations, elegancies, &c., which many
so much affect. I am [141]aquae potor, drink no wine at all, which so
much improves our modern wits, a loose, plain, rude writer, ficum, voco
ficum et ligonem ligonem and as free, as loose, idem calamo quod in
mente, [142]I call a spade a spade, animis haec scribo, non auribus, I
respect matter not words; remembering that of Cardan, verba propter
res, non res propter verba: and seeking with Seneca, quid scribam, non
quemadmodum, rather _what_ than _how_ to write: for as Philo thinks,
[143]He that is conversant about matter, neglects words, and those that
excel in this art of speaking, have no profound learning,
[144]Verba nitent phaleris, at nullus verba medullas
Intus habent———
Besides, it was the observation of that wise Seneca, [145]when you see
a fellow careful about his words, and neat in his speech, know this for
a certainty, that man's mind is busied about toys, there's no solidity
in him. Non est ornamentum virile concinnitas: as he said of a
nightingale, ———vox es, praeterea nihil, &c. I am therefore in this
point a professed disciple of [146]Apollonius a scholar of Socrates, I
neglect phrases, and labour wholly to inform my reader's understanding,
not to please his ear; 'tis not my study or intent to compose neatly,
which an orator requires, but to express myself readily and plainly as
it happens. So that as a river runs sometimes precipitate and swift,
then dull and slow; now direct, then per ambages, now deep, then
shallow; now muddy, then clear; now broad, then narrow; doth my style
flow: now serious, then light; now comical, then satirical; now more
elaborate, then remiss, as the present subject required, or as at that
time I was affected. And if thou vouchsafe to read this treatise, it
shall seem no otherwise to thee, than the way to an ordinary traveller,
sometimes fair, sometimes foul; here champaign, there enclosed; barren,
in one place, better soil in another: by woods, groves, hills, dales,
plains, &c. I shall lead thee per ardua montium, et lubrica valllum, et
roscida cespitum, et [147]glebosa camporum, through variety of objects,
that which thou shalt like and surely dislike.
For the matter itself or method, if it be faulty, consider I pray you
that of Columella, Nihil perfectum, aut a singulari consummatum
industria, no man can observe all, much is defective no doubt, may be
justly taxed, altered, and avoided in Galen, Aristotle, those great
masters. Boni venatoris ([148]one holds) plures feras capere, non
omnes; he is a good huntsman can catch some, not all: I have done my
endeavour. Besides, I dwell not in this study, Non hic sulcos ducimus,
non hoc pulvere desudamus, I am but a smatterer, I confess, a stranger,
[149]here and there I pull a flower; I do easily grant, if a rigid
censurer should criticise on this which I have writ, he should not find
three sole faults, as Scaliger in Terence, but three hundred. So many
as he hath done in Cardan's subtleties, as many notable errors as
[150]Gul Laurembergius, a late professor of Rostock, discovers in that
anatomy of Laurentius, or Barocius the Venetian in Sacro boscus. And
although this be a sixth edition, in which I should have been more
accurate, corrected all those former escapes, yet it was magni laboris
opus, so difficult and tedious, that as carpenters do find out of
experience, 'tis much better build a new sometimes, than repair an old
house; I could as soon write as much more, as alter that which is
written. If aught therefore be amiss (as I grant there is), I require a
friendly admonition, no bitter invective, [151]Sint musis socii
Charites, Furia omnis abesto, otherwise, as in ordinary controversies,
funem contentionis nectamus, sed cui bono? We may contend, and likely
misuse each other, but to what purpose? We are both scholars, say,
[152]———Arcades ambo
Et Cantare pares, et respondere parati.
Both young Arcadians, both alike inspir'd
To sing and answer as the song requir'd.
