Part 52 (1/2)
Epicures, atheists, magicians, hypocrites, such as have cauterised consciences, or else are in a reprobate sense, worldly-secure, some philosophers, impenitent sinners, _Subs.
1._
or Distrustful, or too timorous, as desperate. In despair consider, Causes, _Subs. 2._ The devil and his allurements, rigid preachers, that wound their consciences, melancholy, contemplation, solitariness.
How melancholy and despair differ. Distrust, weakness of faith. Guilty conscience for offence committed, misunderstanding, &c.
Symptoms, _Subs. 3._ Fear, sorrow, anguish of mind, extreme tortures and horror of conscience, fearful dreams, conceits, visions, &c.
Prognostics; Blasphemy, violent death, _Subs. 4._
Cures, _Subs. 5._ Physic, as occasion serves, conference, not to be idle or alone. Good counsel, good company, all comforts and contents, &c. [_Subs. 6._]
THE THIRD PARt.i.tION, LOVE-MELANCHOLY.
THE FIRST SECTION, MEMBER, SUBSECTION.
_The Preface_.
There will not be wanting, I presume, one or other that will much discommend some part of this treatise of love-melancholy, and object (which [4414]Erasmus in his preface to Sir Thomas More suspects of his) ”that it is too light for a divine, too comical a subject to speak of love symptoms, too fantastical, and fit alone for a wanton poet, a feeling young lovesick gallant, an effeminate courtier, or some such idle person.” And 'tis true they say: for by the naughtiness of men it is so come to pa.s.s, as [4415]
Caussinus observes, _ut castis auribus vox amoris suspecta sit, et invisa_, the very name of love is odious to chaster ears; and therefore some again, out of an affected gravity, will dislike all for the name's sake before they read a word; dissembling with him in [4416]Petronius, and seem to be angry that their ears are violated with such obscene speeches, that so they may be admired for grave philosophers and staid carriage. They cannot abide to hear talk of love toys, or amorous discourses, _vultu, gestu, oculis_ in their outward actions averse, and yet in their cogitations they are all out as bad, if not worse than others.
[4417] ”Erubuit, posuitque meum Lucretia librum Sed coram Bruto, Brute recede, legit.”
But let these cavillers and counterfeit Catos know, that as the Lord John answered the Queen in that Italian [4418]Guazzo, an old, a grave discreet man is fittest to discourse of love matters, because he hath likely more experience, observed more, hath a more staid judgment, can better discern, resolve, discuss, advise, give better cautions, and more solid precepts, better inform his auditors in such a subject, and by reason of his riper years sooner divert. Besides, _nihil in hac amoris voce subtimendum_, there is nothing here to be excepted at; love is a species of melancholy, and a necessary part of this my treatise, which I may not omit; _operi suscepto inserviendum fuit_: so Jacobus Mysillius pleadeth for himself in his translation of Lucian's dialogues, and so do I; I must and will perform my task. And that short excuse of Mercerus, for his edition of Aristaenetus shall be mine, [4419]”If I have spent my time ill to write, let not them be so idle as to read.” But I am persuaded it is not so ill spent, I ought not to excuse or repent myself of this subject; on which many grave and worthy men have written whole volumes, Plato, Plutarch, Plotinus, Maximus, Tyrius, Alcinous, Avicenna, Leon Hebreus in three large dialogues, Xenophon _sympos._ Theophrastus, if we may believe Athenaeus, _lib. 13. cap. 9._ Picus Mirandula, Marius, Aequicola, both in Italian, Kornmannus _de linea Amoris, lib. 3._ Petrus G.o.defridus hath handled in three books, P. Haedus, and which almost every physician, as Arnoldus, Villanova.n.u.s, Valleriola _observat. med. lib. 2. observ. 7._ Aelian Montaltus and Laurentius in their treatises of melancholy, Jason Pratensis _de morb. cap._ Valescus de Taranta, Gordonius, Hercules de Saxonia, Savanarola, Langius, &c., have treated of apart, and in their works. I excuse myself, therefore, with Peter G.o.defridus, Valleriola, Ficinus, and in [4420]Langius' words. Cadmus Milesius writ fourteen books of love, ”and why should I be ashamed to write an epistle in favour of young men, of this subject?” A company of stern readers dislike the second of the Aeneids, and Virgil's gravity, for inserting such amorous pa.s.sions in an heroical subject; but [4421]Servius, his commentator, justly vindicates the poet's worth, wisdom, and discretion in doing as he did. Castalio would not have young men read the [4422]
Canticles, because to his thinking it was too light and amorous a tract, a ballad of ballads, as our old English translation hath it. He might as well forbid the reading of Genesis, because of the loves of Jacob and Rachael, the stories of Sichem and Dinah, Judah and Thamar; reject the Book of Numbers, for the fornications of the people of Israel with the Moabites; that of Judges for Samson and Dalilah's embracings; that of the Kings, for David and Bersheba's adulteries, the incest of Ammon and Thamar, Solomon's concubines, &c. The stories of Esther, Judith, Susanna, and many such.
