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I can perceive) well in their wits." So doth "Tully, "I see every thing to be done foolishly and unadvisedly."

"Ille sinistrorsum, hic dextrorsum, unus utrique
Error, sed variis illudit partibus omnes.”

One reels to this, another to that wall;

'Tis the same error that deludes them all.

They dote all, but not alike, Maviz yag Tao Spa, not in the same kinde," One is covetous, a second lascivious, a third ambitious, a fourth envious, &c." as Damisippus the Stoick hath well illustrated in the poet,

"Desipiunt omnes æquè ac tu.”

'Tis an inbred maladie in every one of us, there is seminarium stultitiæ, a seminarie of folly," which if it be stirred up, or get a-head, will run in infinitum, and infinitely varies, as we our selves are severally addicted," saith Balthazar Castilio: and cannot so easily be rooted out, it takes such fast hold, as Tully holds, alte radices stultitia, so we are bred, and so we continue. Some say there be two main defects of wit, error and ignorance, to which all others are reduced; by ignorance we know not things necessary, by error we know them falsly. Ignorance is a privation, error a positive act. From ignorance comes vice, from error heresie, &c. But make how many kinds you will, divide and subdivide, few men are free, or that do not impinge on some one kinde or other. Sic plerumque agitat stultos inscitia, as he that examines his own and other men's actions, shall finde.

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*Charon in Lucian, as he wittily faigns, was conducted by Mercury to such a place, where he might see all the world at once; after he had sufficiently viewed, and looked about, Mercury would needs know of him what he had observed: He told him, that he saw a vast multitude and a promiscuous, their habitations like mole-hills, the men as emmets, "he could discern cities like so many hives of Bees, wherein every Bee had a sting, and they did nought else but sting one another, some domineering like Hornets bigger than the rest, some like filching Wasps, others as drones." Over their heads were hovering a confused companie of perturbations, hope, fear, anger, avarice, ignorance, &c. and a multitude of diseases hanging, which they still pulled on their pates. Some were

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Stultè & incaute omnia agi video. • Insania non omnibus cadem Erasm. chil. 3. cent. 10. nemo mortalium qui non aliqua in re desipit, licet alius alio morbo laboret, hic libidinis, ille avaritiæ, ambitionis, invidiæ. P Hor. 1. 2. Lib. 1. de aulico. Est in unoquoq; nostrum seminarium aliquod stultitiæ, quod si quando excitetur, in infinitum facile excrescit. Primaque lux vitæ prima juroris erat. Tibullus, stulti prætereunt dies, their wits are a wool-gathering. So fools commonly dote. * Dial, contemplantes, Tom. 2. brawling,

brawling, some fighting, riding, running, sollicitè ambientes, callide litigantes, for toyes, and trifles, and such momentarie things. Their Towns and Provinces meer factions, rich against poor, poor against rich, nobles against artificers, they against nobles, and so the rest. In conclusion, he condemned them all for mad-men, fools, idiots, asses, O stulti, quænam hæc est amentia? O fools, O mad-men, he exclaims, insana studia, insani labores, &c. Mad endeavours, mad actions, mad, mad, mad, O seclum insipiens & infacetum, a giddy-headed age. Heraclitus the Philosopher, out of a serious meditation of mens lives, fell a weeping, and with continual tears bewailed their misery, madnes, and folly. Democritus on the other side, burst out a laughing, their whole life seemed to him so ridiculous, and he was so far carried with this ironical passion, that the Citizens of Abdera took him to be mad, and sent therefore Embassadors to Hyppocrates the Physitian, that he would exercise his skill upon him. But the story is set down at large by Hyppocrates, in his epistle to Damogetus, which because it is not impertinent to this discourse, I wil insert verbatim almost, as it is delivered by Hyppocrates himself, with all the circumstances belonging unto it.

