tame a shrew but
he that hath her; _si hic esses, aliter sentires_; if you were in our
misery, you would find it otherwise, 'tis not so easily performed. We know
this to be true; we should moderate ourselves, but we are furiously
carried, we cannot make use of such precepts, we are overcome, sick, _male
sani_, distempered and habituated to these courses, we can make no
resistance; you may as well bid him that is diseased not to feel pain, as a
melancholy man not to fear, not to be sad: 'tis within his blood, his
brains, his whole temperature, it cannot be removed. But he may choose
whether he will give way too far unto it, he may in some sort correct
himself. A philosopher was bitten with a mad dog, and as the nature of that
disease is to abhor all waters, and liquid things, and to think still they
see the picture of a dog before them: he went for all this, _reluctante
se_, to the bath, and seeing there (as he thought) in the water the picture
of a dog, with reason overcame this conceit, _quid cani cum balneo_? what
should a dog do in a bath? a mere conceit. Thou thinkest thou hearest and
seest devils, black men, &c., 'tis not so, 'tis thy corrupt fantasy; settle
thine imagination, thou art well. Thou thinkest thou hast a great nose,
thou art sick, every man observes thee, laughs thee to scorn; persuade
thyself 'tis no such matter: this is fear only, and vain suspicion. Thou
art discontent, thou art sad and heavy; but why? upon what ground? consider
of it: thou art jealous, timorous, suspicious; for what cause? examine it
thoroughly, thou shalt find none at all, or such as is to be contemned;
such as thou wilt surely deride, and contemn in thyself, when it is past.
Rule thyself then with reason, satisfy thyself, accustom thyself, wean
thyself from such fond conceits, vain fears, strong imaginations, restless
thoughts. Thou mayst do it; _Est in nobis assuescere_ (as Plutarch saith),
we may frame ourselves as we will. As he that useth an upright shoe, may
correct the obliquity, or crookedness, by wearing it on the other side; we
may overcome passions if we will. _Quicquid sibi imperavit animus obtinuit_
(as [3414]Seneca saith) _nulli tam feri affectus, ut non disciplina
perdomentur_, whatsoever the will desires, she may command: no such cruel
affections, but by discipline they may be tamed; voluntarily thou wilt not
do this or that, which thou oughtest to do, or refrain, &c., but when thou
art lashed like a dull jade, thou