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CHAPTER XV
THAT OUR DESIRES ARE ENCREASED BY DIFFICULTIE
THERE is no reason but hath another contrary unto it,
saith the wisest party of Philosophers. I did erewhile
ruminate upon this notable saying, which an ancient
writer alleageth for the contempt of life. No good can
bring us any pleasure, except that against whole losse
we are prepared : In aequo est, dolor amissse. rei. et timor
amittendae : 1 ' Sorrow for a thing lost, and feare of
losing it, are on an even ground.' Meaning to gain
thereby, that the fruition of life cannot perfectly be
pleasing unto us, if we stand in any feare to lose it. A
man might nevertheless say on the contrary part, that
we embrace and claspe this good so much the harder,
and with more affection, as we perceive it to be lesse
sure, and feare it should be taken from us. For, it is
manifestly found, that as fire is rouzed up by the
assistance of cold, even so our will is whetted on by
that which doth resist it.
Si nunquam Danaen habuisset ahenea turrisy
Non esset Danae de love facta parens, 2
If Danae had not beene clos'd in brazen Tower,
Jove had not closed with. Danae in golden shower.
And that there is nothing so naturally opposite to
our taste as satiety, which comes from ease and facility,
nor nothing that so much sharpneth it as rarenesse and
difficulty. Omnium rerum voluptas ipso quo debet fugam
periculo crescit: 'The delight of all things encreaseth
by the danger, whereby it rather should terrify them
that affect it' 1 SEN. Epist. xcviii.
² OVID. Amor. 1. ii. El. xix. 27,
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