The passions of the soule in three books the first, treating of the passions in generall, and occasionally of the whole nature of man. The second, of the number, and order of the passions, and the explication of the six primitive ones. The third, of particular passions. By R. des Cartes. And translated out of French into English.

The 211 Article. A generall remedy against the Passions.

ANd now we know them all, we have lesse reason to fear them, than we had before. For we see that naturally they are all good, and that we ought to avoid onely the ill use of them, or their excesses: for which the remedies I have laid down may suffice, if every man were care∣full enough to practise them. But because I have put Premeditation and Industry among these remedies, whereby the defects of nature may be corrected, by using to separate the mo∣tions of the blood & spirits in ones self, from the thoughts wherewith they use to be joyned. I confesse, few men are thus prepared against all encounters: and that these motions excited in the blood, by the objects of Passions, doe so immediately follow the meere impressions in the brain, and the disposition of the organs, al∣though the Soul be no way contributary, that no humane wisdome is able to resist them, when one is not enough prepared so, many cannot re∣frain from laughing when they were tickled, though they take no delight in it; for the im∣pression, and surprize of Joy that hath made them laugh formerly on the same occasion, being a∣wakened in their fancy, makes their lungs be blown up on a sudden whether they will or no,

by the blood that the heart sends thither. So they who are much addicted by nature to the emotions of Joy, or Pitty, or Chearfulnesse, or Wrath, cannot refrain from swouning, weeping, trembling, or having the blood stirred as if they had a Fever, when their fancy is throughly sensi∣ble by an object of any of these Passions. But what may be done on such an occasion, and what I think to lay down here as the most gene∣rall remedy, and the easiest to he practised, a∣gainst all exorbitances of the Passions is, that when a man perceives his blood thus moved, he ought to be wary and remember that whatsoe∣ver is presented to our Imagination, tends to the delusion of the Soul, and makes reasons that serve to perswade the object of Passions appear farre stronger than they are, and those which serve to disswade, farre weaker. And when Passion perswades things, the execution whereof admits of some delay, he must abstain from giving his judgement thereon immediatly, and divert him∣selfe from it to other thoughts, untill time, and rest, have wholly allayed the emotion in the blood. And lastly, when it incites to actions, concerning which resolutions are instantly to be taken, the Will must peculiarly dedicate it selfe to consider and follow the reasons repugnant to those which the Passion represents, although they appear less weighty; as when a man is suddenly assaulted by an enemy, occasion doth not give him leave to waste any time in debate: but what

it seems, those who are accustomed to make a reflexion on their own actions, may do; that is, when they feel themselves struck with an Af∣fright; they will endeavour to divert their thoughts from the consideration of the danger, by representing to themselves the reasons where∣fore there is more safety and honour in resistance than flight; and on the contrary, when they feel the Desire of revenge and Wrath incite them, to rush inconsideratly on those who beset them, they should call to mind, that it is indiscretion to destroy themselves, when they may be sa∣ved without dishonour; and if there bee too much odds, it is better to make a handsome re∣treat, or take quarter, than savagely to expose themselves to a certain death.