other, must first rectify these passions and perturbations of the mind:
the chiefest cure consists in them. A quiet mind is that voluptas, or
summum bonum of Epicurus, non dolere, curis vacare, animo tranquillo
esse, not to grieve, but to want cares, and have a quiet soul, is the
only pleasure of the world, as Seneca truly recites his opinion, not
that of eating and drinking, which injurious Aristotle maliciously puts
upon him, and for which he is still mistaken, male audit et vapulat,
slandered without a cause, and lashed by all posterity. [3400]Fear and
sorrow, therefore, are especially to be avoided, and the mind to be
mitigated with mirth, constancy, good hope; vain terror, bad objects
are to be removed, and all such persons in whose companies they be not
well pleased. Gualter Bruel. Fernelius, consil. 43. Mercurialis,
consil. 6. Piso, Jacchinus, cap. 15. in 9. Rhasis, Capivaccius,
Hildesheim, &c., all inculcate this as an especial means of their cure,
that their [3401]minds be quietly pacified, vain conceits diverted, if
it be possible, with terrors, cares, [3402] fixed studies, cogitations,
and whatsoever it is that shall any way molest or trouble the soul,
because that otherwise there is no good to be done. [3403]The body's
mischiefs, as Plato proves, proceed from the soul: and if the mind be
not first satisfied, the body can never be cured. Alcibiades raves
(saith [3404]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 Lacedaemon, thence to Persia, thence to Samos, then again to
Athens; Critias tyranniseth over all the city; Sardanapalus is
lovesick; 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,
animae accidentia corrigantur, from which alone proceeds melancholy;
they are the fountain, the subject, the hinges whereon it turns, and
must necessarily be reformed. [3405]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 uttermost
of our power and most seriously, be removed. Aelianus Montaltus
attributes so much to them, [3406]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, &c., 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. tuend., 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, what
means? hic labor, hoc opus est. 'Tis a natural infirmity, a most
powerful adversary, all men are subject to passions, and melancholy
above all others, as being distempered by their innate humours,
abundance of choler adust, weakness of parts, outward occurrences; and
how shall they be avoided? The wisest men, greatest philosophers of
most excellent wit, reason, judgment, divine spirits, cannot moderate
themselves in this behalf; such as are sound in body and mind, Stoics,
heroes, Homer's gods, all are passionate, and furiously carried
sometimes; and how shall we that are already crazed, fracti animis,
sick in body, sick in mind, resist? we cannot perform it. You may
advise and give good precepts, as who cannot? But how shall they be put
in practice? I may not deny but our passions are violent, and tyrannise
of us, yet there be means to curb them; though they be headstrong, they
may be tamed, they may be qualified, if he himself or his friends will
but use their honest endeavours, or make use of such ordinary helps as
are commonly prescribed.
He himself (I say); from the patient himself the first and chiefest
remedy must be had; for if he be 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,
[3407]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 [3408]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 [3409]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.
[3410]Tu tamen interea effugito quae tristia mentem
Solicitant, procul esse jube curasque metumque
Pallentum, ultrices iras, sint omnia laeta.
In the meantime expel them from thy mind,
Pale fears, sad cares, and griefs which do it grind,
Revengeful anger, pain and discontent,
Let all thy soul be set on merriment.
Curas tolle 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 his mind with fond
imaginations, let him by all means avoid it; 'tis a bosom enemy, 'tis
delightsome melancholy, a friend in show, but a secret devil, a sweet
poison, it will in the end be his undoing; let him go presently, task
or set himself a work, get some good company. If he proceed, as a gnat
flies about a candle, so long till at length he burn his bodv, 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, &c., let him now begin to reform himself. It
would be a perfect remedy against all corruption, if, as [3411]Roger
Bacon hath it, we could but moderate ourselves in those six non-natural
things. [3412]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. [3413]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.
Yea, but you infer again, facile consilium damus aliis, we can easily
give counsel to others; every man, as the saying is, can tame a shrew
but he that hath her; si hic esses, aliter sentires; if you were in our
misery, you would find it otherwise, 'tis not so easily performed. We
know this to be true; we should moderate ourselves, but we are
furiously carried, we cannot make use of such precepts, we are
overcome, sick, male sani, distempered and habituated to these courses,
we can make no resistance; you may as well bid him that is diseased not
to feel pain, as a melancholy man not to fear, not to be sad: 'tis
within his blood, his brains, his whole temperature, it cannot be
removed. But he may choose whether he will give way too far unto it, he
may in some sort correct himself. A philosopher was bitten with a mad
dog, and as the nature of that disease is to abhor all waters, and
liquid things, and to think still they see the picture of a dog before
them: he went for all this, reluctante se, to the bath, and seeing
there (as he thought) 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, &c., 'tis not so, 'tis thy corrupt fantasy; settle thine
imagination, thou art well. Thou thinkest thou hast a great nose, thou
art sick, every man observes thee, laughs thee to scorn; persuade
thyself 'tis 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 mayst 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 [3414]Seneca
saith) nulli tam feri 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, &c., 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 which thou canst do, and
must do by compulsion; thou mayst refrain if thou wilt, and master
thine affections. [3415]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 not lay aside those vicious motions, and
the fantasy those fond imaginations, we have another form of government
to enforce and refrain our outward members, that they be not led by our
passions. If appetite will not obey, let the moving faculty overrule
her, let her resist and compel her to do otherwise. In an ague the
appetite would drink; sore eyes that itch would be rubbed; but reason
saith no, and therefore the moving faculty will not do it. Our fantasy
would intrude a thousand fears, suspicions, chimeras upon us, but we
have reason to resist, yet we let it be overborne by our appetite;
[3416]imagination enforceth spirits, which, by an admirable league of
nature, compel the nerves to obey, and they our several limbs: we give
too much way to our passions. And as to him that is sick of an ague,
all things are distasteful and unpleasant, non ex cibi vitio saith
Plutarch, not in the meat, but in our taste: so many things are
offensive to us, not of themselves, but out of our corrupt judgment,
jealousy, suspicion, and the like: we pull these mischiefs upon our own
heads.
