Peripateticall institutions. In the way of that eminent person and excellent philosopher Sr. Kenelm Digby. The theoricall part. Also a theologicall appendix of the beginning of the world. / By Thomas White Gent.

LESSON XXII.

Of Passions and the expression of them.

1. FArther, 'tis deducible, that, since impressions made in the Brain are convey'd, by a short and open way, to the Heart; they must, necessarily have an effect, too, in the Heart, conforma∣ble to the natures of both.

2. Since, therefore, the heart redounds with hot spirits: as we see a little drop of red wine, dropd into water, diffuses it self into the water and changes it, according to its nature; so, the impression of these little bodies will have the like effect upon the fumes of the heart.

3. Hence, again, it proceeds, that the motion of the heart, through these, be∣comes sometimes freer and better, some∣times worse; and that these very quali∣ties passe into the Pulse, whence, according to the variety of Passions, the Pulse va∣ries.

4. Again, Passions must needs differ by dilatation and constriction: for, by a con∣formable

Object, the Spirits of the heart are made more rare, whence, the heart more freely enjoys its motion; by things disagreeable to Nature, the Spirits become more crasse and heavy, and the heart is, as it were, oppress'd.

5. Again; since an absent Object does not equally affect, with a present one; these motions will be more remisse in its absence then in its presence: whence, we deduce four differences of Passions; Ioy and Grief, for a present good or evil; Hope and Fear, for them absent.

6. Anger is, in a manner, mixt of a pre∣sent evil and future good: and, 'tis the most violent of all the Passions; because, so mething that's contrary to it falling in∣to an abundance of hot bloud, produces a most swift effect; just as when some∣thing moist and cold falls into molten Metall.

7. Again, because the Spirits, flowing at that time out of the heart to the brain, retain that nature they had receiv'd in the heart; in the brain it self they gather to them those Phantasms that are conforma∣ble to them: whence, the Animal must, of necessity, be much fixt upon that thought, and not easily admit any other then

such as are conformable to its Passion.

8. And, because the heart is joyn'd to the Pericardium, and the Pericardium to the Diaphragm; and the Diaphragm is fur∣nisht with an eminent Nerve, and is movea∣ble within it self: it comes to passe, that e∣very motion of the heart flow's, by the Diaphragm, into the neighbouring parts of the body, and all the motions of them all return again, by its Nerve, to the brain; and, so, beget a sense of that grief or plea∣sure which the heart is affected with. Whence, too, without any externall Sen∣sation, but by thinking only, an Animal may be delighted and incourag'd to a∣ction.

9. Again, because, by repeating either the stroaks of Objects or very Thoughts, there grows a great multitude of Phan∣tasms of the same thing, in the brain; and, in like manner, the heart often agitated by such like causes in a certain motion, gets an aptitude to be easily mov'd so: there grows, both in the brain and in the heart, a certain constancy and facility of knowing and doing; in which consists the notion of Intellectuall and Morall habits, as far as they are grounded in the body.

10. Lastly, since, by the motion of the

Diaphragm, the breathing is alter'd; and breathing, express'd out of a hollow place through a narrow passage, is apt to yield a Voice, by reason of the multiplication of its processions, occasion'd by the reflecti∣on of the cavity: it comes to passe, that the Voice of Animals is altered by the vari∣ety of their Passions; and so, in grief, they expresse one Voice, another in hope, ano∣ther in joy.