filthy lucre, and covetousness of money. In foedissimum lucrum et
avaritiam hominum convertitur, as Daneus observes. Fons fraudum et
maleficiorum, 'tis the fountain of cozenage and villainy. [3294]A thing
so common all over Europe at this day, and so generally abused, that
many men are utterly undone by it, their means spent, patrimonies
consumed, they and their posterity beggared; besides swearing,
wrangling, drinking, loss of time, and such inconveniences, which are
ordinary concomitants: [3295]for when once they have got a haunt of
such companies, and habit of gaming, they can hardly be drawn from it,
but as an itch it will tickle them, and as it is with whoremasters,
once entered, they cannot easily leave it off: Vexat mentes insania
cupido, they are mad upon their sport. And in conclusion (which Charles
the Seventh, that good French king, published in an edict against
gamesters) unde piae et hilaris vitae, suffugium sibi suisque liberis,
totique familiae, &c. That which was once their livelihood, should have
maintained wife, children, family, is now spent and gone; maeror et
egestas, &c., sorrow and beggary succeeds. So good things may be
abused, and that which was first invented to [3296] refresh men's weary
spirits, when they come from other labours and studies to exhilarate
the mind, to entertain time and company, tedious otherwise in those
long solitary winter nights, and keep them from worse matters, an
honest exercise is contrarily perverted.
Chess-play is a good and witty exercise of the mind for some kind of
men, and fit for such melancholy, Rhasis holds, as are idle, and have
extravagant impertinent thoughts, or troubled with cares, nothing
better to distract their mind, and alter their meditations: invented
(some say) by the [3297]general of an army in a famine, to keep
soldiers from mutiny: but if it proceed from overmuch study, in such a
case it may do more harm than good; it is a game too troublesome for
some men's brains, too full of anxiety, all out as bad as study;
besides it is a testy choleric game, and very offensive to him that
loseth the mate. [3298]William the Conqueror, in his younger years,
playing at chess with the Prince of France (Dauphine was not annexed to
that crown in those days) losing a mate, knocked the chess-board about
his pate, which was a cause afterward of much enmity between them. For
some such reason it is belike, that Patritius, in his 3. book, tit. 12.
de reg. instit. forbids his prince to play at chess; hawking and
hunting, riding, &c. he will allow; and this to other men, but by no
means to him. In Muscovy, where they live in stoves and hot houses all
winter long, come seldom or little abroad, it is again very necessary,
and therefore in those parts, (saith [3299]Herbastein) much used. At
Fez in Africa, where the like inconvenience of keeping within doors is
through heat, it is very laudable; and (as [3300]Leo Afer relates) as
much frequented. A sport fit for idle gentlewomen, soldiers in
garrison, and courtiers that have nought but love matters to busy
themselves about, but not altogether so convenient for such as are
students. The like I may say of Col. Bruxer's philosophy game, D.
Fulke's Metromachia and his Ouronomachia, with the rest of those
intricate astrological and geometrical fictions, for such especially as
are mathematically given; and the rest of those curious games.
