Other good rules and precepts are enjoined by our physicians, which, if not alone, yet certainly conjoined, may do much; the first of which is obstare principiis, to withstand the beginning,[5634]_Quisquis in primo obstitit, Pepulitque amorem tutus ac victor fuit_, he that will but resist at first, may easily be a conqueror at the last.  Balthazar Castilio, l. 4. urgeth this prescript above the rest, [5635]"when he shall chance” (saith he) “to light upon a woman that hath good behaviour joined with her excellent person, and shall perceive his eyes with a kind of greediness to pull unto them this image of beauty, and carry it to the heart:  shall observe himself to be somewhat incensed with this influence, which moveth within:  when he shall discern those subtle spirits sparkling in her eyes, to administer more fuel to the fire, he must wisely withstand the beginnings, rouse up reason, stupefied almost, fortify his heart by all means, and shut up all those passages, by which it may have entrance.”  ’Tis a precept which all concur upon,

[5636] “Opprime dum nova sunt subiti mala semina morbi,
        Dum licet, in primo lumine siste pedem.”

       “Thy quick disease, whilst it is fresh today,
        By all means crush, thy feet at first step stay.”

Which cannot speedier be done, than if he confess his grief and passion to some judicious friend [5637](qui tacitus ardet magis uritur, the more he conceals, the greater is his pain) that by his good advice may happily ease him on a sudden; and withal to avoid occasions, or any circumstance that may aggravate his disease, to remove the object by all means; for who can stand by a fire and not burn?

[5638] “Sussilite obsecro et mittite istanc foras,
        quae misero mihi amanti ebibit sanguinem.”

’Tis good therefore to keep quite out of her company, which Hierom so much labours to Paula, to Nepotian; Chrysost. so much inculcates in ser. in contubern. Cyprian, and many other fathers of the church, Siracides in his ninth chapter, Jason Pratensis, Savanarola, Arnoldus, Valleriola, &c., and every physician that treats of this subject.  Not only to avoid, as [5639] Gregory Tholosanus exhorts, “kissing, dalliance, all speeches, tokens, love-letters, and the like,” or as Castilio, lib. 4. to converse with them, hear them speak, or sing, (tolerabilius est audire basiliscum sibilantem, thou hadst better hear, saith [5640]Cyprian, a serpent hiss) [5641]"those amiable smiles, admirable graces, and sweet gestures,” which their presence affords.

[5642] “Neu capita liment solitis morsiunculis,
        Et his papillarum oppressiunculis
        Abstineant:”------

but all talk, name, mention, or cogitation of them, and of any other women, persons, circumstance, amorous book or tale that may administer any occasion of remembrance. [5643]Prosper adviseth young men not to read the Canticles, and some parts of Genesis at other times; but for such as are enamoured they forbid, as before, the name mentioned, &c., especially all sight, they must not so much as come near, or look upon them.