PDF format (1.55 Mb) - The Ex-Classics Web Site

THE ANATOMY OF MELANCHOLY
choler, inflammations of the spleen and liver." Our English baths, as they are hot, must needs
incur the same censure: but D. Turner of old, and D. Jones have written at large of them. Of cold
baths I find little or no mention in any physician, some speak against them: Cardan alone out of
Agathinus commends "bathing in fresh rivers, and cold waters, and adviseth all such as mean to
live long to use it, for it agrees with all ages and complexions, and is most profitable for hot
temperatures." As for sweating, urine, bloodletting by haemrods, or otherwise, I shall elsewhere
more opportunely speak of them.
Immoderate Venus in excess, as it is a cause, or in defect; so moderately used to some
parties an only help, a present remedy. Peter Forestus calls it aptissimum remedium, a most
apposite remedy, "remitting anger, and reason, that was otherwise bound." Avicenna Fen. 3. 20.
Oribasius med. collect. lib. 6. cap. 37. contend out of Ruffus and others, "that many madmen,
melancholy, and labouring of the falling sickness, have been cured by this alone." Montaltus cap.
27. de melan. will have it drive away sorrow, and all illusions of the brain, to purge the heart and
brain from ill smokes and vapours that offend them: "and if it be omitted," as Valescus
supposeth, "it makes the mind sad, the body dull and heavy." Many other inconveniences are
reckoned up by Mercatus, and by Rodericus a Castro, in their tracts de melancholia virginum et
monialium; ob seminis retentionem saviunt sæpe moniales et virgines, but as Platerus adds, si
nubant sanantur, they rave single, and pine away, much discontent, but marriage mends all.
Marcellus Donatus lib. 2. med. hist. cap. 1. tells a story to confirm this out of Alexander
Benedictus, of a maid that was mad, ob menses inhibitos, cum in officinam meritoriam incidisset,
a quindecem viris eadem nocte compressa, mensium largo profluvio, quod pluribus annis ante
constiterat, non sine magno pudore mane menti restituta discessit. But this must be warily
understood, for as Arnoldus objects, lib. 1. breviar. 18. cap. Quid coitus ad melancholicum
succum? What affinity have these two? "except it be manifest that superabundance of seed, or
fullness of blood be a cause, or that love, or an extraordinary desire of Venus, have gone before,"
or that as Lod. Mercatus excepts, they be very flatuous, and have been otherwise accustomed
unto it. Montaltus cap. 27. will not allow of moderate Venus to such as have the gout, palsy,
epilepsy, melancholy, except they be very lusty, and full of blood. Lodovicus Antonius lib. med.
miscet. in his chapter of Venus, forbids it utterly to all wrestlers, ditchers, labouring men, &c.
Ficinus and Marsilius Cognatus puts Venus one of the five mortal enemies of a student: "it
consumes the spirits, and weakeneth the brain." Halyabbas the Arabian, 5. Theor. cap. 36. and
Jason Pratensis make it the fountain of most diseases, "but most pernicious to them who are cold
and dry:" a melancholy man must not meddle with it, but in some cases. Plutarch in his book de
san. tuend. accounts of it as one of the three principal signs and preservers of health, temperance
in this kind: "to rise with an appetite, to be ready to work, and abstain from venery," tria
saluberrima, are three most healthful things. We see their opposites how pernicious they are to
mankind, as to all other creatures they bring death, and many feral diseases: Immodicis brevis est
ætas et rara senectus. Aristotle gives instance in sparrows, which are parum vivaces ob
salacitatem, short lived because of their salacity, which is very frequent, as Scoppius in Priapus
will better inform you. The extremes being both bad, the medium is to be kept, which cannot
easily be determined. Some are better able to sustain, such as are hot and moist, phlegmatic, as
Hippocrates insinuateth, some strong and lusty, well fed like Hercules, Proculus the emperor,
lusty Laurence, prostibulum fæminæ Messalina the empress, that by philters, and such kind of
-36