Dancing, singing, masking, mumming, stage plays, howsoever they be
heavily censured by some severe Catos, yet if opportunely and soberly
used, may justly be approved. Melius est foedere, quam saltare,
[3301]saith Austin: but what is that if they delight in it? [3302]Nemo
saltat sobrius. But in what kind of dance? I know these sports have
many oppugners, whole volumes writ against them; when as all they say
(if duly considered) is but ignoratio Elenchi; and some again, because
they are now cold and wayward, past themselves, cavil at all such
youthful sports in others, as he did in the comedy; they think them,
illico nasci senes, &c. Some out of preposterous zeal object many times
trivial arguments, and because of some abuse, will quite take away the
good use, as if they should forbid wine because it makes men drunk; but
in my judgment they are too stern: there is a time for all things, a
time to mourn, a time to dance, Eccles. iii. 4. a time to embrace, a
time not to embrace, (verse 5.) and nothing better than that a man
should rejoice in his own works, verse 22; for my part, I will
subscribe to the king's declaration, and was ever of that mind, those
May games, wakes, and Whitsun ales, &c., if they be not at unseasonable
hours, may justly be permitted. Let them freely feast, sing and dance,
have their puppet-plays, hobby-horses, tabors, crowds, bagpipes, &c.,
play at ball, and barley-breaks, and what sports and recreations they
like best. In Franconia, a province of Germany, (saith [3303]Aubanus
Bohemus) the old folks, after evening prayer, went to the alehouse, the
younger sort to dance: and to say truth with [3304]Salisburiensis,
satius fuerat sic otiari, quam turpius occupari, better to do so than
worse, as without question otherwise (such is the corruption of man's
nature) many of them will do. For that cause, plays, masks, jesters,
gladiators, tumblers, jugglers, &c., and all that crew is admitted and
winked at: [3305]Tota jocularium scena procedit, et ideo spectacula
admissa sunt, et infinita tyrocinia vanitatum, ut his occupentur, qui
perniciosius otiari solent: that they might be busied about such toys,
that would otherwise more perniciously be idle. So that as
[3306]Tacitus said of the astrologers in Rome, we may say of them,
genus hominum est quod in civitate nostra et vitabitur semper et
retinebitur, they are a debauched company most part, still spoken
against, as well they deserve some of them (for I so relish and
distinguish them as fiddlers, and musicians), and yet ever retained.
Evil is not to be done (I confess) that good may come of it: but this
is evil per accidens, and in a qualified sense, to avoid a greater
inconvenience, may justly be tolerated. Sir Thomas More, in his Utopian
Commonwealth, [3307]as he will have none idle, so will he have no man
labour over hard, to be toiled out like a horse, 'tis more than slavish
infelicity, the life of most of our hired servants and tradesmen
elsewhere (excepting his Utopians) but half the day allotted for work,
and half for honest recreation, or whatsoever employment they shall
think fit for themselves. If one half day in a week were allowed to our
household servants for their merry meetings, by their hard masters, or
in a year some feasts, like those Roman Saturnals, I think they would
labour harder all the rest of their time, and both parties be better
pleased: but this needs not (you will say), for some of them do nought
but loiter all the week long.
This which I aim at, is for such as are fracti animis, troubled in
mind, to ease them, over-toiled on the one part, to refresh: over idle
on the other, to keep themselves busied. And to this purpose, as any
labour or employment will serve to the one, any honest recreation will
conduce to the other, so that it be moderate and sparing, as the use of
meat and drink; not to spend all their life in gaming, playing, and
pastimes, as too many gentlemen do; but to revive our bodies and
recreate our souls with honest sports: of which as there be diverse
sorts, and peculiar to several callings, ages, sexes, conditions, so
there be proper for several seasons, and those of distinct natures, to
fit that variety of humours which is amongst them, that if one will
not, another may: some in summer, some in winter, some gentle, some
more violent, some for the mind alone, some for the body and mind: (as
to some it is both business and a pleasant recreation to oversee
workmen of all sorts, husbandry, cattle, horses, &c. To build, plot,
project, to make models, cast up accounts, &c.) some without, some
within doors; new, old, &c., as the season serveth, and as men are
inclined. It is reported of Philippus Bonus, that good duke of Burgundy
(by Lodovicus Vives, in Epist. and Pont. [3308]Heuter in his history)
that the said duke, at the marriage of Eleonora, sister to the king of
Portugal, at Bruges in Flanders, which was solemnised in the deep of
winter, when, as by reason of unseasonable weather, he could neither
hawk nor hunt, and was now tired with cards, dice, &c., and such other
domestic sports, or to see ladies dance, with some of his courtiers, he
would in the evening walk disguised all about the town. It so fortuned,
as he was walking late one night, he found a country fellow dead drunk,
snorting on a bulk; [3309]he caused his followers to bring him to his
palace, and there stripping him of his old clothes, and attiring him
after the court fashion, when he waked, he and they were all ready to
attend upon his excellency, persuading him he was some great duke. The
poor fellow admiring how he came there, was served in state all the day
long; after supper he saw them dance, heard music, and the rest of
those court-like pleasures: but late at night, when he was well
tippled, and again fast asleep, they put on his old robes, and so
conveyed him to the place where they first found him. Now the fellow
had not made them so good sport the day before as he did when he
returned to himself; all the jest was, to see how he [3310]looked upon
it. In conclusion, after some little admiration, the poor man told his
friends he had seen a vision, constantly believed it, would not
otherwise be persuaded, and so the jest ended. [3311]Antiochus
Epiphanes would often disguise himself, steal from his court, and go
into merchants', goldsmiths', and other tradesmen's shops, sit and talk
with them, and sometimes ride or walk alone, and fall aboard with any
tinker, clown, serving man, carrier, or whomsoever he met first.
