to himself so it deed an honest man is a friend and neghbour to all misfortunes miseries and necessities in helping them with kinde loving and industrious actions in distresse if he thinks he can asswage them and do himself no wrong for every man ought to be honest to himself as well as to another for though we are apt to consider our selves so much as it may be a prejudice to another yet we ought not to consider another so much to the prejudice of our selves for justice to our selves should take the first place by nature where to wrong ones self is the greatest injustice yet to discharge a trust is the chiefest part of honesty though it be to the prejudice of himself wherefore an honest man should not take such a trust as may indanger him to ruine Of Honesty THere are two sorts or kinds of Honesty the one a bastard and the other a true-born the bastard is to be honest for by-respects as out of fear of punishment either to their reputations estates or persons or for love of rewards that honesty brings but the true-born honesty loves honesty for honesties sake and is a circle that hath no ends and justice is the center and Honesty is the sweet essence of nature and the God of Humanity We ought not to be ungrateful to the dishonest IF one receive life from two men the one an approved honest man the other from a known false cruel and deceitful man which in our Language is called a Knave yet the benefit is as great from the knave as from the honest man for a benefit is a benefit from whom soever it comes and if a knave wrongs me not he is an honest man to me though he should be false to all others and that man that doth me an injury by his good will is a knave to me although he were honest to all men else wherefore those onely can challenge knaves that have received the wrong nor do we truly receive a wrong by what is meant but by what is done for one cannot say he was hurt that escaped a danger but he that was wounded but as one should receive a benefit with as much thankfulnesse from a knave as from him that is honest yet a man should be more careful and circumspect in dealing or trusting those that have the reproach or the bold brand of practising dishonesty or knavish actions then with those that take conscience or moral Philophy in their way which are full of gratitude and fidelity and truth as one that is a keeper of his promise a loyal subject and a loving husband a careful father a kinde master a faithful friend and a merciful enemy Of Obligations AS there are some that hate and shun those that can but will not oblige so there are others that hate and shun those they would but cannot oblige The first is out of a covetous nature that thinks that all the good that is done to others is a losse to themselves the other that thinks the least good he doth for others the more power is in himself so both is out of selflove both the shunner and the actor Truth and falshood not easily known IT is very hard and requires much time to finde out falshood for though occasions make a man know himself in part and so to another yet not so fully as we may rest upon him to be one and alwayes the same neither can we without great injustice censure alwayes by the hurt we receive for ill effects may fall from very good intentions and therefore how shall we censure by the intentions since none knoweth them but themselves for although an honest man desires to live as if the world saw his thoughts and strives to think as he would be judged for an honest man would not betray the trust of an enemy either by threats nor torments nor fear of death nor love to life nor perswasions of friends nor the allurements of the world nor the inchantments of tongues nor any miseries of his own shall make him step from the grounds of honesty but as a God he doth adoro it as a servant he doth obey it and though it be the chief part of honesty to keep a trust yet all trust is not honest so as it is as great a dishonesty to take an evil base or an unworthy trust as to betray a just one Of flattery Flattery takes most when they come into the eare like soft and sweet musick which lulls asleep reason and inchants the spirits but if they come in like the sound of a trumpet it awakes the reason and affrights the minde and makes it stand upon the guard of defence as when approaching enemies come to assault but if flattery be tolerable in any it is from the Inferiours to the Superiours as from the subject to the Prince and from the servant to the master or from the wife to the husband But for the Prince to flatter his subject and the master a servant is base but most commonly those that envie most flatter best either to pull down those they envy or to raise up themselves above them Divinity and Moral Philosophy DIvinity and Philosophy ties up nature or Divinity and Moral Philosophy are the two guardians of nature yet some times they prove the two goalers to nature when they presse or tye their chains too hard all things have their times and season unlesse art puts them out of the way Nature makes but fortune distrusts as when she misplaceth her workes as not using them to the right Of Atheisme and Superstition IT is better to be an Atheist then a superstitious man for in Atheisme there is humanitie and civility towards man to man but superstition regards no humanity but begets cruelty to all things even to themselves THE EPISTLE I Am very much or very little obliged to my readers for my former Books which I have set out either by their approvement or dislike in not granting me to be the Author but upon my conscience and truth those were as this Book is my own that is my thoughts composed them but if I had been inclosed from the world in some obscure place and had been an anchoret from my ininfancy having not the liberty to see the World nor conversation to hear of it I should never have writ of so many things nor had had so many several opinions for the senses are the gates that lets in knowledge into the understanding and fancy into the imagination but I have had moderate liberty from my infancy being bred upon honest grounds and fed upon modest principles from the time of twelve yeers old I have studied upon observations and lived upcontemplation making the World my Book striving by joyning every several action like several words to make a discourse to my self but I found the World too difficultto be understood by my tender yeers and weak capacity that till the time I was married I could onely read the letters
her and had rather die in the arms of danger then live in the arms of peace Why men write Bookes SOme say men write bookes not so much to benefit the world as out of love to Fame thinking to gain them honour of reputation but surely men are so delighted with their own conceits especially fine and new ones that were it a sin or infamie they would write them to see their beauty and enjoy them and so become unlawful Lovers Besides thoughts would be lost if not put into writing for writing is the picture of thoughts which shadows last longer then men but surely men would commit secret Idolatry to their own wit if they had not Applause to satisfie them and examples to humble them for every several man if wit were not discovered would think not any had it but he for men take pleasure first in their own fancies and after seek to gain the approving opinions of others which opinions are like womens dressings for some will get such advantage in putting on their cloaths who although they have ill faces and not so exact bodies will make a better shew then those that are well favoured and neatly shaped with disordered attire wherein some men are so happy in their language and delivery as it beautisies and adorns their wit which without it would be like an unpolished Diamond but such difference there is between that to create a fancy is the nature of a God but to make neat and new words is the nature of a Tailour Of several writings WRitings that are set forth in books and other wayes are of several and different natures For some as Magistrates and Fathers do reprove and endeavor to reclaim the world and men as moral Philosophers others as Atturnies do inform them as Historians some as Lawyers do plead in the behalf of some former writings and acts against others as contraversers some as Ambitious Tyrants that would kill all that stood in their way as Casuists some as Challengers as Logicians some as Scouts as natural Philosophers But they bring not alwayes true intelligence Some like hang-men as the Scepticks that strive to strangle not onely all opinions but all knowledge Some like Embassadours that are sent to condole and congratulate as bookes of Humiliation and thanksgiving Some as Merchants as translatours which traffick out of one Language into another Some as painted faces as Oratory some as Jubilies as to recreate rejoyce and delight the spirits of men as Poetry some as Bawds to intice the mindes as Amorous Romancy Some as pits that one must go many Fathoms deep to finde the bottom neither do they alwayes reach it as those that are called strong lines some as Conjurers that fright with their threatning prophesies some as Cut-purses that steal from the writings of others some as Juglers that would have falshood appear for truth some like Mountibanks that deceive and give more words then matter some as Echoes which commonly answer to anothers voice some like Buffons that laugh and jest at all and some like Flatterers that praise all and some like Malecontents that complain against all and some like God that is full of truth and gives a due to all deservers and some like devils that slauder all Of the motion of the thoughts in speaking and Writing THose that have very quick thoughts shall speak readier then Write because in speaking they are not tied to any stile or number besides in speaking thoughts lie close and carelesse but in writing they are gathered up and are like the water in a cup that the mouth is held downward for every drop striving to be out first stops the passage or like the common people in an uproar that runs without any order and disperses without successe when slow and strong thoughts come well armed and in good order discharges with courage and goeth off with honour The motion of Poets thoughts THe thoughts of poets must be quick yet so as they must go even without justling strong without striving nimble without stumbling for their thoughts must be as an instrument well strung and justly tuned to Harmony Great schollars are not excellent Poets SCholars are never good Poets for they incorporate too much into other men which makes them become lesse themselves in which great scholars are Metamorphos'd or transmigrated into as many several shapes as they read Authors which makes them monstrous and their head is nothing but a lumber stuft with old commodities so it is worse to be a learned Poet then a Poet unlearned but that which makes a good Poet is that which makes a good Privie Councellor which is observation and experience got by time and company Wit mistaken THey are not mistaken that think all Poets wits but those are mistaken that think there is no other wit but in Poets or to think wit lies in meer jests or onely in words or Method or scholastical knowledge for many may be very wise and knowing yet have not much wit not but wit may be in every one of these before mentioned for wit makes vse of althings but wit is the purest element and swiftest motion of the braine it is the essence of thoughts it incircles all things and a true wit is like the Elixer that keeps nature alwayes fresh and young Some thinks wit no wit when it is not understood but surely a fool makes not the wit the lesse although it loseth its aime if none knows it but the Author A comparison betwixt learning and Wit IT is a great mistake in some who think that great Stcholars are great wits because great Scholars but there is as great a difference as betwixt a natural inheritance that is intailed and cannot be sold and a Tenant that makes use of the land and payes the rent which is due to the Land-lord which is the Author or in another comparison a Scholar is like a great Merchant that trafficks in most Countries for transportable Commodities and his head is the ware-house to lay those goods in now may some say they are become his own since he bought them it is true they are so to keep them or make use of them or to sell and traffick with them by imparting them to pettie Merchants which are young students and Scholars but otherwise they are no more his then when they were in the Authours head before it was published but onely by retaile for wit is the childe of nature neither hath she made any thing so like her self as it Nay she hath made it to out-do her self for though nature hath not onely made this world but may be thought by reason to have made many others and so a world of worlds yet wit creats in its imaginations not only worlds but Heavens and Hells Gods and Devils onely it wants the materials to put them in body and give them a figure and colour The advanaage of Poetry and History POets make us see errours as what we should follow and what we
