tempered by their innate humours, abundance of choler
adust, weakness of parts, outward occurrences; and how shall they be
avoided? The wisest men, greatest philosophers of most excellent wit,
reason, judgment, divine spirits, cannot moderate themselves in this
behalf; such as are sound in body and mind, Stoics, heroes, Homer's gods,
all are passionate, and furiously carried sometimes; and how shall we that
are already crazed, _fracti animis_, sick in body, sick in mind, resist? we
cannot perform it. You may advise and give good precepts, as who cannot?
But how shall they be put in practice? I may not deny but our passions are
violent, and tyrannise of us, yet there be means to curb them; though they
be headstrong, they may be tamed, they may be qualified, if he himself or
his friends will but use their honest endeavours, or make use of such
ordinary helps as are commonly prescribed.

He himself (I say); from the patient himself the first and chiefest remedy
must be had; for if he be averse, peevish, waspish, give way wholly to his
passions, will not seek to be helped, or be ruled by his friends, how is it
possible he should be cured? But if he be willing at least, gentle,
tractable, and desire his own good, no doubt but he may _magnam morbi
deponere partem_, be eased at least, if not cured. He himself must do his
utmost endeavour to resist and withstand the beginnings. _Principiis
obsta_, "Give not water passage, no not a little," Ecclus. xxv. 27. If they
open a little, they will make a greater breach at length. Whatsoever it is
that runneth in his mind, vain conceit, be it pleasing or displeasing,
which so much affects or troubleth him, [3407]"by all possible means he
must withstand it, expel those vain, false, frivolous imaginations, absurd
conceits, feigned fears and sorrows; from which," saith Piso, "this disease
primarily proceeds, and takes his first occasion or beginning, by doing
something or other that shall be opposite unto them, thinking of something
else, persuading by reason, or howsoever to make a sudden alteration of
them." Though he have hitherto run in a full career, and precipitated
himself, following his passions, giving reins to his appetite, let him now
stop upon a sudden, curb himself in; and as [3408]Lemnius adviseth, "strive
against with all his power, to the utmost of his endeavour, and not cherish
those fond imaginations, which so covertly creep into his mind, most
pleasing and amiable at first,