Sometimes he did ex insperato give a poor fellow money, to see how he
would look, or on set purpose lose his purse as he went, to watch who
found it, and withal how he would be affected, and with such objects he
was much delighted. Many such tricks are ordinarily put in practice by
great men, to exhilarate themselves and others, all which are harmless
jests, and have their good uses.
But amongst those exercises, or recreations of the mind within doors,
there is none so general, so aptly to be applied to all sorts of men,
so fit and proper to expel idleness and melancholy, as that of study:
Studia, senectutem oblectant, adolescentiam, alunt, secundas res
ornant, adversis perfugium et solatium praebent, domi delectant, &c.,
find the rest in Tully pro Archia Poeta. [3312]What so full of content,
as to read, walk, and see maps, pictures, statues, jewels, marbles,
which some so much magnify, as those that Phidias made of old so
exquisite and pleasing to be beheld, that as [3313]Chrysostom thinketh,
if any man be sickly, troubled in mind, or that cannot sleep for grief,
and shall but stand over against one of Phidias' images, he will forget
all care, or whatsoever else may molest him, in an instant? There be
those as much taken with Michael Angelo's, Raphael de Urbino's,
Francesco Francia's pieces, and many of those Italian and Dutch
painters, which were excellent in their ages; and esteem of it as a
most pleasing sight, to view those neat architectures, devices,
escutcheons, coats of arms, read such books, to peruse old coins of
several sorts in a fair gallery; artificial works, perspective glasses,
old relics, Roman antiquities, variety of colours. A good picture is
falsa veritas, et muta poesis: and though (as [3314]Vives saith)
artificialia delectant, sed mox fastidimus, artificial toys please but
for a time; yet who is he that will not be moved with them for the
present? When Achilles was tormented and sad for the loss of his dear
friend Patroclus, his mother Thetis brought him a most elaborate and
curious buckler made by Vulcan, in which were engraven sun, moon,
stars, planets, sea, land, men fighting, running, riding, women
scolding, hills, dales, towns, castles, brooks, rivers, trees, &c.,
with many pretty landscapes, and perspective pieces: with sight of
which he was infinitely delighted, and much eased of his grief.
[3315]Continuo eo spectaculo captus delenito maerore
Oblectabatur, in manibus tenens dei splendida dona.
Who will not be affected so in like case, or see those well-furnished
cloisters and galleries of the Roman cardinals, so richly stored with
all modern pictures, old statues and antiquities? Cum se—spectando
recreet simul et legendo, to see their pictures alone and read the
description, as [3316]Boisardus well adds, whom will it not affect?
which Bozius, Pomponius, Laetus, Marlianus, Schottus, Cavelerius,
Ligorius, &c., and he himself hath well performed of late. Or in some
prince's cabinets, like that of the great dukes in Florence, of Felix
Platerus in Basil, or noblemen's houses, to see such variety of
attires, faces, so many, so rare, and such exquisite pieces, of men,
birds, beasts, &c., to see those excellent landscapes, Dutch works, and
curious cuts of Sadlier of Prague, Albertus Durer, Goltzius Vrintes,
&c., such pleasant pieces of perspective, Indian pictures made of
feathers, China works, frames, thaumaturgical motions, exotic toys, &c.