If then our judgment be so depraved, our reason overruled, will
precipitated, that we cannot seek our own good, or moderate ourselves,
as in this disease commonly it is, the best way for ease is to impart
our misery to some friend, not to smother it up in our own breast:
aliter vitium crescitque tegendo, &c., and that which was most
offensive to us, a cause of fear and grief, quod nunc te coquit,
another hell; for [3417] strangulat inclusus dolor atque exaestuat
intus, grief concealed strangles the soul; but when as we shall but
impart it to some discreet, trusty, loving friend, it is
[3418]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 [3419]bull that is tied to a fig-tree becomes gentle on
a sudden (which some, saith [3420]Plutarch, interpret of good words),
so is a savage, obdurate heart mollified by fair speeches. All
adversity finds ease in complaining (as [3421]Isidore holds), and 'tis
a solace to relate it, [3422]Ἀγαθὴ δε παραίφασις ἐστὶν ἐταίρου.
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
saepe narratio, the simple narration many times easeth our distressed
mind, and in the midst of greatest extremities; so diverse have been
relieved, by [3423]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! [3424]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. [3425]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,
[3426]Nemo est meorum amicorum hodie,
Apud quem expromere occulta mea audeam.
and much inconvenience may both he and he 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, [3427]Semper habens Pylademque aliquem qui
curet Orestem, 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
coelum ascendisset, &c. as he said in [3428]Tully, if a man had gone to
heaven, seen the beauty of the skies, stars errant, fixed, &c.,
insuavis erit admiratio, it will do him no pleasure, except he have
somebody to impart what he hath seen. It is the best thing in the
world, as [3429]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
[3430]Comineus 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.
SUBSECT. II.—_Help from friends by counsel, comfort, fair and foul
means, witty devices, satisfaction, alteration of his course of life,
removing objects, &c._
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 is wanting. Suae erit humanitatis et sapientiae (which
[3431] Tully enjoineth in like case) siquid erratum, curare, aut
improvisum, sua diligentia corrigere. They must all join; nec satis
medico, saith [3432] Hippocrates, suum fecisse officium, nisi suum
quoque aegrotus, suum astantes, &c. 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 prescribe
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 aegros humjusmodi esse solos vel inter
ignotos, vel inter eos quos non amant aut negligunt, as Rod. a Fonseca,
tom. 1. consul. 35. prescribes. Lugentes custodire solemus (saith
[3433]Seneca) ne solitudine male utantur; we watch a sorrowful person,
lest he abuse his solitariness, 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 it be not in perpetual
action, ever employed, it will work upon itself, melancholise, 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, [3434]they must observe by his looks, gestures, motions, fantasy,
what it is that offends, and then to apply remedies unto him: many are
instantly cured, when their minds are satisfied. [3435]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 physic
restored to her former health. Trincavellius, consil. 12. lib. 1. hath
such a story of a Venetian, that being much troubled with melancholy,
[3436]and ready to die for grief, when he heard his wife was brought to
bed of a son, instantly recovered. As Alexander concludes, [3437]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, Solvitur malum,
give him satisfaction, the cure is ended; alter his course of life,
there needs no other physic. If the party be sad, or otherwise
affected, consider (saith [3438]Trallianus) the manner of it, all
circumstances, and forthwith make a sudden alteration, by removing the
occasions, avoid all terrible objects, heard or seen, [3439]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. [3440]Make not so much as mention of them in private talk, or a
dumb show tending to that purpose: such things (saith Galateus) are
offensive to their imaginations. And to those that are now in sorrow,
[3441]Seneca forbids all sad companions, and such as lament; a groaning
companion is an enemy to quietness. [3442]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 doth, is madder than the patient
himself: all things must be quietly composed; eversa non evertenda, sed
erigenda, things down must not be dejected, but reared, as Crato
counselleth; [3443] he must be quietly and gently used, and we should
not do anything against his mind, but by little and little effect it.
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 delighteth in it:
they must not be reformed ex abrupto, but by all art and insinuation,
made to such companies, aspects, objects they could not formerly away
with. Many at first cannot endure the sight of a green wound, a sick
man, which afterward become good chirurgeons, bold empirics: a horse
starts at a rotten post afar off, which coming near he quietly passeth.
'Tis 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 breathe 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, consil. 229. to the Earl of Montfort, a courtier, and his
melancholy patient, adviseth him to leave the court, by reason of those
continual discontents, crosses, abuses, [3444]cares, suspicions,
emulations, ambition, anger, jealousy, which that place afforded, and
which surely caused him to be so melancholy at the first: Maxima
quaeque domus servis est plena superbis; a company of scoffers and
proud jacks are commonly conversant and attend in such places, and able
to make any man that is of a soft, quiet disposition (as many times
they do) ex stulto 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 cito longe tarde: (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 to be overhasty
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, averse 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 dehort him, 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 betake 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, &c., if it
be possible, relieve him. If he desire aught, 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. [3445] Socrates, in Plato, would
prescribe no physic for Charmides' headache, till first he had eased
his troubled mind; body and soul must be cured together, as head and
eyes.
[3446]Oculum non curabis sine toto capite,
Nec caput sine toto corpora,
Nec totum corpus sine anima.