If we do wrangle, what shall we get by it? Trouble and wrong ourselves,
make sport to others. If I be convict of an error, I will yield, I will
amend. Si quid bonis moribus, si quid veritati dissentaneum, in sacris
vel humanis literis a me dictum sit, id nec dictum esto. In the mean
time I require a favourable censure of all faults omitted, harsh
compositions, pleonasms of words, tautological repetitions (though
Seneca bear me out, nunquam nimis dicitur, quod nunquam satis dicitur)
perturbations of tenses, numbers, printers' faults, &c. My translations
are sometimes rather paraphrases than interpretations, non ad verbum,
but as an author, I use more liberty, and that's only taken which was
to my purpose. Quotations are often inserted in the text, which makes
the style more harsh, or in the margin, as it happened. Greek authors,
Plato, Plutarch, Athenaeus, &c., I have cited out of their
interpreters, because the original was not so ready. I have mingled
sacra prophanis, but I hope not profaned, and in repetition of authors'
names, ranked them per accidens, not according to chronology; sometimes
neoterics before ancients, as my memory suggested. Some things are here
altered, expunged in this sixth edition, others amended, much added,
because many good [153]authors in all kinds are come to my hands since,
and 'tis no prejudice, no such indecorum, or oversight.
[154]Nunquam ita quicquam bene subducta ratione ad vitam fuit,
Quin res, aetas, usus, semper aliquid apportent novi,
Aliquid moneant, ut illa quae scire te credas, nescias,
Et quae tibi putaris prima, in exercendo ut repudias.
Ne'er was ought yet at first contriv'd so fit,
But use, age, or something would alter it;
Advise thee better, and, upon peruse,
Make thee not say, and what thou tak'st refuse.
But I am now resolved never to put this treatise out again, Ne quid
nimis, I will not hereafter add, alter, or retract; I have done. The
last and greatest exception is, that I, being a divine, have meddled
with physic,
[155]Tantumne est ab re tua otii tibi,
Aliena ut cures, eaque nihil quae ad te attinent.
Which Menedemus objected to Chremes; have I so much leisure, or little
business of mine own, as to look after other men's matters which
concern me not? What have I to do with physic? Quod medicorum est
promittant medici. The [156]Lacedaemonians were once in counsel about
state matters, a debauched fellow spake excellent well, and to the
purpose, his speech was generally approved: a grave senator steps up,
and by all means would have it repealed, though good, because
dehonestabatur pessimo auctore, it had no better an author; let some
good man relate the same, and then it should pass. This counsel was
embraced, factum est, and it was registered forthwith, Et sic bona
sententia mansit, malus auctor mutatus est. Thou sayest as much of me,
stomachosus as thou art, and grantest, peradventure, this which I have
written in physic, not to be amiss, had another done it, a professed
physician, or so, but why should I meddle with this tract? Hear me
speak. There be many other subjects, I do easily grant, both in
humanity and divinity, fit to be treated of, of which had I written ad
ostentationem only, to show myself, I should have rather chosen, and in
which I have been more conversant, I could have more willingly
luxuriated, and better satisfied myself and others; but that at this
time I was fatally driven upon this rock of melancholy, and carried
away by this by-stream, which, as a rillet, is deducted from the main
channel of my studies, in which I have pleased and busied myself at
idle hours, as a subject most necessary and commodious. Not that I
prefer it before divinity, which I do acknowledge to be the queen of
professions, and to which all the rest are as handmaids, but that in
divinity I saw no such great need. For had I written positively, there
be so many books in that kind, so many commentators, treatises,
pamphlets, expositions, sermons, that whole teams of oxen cannot draw
them; and had I been as forward and ambitious as some others, I might
have haply printed a sermon at Paul's Cross, a sermon in St. Marie's
Oxon, a sermon in Christ Church, or a sermon before the right
honourable, right reverend, a sermon before the right worshipful, a
sermon in Latin, in English, a sermon with a name, a sermon without, a
sermon, a sermon, &c. But I have been ever as desirous to suppress my
labours in this kind, as others have been to press and publish theirs.