Dicearchus, and some other, carp at Plato's majesty, that he would vouchsafe to indite such love toys: amongst the rest, for that dalliance with Agatho,
”Suavia dans Agathoni, animam ipse in labra tenebam; Aegra etenim properans tanquam abitura fuit.”
For my part, saith [4423]Maximus Tyrius, a great Platonist himself, _me non tantum admiratio habet, sed eliam stupor_, I do not only admire, but stand amazed to read, that Plato and Socrates both should expel Homer from their city, because he writ of such light and wanton subjects, _Quod Junonem c.u.m Jove in Ida conc.u.mbentes inducit, ab immortali nube contectos_, Vulcan's net. Mars and Venus' fopperies before all the G.o.ds, because Apollo fled, when he was persecuted by Achilles, the [4424]G.o.ds were wounded and ran whining away, as Mars that roared louder than Stentor, and covered nine acres of ground with his fall; Vulcan was a summer's day falling down from heaven, and in Lemnos Isle brake his leg, &c., with such ridiculous pa.s.sages; when, as both Socrates and Plato, by his testimony, writ lighter themselves: _quid enim tam distat_ (as he follows it) _quam amans a temperante, formarum admirator a demente_, what can be more absurd than for grave philosophers to treat of such fooleries, to admire Autiloquus, Alcibiades, for their beauties as they did, to run after, to gaze, to dote on fair Phaedrus, delicate Agatho, young Lysis, fine Charmides, _haeccine Philosophum decent_? Doth this become grave philosophers? Thus peradventure Callias, Thrasimachus, Polus, Aristophanes, or some of his adversaries and emulators might object; but neither they nor [4425]Anytus and Melitus his bitter enemies, that condemned him for teaching Critias to tyrannise, his impiety for swearing by dogs and plain trees, for his juggling sophistry, &c., never so much as upbraided him with impure love, writing or speaking of that subject; and therefore without question, as he concludes, both Socrates and Plato in this are justly to be excused. But suppose they had been a little overseen, should divine Plato be defamed? no, rather as he said of Cato's drunkenness, if Cato were drunk, it should be no vice at all to be drunk. They reprove Plato then, but without cause (as [4426]Ficinus pleads) ”for all love is honest and good, and they are worthy to be loved that speak well of love.” Being to speak of this admirable affection of love (saith [4427]Valleriola) ”there lies open a vast and philosophical field to my discourse, by which many lovers become mad; let me leave my more serious meditations, wander in these philosophical fields, and look into those pleasant groves of the Muses, where with unspeakable variety of flowers, we may make garlands to ourselves, not to adorn us only, but with their pleasant smell and juice to nourish our souls, and fill our minds desirous of knowledge,” &c. After a harsh and unpleasing discourse of melancholy, which hath hitherto molested your patience, and tired the author, give him leave with [4428]G.o.defridus the lawyer, and Laurentius (_cap. 5._) to recreate himself in this kind after his laborious studies, ”since so many grave divines and worthy men have without offence to manners, to help themselves and others, voluntarily written of it.”