flash of Wit but not a solid Understanding and a Young Man may be a Hopefull Man but not a knowing wise Man a Young Man may be a Virtuous Man but not a Valiant Man for it will take up some time to know what true Valour is and as Time adds to the stature and strength of Bodies so it gives stature and strength of Knowledge sound clearness of Understanding which without it cannot be Youths virtue YOuth is bashfull pitifull charitable pious quick and nimble merry and lively cleanly and neat liberal loving and kind But Vanities which are the Attendants and Followers of Youth in Age either come to be Vices or else are turned away like idle Companions as they are The Follyes of Youth YOuth is sudden rash desperate in their actions as to venture without all reason or likelyhood lavish and prodigal for their Money is too heavy for their Mind till it be spent and their Lands trouble their way till they be sold they are deboyst with Women Gaming and Wine they are vain and fantastical in their Fashions Garbs and Clothes they are various and unconstant for they will love one day to madness and the next day hate to abhorridness they are impatient of delayes for if they may not have what they would they will hardly take it when they may and they are so conceited and self-loved as they believe all love them and admire them when few care or think of them then they are so credulous and believe all for truth and so open and free that they cannot keep counsel So Youth loves all things that are not his but cares for nothing that is his own What becomes or not becomes Age. THere is nothing so ungratefull as to see Age to act the part of Youth as Dancing Singing playing on Musick and the like or to wear gay Ribbons Feathers or Clothes or to see him Amorous and Wanton in Love or to use any light Gestures or Discourses which in Youth are graces to adorn them but in Age they are acts to deform them But there is none so Aged that Arms become not so long as he can bear them or wear his Sword for they are the Accostments of his Courage and Valour the which he should never forsake for a Valiant Man lives in Active Courage and dyes in Passive when he can Act no more Of Fools THE Amorous Fool is one that sighs out Love-verses sings Songs and cryes at his Mistrifles Feet complains of Cupid's Cruelty but whosoever entertains his love he despiseth and whosoever despiseth him he dyes for and yet lives The Self-conceited Fool is one that scorns to take counsel and doth not onely think his Fancyes the fullest wit and his Judgement the wisest and his Actions the regularest but that his House his Horse his Dog any thing is best not for the Conveniencies of his House or for the beautifull Architectures or for the situation or that his Horse is the strongest or soundest or best natur'd or choyccst colour'd or perfectest shaped or fullest of spirit or swiftest of race or surest of foot or that his Dog is the best Hound to hunt withall or the best Spaniel to couch withall or the best Grey hound to run withall or the best Mastiff to fight withall So that it is not for the worth or benefit which he receives from any thing that makes him love or csteem of it But he thinks whatsoever is good pleasant or profitable is created so by being his The Humorsome Fool is one that doth nothing for Reason but out of Will The Passionate Fool will be Cholerick Jealous Malicious Envious Sullen Merry and Loves and Hates and knows not why The Fearfull Fool shuns his own shadow and is Poetical in his vain Fears in creating Fancies of Terror wherein he makes Life a Torment having alwaies the pains of Death upon him The Impatient Fool is all for the present for he thinks his Throat cut untill he be satisfied in his desires a day to him is as a thousand years nor he scarce thinks of Heaven because he enjoys it not The Luxurious Fool thinks of nothing but to please his Senses he knows no Compassion he neither regards Health Honour nor Profit Ease and Idleness are his dear Companions and his Natural Affection is Voluptuousness The Slavish Fool will do any act through Fear The Learned Fool admires and is in love with all other Languages besides his own for if he were bred with the Greek or Hebrew which are counted the most significant he would prefer Low Dutch which hath the least Compass before it He is one that is Proud in being acquainted with several Authors although his Acquaintance oppresseth his Memory smothers his Judgement by the multitude of Opinions kils his Health by his study destroys his Natural Wit by the transplantings and ingraftings of what he reads Then he is so bound up to Rules as he gives himself no reasonable Liberty The Talkative Fool loves not to hear any body speak but himself neither will he let them for he speaks so fast as he permits not nor gives room for any other to take place insomuch as what with his loud fast and tedious discourse he will make his Hearers deaf The Superstitious Fool is an Observer of Times Postures Figures Noyses Accidents and Dreams and many such like As for Times they will not begin a Journey or marry or buy Land or build or begin any work but on such Days as appear to be lucky For Dreams if they dream their Teeth fall out of their head or of Flowers or Gardens or of any thing green or the like or to see their Faces in a Glass or to fall from a Precipice or being at Weddings they think it Fatal For Noyses the howling of Dogs the croaking of Ravens the singing of Crickets the skreeching of Owls For Accidents the bleeding three drops at the Nose Iron molds the Right Eye itching Salt falling to them For Postures or Figures as a Hare to run cross them or to stumble at the Door Insomuch as they never enjoy any present Recreation for fear of an evil Accident The Venturous Fool thinks all desperate Actions honourable Valour as to go into the Field for Battel unarmed or to wear something as a mark for the Enemy to shoot at or to give the Enemy any advantage Where the Honour of the Valiant is to beat and not to be beaten For he is a Fool that will give his Enemy ground And others think it a Valour to leap over Hedges and Ditches and Gates to jump over dangerous places to swim or make their Horses swim over large great and deep Rivers or to try Experiments upon themselves and all to no purpose but to shew what they dare do Whereas true Valour will do none of these Actions unless it be upon strong necessities as to avoyd and hinder a great danger but Fools have neither Foresight to prevent nor Judgement to choose nor Patience to suffer
Government they would have followed Brutus and that Government is to be approved best that pleaseth most for Government is for Safety Peace and Profit and there is nothing keeps them more in Peace than Unity and Concord and the Affections of the People to their Governors c. Of Portia POrtia that killed her self with hot burning Coals shewed more of Impatiency and Womanish Fear than Love to her Husband though no question her Love was great but her Fear was greater for Love begets Doubts and Doubts beget Fears and Fears beget Hate but true Love will be sure to save it self till they be sure that they can do no good to that they love and that they love is absolutely destroyed for true Love will hope untill there is no ground to raise Hopes on and Hope begets Courage and Courage will give Assistance as long as it hath a Being for though her Husband run out of Rome yet he had his Life and an Army to defend it for the time Therfore it seemed she grieved and run mad more for loss of her Husbands Power than for fear of her Husbands Person and whensoever a Woman loves her Husbands Power more than his Safety she loves her Vanity more than his Person for Power maintains Vanity Of Penelope Ulysses Wife PEnelope Ulysses Wife was Famous for that she never married whilst her Husband was in the Wars It is true she was Chast but she gave her self leave to be Courted which is a degree to Unchastity and a means whereby her Husbands Estate was wasted for if she had check'd and not permitted them at the first they would never have grown unto that Impudence But it seemed she loved to have her Ears filled with her own Praises for they that love their own Praises most commonly are catched in the Snare of Flattery for there are seldome Praises without much Flattery It is true she might be a Chast Woman but she shewed her self but an Indifferent Wife and not worthy of so much praise for it is not Honesty that makes a perfect good Wife although it be the chief Ingredient but she must be Thristy and Cleanly Modest reserved in her Behaviour and secret to her Husbands Counsels for often times a Woman dishonours her Husband by her Indiscretion as much as by the act of Adultery for there is nothing dearer to a Man than his Fame so a Wife should have a care to keep it Of Women dying with their Husbands I Have not read much Story but of that which I have I have observed that there have been many Women that have dyed with their Husbands but I have not read so usually that Men have dyed with their Wives for in some Nations there are few or no Widows Some say it is not so much out of Love to their Husbands as out of vainglorious Customes Of the Romans dying IT was not out of Courage that the Romans killed themselves but out of Fear for knowing they must dye they thought it was less pain to dye by their own hands than by anothers like Parents that will not suffer another to beat their Child but think their own Correction the easier though their Stripes be equal and every one thinks that better done which they do themselves than what another doth so they kill themselves to avoyd Pain But those are most willing to leave the World when the World hath left them for it is the Vanities that makes Men so in love with the World and themselves for most think they enjoy no Life if they enjoy no Vanity I will not say All although I say Most for the Wise and the Virtuous reject both or if they do not they embrace them but moderately and the Virtuous and Wise have Courage and the Couragious as they do not fear Death so they despise not Life for as Virtue is a Mean between two Extremes so it keeps in the Mean of all Conditions and Estates THE EPISTLE THis is to let you know that I know my Book is neither wise witty nor methodical but various and extravagant such as my Thoughts entertained themselves withall rather making it my Recreation not having much Imployment than my Trouble for I have not tyed my self to any one Opinion for sometimes one Opinion crosses another and in so doing I do as most several Writers do onely they contradict one and another and I contradict or rather please my self with the varieties of Opinions whatsoever since it is said there is nothing truly known but Measuring and Reckoning the which I will leave to Arithmeticians and Geometricians who have a Rule and Number which my Brain can neither level at nor comprehend but humble and plain Opinions raised by the Opinions of others I here present and many may think my Present not worth the reading and that it had been better my Thoughts had been buried than to trouble our Language with that there is so much already of foolish and impertinent Writings for those that know not how to choose good and prositable Books may take up such Rubbish in their place as to dam up their Heads from the light of shining Authors But there are few that have not so much self-Self-love as to desire to live in some-thing and I am one of those that had rather dam up a Head than to be buried under foot and wish my Brains could have melted better Metal to have made my Book as a Bell to sound clear and loud but not to offend the Ears of any for though I wish to fill them I would not hurt them for Fame is nothing but a Noyse And when I consider Fortune carries as many into her House as Merit I put out this Book though I cannot hope to have any acceptance amongst the Learned but leaving it to Fortunes friendship for she many times prefers the Mean and the Low and disgraces those of higher Abilities which if she favour me I know you will be my Friends but if she disgraces me there is not any thing in my Book can keep off a Scorning Censure but whether it please or be dis-approved I am as I am MARGARET NEWCASTLE The Worlds Olio LIB III. PART I. Of Monsters SOme say there are no Monsters nor ugly Creatures in Nature for a Toad a Spider or the like are as beautifull Creatures in Nature if it be according to their kind as the lovelyest Man or Woman It is true as being according to the natural shape of such a kind of Creature but that which is ugly is that which is deformed and that is deformed that is mishapen and that is mishapen that is made crooked or awry or one part bigger or less than another And those Creatures are to be called Monsters that have more parts than they should have or fewer or when their parts do not sit in their proper place as for example if a Man should have two Heads or four Legs or more Hands or Feet or Fingers or Toes or Eyes or Noses or Ears
