Leviathan eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 732 pages of information about Leviathan.

Leviathan eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 732 pages of information about Leviathan.

Giddinesse Madnesse And therefore, a man who has no great Passion for any of these things; but is as men terme it indifferent; though he may be so farre a good man, as to be free from giving offence; yet he cannot possibly have either a great Fancy, or much Judgement.  For the Thoughts, are to the Desires, as Scouts, and Spies, to range abroad, and find the way to the things Desired:  All Stedinesse of the minds motion, and all quicknesse of the same, proceeding from thence.  For as to have no Desire, is to be Dead:  so to have weak Passions, is Dulnesse; and to have Passions indifferently for every thing, Giddinesse, and Distraction; and to have stronger, and more vehement Passions for any thing, than is ordinarily seen in others, is that which men call madnesse.

Whereof there be almost as many kinds, as of the Passions themselves.  Sometimes the extraordinary and extravagant Passion, proceedeth from the evill constitution of the organs of the Body, or harme done them; and sometimes the hurt, and indisposition of the Organs, is caused by the vehemence, or long continuance of the Passion.  But in both cases the Madnesse is of one and the same nature.

The Passion, whose violence, or continuance maketh Madnesse, is either great Vaine-Glory; which is commonly called Pride, and Selfe-Conceipt; or great Dejection of mind.

Rage Pride, subjecteth a man to Anger, the excesse whereof, is the Madnesse called rage, and fury.  And thus it comes to passe that excessive desire of Revenge, when it becomes habituall, hurteth the organs, and becomes Rage:  That excessive love, with jealousie, becomes also Rage:  Excessive opinion of a mans own selfe, for divine inspiration, for wisdome, learning, forme, and the like, becomes Distraction, and Giddinesse:  the same, joyned with Envy, Rage:  Vehement opinion of the truth of any thing, contradicted by others, Rage.

Melancholy Dejection, subjects a man to causelesse fears; which is a Madnesse commonly called melancholy, apparent also in divers manners; as in haunting of solitudes, and graves; in superstitious behaviour; and in fearing some one, some another particular thing.  In summe, all Passions that produce strange and unusuall behaviour, are called by the generall name of Madnesse.  But of the severall kinds of Madnesse, he that would take the paines, might enrowle a legion.  And if the Excesses be madnesse, there is no doubt but the Passions themselves, when they tend to Evill, are degrees of the same.

(For example,) Though the effect of folly, in them that are possessed of an opinion of being inspired, be not visible alwayes in one man, by any very extravagant action, that proceedeth from such Passion; yet when many of them conspire together, the Rage of the whole multitude is visible enough.  For what argument of Madnesse can there be greater, than to clamour, strike, and throw stones at our best friends? 

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Leviathan from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.