of the solicitude after the remedy, and an intermixture of hope, there is a kind of tormenting flux and reflux made of the spirits.

Anger, when suppressed, is also a kind of torture, and causes the spirits to prey upon the juices of the body; but when it has vent and breaks out, it becomes of service; as those medicines do which procure a robust heat.

Envy is the worst of passions, and feeds upon the spirits, and these again upon the body; the more because it is a lasting passion; and as the expression goes of it, keeps no holidays.

Pity for the misfortunes of others, which seem not likely to fall upon ourselves, is good: but that, which by a kind of similitude may reflect upon the pitying person is bad; on account of the fear it excites.

Moderate shame hurts not, as it somewhat Contracts and again disperses the spirits; insomuch that bashful persons are generally long lived: but shame arising from some great ignominy, and continuing long to afflict, contracts the spirits even to suffocation, and is destructive.

Love, if successful, and not deep, is a species of joy, and comes under the rules above laid down of that.

Hope, is of all the passions the most advantageous, and greatly contributes to prolong life; if it be not too often disappointed, but entertains

the imagination with a prospect of good: whence they, who fix and propose to themselves any end as the pursuit of their life, and constantly advance by degrees therein, are generally long lived; but coming at length to the top of their hopes, and having nothing further to expect, they commonly languish and die soon after; so that hope may seem a kind of leaf-joy, and like gold, extremely ductile.

Admiration and moderate contemplation have a great power to prolong life; for these detain the spirits upon pleasing subjects, without suffering them to tumultuate and act disorderly: whence all the contemplators of natural things, who had so many and such great objects of admiration; as Democritus, Plato, Parmenides, and Apollonius were long lived. So likewise were the rhetoricians, though they only tasted such subjects, and pursued the light of discourse rather than the darkness of things; as Gorgias, Protagoras, Isocrates, Seneca. And indeed as old men are generally pratling and talkative; so great talkers very often live to be old: for this is a sign of slender contemplation, which does not much affect or torture the spirits; but subtile, acute and severe enquiries cut life short; for these fatigue and wear out the spirits. And so much for the motion of the spirits from the passions of the mind; whereto we will add a few

general observations upon the spirits, that fall not under the preceding division.

Particular care must be had, that the spirits be not often dissolved; for rarefaction precedes dissolution: and the spirits once rarefied caunot easily recover themselves, and become dense again. The spirits are diffused by hard labour, vehement passions of the mind, profuse sweats, large evacuations, warm bathing, and the immoderate or unseasonable use of venery; again, by too great cares, anxious disquietudes and expectations; and lastly by malignant diseases, and severe pains and tortures of the body; all which are, as much as possible, to be avoided.

The spirits are refreshed by things whereto they are both accustomed and unaccustomed. It strangely conduces to preserve the vigour of the spirits, not to use customary things to satiety, nor new ones before a strong and vigorous appetite requires them; and therefore customs are to be broke off with judgment and diligence before aversion comes on; and the desire of change is to be restrained for a time, till become strong and vigorous. The course of life must likewise be so ordered, as to have many and various renovations; that the spirits may not grow sluggish by perpetually conversing with the same things. For although Seneca sharply said, the fool is always beginning to live; yet this folly,

and numerous others, are conducive to long life.

It must be observed, contrary to what is usually done, that when men perceive their spirits to enjoy a good, a sound and a pleasing state, which appears from a greater tranquillity and pleasure of mind, they are then to cherish and not to change them; but when they are in a restless and disorderly state, which also appears from melancholy, indolence, and other indispositions of the mind, they are sometimes to oppress and alter them. Now the spirits are preserved in the same state, by restraining the passions, moderating the diet, abstaining from venery, and by using moderate labour, and moderate rest. They are altered and oppressed by the contrary; viz. vehement passions, gluttony, immoderate venery, hard labour, intense thinking, and much business. But it is the practice of men, when they are chearful, and best pleased with themselves, then most to affect and pursue feasting, venery, labour, difficulties, and business. Whoever desires to prolong life, must act in a contrary manner; and endeavour to support and preserve the good condition of his spirits; and discharge and change them when ill disposed.

It is well observed by Ficinus, that old men, to refresh their spirits, should frequently recollect and ruminate upon the actions of their youth

visit the places And Vespasian

and childhood: and certainly such kind of rememberance is, as it were, the peculiar recreation and delight of old men; whence it is pleasant for men to enjoy the company of those they were educated with; and to where they were brought up. gave so much into this humour, that when he was emperor, he could not prevail upon himself to quit his father's homely house; for fear of losing his accustomed objects, or some part of the memory of his youth.

But the most grateful thing to the spirits is, a continual progression for the better; and therefore youth and riper years should be so conducted as to leave new comforts for old age: the principal whereof is moderate rest; whence old men in posts of honour, offer violence to themselves, if they do not retire. Of this we have a remarkable example in Cassiodorus, who was of such authority among the gothic kings of Italy, as to be the soul of their affairs; but retiring to a monastery at near the age of eighty, he there continued to a hundred. But in this respect two cautions are required; the first is, that they wait not till the body is quite wore out and distempered; for in that case all change, though for the better in appearance, hastens death: the second, that they give not themselves up to perfect indolence, but have something gratefully to