When Hyppocrates was now come to Abdera, the people of the city came flocking about him, some weeping, some intreating of him, that he would do his best. After some little repast, he went to see Democritus, the people following him, whom he found (as before) in his garden in the suburbs all alone, ""sitting upon a stone under a plane tree, without hose or shoes, with a book on his knees, cutting up several beasts, and busie at his study." The multitude stood gazing round about to see the congresse. Hyppocrates, after a little pause, saluted him by his name, whom he resaluted, ashamed almost that he could not call him likewise by his, or that he had forgot it. Hyppocrates demanded of him what he was doing: He told him that he was "busie in cutting up several beasts, to finde out the cause of madness and melancholy." Hyppocrates commended his work, admiring his happinesse and leasure. And why, quoth Democritus, have not you that leasure? Because, replied Hyppocrates, domestical affairs hinder, necessary to be done, for our selves, neighbours, friends; expenses, diseases, frailties and mortalities which happen; wife, children, servants, and such businesses which deprive us of our time.

* Catullus. "Sub ramosa platano sedentem, solum, discalceatum, super lapidem, valde pallidum ac macilentum, promissa barba, librum super genibus habentem. * De furore, mania melancholia scribo, ut sciam quo pacto in ho min bus gignatur, fiat, crescat, cumuletur, minuatur; hæc inquit animalia quæ vides propterea seco, non Dei opera perosus, sed fellis bilisq; naturam disquirens.

VOL. I.

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At this speech Democritus profusely laughed (his friends and the people standing by, weeping in the mean time, and lamenting his madness). Hyppocrates asked the reason why he laughed. He told him, at the vanities and fopperies of the time, to see men so empty of all virtuous actions, to hunt so far after gold, having no end of ambition; to take such infinite pains for a little glory, and to be favored of men; to make such deep mines into the earth for gold, and many times to finde nothing, with loss of their lives and fortunes. Some to love dogs, others horses, some to desire to be obeyed in many Provinces, and yet themselves will know no obedience. Some to love their wives dearly at first, and after a while to forsake and hate them, begetting children, with much care and cost for their education, yet when they grow to man's estate, to despise, neglect, and leave them naked to the world's mercy. Do not these behaviours expresse their intollerable folly? When men live in peace, they covet war, detesting quietness, 'deposing Kings, and advancing others in their stead, murdering some men to beget children of ther wives. How many strange humors are in men? When they are poor and needy, they seek riches, and when they have them, they do not enjoy them, but hide them under ground, or else wastefully spend them. O wise Hyppocrates, I laugh at such things being done, but much more when no good comes of them, and when they are done to so ill purpose. There is no truth or justice found amongst them, for they daily plead one against another, the son against the father and the mother, brother against brother, kinred and friends of the same quality; and all this for riches, whereof after death they cannot be possessors. And yet notwithstanding they wil defame and kil one another, commit all unlawfull actions, contemning God and men, friends and countrey. They make great account of many senselesse things, esteeming them as a great part of their treasure, statues, pictures, and such like moveables, dear bought, and so cunningly wrought, as nothing but speech wanteth in them, and yet they hate living persons speaking to them*. Others affect difficult things; if they dwel on firm Land, they wil remove. to an Iland, and thence to land again, being no way constant to their desires. They commend courage and strength in wars, and let themselves be conquered by lust and avarice; they are, in brief, as disordered in their minds, as Thersites was in his

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y Aust. 1. 1. in Gen. Jumenti & servi tui obsequium rigide postulas, & tu nullum præstas aliis, nec ipsi Deo. Uxores ducunt, mox foras ejiciunt. Quid hoc ab insania deest? Reges

• Pueros amant, mox fastidiunt. eligunt, deponunt.

& inimicitias agunt. pontificii.

Contra parentes, fratres, cives perpetuo rixantur,
Idola inanimata amant, animata odio habent, sic

* Credo equidem vivos ducent è marmore vultus.

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body. And now me thinks, O most worthy Hyppocrates, you should not reprehend my laughing, perceiving so many fooleries in men; for no man will mock his own folly, but that which he seeth in a second, and so they justly mock one another. The drunkard cals him a glutton, whom he knows to be sober. Many men love the sea, others husbandry; briefly, they cannot agree in their own trades and professions, much lesse in their lives and actions.