Who is he that is now wholly overcome with idleness, or otherwise
involved in a labyrinth of worldly cares, troubles and discontents,
that will not be much lightened in his mind by reading of some enticing
story, true or feigned, whereas in a glass he shall observe what our
forefathers have done, the beginnings, ruins, falls, periods of
commonwealths, private men's actions displayed to the life, &c. [3317]
Plutarch therefore calls them, secundas mensas et bellaria, the second
course and junkets, because they were usually read at noblemen's
feasts. Who is not earnestly affected with a passionate speech, well
penned, an elegant poem, or some pleasant bewitching discourse, like
that of [3318] Heliodorus, ubi oblectatio quaedam placide fuit, cum
hilaritate conjuncta? Julian the Apostate was so taken with an oration
of Libanius, the sophister, that, as he confesseth, he could not be
quiet till he had read it all out. Legi orationem tuam magna ex parte,
hesterna die ante prandium, pransus vero sine ulla intermissione totam
absolvi.[3319]O argumenta! O compositionem! I may say the same of this
or that pleasing tract, which will draw his attention along with it. To
most kind of men it is an extraordinary delight to study. For what a
world of books offers itself, in all subjects, arts, and sciences, to
the sweet content and capacity of the reader? In arithmetic, geometry,
perspective, optics, astronomy, architecture, sculpture, painting, of
which so many and such elaborate treatises are of late written: in
mechanics and their mysteries, military matters, navigation,
[3320]riding of horses, [3321]fencing, swimming, gardening, planting,
great tomes of husbandry, cookery, falconry, hunting, fishing, fowling,
&c., with exquisite pictures of all sports, games, and what not? In
music, metaphysics, natural and moral philosophy, philology, in policy,
heraldry, genealogy, chronology, &c., they afford great tomes, or those
studies of [3322]antiquity, &c., et [3323]quid subtilius Arithmeticis
inventionibus, quid jucundius Musicis rationibus, quid divinius
Astronomicis, quid rectius Geometricis demonstrationibus? What so sure,
what so pleasant? He that shall but see that geometrical tower of
Garezenda at Bologna in Italy, the steeple and clock at Strasburg, will
admire the effects of art, or that engine of Archimedes, to remove the
earth itself, if he had but a place to fasten his instrument:
Archimedes Coclea, and rare devices to corrivate waters, musical
instruments, and tri-syllable echoes again, again, and again repeated,
with myriads of such. What vast tomes are extant in law, physic, and
divinity, for profit, pleasure, practice, speculation, in verse or
prose, &c.! their names alone are the subject of whole volumes, we have
thousands of authors of all sorts, many great libraries full well
furnished, like so many dishes of meat, served out for several palates;
and he is a very block that is affected with none of them. Some take an
infinite delight to study the very languages wherein these books are
written, Hebrew, Greek, Syriac, Chaldee, Arabic, &c. Methinks it would
please any man to look upon a geographical map, [3324]sauvi animum
delectatione allicere, ob incredibilem rerum varietatem et
jucunditatem, et ad pleniorem sui cognitionem excitare, chorographical,
topographical delineations, to behold, as it were, all the remote
provinces, towns, cities of the world, and never to go forth of the
limits of his study, to measure by the seale and compass their extent,
distance, examine their site. Charles the Great, as Platina writes, had
three fair silver tables, in one of which superficies was a large map
of Constantinople, in the second Rome neatly engraved, in the third an
exquisite description of the whole world, and much delight he took in
them. What greater pleasure can there now be, than to view those
elaborate maps of Ortelius, [3325]Mercator, Hondius, &c.? To peruse
those books of cities, put out by Braunus and Hogenbergius? To read
those exquisite descriptions of Maginus, Munster, Herrera, Laet,
Merula, Boterus, Leander, Albertus, Camden, Leo Afer, Adricomius, Nic.
