es, let Democritus
determine." The cause that it often affects melancholy men so much, is
given by Gomesius, _lib. 3. de sale genial. cap. 18._ abundance of pleasant
vapours, which, in sanguine melancholy especially, break from the heart,
[2692]"and tickle the midriff, because it is transverse and full of nerves:
by which titillation the sense being moved, and arteries distended, or
pulled, the spirits from thence move and possess the sides, veins,
countenance, eyes." See more in Jossius _de risu et fletu_, Vives _3 de
Anima_. Tears, as Scaliger defines, proceed from grief and pity, [2693]"or
from the heating of a moist brain, for a dry cannot weep."

That they see and hear so many phantasms, chimeras, noises, visions, &c. as
Fienus hath discoursed at large in his book of imagination, and [2694]
Lavater _de spectris, part. 1. cap. 2. 3. 4._ their corrupt phantasy makes
them see and hear that which indeed is neither heard nor seen, _Qui multum
jejunant, aut noctes ducunt insomnes_, they that much fast, or want sleep,
as melancholy or sick men commonly do, see visions, or such as are
weak-sighted, very timorous by nature, mad, distracted, or earnestly seek.
_Sabini quod volunt somniant_, as the saying is, they dream of that they
desire. Like Sarmiento the Spaniard, who when he was sent to discover the
straits of Magellan, and confine places, by the Prorex of Peru, standing on
the top of a hill, _Amaenissimam planitiem despicere sibi visus fuit,
aedificia magnifica, quamplurimos Pagos, alias Turres, splendida Templa_,
and brave cities, built like ours in Europe, not, saith mine [2695]author,
that there was any such thing, but that he was _vanissimus et nimis
credulus_, and would fain have had it so. Or as [2696]Lod. Mercatus proves,
by reason of inward vapours, and humours from blood, choler, &c. diversely
mixed, they apprehend and see outwardly, as they suppose, divers images,
which indeed are not. As they that drink wine think all runs round, when it
is in their own brain; so is it with these men, the fault and cause is
inward, as Galen affirms, [2697]mad men and such as are near death, _quas
extra se videre putant Imagines, intra oculos habent_, 'tis in their brain,
which seems to be before them; the brain as a concave glass reflects solid
bodies. _Senes etiam decrepiti cerebrum habent concavum et aridum, ut
imaginentur se videre_ (saith [2698]Boissardus) _quae non sunt_, old men
are too frequently mistaken and dote in li