When Hyppocrates heard these words so readily uttered, without premeditation, to declare the world's vanity, full of ridiculous contrariety, he made answer, That necessity compelled men to many such actions, and divers wils ensuing from divine permission, that we might not be idle, being nothing is so odious to them as sloth and negligence. Besides, men cannot foresee future events, in this uncertainty of humane affairs; they would not so many, if they could foretell the causes of their dislike and separation; or parents, if they knew the hour of their childrens death, so tenderly provide for them; or an husbandman sowe, if he thought there would be no increase; or a merchant adventure to sea, if he foresaw shipwrack; or be a magistrate, if presently to be deposed. Alas, worthy Democritus, every man hopes the best, and to that end he doth it, and therefore no such cause, or ridiculous occasion of laughter.

Democritus hearing this poor excuse, laughed again aloud, perceiving he wholly mistook him, and did not well understand what he had said concerning perturbations, and tranquility of the minde. Insomuch, that if men would govern their actions by discretion and providence, they would not declare themselves fools, as now they do, and he should have no cause of laughter; but (quoth he) they swell in this life, as if they were immortal, and demi-gods, for want of understanding. It were enough to make them wise, if they would but consider the mutability of this world, and how it wheels about, nothing being firm and sure. He that is now above, to morrow is beneath; he that sate on this side to day, to morrow is hurled on the other: and not considering these matters, they fall into many inconveniences and troubles, coveting things of no profit, and thirsting after them, tumbling headlong into many calamities. So that if men would attempt no more then what they can bear, they should lead contented lives, and learning to know themselves, would limit their ambition, they would perceive then that Nature hath enough without seeking such

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Sua stultitiam perspicit nemo, sed alter alterum deridet. f Denique sit finis querendi, cumque habeas plus, pauperie_metuas minus, & finire laborem incipias, partis quod avebas, utere. Hor.

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superfluities, and unprofitable things, which bring nothing with them but grief and molestation. As a fat body is more subject to diseases, so are rich men to absurdities and fooleries, to many causualties and cross inconveniences. There are many that take no heed what happeneth to others by bad conversation, and therefore overthrow themselves in the same manner through their own fault, not foreseeing dangers manifest. These are things (O more then mad, quoth he) that give me matter of laughter, by suffering the pains of your impieties, as your avarice, envy, malice, enormous villanies, mutinies, unsatiable desires, conspiracies, and other incurable vices; besides your dissimulation and hypocrisie, bearing deadly hatred one to the other, and yet shadowing it with a good face, flying out into all filthy lusts, and transgressions of all laws, both of nature and civility. Many things which they have left off, after a while they fall to again, husbandry, navigation; and leave again, fickle and unconstant as they are. When they are yong, they would be old, and old, yong. h Princes commend a private life, private men itch after honour: a Magistrate commends a quiet life, a quiet man would be in his office, and obeyed as he is: and what is the cause of all this, but that they know not themselves. Some delight to destroy, one to build, another to spoil one countrey to enrich another and himself. In all these things they are like children, in whom is no judgment or councel, and resemble beasts, saving that beasts are better then they, as being contented with nature. I When shall you see a Lion hide gold in the ground, or a Bul contend for better pasture? when a Boar is thirsty, he drinks what will serve him, and no more; and when his belly is ful, ceaseth to eat: But men are immoderate in both; as in lust, they covet carnal copulation at set times; men always, ruinating thereby the health of their bodies. And doth it not deserve laughter, to see an amorous fool torment himself for a wench; weep, howl for a mis-shapen slut, a dowdy sometimes, that might have his choice of the finest beauties? Is there any remedy for this in physick? I do anatomize and cut up these poor beasts, "to see these distempers, vanities and follies, yet such proof were better made on man's body, if my

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Astutam vapido servat sub pectore vulpem. Et cum vulpo positus pariter vulpinarier. Cretizandum cum Crete. Qui fit Mecenas ut nemo quam sibi sortem, Seu ratio dederit, seu sors adjecerit, illâ contentus vivat, &c. Hor. Diruit, ædificat, mutat quatrata rotundis. Trajanus pontem struxit super Danubium, quem successor ejus Adrianus statim demolitus. * Quâ quid in re ab infantibus differunt, quibus mens & sensus sine ratione inest, quicquid sese his offert volupe est. i Idem Plut. Ut insaniæ causam disquiram bruta macto & seco, cum hoc potius in hominibus investigandum esset.

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