thinking for Thoughts are free those can never be inslaved for we are not hindred from studying since we are allowed so much idle time that we know not how to pass it away but may as well read in our Closets as Men in their Colleges and Contemplation is as free to us as to Men to beget clear Speculation Besides most Scholars marry and their heads are so full of their School Lectures that they preach them over to their Wives when they come home so that they know as well what was spoke as if they had been there and though most of our Sex are bred up to the Needle and Spindle yet some are bred in the publike Theatres of the World wherefore if Nature had made our Brains of the same temper as Mens we should have had as clear Speculation and had been as Ingenious and Inventive as Men but we find She hath not by the effects And thus we may see by the weakness of our Actions the Constitution of our Bodies and by our Knowledge the temper of our Brains by our unsettled Resolutions incoustant to our Promises the Perverseness of our Wills by our facil Natures violent in our Passions superstitious in our Devotions you may know our Humours we have more Wit than Judgment more Active than Industrious we have more Courage than Conduct more Will than Strength more Curiosity than Secrecy more Vanity than good Houswifery more Complaints than Pains more Jealousie than Love more Tears than Sorrow more Stupidity than Patience more Pride than Affability more Beauty than Constancy more Ill Nature than Good Besides the Education and libertie of Conversation which Men have is both unfit and dangerous to our Sex knowing that we may bear and bring forth Branches from a wrong Stock by which every man would come to lose the property of their own Children but Nature out of love to the Generation of Men hath made Women to be governed by Men giving them Strength to rule and Power to use their Authority And though it seem to be natural that generally all Women are weaker than Men both in Body and Under standing and that the wisest Woman is not so wise as the wisest of Men wherefore not so fit to Rule yet some are far wiser than some men like Earth for some Ground though it be Barren by Nature yet being well mucked and well manured may bear plentifull Crops and sprout forth divers sorts of Flowers when the fertiller and richer Ground shall grow rank and corrupt bringing nothing but gross and stinking Weeds for want of Tillage So Women by Education may come to be far more knowing and learned than some Rustick and Rudebredmen Besides it is to be observed that Nature hath Degrees in all her Mixtures and Temperaments not only to her servile works but in one and the same Matter and Form of Creatures throughout all her Creations Again it is to be observed that although Nature hath not made Women so strong of Body and so clear of understanding as the ablest of Men yet she hath made them fairer softer slenderer and more delicate than they separating as it were the finer parts from the grosser which seems as if Nature had made Women as purer white Manchet for her own Table and Palat where Men are like coarse houshold Bread which the servants feed on and if she hath not tempered Womens Brains to that height of understanding nor hath put in such strong Species of Imaginations yet she hath mixed them with Sugar of sweet conceits and if she hath not planted in their Dispositions such firm Resolutions yet she hath sowed gentle and willing Obedience and though she hath not filled the mind with such Heroick Gallantry yet she hath laid in tender Affections as Love Piety Charity Clemency Patience Humility and the like which makes them neerest to resemble Angells which are the perfectest of all her Works where men by their Ambitions Extortion Fury and Cruelty resemble the Devill But some women are like Devills too when they are possest with those Evills and the best of men by their Heroick Magnanimous Minds by their Ingenious and Inventive Wits by their strong Judgments by their prudent forecast and wise Mannagements are like to Gods To the Reader I Desire those that read any of this Book that every Chapter may be read clearly without long stops and staies for it is with Writers as it is with men for an ill affected Fashion or Garb takes away the Natural and gracefull Form of the Person So Writings if they be read lamely or crookedly and not evenly smoothly throughly insnarle the Sense Nay the very sound of the Voice will seem to alter the sense of the Theme though the Sense will be there in despight of the ill Voice or Reader but it will be concealed or discovered to its disadvantage for like an ill Musician or indeed one that cannot play at all who instead of playing he puts the Fiddle out of tune and causeth a Discord which if well plaid upon would sound Harmoniously or is like one that can play but one Tune on all sorts of Instruments so some will read with one Tone or Sound of Voice though the Passions and Numbers are different and some again in reading wind up their Voices to such a passionate scrue that they whine or squeal rather than speak or read others fold up their Voices with that distinction that they make that three square that is four square and narrow that should be broad and high that should be low and low that should be high and some again so fast that the Sense is lost in the Race So that Writings though they are not so yet they sound good or bad According to the Readers and not according to their Authors and indeed such advantage a good or ill Readers gives as those that read well shall give a grace to a foolish Author and those that read ill disgrace a wise and a witty Author But there are two sorts of Readers the one that reads to himself and for his own benefit the other to benefit another by hearing it in the first there is required a good Judgement and a ready Understanding in the other a good Voice and a gracefull Delivery so that a Writer hath a double desire the one that he may write well the other that he may be read well And my desire is the more earnest because I know my Writings are not strong enough to bear an ill Reader wherefore I intreat so much favour as to give it its own Countenance wherein you will oblige the Writer to be Yours M. N. To the Lady of Newcastle upon her Book Intituled The WORLD' 's OLIO THE World to the World's Olio we invite you And hope these several Cates they may delight you It is the Mistris of the Feast her Wish And all these various Sorts cookt in Wits Dish For several Palats here is of the Best With Aromatick Spice of Phancy drest
With wholsom Herbs of Judgment for the Tast Healthfull and Nourishing This Dish will last To Feast your Nephews all if you can fit The Marriage Act to get your Children Wit For stronger Stomachs Ven'son if that fail And you grow Queasy then the Lady Quail Or the plump Partridge tast the Phesant do Thus feast your Souls the Bodies look you too An Olio of Confections not refrain For here 's a Sumptuous Banquet for your Brain And this Imaginary Feast pray try Censure your worst so you the Book will buy What the desire of Fame proceedes from THE desire of Fame proceedes from a doubt of an after being And Fame is a report that travells far and many times lives long and the older it groweth the more it florishes and is the more particularly a mans own then the Child of his loines for Fame is a child of his merit which hath no compartner in it and many times the child of his loines deceives the parent and instead of keeping his fathers fame brings him an infamy as being a coward a traitor a lier a fool or the like which the world will judge being apt to cast aspersions that they were qualities which he had by inheritance from his father but actions that his merits beget will never deceive him when it is rightly and honorably gotten but there be bastard fames as well as bastard Issues which men of honour will never own But all those that are born are not so fruitfull as to have issues of their brain or so fortunate as to overcome their enemies or so rich to build Towers and Castles or monuments of fame or so happy to have such advantages to shew their own worth and abilities And those that cannot leave a child of fame must content themselves to live a life of quiet for fame is seldome gotten with ease but with paines and labour danger and trouble and oftentimes with life it self The Reward of Fame IT is a Justice to a mans self and no vain ostentation or braging to write or speak truly of his own good service to his king and country since none knowes it better then they that the world may know them so as to be remembred with love and honour For though fame is not alwaies a true Recorder yet it is a loud reporter which is a more certain reward to his merits then from Kings and States For Kings and States most comonly receive the service and forget ths reward and many times gives them disgrace instead of honour and death for life Where fame is so prodigall to those she entertaines as she will Cozen the rest of the world to contribute to her particulars But time the reviver of all removes this sound farther off and many times extinguisheth it quite yet Fame the older she is although she be lame and goeth upon Crouches the more lovers and admirers she gains neither is envy so sharp toothed as to hurt her and many are proud not onely to be acquainted with her but in being able to mention her so honourable is ancient Fame Of Fame and Infamy SOme love the life of their memory so well as they would rather chuse to be remembred by the World as a fool rather then to be forgotten as a beast Which is rather to live in Infamie then to die in obscurity For Infamie is a loud reproach where Fame is a loud Applause yet neither of them are got by ordinary means but by extreams either by Nature Fortune or Fate As to make them ring aloud for the sound to be heard through many Nations and to live in many Ages But infamie hath this advantage if it be one that it lives longer and strikes harder upon the ears of the World then Fame doth Fame makes a difference between man and Beast NExt the being born to the glory of God Man is born to produce a Fame by some particular acts to prove himself a man unlesse we shall say there is no difference in Nature between man and beast For beasts when they are dead the rest of the beasts retain not their memory from one posterity to another as we can perceive and we study the natures of Beasts and their way so subtilly as surely we should discover some-what but the difference betwixt man and beast to speak naturally and onely according to her works without any Divine influence is that dead men live in living men where beasts die without Record of beasts So that those men that die in oblivion are beasts by nature for the rational Soul in man is a work of nature as well as the body and therefore ought to be taught by nature to be as industrious to get a Fame to live to after Ages as the body to get food for present life for as natures principles are created to produced some effects so the Soul to produce Fame What makes Fame speak loudest THose Fames that is gotten in the Wars sound louder then those that are gotten in Peace by reason War is a disturber and causeth a violent motion like a tempest at Sea sea or a storm at land it raiseth up discord fear and furie it swallows up industry it pulls up the root of plenty it murthers natural affection and makes such a noise where it is as all the world besides is inquiring and listening after it for fear of being surprised so as the world follows the noise as much as the noise follows them The Fame of valour and wisdom IT is a better and more certain Reputation to have the Fame of being a wise man then a man of courage because every man that is wise hath courage for he that is a coward cannot be wise because fear puts him out of the right way but there be many men that have courage which be not wise for courage is only a resolution of the minde either to Act or suffer and to destroy or be destroyed so that courage doth not direct and guide as wisdom doth but dares and executes besides wisdom is more to be admired because it is rarer as scarce one wise man is found in an Age but men of Courage whole Armies full in every Age neither is wisdoms Fame subject to fortune as courage is for Wisdom makes fortune her servant and uses all times and accidents to her advantage and the worse her fortune is the greater she appears when the Fame of courage is a slave to fortune and onely flourishes in her smiles but is buried in her frowns It is true Courage is a vertue that defends and protects its Countrey and keeps an enemy in awe yet it is a vertue that is onely exercised in destructior in the patient suffering of his own or the acting to anothers Where wisdom is alwayes exercised in uniting and composing searching and leading into the wayes of peace when courage chuseth and searches for the wayes of danger and courts her as his loveliest and beautifullest Mistris and is many times so couragious as he forceth
that they never cultivate or manure the lands for increase but eat of the plenty pretending beggery bur ingrosse all the wealth and for the women there are as many kept barren as would populate whole nations But they in their own defence say that they cast off all pleasures of the world lie cold and hard eat sparingly watch and pray and not onely to pray for themselves or for the dead but for those that are incumbred in worldly cares besides say they it is profitable to the Common-wealth for men that have small estates and many children not being able to maintain them according to their qualities and degrees may run into many errours for want of means which may disturb not only families but whole states where a monastical life a small portion and a little will serve the turn onely to keep soul and body together in which their lives are peaceable and full of devotion but the Laytie answers that the third part of the wealth of Christendom goeth to the maintenance of the Church onely in consideration of younger children that will be content and some are sorced in yet after that rate there will be little for the eldest which remaine without nor will be if they go on to lay such burthens upon mens consciences and such sums upon those burthens to buy them out neither is there any sort of men more busie in disturbing the Common-wealth for those that have not active imployment either in the ordinary affaires of the world or extraordinary affaires in the Common wealth their thoughts corrupt being not exercised in action they grow factious which causeth distractions for there is more war amongst the Christians about their opinion then upon any cause else This saith the one side but their enemies say that they are not only the covetous but the greatest cheaters in the world and all under the name for Gods sake for say they they bring in ceremony for gaines in that they set al the mercies of God to sale for what sins cannot be bought for money as adulterery incest murther blasphemy and sins past and present as for whores they permit them to live loosly without punishment and allot therein streets and houses to increase their sins in which they do authorise sin for a sum for they pay tribute to the Church and not onely sins past and present but to come as witnesse the yeares of Jubile besides the head take upon them the power of damnation and salvation as witnesse the excommunications and absolutions and if not out and in of hell yet out and in ofPurgatory which Purgatory is a great revenue to them yet they have a countenance for their covetousnesse which is that the offendant must have a true contrition or their sum of money