dilation, contraction, confusion, alteration, tenebrosity, hot or cold distemperature,” excluding all material humours. [2669]Fracastorius “accounts it a thing worthy of inquisition, why they should entertain such false conceits, as that they have horns, great noses, that they are birds, beasts,” &c., why they should think themselves kings, lords, cardinals.  For the first, [2670] Fracastorius gives two reasons:  “One is the disposition of the body; the other, the occasion of the fantasy,” as if their eyes be purblind, their ears sing, by reason of some cold and rheum, &c.  To the second, Laurentius answers, the imagination inwardly or outwardly moved, represents to the understanding, not enticements only, to favour the passion or dislike, but a very intensive pleasure follows the passion or displeasure, and the will and reason are captivated by delighting in it.

Why students and lovers are so often melancholy and mad, the philosopher of [2671]Conimbra assigns this reason, “because by a vehement and continual meditation of that wherewith they are affected, they fetch up the spirits into the brain, and with the heat brought with them, they incend it beyond measure:  and the cells of the inner senses dissolve their temperature, which being dissolved, they cannot perform their offices as they ought.”

Why melancholy men are witty, which Aristotle hath long since maintained in his problems; and that [2672]all learned men, famous philosophers, and lawgivers, ad unum fere omnes melancholici, have still been melancholy, is a problem much controverted.  Jason Pratensis will have it understood of natural melancholy, which opinion Melancthon inclines to, in his book de Anima, and Marcilius Ficinus de san. tuend. lib. 1. cap. 5. but not simple, for that makes men stupid, heavy, dull, being cold and dry, fearful, fools, and solitary, but mixed with the other humours, phlegm only excepted; and they not adust, [2673]but so mixed as that blood he half, with little or no adustion, that they be neither too hot nor too cold.  Aponensis, cited by Melancthon, thinks it proceeds from melancholy adust, excluding all natural melancholy as too cold.  Laurentius condemns his tenet, because adustion of humours makes men mad, as lime burns when water is cast on it.  It must be mixed with blood, and somewhat adust, and so that old aphorism of Aristotle may be verified, Nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae, no excellent wit without a mixture of madness.  Fracastorius shall decide the controversy, [2674]"phlegmatic are dull:  sanguine lively, pleasant, acceptable, and merry, but not witty; choleric are too swift in motion, and furious, impatient of contemplation, deceitful wits:  melancholy men have the most excellent wits, but not all; this humour may be hot or cold, thick, or thin; if too hot, they are furious and mad:  if too cold, dull, stupid, timorous, and sad:  if temperate, excellent, rather inclining to that extreme of heat, than cold.”