Gerbelius, &c.? Those famous expeditions of Christoph. Columbus,
Americus Vespucius, Marcus Polus the Venetian, Lod. Vertomannus,
Aloysius Cadamustus, &c.? Those accurate diaries of Portuguese,
Hollanders, of Bartison, Oliver a Nort, &c. Hakluyt's voyages, Pet.
Martyr's Decades, Benzo, Lerius, Linschoten's relations, those
Hodoeporicons of Jod. a Meggen, Brocard the monk, Bredenbachius, Jo.
Dublinius, Sands, &c., to Jerusalem, Egypt, and other remote places of
the world? those pleasant itineraries of Paulus Hentzerus, Jodocus
Sincerus, Dux Polonus, &c., to read Bellonius' observations, P. Gillius
his surveys; those parts of America, set out, and curiously cut in
pictures, by Fratres a Bry. To see a well-cut herbal, herbs, trees,
flowers, plants, all vegetables expressed in their proper colours to
the life, as that of Matthiolus upon Dioscorides, Delacampius, Lobel,
Bauhinus, and that last voluminous and mighty herbal of Beslar of
Nuremberg, wherein almost every plant is to his own bigness. To see
birds, beasts, and fishes of the sea, spiders, gnats, serpents, flies,
&c., all creatures set out by the same art, and truly expressed in
lively colours, with an exact description of their natures, virtues,
qualities, &c., as hath been accurately performed by Aelian, Gesner,
Ulysses Aldrovandus, Bellonius, Rondoletius, Hippolitus Salvianus, &c.
[3326]Arcana coeli, naturae secreta, ordinem universi scire majoris
felicitatis et dulcedinis est, quam cogitatione quis assequi possit,
aut mortalis sperare. What more pleasing studies can there be than the
mathematics, theoretical or practical parts? as to survey land, make
maps, models, dials, &c., with which I was ever much delighted myself.
Tails est Mathematum pulchritudo (saith [3327] Plutarch) ut his
indignum sit divitiarum phaleras istas et bullas, et puellaria
spectacula comparari; such is the excellency of these studies, that all
those ornaments and childish bubbles of wealth, are not worthy to be
compared to them: credi mihi ( [3328]saith one) extingui dulce erit
Mathematicarum artium studio, I could even live and die with such
meditation, [3329]and take more delight, true content of mind in them,
than thou hast in all thy wealth and sport, how rich soever thou art.
And as [3330]Cardan well seconds me, Honorificum magis est et gloriosum
haec intelligere, quam provinciis praeesse, formosum aut ditem juvenem
esse. [3331]The like pleasure there is in all other studies, to such as
are truly addicted to them, [3332]ea suavitas (one holds) ut cum quis
ea degustaverit, quasi poculis Circeis captus, non possit unquam ab
illis divelli; the like sweetness, which as Circe's cup bewitcheth a
student, he cannot leave off, as well may witness those many laborious
hours, days and nights, spent in the voluminous treatises written by
them; the same content. [3333]Julius Scaliger was so much affected with
poetry, that he brake out into a pathetical protestation, he had rather
be the author of twelve verses in Lucan, or such an ode in
[3334]Horace, than emperor of Germany. [3335]Nicholas Gerbelius, that
good old man, was so much ravished with a few Greek authors restored to
light, with hope and desire of enjoying the rest, that he exclaims
forthwith, Arabibus atque Indis omnibus erimus ditiores, we shall be
richer than all the Arabic or Indian princes; of such [3336]esteem they
were with him, incomparable worth and value. Seneca prefers Zeno and
Chrysippus, two doting stoics (he was so much enamoured of their
works), before any prince or general of an army; and Orontius, the
mathematician, so far admires Archimedes, that he calls him Divinum et
homine majorem, a petty god, more than a man; and well he might, for
aught I see, if you respect fame or worth. Pindarus, of Thebes, is as
much renowned for his poems, as Epaminondas, Pelopidas, Hercules or
Bacchus, his fellow citizens, for their warlike actions; et si famam
respicias, non pauciores Aristotelis quam Alexandri meminerunt (as
Cardan notes), Aristotle is more known than Alexander; for we have a
bare relation of Alexander's deeds, but Aristotle, totus vivit in