will do them no good no more then will a true contrition without the sum but surely Monastical lives are very profitable to the Common-wealth whatsoever it bee for the soul for it keepes peace and makes plenty and begets a habit of sobriety which gives a good example and many times drawes their own mindes though naturally otherwise disposed to follow the outward carriage for the custome of the one may alter the nature of the other and in that they keep peace is because they live single lives not for the quarrels of marriage but in not oppressing the kingdome in over-populating it for those kingdoms that are very full of people growes mutinous and runs into civil wars where many states are sorced to war upon their neighbors for no other end but to discharge the stomack of the Common-wealth for fear it should breed incurable diseases Besides a Common-wealth may be over-stockt like grounds which causeth great dearth and plagues in a Common-wealth so that those states which have more traffick then men are rich where those that have more men then trade are poor and Civil war proceeds not so much out of plenty as out of proud poverty the next cause for plenty they are of a spare diet and most of what they eat or should eat by their order is Fish Roots and the like but if they do get a good bit one may say much good may it do them for they get it by stealth and eat it in fear at least not openly to avoid scandal but if they do not spare in the matter of meat yet they spare in the manner which cuts off all prodigal superfluities of feasting or open house-keeping wherin is spoiled more then eaten neither doth it relieve the hungry by the Almes-basket so much as it over-Gorges the full and for Ceremonies it keepes the Church in order and gives it magnificency besides it is beneficial to the State for it Amuses the Common people and busies their mindes and it is as it were a recreation and pastime to them as Saints dayes and the like nay they take pleasure and make a recreation to have fasting dayes so as they have much to think on and imploy their time in as fasting-dayes processions of saints confessions penance absolutions and the like as Mass and Musick and shewes as at Christmas Easter our Lady day on many dayes of the yeers and these affording one and the same but varieties in all besides every Saint having power to grant several requests it will take up some time to know what to ask of them and all these one would think were sufficient to keep out murmur and discontent which is got by idlenesse which is the cause of rebellion Thus the Church busies the people and keeps their mindes in peace so that these monastical ment which are the Church is the nurse to quiet the people or the masters to set them on wherein they never do unlesse it be in the defence of Christian Religion in which all good men ought to follow and surely it is beneficial to the Common-wealth whatsoever it be for the soul and for their souls although rationally one would think that God should not take delight in shaven heads or bare and dirty feet or cold backs or hungry stomacks in any outward habit but in an humble heart and low desires a thankful minde for what they have sorrowful sighs and repenting tears fear of offending admiration of his wisdom and pure love of his goodnesse and mercy thanks for his favours and grace obedience charity and honest worldly industry and to take as much pleasure as honest and vertuous moderation will permit for we might think that God did not intend man more miserie or leste of this world then beasts but alas all mankinde is apt to run into extreames which beasts are not either to bar themselves quite of the lawful use of the world or to run riot which of the two the last is to be shunned and avoided wherein this kinde of life is most secure neither must we follow our reason in Religion but Faith which is the guide of our conscience Of Society THere are many sorts of society and some comfortable as in
short hospitality and a long feast Of Feasting THere is no action more extravagant then the making of great feasts for there is neither honour profit nor pleasure but noises trouble and expence and not onely an expence to the private purse but to the publike in the unnecessary destruction of so many Creatures neither doth it relieve the hungry so much as it over-gorges the full for indeed a great feast rather eates up the eaters then the eaters eat up the feast by the surfets it gives them but those that make great feasts and strive to please the luxurious palats of men are bawds to gluttony and the feast is the whore to tempt the appetite and wine is the fool to make all merry which never wants at those entertainments but playes so much and ruines so fast and growes so strong as it puts young sobriety and grave temperance out of countenance it unties the strings of strength and throws reason out of the wisest head so that reason neither begins it nor ends it for it begins with excesse of supersluity and ends in extravagant disorders Of drinking and eating WIne though it begins like a friend goeth on like a fool most commonly ends like a Devil in fury yet it is a greater fault to eat too much then too drink to much wine in that a man may live without wine but not without meat for wine is rather a superfluity or curiosity then a necessity wherefore food which signifieth all kinde of meat is the life and staffe to support life which staff being broken by excesse famine and plagues pursue which are able to destroy a kingdom where wine may onely destroy some part but not endanger the whole unlesse it be every mans particular kingdom which is themselves and there indeed it drowns both king and state Of Moderation THe way to a mans happiest condition of life in this world and for the way to the next is by the straight way of moderation for the extreams are to be shunnd and all that can be shunned even in devotion for the holy writ saith Turn not to the right hand nor to the left lest you go the wrong way for extreams in devotion run to superstition and idolatry and the neglect in both Atheisme but to keep the even way is to obey God as he hath commanded and not as we fancy by our wrong interpretation so for the minde of man great and hard studies and perturbations draw or wear out the spirits or oppresse them in so much that great students are not commonly long livd but sickly lean and pale and those that have extraordinary and quick fancies of their own do many times by the quick motion of their brain inflame the spirits to that degree as they run mad or so neer as to be strangely extravagant and on the other side those that study not nor have fancies of their own are dul-blocks that have no raptures of the minde but onely sensual pleasures and so when they can they run into with that violence as it turns to their pain not their delight and all is but emptying and filling as beasts do and not having the knowledge as men should have for moderation as for immoderation of diets how often do men suddenly die by the excesse thereof and how many diseases doth it bring to them that escapes surfets as fevers gowts stone dropsy and the like nay what diseases doth it not bring by the dross it breeds for superfluity of moisture oppresseth and slackens the nerves and dulls and quenches thespirits which makes them unfit for action or businesse in the affaires of the world it stuffs them with sloth or corpulency or fat it banisheth industry and many times courage on the other-side too spare and low diet chaps and dryes the body like the earth that wants rain or manuring shrinks and gathers up the rain it heats the body into Hectick fevers and sucks out the oyl of life for exercise the violence of it melts the grease inflames the blood pumps out too much moisture by sweats it over-stretches the nerves which weakens the body which brings shaking palsies in the head leggs and many times over the whole body on the other side too little exercise corrupts the blood and breeds obstructions which breeds Agues and spleen faintings and the like For the passions as for example a man that is extraordinary angry makes him run into fury for the present as many times to commit so rash an action as to make him unhappy all his life after by killing a friend or at least losing a friend or getting an enemy by an unseasonable word and those that have no anger must of necessity receive great affronts at some time or other for patience is to be content when there is no remedy but in many things or actions anger is required when fury would be too much or patience or silence too little and so the like in all other passions and as for great wealth it is both a trouble in the keeping or bestowing of it in the keeping of it the care is into whose hands to trust it or to what places to lay it in so that the watching and counting it and how and to whom to leave it too takes off the pleasure in it and for spending it the very noise and tumult that great riches bring in the exspence is a suficient trouble for a man can never be at home to himself he knows not who is his friend or who is his enemy he hears no truth for flattery he hath no true taste of any senses for the throngs of the varietie take away the pleasure of every particular as for poverty it is the drudge to the world the scorn of the world a trouble to their friends and a death to themselves as for power what for the care in the keeping it for fear of a usurper and though there is no enemy to oppose it yet what trouble there is in the ordering and disposing with their authority and those that have no power are slaves wherein moderation keepes peace in being content with our own share and not desiring to share with our neghbour in what is his and moderation gives wealth for he is richest that hath so much onely to enjoy himself moderation civilizeth nations it upholds government and keeps commerce yet makes private families subject it nourisheth the body recreates the minde and makes joy in life and is the petty god to the present pleasures of man Of Prodigality and Generositie THere is none complains so much of ingratitude as progals for when their purses are empty they grudge their hospitalitie and repine at their gifts when they gave more out of pride and magnificence then out of love or frendship but man is so incircled with self love as he thinks all those that have partaken of his prodigalitie are bound to maintain his riot or at least to supply his necessitie out of their treasury but of the difference of
are as it were Forced or Artificial and not Natural for Man and Wife are like one Root or Body that whatsoever toucheth the one is truly sensible to the other nay so as it is the same Joy and Grief Then for Gratitude the Man ought to love his Wife not because she is as his Servant in being Overseer in the Houshold affairs or in nursing up his Children and the Care and Fear of them or in being sick or ill in the breeding of them but the Horrid Pain in bringing them forth into the World and the Danger they pass through which is more hazardous to every particular Woman than to every particular Man in Battel Then for the Weal publick which is as the great Wheel in a Clock so every private Family is as the little Wheel for the Weal-publick if a Man and his Wife disagree which is want of Affection then their Children when they are grown up begin to grow Factious some siding with the Mother against the Father and others with the Father against the Mother which Custome will make them grow Factious in the Weal-publick as well as in the Weal-private Of Marriages THose Marriages are commonly more happy which are made out of Interest than those that marry for Fancy for Interest is like Brass which is ingraven and Fancy is like printed Wax the first never alters except it be broke by ill fortune when the other is destroyed with a warm breath But those that marry below their Quality give Respect and Reputation to those they marry but take it from themselves Of Married Wifes A Woman ought to please her Husband to the uttermost of her power as to humour all his honest Delights not onely in Actions beseeming her Sex but those are forbidden Women by the Laws of Modesty and ought to be strictly kept at all times of their lives but when they serve to maintain their Husbands Affection and keeping their Husbands Affection from running to others unlawfully from whence proceeds not onely a Disturbance in their Families and a Ruin of their Estates bat a Disturbance and Ruin to many Families by Adulteries which Adulteries cause Jealousies Jealousies make Malice Malice Revenge Revenge Murther so to avoyd these a Woman may Game Fence Ride Vaut Run Wrestle Leap Swim or any the like Actions which are onely accounted Actions fit for Men if their Husbands should take Delight in them to have them Companions in all their Exercises and Pastimes But it is Time and Occasion that makes most things Good or Bad For example it were a horrid thing and against Nature and all Civil Laws for Children and Parents Brethren and Neighbours and Acquaintance to kill one another although their Offences to each other were very hainous but when the King of chief Magistrate in a Commonwealth commands it as they do to those that are of their side in a Civil War then it is not onely Warrantable but it is accounted Sacred and Divine because nothing pleaseth Divinity more than obedience to Magistrates and Nature loves Peace although she hath made all things to War upon one another so that Custome and the Law make the same thing Civil or Pious Just or Unjust Of a second Wife IT is to be observed that when a second Wife comes into a Family all the former Children or old Servants are apt to be Factious and do foment Suspicions against her making ill Constructions of all her Actions were they never so well and innocently meant yet they shall be ill taken and all that they hinder her of although it do them no good but what is gotten