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Chap. 146. Whether the passions are made in the head or heart.?
SOme are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the passions are made in the head; others that they are made in the heart; for my part I am of the lat∣ter opinion; that is, that all passions are made in the heart; as Love, Hate, Fear, Anger, Grief, Jealousie, Envy, Malice, and the like; and also the Will, and opinions, which are a kinde of passions; and that imaginations, conceptions, fancies, understanding, judgment, memory, and remembrance, is made in the brain; and that which we call thought, or ani∣mal knowledg is made both in the brain and heart; for if either of these two parts be wounded, that knowledg dies, as both the sensitive knowledg, and rational, both being that which we call thought, the one belongs to the body, the other to the minde; for touch is a weak thought, and thought a strong touch; and my reason is why I think that the passions are crea∣ted in the heart, and not in the head, is, first, passion and judgment seldom agree.
Secondly, when we have the passion of fear or anger, or the like; all the motions that work to those passions, are felt in the heart; for if we do observe, we shall finde all passions arise from the heart, and all the parts near thereto will be di∣sturbed; when in the brain we finde no violent motions at all, perchance the sensitive part may be disturbed, as to make the head-ache, as with a general distemper.
Thirdly, there are oft times passions felt as it were in the heart, without any knowledg, or thought of it in the head; as when we shall be sad, and angry, and fearful, and know no reason why. Besides, objects many times passe by, or as it were, steal through the senses, and likewise creep through the brains, and raise a passion in the heart, without any notice ta∣king thereof, or knowledg how it came therein.
Lastly, that although there is a great sympathy betwixt the passions, and imaginations, yet they are not after one and the same manner of motions, which sheweth they are created in several figures, the one in the triangular heart, & the other in the spherical brain, and the different shapes of the head and heart, may be one cause, that makes the difference betwixt passions and imaginations, as well as the different motions.
But to prove passions are made in the heart, and not in the head, is, that when the brain is distempered and mad, as we say, yet the passions may be free and regular; and Love, and Hate, which are the two chief passions, may be constant to the objects they were placed on; thus the minde or soul, which is the rational innate matter, lies as much in the heart, as the head.