CHAP. XVIII. Of the Perturbations, or Passions of the Mind.
* 1.1THe Perturbations are commonly called the Accidents of the Mind, because as bodily acci∣dents from the body, so may these, be present and absent from the Mind, without the cor∣ruption of the subject. The knowledg of these must not be lightly passed over by the Chirurgeon; for they stir up great troubles in the bodies, and yield occasion of many and great diseases; of which things, joy, hope, and love, may give an apparent testimony. For by these motions the heat and spirits are sometimes gently, sometimes violently diffused over all the body, for the enjoying of the present, or hoped for good. For then the heart is dilated, as to embrace the thing beloved, and the face is dyed with a rosie and lively colour. For it is likely, that the facul∣ty it self is stirred by the object, by whose power the Heart it self is moved.
* 1.2For it is first necessary, before we be moved by any Passions, that the senses in their proper seats, in which they are seldom deceived, apprehend the objects; and straight, as messengers, car∣ry them to the common sense, which sends their conceived forms to all the faculties. And then, that each faculty, as a Judge, may afresh examin the whole matter, how it is, and conceive in the presented objects some shew of good, or ill, to be desired, or shunned. For, What man that was well in his wits, did ever fall into laughter, unless he formerly knew, or saw somewhat said or done,* 1.3 which might yield occasion of laughter? Therefore Joy proceeds from the heart, for the thing causing mirth or joy, being conceived, the faculty moves the heart, which shaken and mo∣ved by the faculty which hath dominion over it, is dilated and opened, as ready to embrace the exhilarating object. But in the mean time by the force of that dilatation, it sends forth much heat, and spirits together with the bloud into all the body. A great part of which comming to the face, dilates it, the fore-head is smooth and plain, the eyes look bright, the cheeks become red, as died with Vermilion, the lips and mouth are drawn together, and made plain and smooth; some have their cheeks dented with two little pits (which from the effects are called laughing cheeks) be∣cause of the contraction or curling, which the muscle suffer by reason of their fulness of bloud and spirits;* 1.4 all which, to be brief, is nothing but to laugh.
Joy recreates and quickens all the faculties, stirs up the spirits, helps concoction, makes the body to be better liking, and fattens it, the heat, bloud, and spirits flowing thither, and the nou∣rishing dew or moisture, watering and refreshing all the members; from whence it is, that of all the passions of the mind, this only is profitable, so that it exceed not measure; for immoderate and unaccustomed joy carries so violently the bloud and spirits from the heart, into the habit of the body, that sodain and unlookt for death ensues, by a speedy decay of the strength, the lasting fountain of the vital humor being exhausted. Which thing principally happens to those who are less hearty, as women and old men.
* 1.5Anger causeth the same effusion of heat in us, but far speedier than joy; therefore the spirits and humors are so enflamed by it, that it often causes putrid Feavers, especially if the body a∣bound with any ill humour.
* 1.6Sorrow, or grief, dries the body by a way quite contrary to that of Anger, because by this the heart is so straitned, the heat being almost extinct, that the accustomed generation of spirits can∣not be performed; and if any be generated, they cannot freely pass into the members with the bloud; wherefore the vital faculty is weakned, the lively colour of the face withers and decays, and the body wastes away with a lingring Consumption.
* 1.7Fear in like sort draws in and calls back the spirits, and not by little and little, as in sorrow, but sodainly and violently; hereupon the face grows sodainly pale, the extreme parts cold, all the bo∣dy trembles or shakes, the belly in some is loosed, the voyce as it were stays in the jaws, the heart beats with a violent pulsation, because it is almost opprest by the heat, strangled by the plenty of blood, and spirits aboundantly rushing thither; The hair also stands upright, because the heat and bloud are retired to the inner parts,* 1.8 and the utmost parts are more cold and drie than a stone; by reason whereof the utmost skin and the pores, in which the roots of the hairs are fastned, are drawn together.