from her they think themselves enriched not so much by what they get but by what she loseth or hath not Civility from Men due to Women COmplements from Men to Women are as a Tribute due to Womenkind for Women fearing they should not be so Nobel Creatures as Men are apt to be out of Countenance as mistrusting some Imperfectness in themselves wherefore Men of Noble Natures are willing to help the Weak and therefore ought to give our Sex Confidence by their Praises and therefore should be civil to Women in having as tender a Regard to them as to Children for though Women be not so Innocent yet they are as Powerless and it is the part of a Noble Heroick Nature to strive to oblige the Weak and it is better to be used with Cruelty than Scorn or a rude Kindness The Ridiculous Malice amongst Mankind SO Ridiculously Foolish or so Maliciously Envious is Mankind as one would think Nature was either Defective or else full of Malignity when she made him As for example If a Man love his Wife with a clear and constant Affection rejecting the Amorous Allurements of other Women for her sake finding all in his Wife that he can wish or at least desires no more than what he enjoys and is best pleased to live a life of quiet at home ruling his Family with Love and Obedience thinking it more wise to enjoy the World thus than to trouble himself with those Affairs of the World which neither bring him Ease Peace nor Profit but if he must act several parts upon the Stage of the World to which he is forced either by Honour or Necessity not by Choyce this Man shall be thought either an Uxorious Man or a Fool or a Madman either to give himself over to various and voluptuous Delights or to deliver up not onely his Person and Estate but his Reason and Liberty to the humours and will of his Wife As if a Man when he gives his Child a Hobby-horse because he lets his Child do so and so in many like Causes and if the Child desire to go abroad the Father desires to please his Child when it hinders not more potent Affairs thus if he doth not cross his Child in every thing but is well content to please and humour him in harmless things he is thought too fond and indulgent a Father to his Child just so is a Husband condemned if he humours and pleaseth his Wife in letting her have her will in honest and not in dishonourable Recreations But what Gallant Man will not favour the Female Sex nay what Gallant Man will not condescend to all their Desires and seek and invent waies to please them so far as Honour will give them leave And shall a Man despise and cross and neglect his Wife because she is his own lawfully joyned and united Shall it be more Dishonour for a Man to love his Wife than another Mans Wife Shall a Man be accounted a Fool because he is honest to Wedlock because he is kind to his own Wife Was Augustus Caesar less Wife because he loved or Pompey less Valiant because he loved Salomon may be said to be less Pious towards God through the great Love he bore to Pharoah's Daughter which was his first and dearly beloved Wife yet he was not less Wise in respect of the World But Men seek for that
Governor of a Common-wealth And Wit is to be preferred before Beautie for there is as much difference as betwixt Soul and Body for Wit is as it were spiritual where Beautie is Corporal and Beautie is subject to the variations of several Opinions for Beautie is not Beautie in all Nations but Wit is Wit in all Languages Beautie wearies the Eye by Repetitions where Wit refresheth the Ear with variety of Discourse Wit is the God of Passion creating and disposing them at his pleasure Of Riches and Beautie RIches si to be preferred before Beautie though it be a gift of Fortune and Beautie a gift of Nature for Beautie incaptives where Riches inslaves all for were there a Beautie that had as much as Nature could give it joyned with an Angelical Mind yet it shall never triumph so long nor inthrall so many nor so constantly be served as Riches is for Riches hath no unfaithfull Lovers although she may have ignorant Servants whom she turns most commonly Weeping out of dores for she is a humersome Mistris and changeth often but seldom makes a good Choice And the Reason why Riches are preferr'd esteemed honoured and unweariedly followed is because she affords more variety which the Nature of Man delights and seeks after where Beauty is still one and the same but though Riches are fleeting yet many times the Carefull and Prudent have possest them long where Beauty no sooner shewes her self but dyes The Beauty of Mean Persons BEauty in Mean and Poor Persons is onely subject to Temptation not to Admiration as Beauty in Palaces is Famous in Historie but those Beauties as come from an Humble Birth and Breeding in a small Cottage are buried in their Poverty which shews it is not onely the Beauty which Nature gives but the Arts that adorn it which allures the Mind for Good Fortune gives Beauty a Lustre and makes it appear Divine so doth Rich Apparel Attendance and the like for it is the Trappings and the Ceremony which takes the Eyes of the Beholders whereas Ill Fortune and Poverty do cast a Shadow upon Natural Beauty and eclipse it from the Eyes of the World Thus Beauty is admired and divulged according to the Wealth and Dignity unless some strange and unusual Accident happens to the Beautifull to noyse it abroad otherwise we shall not hear of Poor and Mean Persons mentioned in many Ages but those which the Fancies of Poets make but of Beauties that were Great and Rich their Chronologies are full Of Imaginary Beauty SOme may imagine or think Beauty was framed and composed in the Opinions of Men rather than in the Lineaments and Symmetries and Motion of the Body or the Colour of the Skin for that which appeareth Beautifull to one Nation doth not so to another as witness the Indians the Ethiopians who think the blackest Skin stattest Noses and thickest Lips the most Beautifull which seem Deformed and Monstrous to the Europeans so particular Persons as in several Nations for to one Person shall appear a Beauty to enamour the Soul with Admiration to another shall appear even to a Dislike which shews that were there a Body never so exactly proportion'd or their Motions never so gracefull or their Colour never so Orient yet it will not please all I will not say there is no such thing as Beauty but no such Beauty as appears so to all Eyes because there is not Variety enough in one Beauty to please the various Fancies of Mankind for some fancy Black some Brown some Fair some a Sad Countenance some a Merry some more Bashfull some more Bold For Stature some Tall some Low some Fat some Lean some Dislike some Motions some others some grey Eyes some black Eyes some blew Eyes and to make mixture of all these it is impossible and though there may be as great and as good a Harmonie in Beauty as in Musick yet all Tunes please not all Ears no more do all Beauties please all Eyes Of Natural Beauty BEauty is a certain Splendor which flows in a Line or Air of Lights from the Spirits and gives a shining Glory upon the Face which Light with Ill Complexions or not Lovely Features is darkned as the Sun with Clouds wherein some Faces have thicker Clouds than others that make a Beauty appear more Splendorous at some times than others But in Age Beauty seldom or never appears being in the Winter season of Life but in Youth the Air is alwaies Serene and Clear Some see this Splendor or Beauty in a Face which others do not as having a more discerning Spirit which makes some wonder at such as do fall in Love with those that they shall think Ill-favoured besides there is a Sympathy of Spirits to perceive that in one and other as Lookers on cannot find out Of Pride IF Pride seems Handsome and may be allowed in any it is in Women because it gives a Distance to Idle Pretenders and Corrupters of Chastity Neither is it so bad in Women to be proud of their Chastity and Honest Affection as Alexander in his Victories or Helen in her Beauty or Rome of her Spoyls and Royal Slaves for Honesty is their greatest Beauty and they may glory in it as their greatest Honour and triumph in it as their greatest Victory and though that Women are naturally Fearfull yet rather than they would infringe the least part of a Chastity either in Words to Inchant or Looks to Allure or Actions to Invite they would enforce Life and Triumph in Death rather than their Virtue should be overcome either in the Stratagems of Follyes or Treacherous Bribes or by force of wicked Appetites But a Woman should be so well instructed in the Principles of Chastity as no false Doctrine could perswade her from it neither Praises nor Professions nor Oaths nor Vows nor Wealth Dignity nor Example having alwaies Temperance and Sobriety in Friendship To the same BUT some are bred with such Nicety and in such Innocency as if they meant to marry some Deity But Modesty should dwell in Womens Thoughts Wit marshal their Words Prudence rule their Actions they should have a Gracefull Behaviour a Modest Countenance a Witty Discourse a Civil Society a Curteous Demeanour Men should be Valiant in War Temperate in Peace Just to others Prudent to themselves but Natures Extraordinary Works are not Commonly distributed THE EPISTLE THE Reason why I print most of what I write is because I observe that not only the weak Writings of men get Applause in the World but the infinite weak Translators of others Works thus there are many simple Books take the World by the Ears but I perceive it is not the wit or worth of what is written that begets a delight to the Readers and a Fame to the Writers but it must fit the Genius of the Age And truly if we will but note it there is as much difference in the wit or understanding of some Ages I mean for the generality of men as between
not so much the Wisdome of Henry the Seventh that gave him the Crown as his Good Fortune in having a Tyrant Opposer on which the Peoples fear was above their feeling for they did apprehend more Tyrannie than they found in the time that Richard did reign for he made more good Laws in the time of his Reign than had been made in the Reign of many Kings before or after him But the Peoples mistrust cannot be satisfied with any Act let it be never so just or profitable but by their absence which they never think far enough untill they go to the Shades of Death and many times that which they believe will prove the best for them proves the worst because they follow not Reason but Will For Henry the Seventh whom they thought to be most happy under proved but a Tyrant in his Acts although a Saint in his Words for he brought by the means of Projecting and Informing Knaves the greatest or indeed all Estates to be Forfeited and so to be Compounded for by which he raised great Sums of Money to the ruining of many Antient Families yet he reigned peaceably most part of all his time which many a better and juster Prince had not the fortune to do Of the Emperors MOST commonly it may be said of Kings or Governors as they say of March It comes in like a Lion it goeth out like a Lamb and when it comes in like a Lamb it goeth out like a lion But when a Man desires to raise an Empire or himself to be an Emperor he flatters the People but when he is once become Emperor he makes the People flatter him Caesar might have proved a good Emperor but he had not time to be an ill one Augustus Caesar was a wise Prince he knew there was no way to settle the new-born Empire and to enjoy it peaceably but by gaining the Love of the People not by the base servile way of Flattery but by executing Justice and making wise and good Laws Tiberius was a good Prince whilst the memory of Augustus lasted in the Minds of the People and a wise Prince that he could dissemble his Humour so well and so long and none was so fit as Ascianus to bring him to bed of his great belly'd Cruelty Tiberius was of a lazy disposition as we may know by his solitary and luxurious life Nero came too soon to the Empire to reign well Vanities the Rulers of Youth despise Prudence and Temperance the Companions of Age his Vanities bred Vices his Vices bred Fear Fear bred Jealousie Jealousie bred Tyrannie Tyrannie bred Conspiracy and Conspiracy Destruction in brief he had not Age enough to poyse him he killed himself more out of Fear than Courage Both the Neroes the Uncles and the Cosen were much of a humour Nero Germanicus his Son he was Proud Cowardly Effeminat Envious Vainglorious Covetous to get Prodigal to spend Cruel without Craft and Mad he was not wise enough to rule his Empire nor temperate enough to govern his Vanities nor couragious enough to dissemble his Fears or be a good Prince As for Claudius the Emperour he was more learned than wise and he had more good Nature than Constancy and whatsoever ill he did he was seduced to do it by those he loved True it is he was of an easy Disposition but that proceeds more from a good Disposition in Nature than an evil one and it rather comes from Love than Hate although the Effects be all one for he that is easily perswaded and suddenly believes commits more Cruelty by his Credulity than distributes Justice by his good Nature As for Galba he had too narrow a Soul for so great an Empire for the Vices of Age and Covetousness had got hold of him he was Old and Crazy he had no Generosity to entice nor Sweet Behaviour to win nor Oratory to perswade nor Industry to order nor Faith to perform and whatsoever Man hath these Faults must needs get more Enemies than Friends As for Otho he had not Patience to try his Fortune neither lived he so long as any one could judge of his Government he was better beloved of his Souldiers than fortunate in their Successes besides he was beloved more of the People after he was dead than when he was living but whether he killed himself for the grief of those Souldiers that were lost or fear of the loss of the rest or for fear of himself it is doubtfull Vitelius was cruel gluttonous