Heliodorus, a bishop, penned a love story of Theagines and Chariclea, and when some Catos of his time reprehended him for it, chose rather, saith [4429]Nicephorus, to leave his bishopric than his book. Aeneas Sylvius, an ancient divine, and past forty years of age, (as [4430]he confesseth himself, after Pope Pius Secundus) indited that wanton history of Euryalus and Lucretia. And how many superintendents of learning could I reckon up that have written of light fantastical subjects? Beroaldus, Erasmus, Alpheratius, twenty-four times printed in Spanish, &c. Give me leave then to refresh my muse a little, and my weary readers, to expatiate in this delightsome field, _hoc deliciarum campo_, as Fonseca terms it, to [4431]
season a surly discourse with a more pleasing aspersion of love matters: _Edulcare vitam convenit_, as the poet invites us, _curas nugis_, &c., 'tis good to sweeten our life with some pleasing toys to relish it, and as Pliny tells us, _magna pars studiosorum amaenitates quaerimus_, most of our students love such pleasant [4432]subjects. Though Macrobius teach us otherwise, [4433]”that those old sages banished all such light tracts from their studies, to nurse's cradles, to please only the ear;” yet out of Apuleius I will oppose as honourable patrons, Solon, Plato, [4434]
Xenophon, Adrian, &c. that as highly approve of these treatises. On the other side methinks they are not to be disliked, they are not so unfit. I will not peremptorily say as one did [4435]_tam suavia dicam facinora, ut male sit ei qui talibus non delectetur_, I will tell you such pretty stories, that foul befall him that is not pleased with them; _Neque dicam ea quae vobis usui sit audivisse, et voluptati meminisse_, with that confidence, as Beroaldus doth his enarrations on Propertius. I will not expert or hope for that approbation, which Lipsius gives to his Epictetus; _pluris facio quum relego; semper ut novum, et quum repetivi, repetendum_, the more I read, the more shall I covet to read. I will not press you with my pamphlets, or beg attention, but if you like them you may. Pliny holds it expedient, and most fit, _severitatem jucunditate etiam in scriptis condire_, to season our works with some pleasant discourse; Synesius approves it, _licet in ludicris ludere_, the [4436]poet admires it, _Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci_; and there be those, without question, that are more willing to read such toys, than [4437]I am to write: ”Let me not live,” saith Aretine's Antonia, ”If I had not rather hear thy discourse, [4438]than see a play?” No doubt but there be more of her mind, ever have been, ever will be, as [4439]Hierome bears me witness.
A far greater part had rather read Apuleius than Plato: Tully himself confesseth he could not understand Plato's Timaeus, and therefore cared less for it: but every schoolboy hath that famous testament of Grunnius Corocotta Porcellus at his fingers' ends. The comical poet,
[4440] ------”Id sibi negoti credidit solum dari, Populo ut placrent, quas fecissit fabulas,”
made this his only care and sole study to please the people, tickle the ear, and to delight; but mine earnest intent is as much to profit as to please; _non tam ut populo placerem, quam ut populum juvarem_, and these my writings, I hope, shall take like gilded pills, which are so composed as well to tempt the appet.i.te, and deceive the palate, as to help and medicinally work upon the whole body; my lines shall not only recreate, but rectify the mind. I think I have said enough; if not, let him that is otherwise minded, remember that of [4441]Maudarensis, ”he was in his life a philosopher” (as Ausonius apologiseth for him), ”in his epigrams a lover, in his precepts most severe; in his epistle to Caerellia, a wanton.”
Annia.n.u.s, Sulpicius, Evemus, Menander, and many old poets besides, did _in scriptis prurire_, write Fescennines, Atellans, and lascivious songs; _laetam materiam_; yet they had _in moribus censuram, et severitatem_, they were chaste, severe, and upright livers.
[4442] ”Castum esse decet pium poetam Ipsum, versiculos nihil necesse est, Qui tum denique habent salem et leporem.”