monumentis, is whole in his works: yet I stand not upon this; the
delight is it, which I aim at, so great pleasure, such sweet content
there is in study. [3337]King James, 1605, when he came to see our
University of Oxford, and amongst other edifices now went to view that
famous library, renewed by Sir Thomas Bodley, in imitation of
Alexander, at his departure brake out into that noble speech, If I were
not a king, I would be a university man: [3338] and if it were so that
I must be a prisoner, if I might have my wish, I would desire to have
no other prison than that library, and to be chained together with so
many good authors et mortuis magistris. So sweet is the delight of
study, the more learning they have (as he that hath a dropsy, the more
he drinks the thirstier he is) the more they covet to learn, and the
last day is prioris discipulus; harsh at first learning is, radices
amarcae, but fractus dulces, according to that of Isocrates, pleasant
at last; the longer they live, the more they are enamoured with the
Muses. Heinsius, the keeper of the library at Leyden in Holland, was
mewed up in it all the year long: and that which to thy thinking should
have bred a loathing, caused in him a greater liking. [3339]I no sooner
(saith he) come into the library, but I bolt the door to me, excluding
lust, ambition, avarice, and all such vices, whose nurse is idleness,
the mother of ignorance, and melancholy herself, and in the very lap of
eternity, amongst so many divine souls, I take my seat, with so lofty a
spirit and sweet content, that I pity all our great ones, and rich men
that know not this happiness. I am not ignorant in the meantime
(notwithstanding this which I have said) how barbarously and basely,
for the most part, our ruder gentry esteem of libraries and books, how
they neglect and contemn so great a treasure, so inestimable a benefit,
as Aesop's cock did the jewel he found in the dunghill; and all through
error, ignorance, and want of education. And 'tis a wonder, withal, to
observe how much they will vainly cast away in unnecessary expenses,
quot modis pereant (saith [3340]Erasmus) magnatibus pecuniae, quantum
absumant alea, scorta, compotationes, profectiones non necessariae,
pompae, bella quaesita, ambitio, colax, morio, ludio, &c., what in
hawks, hounds, lawsuits, vain building, gormandising, drinking, sports,
plays, pastimes, &c. If a well-minded man to the Muses, would sue to
some of them for an exhibition, to the farther maintenance or
enlargement of such a work, be it college, lecture, library, or
whatsoever else may tend to the advancement of learning, they are so
unwilling, so averse, that they had rather see these which are already,
with such cost and care erected, utterly ruined, demolished or
otherwise employed; for they repine many and grudge at such gifts and
revenues so bestowed: and therefore it were in vain, as Erasmus well
notes, vel ab his, vel a negotiatoribus qui se Mammonae dediderunt,
improbum fortasse tale officium exigere, to solicit or ask anything of
such men that are likely damned to riches; to this purpose. For my part
I pity these men, stultos jubeo esse libenter, let them go as they are,
in the catalogue of Ignoramus. How much, on the other side, are all we
bound that are scholars, to those munificent Ptolemies, bountiful
Maecenases, heroical patrons, divine spirits,
[3341]———qui nobis haec otio fecerunt, namque erit ille mihi semper
Deus———
These blessings, friend, a Deity bestow'd,
For never can I deem him less than God.
that have provided for us so many well-furnished libraries, as well in
our public academies in most cities, as in our private colleges? How
shall I remember [3342]Sir Thomas Bodley, amongst the rest, [3343]Otho
Nicholson, and the Right Reverend John Williams, Lord Bishop of Lincoln
(with many other pious acts), who besides that at St. John's College in
Cambridge, that in Westminster, is now likewise in Fieri with a library
at Lincoln (a noble precedent for all corporate towns and cities to
imitate), O quam te memorem (vir illustrissime) quibus elogiis? But to
my task again.
