Burton - PR2223 A1 1638

Part.1,Se&2. Caufts ofMtlancholy. Memb.2.Subf6. 88 fA quibus ma- {Mm, velut il prjm41ilz c«UJC, ""'f~mna1/Timefl, t l i!Crt7tda rl'IUHJ Jmefontium, pr•ttritariiiiJ, tt fJJtll'lflrllmmeditatio. order) keepe perpetuall filence, never goe abroad . Such as live in prifon, or fame defart place, and cannot have company, as many of our Coumrey Gentlemen doe in folitary houfes, they mull: either be alone without com. panions, or live beyond their means,and entertaine all commersas fo many hoftes, or elfe converfewith their fervants and hindes, fuch as are unequal! inferiourto them, and ofa contrary difpofition; ordfe as fame doe, ro a~ void folirarindie, fpend their time with lewd fdlowes in Tave rnes, and in Ale-houfes, and thence addict themfelves to fome unlawful! difports,or diffolure·courfes.Divers againe are ea!\ upon this rockoffolitarindfe for want ofmeanes, or out of a ll:rong apprehenfion of fome infirmity, difgrace, or through bafhfulnefie, rudendfe, fimplicity; they cannot applie themfelves to others company. NuUum fo!teminj£lici gratitu folitudine, rebi nufl&{it q•i mifiriam exprobret; this enforced folitarine!fe takes place, and produceth his dfeet foone!l in fuch as have Jpent their time jovially perad venture, in all hondl: recreations,in good company,in fame great family or populous City,and areupona fudden confined to a defart countrey Cottage farre off rell:roined of their liberty,and barred from their ordinaryatfociates;folitari: neffe is very i~kefometo fuch, moll:tedious,and a fudden caufe of grea~ in. convenience. Voluntary folitarineffe is that which is familiar with Melancholy, and gently brings on like a Siren,a fhooing-horne, or fome Sphinx to this irre. vocable gulfe, la primary caufe Pi{o cals it; moll: pleafanc it is at firll:, to fuch as.are melancholy given,to liein bed wholedayes,and keep their chambers to walke alone in fame folitary grove,betwixtwood and water,by a brook~ fide,to meditate upon fome delightfome and pleal?mt fubjea,which /hall af. · feet them moft;amabilu illfoni~t; and menti< gratifimsu error : ·A moll: incomparable delight, it is foto melancholize,and build caftles in the ayre,to goe fmiling to rhemfelves, a6Hng an infinite variety of parts,which they fuppofe,and ftrongly imagine they teprefent, or that they fee a6led or done; Bland.e quidem ab initio,faith Lemnisu ,to conceiveand meditate offuch plea. fant tbings,fometimes,' Preftnt, paji er to come, as Rafis fpeakes. So delight· fome thefe royes are at firll, they could fpend whole dayes and nights without fleep,even wholeyeares alonein fuch contemplations, and phantafticall meditations,whichare like unto dreames,and they will hardly bee drawne from them, or willingly interrupt, fo pleafant their vaine conceits are, that they hinder their ordinary taskes and neeeffary bufineffe , they cannot addrefie themf~lves to them or almqll: to any ll:udy or imployment, rhefe phantafticall and bewitching thoughts,fo covertly,fo feelingly ,fo urgently, fo continually fer upon, creep in, infinuare, poffeffe, overcome, diftract, and detainethem,they cannot I fay goeabour their moreneceffary bufinefs, ftave offor extricatethomfelves, bur are ever mufing,melancholizing, and carryed along,as he (they fay) that is lead round about an heath with a PriCk in the night, they runne earneftly on in this labarimh ofanxious and folicitous melancholy meditations,and cannot well orwillingly refraine or eaftly leave off, winding and unwinding themfdves, as fo many clocks, and O:ill plealing their humours, uotill at I aft the Sceane is turned upon a fudden, by fome bad object,and they being now habituated ro fuch vaine meditatiens and folitary places, can endure no company, can ruminate of nothing but harfl1 ..

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