Albertus Durer paints melancholy, like a sad woman leaning on her arm with fixed looks, neglected habit, &c., held therefore by some proud, soft, sottish, or half-mad, as the Abderites esteemed of Democritus:  and yet of a deep reach, excellent apprehension, judicious, wise, and witty:  for I am of that [2514]nobleman’s mind, “Melancholy advanceth men’s conceits, more than any humour whatsoever,” improves their meditations more than any strong drink or sack.  They are of profound judgment in some things, although in others non recte judicant inquieti, saith Fracastorius, lib. 2. de Intell.  And as Arculanus, c. 16. in 9.  Rhasis, terms it, Judicium plerumque perversum, corrupti, cum judicant honesta inhonesta, et amicitiam habent pro inimicitia:  they count honesty dishonesty, friends as enemies, they will abuse their best friends, and dare not offend their enemies.  Cowards most part et ad inferendam injuriam timidissimi, saith Cardan, lib. 8. cap. 4. de rerum varietate:  loath to offend, and if they chance to overshoot themselves in word or deed:  or any small business or circumstance be omitted, forgotten, they are miserably tormented, and frame a thousand dangers and inconveniences to themselves, ex musca elephantem, if once they conceit it:  overjoyed with every good rumour, tale, or prosperous event, transported beyond themselves:  with every small cross again, bad news, misconceived injury, loss, danger, afflicted beyond measure, in great agony, perplexed, dejected, astonished, impatient, utterly undone:  fearful, suspicious of all.  Yet again, many of them desperate harebrains, rash, careless, fit to be assassinates, as being void of all fear and sorrow, according to [2515]Hercules de Saxonia, “Most audacious, and such as dare walk alone in the night, through deserts and dangerous places, fearing none.”

Amorous.] “They are prone to love,” and [2516]easy to be taken; Propensi ad amorem et excandescentiam (Montaltus cap. 21.) quickly enamoured, and dote upon all, love one dearly, till they see another, and then dote on her, Et hanc, et hanc, et illam, et omnes, the present moves most, and the last commonly they love best.  Yet some again Anterotes, cannot endure the sight of a woman, abhor the sex, as that same melancholy [2517]duke of Muscovy, that was instantly sick, if he came but in sight of them; and that [2518]Anchorite, that fell into a cold palsy, when a woman was brought before him.

Humorous.] Humorous they are beyond all measure, sometimes profusely laughing, extraordinarily merry, and then again weeping without a cause, (which is familiar with many gentlewomen,) groaning, sighing, pensive, sad, almost distracted, multa absurda fingunt, et a ratione aliena (saith [2519]Frambesarius), they feign many absurdities, vain, void of reason:  one supposeth himself to be a dog, cock, bear, horse, glass, butter, &c.  He is a giant, a dwarf, as