Whosoever he is therefore that is overrun with solitariness, or carried
away with pleasing melancholy and vain conceits, and for want of
employment knows not how to spend his time, or crucified with worldly
care, I can prescribe him no better remedy than this of study, to
compose himself to the learning of some art or science. Provided always
that this malady proceed not from overmuch study; for in such case he
adds fuel to the fire, and nothing can be more pernicious: let him take
heed he do not overstretch his wits, and make a skeleton of himself; or
such inamoratos as read nothing but play-books, idle poems, jests,
Amadis de Gaul, the Knight of the Sun, the Seven Champions, Palmerin de
Oliva, Huon of Bordeaux, &c. Such many times prove in the end as mad as
Don Quixote. Study is only prescribed to those that are otherwise idle,
troubled in mind, or carried headlong with vain thoughts and
imaginations, to distract their cogitations (although variety of study,
or some serious subject, would do the former no harm) and divert their
continual meditations another way. Nothing in this case better than
study; semper aliquid memoriter ediscant, saith Piso, let them learn
something without book, transcribe, translate, &c. Read the Scriptures,
which Hyperius, lib. 1. de quotid. script. lec. fol. 77. holds
available of itself, [3344]the mind is erected thereby from all worldly
cares, and hath much quiet and tranquillity. For as [3345]Austin well
hath it, 'tis scientia scientiarum, omni melle dulcior, omni pane
suavior, omni vino, hilarior: 'tis the best nepenthe, surest cordial,
sweetest alterative, presentest diverter: for neither as
[3346]Chrysostom well adds, those boughs and leaves of trees which are
plashed for cattle to stand under, in the heat of the day, in summer,
so much refresh them with their acceptable shade, as the reading of the
Scripture doth recreate and comfort a distressed soul, in sorrow and
affliction. Paul bids pray continually; quod cibus corpori, lectio
animae facit, saith Seneca, as meat is to the body, such is reading to
the soul. [3347]To be at leisure without books is another hell, and to
be buried alive. [3348]Cardan calls a library the physic of the soul;
[3349]divine authors fortify the mind, make men bold and constant; and
(as Hyperius adds) godly conference will not permit the mind to be
tortured with absurd cogitations. Rhasis enjoins continual conference
to such melancholy men, perpetual discourse of some history, tale,
poem, news, &c., alternos sermones edere ac bibere, aeque jucundum quam
cibus, sive potus, which feeds the mind as meat and drink doth the
body, and pleaseth as much: and therefore the said Rhasis, not without
good cause, would have somebody still talk seriously, or dispute with
them, and sometimes [3350]to cavil and wrangle (so that it break not
out to a violent perturbation), for such altercation is like stirring
of a dead fire to make it burn afresh, it whets a dull spirit, and will
not suffer the mind to be drowned in those profound cogitations, which
melancholy men are commonly troubled with. [3351]Ferdinand and
Alphonsus, kings of Arragon and Sicily, were both cured by reading the
history, one of Curtius, the other of Livy, when no prescribed physic
would take place. [3352]Camerarius relates as much of Lorenzo de'
Medici. Heathen philosophers arc so full of divine precepts in this
kind, that, as some think, they alone are able to settle a distressed
mind. [3353]Sunt verba et voces, quibus hunc lenire dolorem, &c.
Epictetus, Plutarch, and Seneca; qualis ille, quae tela, saith Lipsius,
adversus omnes animi casus administrat, et ipsam mortem, quomodo vitia
eripit, infert virtutes? when I read Seneca, [3354]methinks I am beyond
all human fortunes, on the top of a hill above mortality. Plutarch
saith as much of Homer, for which cause belike Niceratus, in Xenophon,
was made by his parents to con Homer's Iliads and Odysseys without
book, ut in virum bonum evaderet, as well to make him a good and honest
man, as to avoid idleness. If this comfort be got from philosophy, what
shall be had from divinity? What shall Austin, Cyprian, Gregory,
Bernard's divine meditations afford us?
[3355]Qui quid sit pulchrum, quid turpe, quid utile, quid non,
Plenius et melius Chrysippo et Crantore dicunt.