3]Vives well observes, _post
delicias, convivia, dies festos_, many are melancholy after a feast,
holiday, merry meeting, or some pleasing sport, if they be solitary by
chance, left alone to themselves, without employment, sport, or want their
ordinary companions, some at the departure of friends only whom they shall
shortly see again, weep and howl, and look after them as a cow lows after
her calf, or a child takes on that goes to school after holidays. _Ut me
levarat tuus adventus, sic discessus afflixit_, (which [2314]Tully writ to
Atticus) thy coming was not so welcome to me, as thy departure was harsh.
Montanus, _consil. 132._ makes mention of a country woman that parting with
her friends and native place, became grievously melancholy for many years;
and Trallianus of another, so caused for the absence of her husband: which
is an ordinary passion amongst our good wives, if their husband tarry out a
day longer than his appointed time, or break his hour, they take on
presently with sighs and tears, he is either robbed, or dead, some
mischance or other is surely befallen him, they cannot eat, drink, sleep,
or be quiet in mind, till they see him again. If parting of friends,
absence alone can work such violent effects, what shall death do, when they
must eternally be separated, never in this world to meet again? This is so
grievous a torment for the time, that it takes away their appetite, desire
of life, extinguisheth all delights, it causeth deep sighs and groans,
tears, exclamations,

(O dulce germen matris, o sanguis meus,
Eheu tepentes, &c.--o flos tener.)[2315]

howling, roaring, many bitter pangs, [2316]_lamentis gemituque et faemineo
ululatu Tecta fremunt_) and by frequent meditation extends so far
sometimes, [2317]"they think they see their dead friends continually in
their eyes," _observantes imagines_, as Conciliator confesseth he saw his
mother's ghost presenting herself still before him. _Quod nimis miseri
volunt, hoc facile credunt_, still, still, still, that good father, that
good son, that good wife, that dear friend runs in their minds: _Totus
animus hac una cogitatione defixus est_, all the year long, as [2318]Pliny
complains to Romanus, "methinks I see Virginius, I hear Virginius, I talk
with Virginius," &c.

[2319] "Te sine, vae misero mihi, lilia nigra videntur,
Pallentesque rosae, nec dulce rubens hyacinthus,
Nullos nec myrtus, noc laurus spirat odores."

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