de Taranta, and most
accurately ventilated by Jo. Sylvaticus, a late writer and physician of
Milan, _med. cont. cap. 14._ where you shall find this tenet copiously
confuted.

Howsoever you say, if this be true, that wine and strong drink have such
virtue to expel fear and sorrow, and to exhilarate the mind, ever hereafter
let's drink and be merry.

[4312] "Prome reconditum, Lyde strenua, caecubum,
Capaciores puer huc affer Scyphos,
Et Chia vina aut Lesbia."

"Come, lusty Lyda, fill's a cup of sack,
And, sirrah drawer, bigger pots we lack,
And Scio wines that have so good a smack."

I say with him in [4313]A. Gellius, "let us maintain the vigour of our
souls with a moderate cup of wine," [4314]_Natis in usum laetitiae
scyphis_, "and drink to refresh our mind; if there be any cold sorrow in
it, or torpid bashfulness, let's wash it all away."--_Nunc vino pellite
curas_; so saith [4315]Horace, so saith Anacreon,

"[Greek: Methuonta gar me keisthai
polu kreisson ae thanonta.]"

Let's drive down care with a cup of wine: and so say I too, (though I drink
none myself) for all this may be done, so that it be modestly, soberly,
opportunely used: so that "they be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess,"
which our [4316]Apostle forewarns; for as Chrysostom well comments on that
place, _ad laetitiam datum est vinum, non ad ebrietatem_, 'tis for mirth
wine, but not for madness: and will you know where, when, and how that is
to be understood? _Vis discere ubi bonum sit vinum? Audi quid dicat
Scriptura_, hear the Scriptures, "Give wine to them that are in sorrow," or
as Paul bid Timothy drink wine for his stomach's sake, for concoction,
health, or some such honest occasion. Otherwise, as [4317] Pliny telleth
us; if singular moderation be not had, [4318]"nothing so pernicious, 'tis
mere vinegar, _blandus daemon_, poison itself." But hear a more fearful
doom, Habac. ii. 15. and 16. "Woe be to him that makes his neighbour drunk,
shameful spewing shall be upon his glory." Let not good fellows triumph
therefore (saith Matthiolus) that I have so much commended wine, if it be
immoderately taken, "instead of making glad, it confounds both body and
soul, it makes a giddy head, a sorrowful heart." And 'twas well said of the
poet of old, "Vine causeth mirth and grief," [4319]nothing so good for
some, so bad for others, especially as [4320]one observes, _qui a causa
calida male habent_,