Erōtomania or A treatise discoursing of the essence, causes, symptomes, prognosticks, and cure of love, or erotique melancholy. Written by Iames Ferrand Dr. of Physick

CHAP. XVIII. The causes of Waking, and Sighes in Lovers.

THe causes of those continuall wak∣ings * 1.1 which oppresse Lovers, making them more Melancholy, sad, leane, and Dry,

(Attenuant Iuvenum vigilatae corpora no∣ctes.)

Are, the diverse Imaginations and Fan∣cies that steale into the Braine, and never suffer them to take any quiet repose: whence the Braine becomes Dry and Cold; Besides that from the naturall Me∣lancholy, which is naturally Cold, and as dry as dust, there cannot be exhaled any sweet and gentle vapours, which by their moisture should loosen the nerves, and discharging them of their office, may so

cause withall a cessation of all sense and motion.

And if by chance they be surprised by any light slumber, which is the provision Nature hath made for the repairing of the Animall spirits, which in them are wasted and much impaired, by the violence of their Imagination, and excessive wakings: that slumber is attended on by a thousand Phantasmes, and fearefull dreames; so that they awake oftimes more discontented, sad, pensive, melancholy, and fearefull, then before; and for the most part they find themselves more tormented sleeping, then waking.

Sighing is caused in Melancholy Lo∣vers, by reason that they many times for∣get to draw their breath, being wholy ta∣ken up with the strong Imaginations that they have, either in beholding the beauty of their Loves, or else, in their Absence, contemplating on their rare perfections, and contriving the meanes how to com∣passe their Desires. So that at length re∣collecting themselves, Nature is constrai∣ned to draw as much Aire at once, as be∣fore it should have done at two or three

times. And such a Respiration is called, a Sigh; which is indeed nothing else, but, a doubled Respiration.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Arnald. c. de Amor. Gordon. de Am.