erial humours. [2669]Fracastorius "accounts it a thing worthy of
inquisition, why they should entertain such false conceits, as that they
have horns, great noses, that they are birds, beasts," &c., why they should
think themselves kings, lords, cardinals. For the first, [2670]
Fracastorius gives two reasons: "One is the disposition of the body; the
other, the occasion of the fantasy," as if their eyes be purblind, their
ears sing, by reason of some cold and rheum, &c. To the second, Laurentius
answers, the imagination inwardly or outwardly moved, represents to the
understanding, not enticements only, to favour the passion or dislike, but
a very intensive pleasure follows the passion or displeasure, and the will
and reason are captivated by delighting in it.

Why students and lovers are so often melancholy and mad, the philosopher of
[2671]Conimbra assigns this reason, "because by a vehement and continual
meditation of that wherewith they are affected, they fetch up the spirits
into the brain, and with the heat brought with them, they incend it beyond
measure: and the cells of the inner senses dissolve their temperature,
which being dissolved, they cannot perform their offices as they ought."

Why melancholy men are witty, which Aristotle hath long since maintained in
his problems; and that [2672]all learned men, famous philosophers, and
lawgivers, _ad unum fere omnes melancholici_, have still been melancholy,
is a problem much controverted. Jason Pratensis will have it understood of
natural melancholy, which opinion Melancthon inclines to, in his book _de
Anima_, and Marcilius Ficinus _de san. tuend. lib. 1. cap. 5._ but not
simple, for that makes men stupid, heavy, dull, being cold and dry,
fearful, fools, and solitary, but mixed with the other humours, phlegm only
excepted; and they not adust, [2673]but so mixed as that blood he half,
with little or no adustion, that they be neither too hot nor too cold.
Aponensis, cited by Melancthon, thinks it proceeds from melancholy adust,
excluding all natural melancholy as too cold. Laurentius condemns his
tenet, because adustion of humours makes men mad, as lime burns when water
is cast on it. It must be mixed with blood, and somewhat adust, and so that
old aphorism of Aristotle may be verified, _Nullum magnum ingenium sine
mixtura dementiae_, no excellent wit without a mixture of madness.
Fracastorius shall decide the controversy, [2674]"phlegmatic are dull:
sanguine lively, pl