and of an unworthy nature For Vespasian he was very greedy of Gain to the height of Covetousness and yet he was very Generous for whatsoever he got though ill yet he bestowed it well he was a very mercifull Prince and very few Faults to be found in him He sprung from a Family of no great growth Titus Flavius Son to Vespasian he was so good there cannot enough be said in praise of him he was a Wise Prince and a Just Prince a Mercifull Prince and a Loving Temperate Carefull and Religious Prince he seemed to have more Goodness in him than were waies or means to express it he was Valiant Learned Mild Patient Industrious Skilfull in all Arts and Majestical Flavius Domitianus was Cruel and Vainglorious he followed not the steps of his Father nor Brother I observe Ill-born Natures cannot be bettered by Good Examples nor warned by Ill Examples for all the Cruel Emperors came to Untimely Deaths Of Pompey with Caesar. SOme praise Pompey and say He was a faithfull and loving Citizen of Rome a Father in defending the Laws and Liberties and a Martyr in dying in the Cause Others dispraise him and say It was Envy to Caesar that brought him out against him more than for the Publick Good and that if Pompey had had but the same Fortune he would have taken upon him the same Command Others again praise Caesar and say that he was forced to use his Power and Arms against the Senate out of necessity the one being much in Debt having exhausted his Estate the other in defence of his Life knowing the Senate would accuse him instead of rewarding him for his good Service and that Rational Men may judge by the succession of Story that he was necessitated and that Fortune being on his side gave him greater Hopes and higher Designs which he thought not at first on and that he had Reason though he had not been necessitated for though the Roman Government began from a Low and Mean Beginning yet it came to be the most Powerfull and Famous whilst Mediocrity ruled amongst them for at first their Poverty made them Just not daring to do Wrong and Prudent in providing the best waies and means to keep and raise themselves and Valiant and Industrious to defend themselves and to increase their Dominions Thus Virtues begot their Strength and raised their Fame But their good Fortune brought Plenty and Plenty Pride the one runs into Luxury the other into Ambition and Ambition begot Factions
were carried many hundred miles let them be but loose and at their Liberty and they will return to their first Habitation wherefore they are forced to muffle many Creatures that they may not see which way they go because they should not know how to return Then that they are not Sociable nor delight in Society but we see they will play and sport with one another and Sheep love Company so well that they will not thrive nor grow but where there are great Flocks of them together Then that they have not Fancy but we see that Nightingales have great Fancy in the variety of their Tones and Notes and their Invention in many things beyond the Invention of Man Thus there is no Virtue nor Vice as Men call them but may be found in other Creatures as well as man but only we give our Knowledge proper Names and those none Again they say there is no War nor Tyranny in other Creatures or Animals but man yet certain there are many other Animals more Tyrannical Cruell even to their own kind than man and will take as heavy a Revenge one upon another and love Superiority and Power will not the Cocks fight as fiercely and cruelly one with another for Preheminency as men so Bulls against Bulls They say men have Command over Beasts but it is as some men have Command over others that is when they have more Power as Strength of Body or advantage of help either of Numbers Place or Time The Actions of Beasts THough Beasts be apter for some Actions than Men yet they are not made capable to exercise all in general as Running Leaping Jumping Drawing Driving Heaving Holding Staying Darting Digging Striking Grasping Cutting Peircing Diving Rowling Wreathing or Twisting Backwards Forwards Sideway Upward Downward turning their Joints any way as man can do Besides what curious Motions can Man move his Fingers to and what subtill Measures his Feer which no other Creature can do the like Thus every Member of Man is prompt ready and fitted for Action which makes him so industrious and inventive as he becomes so proud thereby that he thinks himself a petty God and yet all his Excellency lies in his Outward Shape which is not compleat but all his Inward is like to Beasts Wherefore Beasts might have been as capable as man if his outward Shape had been according so that one may almost think that the Soul is the outward Figure of a mans Body Of Birds ALL Birds are full of Spirit and have more ingenious Fancies than Beasts as we may see by their curious building of their Nests in providing for their Young in avoiding great Storms in choosing the best Seasons as by shifting their Habitation and in their flying in a pointed Figure which cuts or peirceth the Air which makes the Passage easy and so in many other things of the like Nature But the Reason seems to be because the chief Region they live in which is Air is pure and serene when Beasts live altogether on the Earth where the Air about is more Grosse by reason of continual thick Vapours that issue out but the Region wherein Birds fly is clarified by the Sun which makes the spirits of Birds more refined subtill and more lively or chearfull For all Beasts are heavy and dull in comparison of Birds having not Wings to fly into the serene Air But Beasts seem to have as much solid Judgement as clear Understandings as Birds and as providently carefull of their Subsistence and safty both for their Young and themselves as Birds But Birds have more Curiosity Fancy and Chearfullness than Beasts or indeed than Men for they are alwaies chirping and singing hopping and flying about but Beasts are like Grave Formal and Solid Common-Wealths-men and Birds like elevated Poets Of the Wooing of Beasts and Birds IT is not only the Spring time that makes Birds sing and chatter but it is their Wooing and striving to please their Mistrisses and Lovers for most Creatures keep a Noise and Dance when they Wooe as striving to express their Affections for the Noise of other Creatures is as much as making Verses by Men to their Mistrisses for those Noises are the several Languages to expresse themselves whereby they understand one another as Men. Of Passions THE Passions of the Mind are like the Humours of the Body for all Bodies have Choler Melancholy and Flegm nor could it be nourished without them so the Mind hath many Passions which without would be like a Stone so that there is no Humour of the Body or Passion of the Mind but is good if moderately bounded and properly placed but it is the Excess of the Humours and Passion that destroies the Body and Mind but the equal Ingredients of Humours make a strong Body and an equal Composure of Passions makes a Happy and a Noble Mind Of Appetite and Passion ALL natural Appetites are within Limits and all unnatural Appetites are without Limit and there is nothing more against Nature than Violence wherefore Man is the greatest Enemy to Nature for natural Passion or Action or Appetite are not Violent Violence being Artificial or Extravagant not Natural which is caused by Imagination Opinions Examples and Conversation which perswade Man to those Appetites which Violence doth work upon Of Like and Dislike WEE receive Like and Dislike as soon as we receive our Senses which is Life for when a Child is quick in the Womb Pain grieves it and Ease pleaseth it but Like and Dislike are not perfect Passions for though they are the Foundation of Love and Hate from which all Passions spring by the old Opinions yet are they not perfect Love or Hate Besides there is a difference betwixt Love Liking and Fondness for although Love hath a liking and is fond of what it placeth it self upon yet Liking and Fondness have not alwaies Love for true Love is unalterable when the other two are subject to Variety for true Love is lead by Reason and strengthened by Virtue Of self-Self-Love SElf love is the ground from whence springs all Indeavours and Industry Noble Qualities Honorable Actions Friendships Charity and Piety and is the cause of all Passions Affections Vices and Virtues for we do nothing or think not of any thing but hath a reference to our selves in one kind or other either in things Divine Humane or Natural for if we part with Life which is the chiefest good to Mankind it is because we think in Death there is lesse Pain than in Life without that we part with Life for and if we endure Torment which is worse than Death for any Thing or Opinion it is because our Delight of what we suffer for is beyond all Pains which Delight proceeds from Self-Love and Self-Love is the strongest Motion of the Mind for it strives to attract all Delight and gathers together like the Sun Beams in one Point as with a Glass wherewith it sets all one fire So Self-Love infires the Mind
which makes it Subtil and Active and sometimes Raging Violent and Mad and as it is the First that seiseth on us so it is the Last that parts from us and though Reason should be the Judge of the Mind yet Self-Love is the Tyrant which makes the State of the Mind unhappy for it is so partially Covetous that it desires more than all and is contented with nothing which makes it many times grow Furious even to the ruin of its own Monarchy Of Love LOVE is accounted of all the Passions the pleasantest and delightfullest and yet there is no Passion Tyranniseth so much as Love for it is not a return of the like though it come in an Equal Measure that can temper it nor Hate that can kill it nor Absence that can weaken it nor Threats that can affright it nor Power that can beat it off for it delivers up it self and it will abide with what it loves Neither is it like other Passions for Anger although violent is short Hate ceaseth with the Cause Ambition dies when Hopes are gone Fear is helped by Security Absence or Reproach of others cures Envy but nothing lessens or takes away from pure Love for the Pain increaseth with the Affection and the Affection with Time for the elder it groweth the stronger it becomes I mean not Foolish and Fond Love for Inconstancy is the Physician to that But firm and pure Love it is opprest with all other Passions for other Passions are but one against one but Love is Fired with Ambition Rubbed with Anger Torn with Fear Crampt with Envy Wounded with Jealousy so that it Mourns more than it Joyes This Passion makes Labour a a Recreation Pain Easy and Death pleasant when it brings any benefit to the Beloved And though Self-Love be the Ground from whence the love of other things springs yet it lives in the thing beloved and dies for the thing beloved to please it self much Love contracts the Mind and makes all things little and narrow but what it loves those that love are dead to themselves and live in those are their Beloved for the Desires of the Beloved are the Desires of the Lover let them be good or bad for though all Love is from Self-Love yet at last it Unthrones and dispossesseth it self and placeth the Beloved in its Rome We cannot alwaies love our selves WE cannot have the purity of Love to our selves unless we were perfect for where there are vain Opinions and false Imaginations unsound Understandings and various Passions which make us unconstant to our selves for though we do not absolutely hate our selves yet we grow weary of our selves and dislike our selves for many things so many times we seek to destroy our selves by taking our Lives away as those that murther themselves yet the neerest perfection of Love is Self-love because it is the Original of all other Passionss There is no perfect Love or Hate in Humanity THE reason why there can be no perfect Love or Hate in this World is because all things are subject to change and alter for at whatsoever is in the World we may take such an Exception that we may come to hate that which we seemed passionatly to love and to love that which we seem violently to hate for perfect Love or Hate must come from chosen Opinions of Good or Bad either to love Good or hate Evill as it is natural if there be any evil in Nature or in relation to our selves as we conceive to do us Good or Hurt for we cannot truly love or hate untill we can distinguish between Good or Evil but to speak truly we cannot love or hate untill we perfectly know the Nature and Essence of what we love or hate which is impossible for who knows the Essence of any one thing in the World and what is more unknown than the Nature of Man either by themselves or others which is alwaies subject to Alterations And since nothing can be known we cannot truly love or hate for Knowledge is required to the establishment of either but the Inconstancy of Man is such as he esteems and despises one thing in a Moment Of Envy ENvy they say is out of self-Self-love which cannot endure the Light of Good Fortune to shine upon any House but its own yet it seems strange that Self-love should become its own Hell for who can say in reason a Man in love to his Body racks it so as it never comes to its strength again so doth an Envious Man to his Mind But Envious Men are like them that had rather please their Palats than abstain for Health so they had rather see the Ruine of those they Envy than to have Prosperity themselves Of Natural Fears AS the Sword gets Power so Fear maintains Power for Fear makes Laws and Laws are Rules to keep Peace Fear subjects the Minds of Men and makes them submiss and makes them to do Right to one another for fear others should do Wrong to them Fear makes Carefulness and is a Watch-Tower for a Mans Safety Fear makes Order Order makes Strength and Strength maintains Power for a Body out of Order is weak and is subject to be overcom I mean not a Cowardly and Servile Fear to quit his Right but a Noble Fear to keep his Own for as Base Fear makes Knaves so Noble Fear makes Honest Men as not to dare to do a Wrong for as Base Fear is the ground of Cowardliness so Noble Fear is the ground of Valour for a Valiant Man is so afraid to lose his Honour as he will adventure his Life a Coward is so afraid to lose his Life as he will adventure his Honour Base Fear distracts Noble Far unites Fear makes Devotion and Devotion breeds Love so it is the Parent and Child to Love as to breed it and obey it And Security weakens Power for Security makes Carelesness and Carelesness makes Disorder and Disorder makes Confusion Besides what States nay what private Families are without private Spies to find out what weakens and no sooner found but discovered to our Enemies and an Enemy will lose no known Advantage Besides Opportunity makes Enemies when Care not onely keeps out Enemies but makes Friends for Fear makes a Wise Conduct when Security brings a Disorderly Fear Of Revenge for Ill Words IT is the greatest Dishonour for a Man to be called a Coward for a Woman to be called a Whore and nothing will satisfie a Man that is called a Coward but the Life of him that doth it so Tender is he of his Honour and so Revengefull doth the Loss make him But a Woman can give no Honourable Revenge if she be disgraced with Words she must onely mourn over her Loss of Honour she may weep Funeral-tears over it or curse or sigh for it but when it is once Dead it hath no Resurrection Of the Passions of Love and Hate and of good and bad Dispositions THere are but two Parent-Passions as Love and Hate from whence