To have written in controversy had been to cut off an hydra's head,
[157]Lis litem generat, one begets another, so many duplications,
triplications, and swarms of questions. In sacro bello hoc quod stili
mucrone agitur, that having once begun, I should never make an end. One
had much better, as [158]Alexander, the sixth pope, long since
observed, provoke a great prince than a begging friar, a Jesuit, or a
seminary priest, I will add, for inexpugnabile genus hoc hominum, they
are an irrefragable society, they must and will have the last word; and
that with such eagerness, impudence, abominable lying, falsifying, and
bitterness in their questions they proceed, that as he [159]said,
furorne caecus, an rapit vis acrior, an culpa, responsum date? Blind
fury, or error, or rashness, or what it is that eggs them, I know not,
I am sure many times, which [160]Austin perceived long since,
tempestate contentionis, serenitas charitatis obnubilatur, with this
tempest of contention, the serenity of charity is overclouded, and
there be too many spirits conjured up already in this kind in all
sciences, and more than we can tell how to lay, which do so furiously
rage, and keep such a racket, that as [161]Fabius said, It had been
much better for some of them to have been born dumb, and altogether
illiterate, than so far to dote to their own destruction.
At melius fuerat non scribere, namque tacere
Tutum semper erit,———[162]
'Tis a general fault, so Severinus the Dane complains [163]in physic,
unhappy men as we are, we spend our days in unprofitable questions and
disputations, intricate subtleties, de lana caprina about moonshine in
the water, leaving in the mean time those chiefest treasures of nature
untouched, wherein the best medicines for all manner of diseases are to
be found, and do not only neglect them ourselves, but hinder, condemn,
forbid, and scoff at others, that are willing to inquire after them.
These motives at this present have induced me to make choice of this
medicinal subject.
If any physician in the mean time shall infer, Ne sutor ultra crepidam,
and find himself grieved that I have intruded into his profession, I
will tell him in brief, I do not otherwise by them, than they do by us.
If it be for their advantage, I know many of their sect which have
taken orders, in hope of a benefice, 'tis a common transition, and why
may not a melancholy divine, that can get nothing but by simony,
profess physic? Drusianus an Italian (Crusianus, but corruptly,
Trithemius calls him) [164]because he was not fortunate in his
practice, forsook his profession, and writ afterwards in divinity.
Marcilius Ficinus was semel et simul; a priest and a physician at once,
and [165]T. Linacer in his old age took orders. The Jesuits profess
both at this time, divers of them permissu superiorum, chirurgeons,
panders, bawds, and midwives, &c. Many poor country-vicars, for want of
other means, are driven to their shifts; to turn mountebanks,
quacksalvers, empirics, and if our greedy patrons hold us to such hard
conditions, as commonly they do, they will make most of us work at some
trade, as Paul did, at last turn taskers, maltsters, costermongers,
graziers, sell ale as some have done, or worse. Howsoever in
undertaking this task, I hope I shall commit no great error or
indecorum, if all be considered aright, I can vindicate myself with
Georgius Braunus, and Hieronymus Hemingius, those two learned divines;
who (to borrow a line or two of mine [166]elder brother) drawn by a
natural love, the one of pictures and maps, prospectives and
chorographical delights, writ that ample theatre of cities; the other
to the study of genealogies, penned theatrum genealogicum. Or else I
can excuse my studies with [167]Lessius the Jesuit in like case. It is
a disease of the soul on which I am to treat, and as much appertaining
to a divine as to a physician, and who knows not what an agreement
there is betwixt these two professions? A good divine either is or
ought to be a good physician, a spiritual physician at least, as our
Saviour calls himself, and was indeed, Mat. iv. 23; Luke, v. 18; Luke,
vii. 8. They differ but in object, the one of the body, the other of
the soul, and use divers medicines to cure; one amends animam per
corpus, the other corpus per animam as [168]our Regius Professor of
physic well informed us in a learned lecture of his not long since. One
helps the vices and passions of the soul, anger, lust, desperation,
pride, presumption, &c. by applying that spiritual physic; as the other
uses proper remedies in bodily diseases. Now this being a common
infirmity of body and soul, and such a one that hath as much need of
spiritual as a corporal cure, I could not find a fitter task to busy
myself about, a more apposite theme, so necessary, so commodious, and
generally concerning all sorts of men, that should so equally
participate of both, and require a whole physician. A divine in this
compound mixed malady can do little alone, a physician in some kinds of
melancholy much less, both make an absolute cure.
[169]Alterius sic altera poscit opem.
———when in friendship joined
A mutual succour in each other find.