I am of Catullus' opinion, and make the same apology in mine own behalf; _Hoc etiam quod scribo, pendet plerumque ex aliorum sententia et auctoritate; nec ipse forsan insanio, sed insanientes sequor. Atqui detur hoc insanire me; Semel insanivimus omnes, et tute ipse opinor insanis aliquando, et is, et ille, et ego, scilicet_.[4443] _h.o.m.o sum, humani a me nihil alienum puto_:[4444] And which he urgeth for himself, accused of the like fault, I as justly plead, [4445]_lasciva est n.o.bis pagina, vita proba est_. Howsoever my lines err, my life is honest, [4446]_vita verecunda est, musa jocosa mihi_. But I presume I need no such apologies, I need not, as Socrates in Plato, cover his face when he spake of love, or blush and hide mine eyes, as Pallas did in her hood, when she was consulted by Jupiter about Mercury's marriage, _quod, super nuptiis virgo consulitur_, it is no such lascivious, obscene, or wanton discourse; I have not offended your chaster ears with anything that is here written, as many French and Italian authors in their modern language of late have done, nay some of our Latin pontificial writers, Zanches, Asorius, Abulensis, Burchardus, &c., whom [4447]Rivet accuseth to be more lascivious than Virgil in Priapeiis, Petronius in Catalectis, Aristophanes in Lycistratae, Martialis, or any other pagan profane writer, _qui tam atrociter_ ([4448]one notes) _hoc genere peccarunt ut multa ingeniosissime scripta obscaenitatum gratia castae mentes abhorreant_. 'Tis not scurrile this, but chaste, honest, most part serious, and even of religion itself. [4449]”Incensed” (as he said) ”with the love of finding love, we have sought it, and found it.” More yet, I have augmented and added something to this light treatise (if light) which was not in the former editions, I am not ashamed to confess it, with a good [4450]author, _quod extendi et locupletari hoc subjectum plerique postulabant, et eorum importunitate victus, animum utcunque renitentem eo adegi, ut jam s.e.xta vice calamum in manum sumerem, scriptionique longe et a studiis et professione mea alienae, me accingerem, horas aliquas a seriis meis occupationibus interim suffuratus, easque veluti ludo cuidam ac recreationi destinans_;
[4451] ”Cogor------retrorsum Vela dare, atque literare cursus Olim relictos”------
_etsi non ignorarem novos forta.s.se detractores novis hisce interpolationibus meis minime defuturos_. [4452]
And thus much I have thought good to say by way of preface, lest any man (which [4453]G.o.defridus feared in his book) should blame in me lightness, wantonness, rashness, in speaking of love's causes, enticements, symptoms, remedies, lawful and unlawful loves, and l.u.s.t itself, [4454]I speak it only to tax and deter others from it, not to teach, but to show the vanities and fopperies of this heroical or Herculean love, [4455]and to apply remedies unto it. I will treat of this with like liberty as of the rest.
[4456] ”Sed dicam vobis, vos porro dicite multis Millibus, et facite haec charta loquatur a.n.u.s.”
Condemn me not good reader then, or censure me hardly, if some part of this treatise to thy thinking as yet be too light; but consider better of it; _Omnia munda mundis_, [4457]a naked man to a modest woman is no otherwise than a picture, as Augusta Livia truly said, and [4458]_mala mens, malus animus_, 'tis as 'tis taken. If in thy censure it be too light, I advise thee as Lipsius did his reader for some places of Plautus, _istos quasi Sirenum scopulos praetervehare_, if they like thee not, let them pa.s.s; or oppose that which is good to that which is bad, and reject not therefore all. For to invert that verse of Martial, and with Hierom Wolfius to apply it to my present purpose, _sunt mala, sunt quaedam mediocria, sunt bona plura_; some is good, some bad, some is indifferent. I say further with him yet, I have inserted ([4459]_levicula quaedam et ridicula ascribere non sum gravatus, circ.u.mforanea quaedam e theatris, e plateis, etiam e popinis_) some things more homely, light, or comical, _litans gratiis_, &c. which I would request every man to interpret to the best, and as Julius Caesar Scaliger besought Cardan (_si quid urbaniuscule lusum a n.o.bis, per deos immortales te oro Hieronyme Cardane ne me male capias_). I beseech thee, good reader, not to mistake me, or misconstrue what is here written; _Per Musas et Charites, et omnia Poetarum numina, benigne lector, oro te ne me male capias_. 'Tis a comical subject; in sober sadness I crave pardon of what is amiss, and desire thee to suspend thy judgment, wink at small faults, or to be silent at least; but if thou likest, speak well of it, and wish me good success. _Extremum hunc Arethusa mihi concede laborem_.[4460]