are cold and moyst as the Effects of the Sun are hot and dry for we must guess of the Quality or Cause by the Effects besides the Light shews it Water for when the Sun shines upon the Seas the Reflexion casts a Pale Light so the Moon gives a Silver Light Of the Prospect of Water WE cannot see with a Perspective glass the several Drops of the Sea as we see the several Parts in a Heap of Sand for if we look into the Sea it only shews a shining Body but look on the Sand and every little Grain will seem a little Stone and so a small Heap seems like a Rock and the Perspective shews perfectly what it is because it lyes in distinct Parts which may be magnified But we cannot magnifie the Drops of Water because it is a Liquid Body where every part mingles into one another or cleaves so close as it becomes one entire Body so as there are no distinct Parts visible Of Perspectives JUST as a Perspective glass carries the sight afar off so a Trunk or Pipe conveys the sound and voyce to the Ear at a great distance Thus we may perceive that the Figure of a round Circle hath the nature to gather up and to draw to a Point all Species whatsoever for they do not onely gather these from the Brain but those that come from outward Objects and the more round Circles there are the straiter and further the several Species go and the sharper is the Point as being bound not having Liberty to stray forth That is the reason that the longer the Perspective is or the Pipe or Trunk the clearer and perfecter we see and hear for a Pipe or a hollow Trunk gathers up the several Letters and Words as a Perspective gathers up the several Objects Besides the Eye and the Ear are much of the nature of a Burning-glass which gathers all the loose and scattered Beams of the Sun to a Point becoming there so strong being united as the Reflexion strike upon all Bodies it meets and peirceth into whatsoever is Porous Just so the Reflexions of what the Senses have gathered together strike upon the Optick Nerve and peirce into the Brain and if the Species of Sense were so material as those Species which are drawn from grosser Bodies the Nose would see a Sent and the Ear see a Sound as well as the Eyes see a grosser Object which is presented to it But the Matter being Thin and Aery the Objects cannot be so soild and substantial as to make a Figurative Body to last so long as for our gross Senses to see Of going about the World IT is said that Drake and Cavendish went round the World and others because they set out of one place and went till they came to the same place again without turning But yet in my conceit it doth not prove they went round the whole World for suppose there should be round Circle of a large Extent and within this Circle many other Circles and likewise without so that if one of these inward or outward Circles be compass'd shall we say it was the Circumference Circle when it may be it was the Center Circle But it may easily deceive the Understanding since we can truly judge but according to what we sind and not to what we know not But surely the World is bigger than Mens Compass of Embracing and Man may make a Globe of what he knows but he cannot make a Globe of what he knows not so that the World may be bigger than Man can make Globes for any thing he knoweth perfectly This Globe Man makes for the whole World is but an inward Circle and that there may be many of them which we do not know because not found out as yet although Ships are good Scouts to bring Intelligence Of Nature WE find that Nature is stinted her self as well as Man is stinted by her for she cannot go beyond such Rules and Principles which shews there is something more powerfull than Nature as to govern her as she governs the World for if she were not limited there might be new Worlds perpetually and not a Repetition in this course of one and the same Motion Matter and Form which makes it very probable that Nature hath wrought to the height of her Invention and that she hath plowed and sowed to the length of her Limits and hath reaped the plentifullest Crops or at least as plentifull as she can which makes it very Unlikely or indeed Impossible that there should be better and quicker Wits or sounder Judgements or deeper Understandings or exacter Beauties or purer Virtues or clearer Truths than have been in former Ages and we find by her Acts past that all was begot from the first-grounded Principles Variation indeed there may be but not any thing entirely new And that there have been as good if not better in the same kind before Neither can we rationally think but the very same Patterns of all her Principles have been before in the Generality of her Works although not made known in the Particulars of every of her Works But every Age are apt to flatter themselves out of a Natural self-Self-love that Nature hath out-wrough her former Works which if so there must be no Perfection because no End of Increasing for nothing can be Perfect that hath a Superiour or which is not finished and done or that Nature being Imperfect cannot finish what she hath begun or that her Principles are Imperfect which she works upon But we find that Nature hath a constant and setled course in all she doth and whatsoever she works are but Patterns from her old Samplers But the several Stiches which are the several Motions are the same and the Stuff which she worketh upon which is the Matter is the same and the Figures she makes are after the same kind and we find through many ages since that it is the same as Salomon saith Nothing is new c. Of Augury BY the Sympathy and Antipathy of Matter or at least in the several Forms of all so in the Motion of Nature if Man the chief Work of Nature would observe we might foreknow Effects to come by past Effects and present Effects if we would but study the Art which in former times those that were called Augures were learned in and certainly did foretell many things truly well and without the help of a Devil but by Natural Observations of Natural Effects though unknown Causes And why may not this Learning be as well as Astronomy which by Observations of Effects hath found out the Reason of Eclipses and can foretell their times and many other things concerning all the Planets and fixed Stars And why not as well as Physicians that have found out the Effects of Vegetables and Minerals and the Diseases by which kind and waies of applying hath produced a Cure which is not onely a Restauration but a kind of Creation and can foretell whether such kind of Diseases are
curable or no. Of Natural Faith THere may be such Sympathy in Nature that if we could believe undoubtedly our own Belief might bring any thing to pass For why may not Faith beget naturally what it requires as well as one Creature beget another But Nature is Wise for she hath mixed Mans Mind with so many Passions and Affections as his Belief cannot be so clear but that there lye alwaies Dregs and Doubts in the bottom of his Mind which if Nature had not ordered so Man might have transformed her Works to his Humour But certainly there is a Natural Sympathy in Curses to produce an Evil Effect The Predestination of Nature THere is a Predestination in Nature that whatsoever she gives Life to she gives Death to she hath also predestinated such Effects from such Causes Of Chymistry THE greatest Chymists are of a strong Opinion that they can enforce Nature as to make her go out of her Natural Pace and to do that by Art in a Furnace as the Elixar in half a Year that Nature cannot in a hundred or a thousand Years and that their Art can do as much as Nature in making her Originals another way than she hath made them as Paracelsus little Man which may be some Dregs gathered together in a Form and then perswaded himself it was like the Shape of a Man as Fancies will form and liken the Vapours that are gathered into Clouds to the Figures of several things Nay they will pretend to do more than ever we saw Nature to do as if they were the God of Nature and not the Work of Nature to return Life into that which is dead as to renew a Flower out of its own Ashes and make that Flower live fresh again which seems strange since we find nothing that Nature hath made that can be more powerfull or more cunning or curious than her self for though the Arts of Men and other Creatures are very fine and profitable yet they are nothing in comparison to Natures works when they are compared Besides it seems impossible to imitate Nature as to do as Nature doth because her Waies and her Originals are utterly unknown for Man can only guess at them or indeed but at some of them But the reason of raising such Imaginations in Man is because they find by practice that they can extract and divide one Quality from another though it may be in question whether they can do it purely or no but so as to deform that Nature hath formed But to compass and make as Nature doth as they imagin they can is such a Difficulty as I believe they have not the power to perform for to divide or substract is to undo and Nature hath given that Faculty to Man to do some things when he will but not in all as he may ruin and destroy that he cannot build or renew though he be an Instrument as all other things are to further Natures Works since she is pleased to work one thing out of another not making new Principles for every thing yet he cannot work as she worketh for though he can extract yet he cannot make for he may extract Fire out of a thing but he cannot make the principle Element of Fire so of Water and Earth no more can he make the Elizar than he can make the Sun Sea or Earth and so it seems as impossible to make a Man as to make a piece of Meat put into a Pot and setting it upon the Fire of what temper or which way he can he shall never turn it into Blood as it doth in the Stomack or make such Excrements as the Bowels cast forth And to make the Essence of a Flower return into the same Flower again seems more strange for first that Motion is ceased and gone that gave it that Form and where they will find that Motion or know what kind moves it or what moved it to that Form I doubt is beyond their skill Besides those Qualities or Substances are evapoured out that gave it that tast or smell or that made it such a thing and though they be never so Industrious to keep those Vapours in yet they are too subtil to be restrained and Insensible to be found again when once they are separated so as it is as hard to gather the dispersed Parts as to make the first Principles which none but the God of Nature can do for it is a hard thing out of the Ashes of a Billet to make a Billet again But Nature hath given such a Presumptuous self-Self-love to Mankind and filled him with that Credulity of Powerfull Art that he thinks not onely to learn Natures Waies but to know her Means and Abilities and become Lord of Nature as to rule her and bring her under his Subjection But in this Man seems rather to play than work to seek rather than to find for Nature hath infinite Varieties of Motions to form Matters with that Man knows not nor can guess at and such Materials and Ingredients as Mans gross Sense cannot find out insomuch that we scarce see the Shadow of Natures Works but live in Twilight and have not alwaies that but sometimes we are in Utter Darkness where the more we wander the apter we are to break our Heads THE EPISTLE THis Book I doubt will never gain an Applause especially amongst those Students who have spent their time with Antient Authorities who are become so restringent with their Doctrines as the strongest reason of Contradiction cannot move them nor reasonable Truths purge out the Erroneous Dregs And they do not onely make a Laughing Scorn or cast a Deriding Jest on Modern Opinions but they will fly from them as from the Plague without any Examination crying they are Defective out of an Obstinate Belief that none but the Antients were Masters of Knowledge and their Works the onely Guides of Truth which is as Ridiculous as to think that Nature cannot or will not make any thing equal to her former Works or to think Nature confined all Knowledge to some Particular Heads in Antient Times and none but those to trace her Waies or to think that the Curiosity of Nature is so easily found out that the Antients could not be mistaken But the Antients are divided amongst the Scholars or rather the Scholars are divided amongst the Antients where every several Author hath a several Party to fight in his Defence or to usurp an Absolute Power where there is so much Envy and Malicious Factions and Side-takings to maintain or to fling down several Opinions or so much Ignorance blindly to throw at all having no Understanding Eye to make Distinguishment or to see what they are against But I hope none of my Readers will be so blind as to break their Heads against the Candlestick when the Light is set therein and I wish it may burn so clearly and bright as to cast no dark Shadows against the Wall of Ignorance yet I must confess it is but a
