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the ancient painter；＇Cicero； De Orator。； c。 22 ； Pliny； xxxv。 10。＇
who having； in the sacrifice of Iphigenia； to represent the sorrow of the
assistants proportionably to the several degrees of interest every one
had in the death of this fair innocent virgin； and having； in the other
figures； laid out the utmost power of his art； when he came to that of
her father； he drew him with a veil over his face； meaning thereby that
no kind of countenance was capable of expressing such a degree of sorrow。
Which is also the reason why the poets feign the miserable mother； Niobe；
having first lost seven sons； and then afterwards as many daughters
（overwhelmed with her losses）； to have been at last transformed into a
rock
〃Diriguisse malis；〃
＇〃Petrified with her misfortunes。〃Ovid； Met。； vi。 304。＇
thereby to express that melancholic； dumb； and deaf stupefaction； which
benumbs all our faculties； when oppressed with accidents greater than we
are able to bear。 And； indeed； the violence and impression of an
excessive grief must of necessity astonish the soul； and wholly deprive
her of her ordinary functions： as it happens to every one of us； who；
upon any sudden alarm of very ill news； find ourselves surprised；
stupefied； and in a manner deprived of all power of motion； so that the
soul； beginning to vent itself in tears and lamentations； seems to free
and disengage itself from the sudden oppression； and to have obtained
some room to work itself out at greater liberty。
〃Et via vix tandem voci laxata dolore est。〃
＇〃And at length and with difficulty is a passage opened by grief for
utterance。〃AEneid； xi。 151。＇
In the war that Ferdinand made upon the widow of King John of Hungary；
about Buda； a man…at…arms was particularly taken notice of by every one
for his singular gallant behaviour in a certain encounter； and； unknown；
highly commended； and lamented； being left dead upon the place： but by
none so much as by Raisciac； a German lord； who was infinitely enamoured
of so rare a valour。 The body being brought off； and the count； with the
common curiosity coming to view it； the armour was no sooner taken off
but he immediately knew him to be his own son； a thing that added a
second blow to the compassion of all the beholders； only he； without
uttering a word； or turning away his eyes from the woeful object； stood
fixedly contemplating the body of his son； till the vehemency of sorrow
having overcome his vital spirits； made him sink down stone…dead to the
ground。
〃Chi puo dir com' egli arde； a in picciol fuoco；〃
＇〃He who can say how he burns with love； has little fire〃
Petrarca； Sonetto 137。＇
say the Innamoratos； when they would represent an 'insupportable passion。
〃Misero quod omneis
Eripit sensus mihi： nam simul te；
Lesbia； aspexi； nihil est super mi；
Quod loquar amens。
Lingua sed torpet： tenuis sub artus
Flamma dimanat； sonitu suopte
Tintinant aures； gemina teguntur
Lumina nocte。〃
＇〃Love deprives me of all my faculties： Lesbia； when once in thy
presence； I have not left the power to tell my distracting passion：
my tongue becomes torpid； a subtle flame creeps through my veins； my
ears tingle in deafness； my eyes are veiled with darkness。〃
Catullus； Epig。 li。 5＇
Neither is it in the height and greatest fury of the fit that we are in a
condition to pour out our complaints or our amorous persuasions； the soul
being at that time over…burdened； and labouring with profound thoughts；
and the body dejected and languishing with desire； and thence it is that
sometimes proceed those accidental impotencies that so unseasonably
surprise the lover； and that frigidity which by the force of an
immoderate ardour seizes him even in the very lap of fruition。
＇The edition of 1588 has here； 〃An accident not unknown to myself。〃＇
For all passions that suffer themselves to be relished and digested are
but moderate：
〃Curae leves loquuntur； ingentes stupent。〃
＇〃Light griefs can speak： deep sorrows are dumb。〃
Seneca； Hippolytus； act ii。 scene 3。＇
A surprise of unexpected joy does likewise often produce the same effect：
〃Ut me conspexit venientem； et Troja circum
Arma amens vidit； magnis exterrita monstris；
Diriguit visu in medio； calor ossa reliquit；
Labitur； et longo vix tandem tempore fatur。〃
＇〃When she beheld me advancing； and saw； with stupefaction； the
Trojan arms around me； terrified with so great a prodigy； she
fainted away at the very sight： vital warmth forsook her limbs： she
sinks down； and； after a long interval； with difficulty speaks。〃…
AEneid； iii。 306。＇
Besides the examples of the Roman lady； who died for joy to see her son
safe returned from the defeat of Cannae； and of Sophocles and of
Dionysius the Tyrant； ＇Pliny； vii。 53。 Diodorus Siculus； however （xv。
c。 20）； tells us that Dionysius 〃was so overjoyed at the news that he
made a great sacrifice upon it to the gods； prepared sumptuous feasts； to
which he invited all his friends； and therein drank so excessively that
it threw him into a very bad distemper。〃＇who died of joy； and of
Thalna； who died in Corsica； reading news of the honours the Roman Senate
had decreed in his favour； we have； moreover； one in our time； of Pope
Leo X。； who upon news of the taking of Milan； a thing he had so ardently
desired； was rapt with so sudden an excess of joy that he immediately
fell into a fever and died。 ＇Guicciardini； Storia d'Italia； vol。
xiv。＇ And for a more notable testimony of the imbecility of human
nature； it is recorded by the ancients ＇Pliny； 'ut supra'＇ that
Diodorus the dialectician died upon the spot； out of an extreme passion
of shame； for not having been able in his own school； and in the presence
of a great auditory； to disengage himself from a nice argument that was
propounded to him。 I； for my part； am very little subject to these
violent passions； I am naturally of a stubborn apprehension； which also；
by reasoning； I every day harden and fortify。
CHAPTER III
THAT OUR AFFECTIONS CARRY THEMSELVES BEYOND US
Such as accuse mankind of the folly of gaping after future things； and
advise us to make our benefit of those which are present； and to set up
our rest upon them； as having no grasp upon that which is to come； even
less than that which we have upon what is past； have hit upon the most
universal of human errors； if that may be called an error to which nature
herself has disposed us； in order to the continuation of her own work；
prepossessing us； amongst several others； with this deceiving
imagination； as being more jealous of our action than afraid of our
knowledge。
We are never present with； but always beyond ourselves： fear； desire；
hope； still push us on towards the future； depriving us； in the meantime；
of the sense and consideration of that which is to amuse us with the
thought of what shall be； even wh