set the Body on Fire or melts it as Metal in a Furnace producing an Unnatural Heat in the Arteries and inflames the Vital Spirits therein which produceth incurable Hectick Feavers The Effects of Sickness SIckness will destroy that in one Week that Time will not do in twenty Years for Sickness will make Youth look Old and Decrepid when Health makes Age look Young and Spritly Sickness burns up the Body Time wears out the Body and Riot tears out the Body Of the Senses AS all Objects and Sounds that go through the Eye and Ear must first strike and make such a Motion in the Brain before the Mind is sensible thereof so any thing that toucheth the Body goeth first thorow the Pores of the Skin and Flesh and strikes upon the Nerves which Nerves are little Strings or Pipes full of Brain those spread all over the Body and when those are moved as the Brain is in the Skull then the Body is sensible And that is the reason that when the Flesh is bound or press'd up hard close it is numb and hath no feeling because those Pores where it was bound or press'd are stopped and are no more sensible of touch than the Eye or Ear or Nose when they are stopped are sensible of Outward Objects or Sound or Sent. Thus stoppinig the Pores of the Body is as it were Blind or Deaf Sensless and Tastless and this is the reason that when any one is sick or distempered they cannot eat their Meat because the Pores of the Spungie Tongue are stopped either by Weakness Cold or Drought The Senses of the Body equalized with the Senses of the Soul AS the Body hath five Senses Seeing Hearing Smelling Tasting and Touching so hath the Soul for Knowledge is as the Sense of Touch Memory as the Sense of Sight Reason as the Sense of Hearing Understanding as the Sense of Tast and Imagination as the Sense of Smelling as being the most Acry Sense Of Objects THere are three Imperfections in Sight as the Dimness of Age or Weakness Purblind and Squint Age makes all things look misty as if there were a Veil before their Eyes and Purblind makes all things look level or plain without the distinction of Parts a Squint makes all things look double But to look perfect and clear is that the two Eyes make a Triangular Point upon the Object or else the Eyes are like Burning-Glasses which draw all the Lines of Objects to a Point making themselves the Center Of Touch. ALL Pleasure and Pain is Touch and every several part of the Body hath a several Touch for not onely the various Outward Causes give several Touches but every several part receives a several Touch and as the General Sense throughout the whole Body is Touch so every Particular Sense as all Objects touch the Eyes all Sounds touch the Ears all Sent toucheth the Nose all Meat toucheth the Tongue and all those strike and move and so touch the Brain And though all Touches are Motions yet all are several Motions according to the several Parts for all Pain comes by cross and perturbant Motions all Pleasure by even and regular Motions and every particular Sense may receive Pleasure or Pain without affecting or disaffecting or indeed a notice to the rest of the Senses for the particular Senses take no notice of each other And as I said every several part of an Animal hath a several Touch and a several Tast the Loyn doth not tast like the Breast nor the Breast like the Loyn nor the Shoulder like the Breast nor the Neck like the Shoulder nor the Head like the Neck So in Vegetables the Fruit not like the Leaves nor the Leaves like the Rind Thus the Objects as well as the Senses are different Of Pleasure and Pain THere are onely two General Pleasures and two General Pains all the rest are according to Delectation or Reluctation the two General Pleasures are Quiet in the Mind and Ease in the Body the two General Maladies are Trouble in Mind and Pain in the Body But Slavery can be no Bondage if the Mind can be content withall yet the Mind cannot be pleased if the Body be in Pain it may be Patient but not Content for Content is when the Mind desires not change of the Condition of the Life The Cause of Tears and Laughter ANY Extraordinary Motion in the Spirits causeth Tears for all Motions heat according to their Degrees and Heat doth rarifie and separate the thinnest Substance from the thickest as Chymists know right well and all very thin Bodies are fluent and as I may say agil and all that are fluent and agil seek passage and vent So as a Man in this may be similiz'd to a Still as the Atteries for the Furnace of the Still where the Fire which is Motion is put in the Heart the Pan of the Still where the several Passions as several Herbs are put in the Head the Cover of the Still where the Vapour of herby Passions ascends the Eyes the Spout where it runs or drops forth Laughter is produced as Tears are by Extraordinary Motions by which Extreme Laughter will cause Tears Of Tears SOme say Tears are the Juice of the Mind pressed with Grief But Tears proceed from Joy as well as from Sorrow and they are increased by the Moysture of the Brain in some the Spring is dryed But all Passions are apt to pump out Tears as Extreme Sorrow which contracts and congeals by drawing all inward and the reason why Tears be salt is because the Head is a Limbeck which extracts the thinner part from the thicker which thicker is purged by the Nose and Mouth But Tears which are the Essence of Spirits become a kind of a Vitriol Of Musicians being sometimes Mad. THE reason why Musicians are so often Mad is not alwaies Pride bred by the conceit of their rare Art and Skill but by the Motion of the Musick which is swifter than the ordinary Motion of the Brain and by that reason distempers the Brain by increasing the Motion of the Brain to the Motion of the Fiddle which puts the Brain so out of tune as it is very seldom tuneable again and as a Ship is swallowed by a Whirlpit in the Sea so is Reason drown'd in the Whirlpit of the Brain Comparing the Spleen to a Loadstone THE Spleen is like a Loadstone which draws Steel unto it and as the Loadstone is as it were nourished by Steel so the Spleen is opened and clensed Of Physick THE reason why most Men are addicted to the taking of much Physick is out of love to Life thinking that Physick prolongs it I Am about to publish an Additional Part to joyn with my Book of Philosophical Fancies which by reason some part treats of Diseases I recommend to Physicians I mean not Empiricks or Mountebanks such as take the Name and never studied the Science whose Practice is rather to kill than to cure which disgraceth that Noble Profession But
in vain Dressings they wore Horse-Tails in Head-pieces for Terrour not Light Feathers for Shew their Pride lay in their Arms not in their Clothes in their Strength not in their Beauty in their Victories not in their Dancings in their Prudence not in their Vanities their Wealth was spent in Hospitality not in Prodigality their Discourse was to Instruct not to make Sport neither in former years was Old-ages counsel refused for Youths Advice Age was accounted an Honour and respect was given to the Silver Hairs Youth an Effeminacy pittying their Follies And Youth in former Ages learnt with Patience what Age taught with Judgement and with Pains what Skill taught with Industry As to drive Charriots ride Horses bear Arms hold Shields throw Darts to Fence to wrastle to Skirmish to train Men to pitch Camps to set Armies to guide Ships Not to Dance to Sing to Fiddle to paint to powder as many men do now adaies Youth did then listen with attention to Grave Instructions and receive reproofs with Submission kept silence with sober Countenance obeyed with willing hearts and ready hands where now adaies Youth is bold and rude talks loud speaks Nonsence slights Age scorns Councels laug's at Reproofes glories in Vices and hates Virtue T is true many will go into the War and kill one another though many times they run away but it is rather Rashnes that sights than true Valour where Fortune gives the Victory and not Pallas or rather Time for those that run first away lose the day Thus in former Ages were Bodies and Minds matcht but I speak of Stength to shew that Women that are bred tender idle and ignorant as I have been are not likely to have much Wit nor is it fit they should be bred up to Masculine Actions yet it were very fit and requisit they should be bred up to Masculine Understandings it is not fit for Women to practice the behaviour of Men yet it is fit that Women should practice the Fortitude of Men But Women now adaies affecting a Masculincy as despising their own Sex practise the behaviour of Men not the spirits of Men nor their Herroick Behaviour but their Wilde Loose Rude Rough or foolish attected Behaviour they practise the Masculine Confidency or Boldness and forget the Esseminate Modesty the Masculine Vice and forget the Esseminate Virtues as to talke Impudently to Swagger to Swear to Game to Drink to Revell to make Factions but they practice not Silence Sobriety Reservedness Abstinency Patience or the like they practice the Masculine Cruelty quitting their tender and gentle Natures their sweet and pleasing Dispositions But these Actions and Humours are so far from preferring our Sex to a higher Degree that they do debase and make us worse than other Creatures be but I beseech my Readers to believe I speak not of Envy or Spight for I am guilty of neither but out of a grieved love to my own Sex nor of any particular Nations but of the World in general I mean as much as I have heard of likewise that my Readers will not mistake me as to think I belive that great Giantly Bodies or strong course Clowns have the greatest Wit and deepest Understanding for we see to the contrary most commonly they being the most Ignorant Fools and Cowardly spirits but I mean that if they had large strong healthfull bodies which might be obtained by Heroick Labours and Exersises and if their spirits were answerable to their bodies which might be infused by good Education they might have a double or treble Portion of Rational Understanding but most commonly large Bodies are like populated Kingdomes that are Barren for want of Cultivating and becomes defensless and open to an Enemy for want of Fortification which is Fortitude for Fortitude is an Overflow or a Superabounding of Spirits when Fear is a Scarcity or Contracting thereof the like of Wit and Understanding for from the Quantity and Agilness of the spirits in the Brain produceth Wit and from the Quantity and Strength of the Spirits in the Brain produceth Understanding But if I were to choose a Sex I had rather be a Pigmy stuft with rational spirits than a Giant empty thereof but a Middle Stature is most becoming a Little the most Agil and a Great the most Dreadfull like a private Family for a small Family hath the least Expence a Great Family the most Disorder a Competent Family the best Governed Or like Marriage a Beautifull Wife Delights most a Witty Wife pleaseth best a Chast Wife makes a man the Happiest So a Valiant Husband is most Esteemed a Wise Husband best beloved and an Honest Husband makes a Wife the happiest when a Coward is scorned a Fool despised and an Inconstant Husband hated The like is a Cholerick Wife an Unconstant Wife and a Sluttish Wife IT is strange to observe the forgetfulness or the boldness or the foolishness of many men in the World that will not only take Learned Mens Opinions and Arguments and discourse of them as if they were their own to the very Authors themselves word for word which shews Ridiculous and Mad but most times they will gravely write them as if they were never writ or divulged before by which Actions one would think they were of Kin to the Jackanapes Others are as Base as those are Ridiculously Foolish which will bribe the Printer or Bookseller to let them see such Copies and so will steal out their best Phansies or Opinions or Arguments and print them before the others come out wherefore it is just in the Readers to examine the Grounds for if any have done so unworthy an Act the Theft will be as easily seen for it will appear in the Face lying but skin-deep but never come neer the Fundamental parts wherefore all Writers that Strike Justle or Imbraee one another and that are published or Printed in a short space of time of one another are to be examined to find out the Right and Truth and to condemn the Thief and punish the Crime with Reproach and Infamy But I would have this Monarchy I make To have a Judge * that will good Counsel take One that is wise to govern and to see What Faults to mend and what the Errors be Making the Common-wealth his only Minion Striving for to enlarge his own Dominion To love his People with a tender Care To wink at Frailties which in Nature are And Just to punish Crimes as hatingill Yet sorry for the Malefactor still Glad to reward and Virtue to advance In real Favours not in Countenance Not to pay Merits with good Words and Smiles Dissembling Promises poor Men beguiles Nor yet good Services are done long past Ungratefull Souls will in Oblivion cast But have the Eye of Memory so clear The least good Service shall to him appear Nor would I have one idly to neglect His Peoples safety but for to protect Their Lives and Goods with all the care he can And upright Justice to the