E4P44S
Scholium — Part IV
Latin
Hilaritas quam bonam esse dixi, concipitur facilius quam observatur. Nam affectus quibus quotidie conflictamur, referuntur plerumque ad aliquam corporis partem quæ præ reliquis afficitur ac proinde affectus ut plurimum excessum habent et mentem in sola unius objecti contemplatione ita detinent ut de aliis cogitare nequeat et quamvis homines pluribus affectibus obnoxii sint atque adeo rari reperiantur qui semper uno eodemque affectu conflictentur, non desunt tamen quibus unus idemque affectus pertinaciter adhæreat. Videmus enim homines aliquando ab uno objecto ita affici ut quamvis præsens non sit, ipsum tamen coram habere credant, quod quando homini non dormienti accidit, eundem delirare dicimus vel insanire nec minus insanire creduntur qui amore ardent quique noctes atque dies solam amasiam vel meretricem somniant quia risum movere solent. At cum avarus de nulla alia re quam de lucro vel de nummis cogitet et ambitiosus de gloria etc. hi non creduntur delirare quia molesti solent esse et odio digni æstimantur. Sed revera avaritia, ambitio, libido etc. delirii species sunt quamvis inter morbos non numerentur.
English (Elwes 1883)
Mirth, which I have stated to be good, can be conceived more easily than it can be observed. For the emotions, whereby we are daily assailed, are generally referred to some part of the body which is affected more than the rest; hence the emotions are generally excessive, and so fix the mind in the contemplation of one object, that it is unable to think of others; and although men, as a rule, are a prey to many emotions--and very few are found who are always assailed by one and the same--yet there are cases, where one and the same emotion remains obstinately fixed. We sometimes see men so absorbed in one object, that, although it be not present, they think they have it before them; when this is the case with a man who is not asleep, we say he is delirious or mad; nor are those persons who are inflamed with love, and who dream all night and all day about nothing but their mistress, or some woman, considered as less mad, for they are made objects of ridicule. But when a miser thinks of nothing but gain or money, or when an ambitious man thinks of nothing but glory, they are not reckoned to be mad, because they are generally harmful, and are thought worthy of being hated. But, in reality, Avarice, Ambition, Lust, &c., are species of madness, though they may not be reckoned among diseases.
Modern English
Joy I said is good; but it is more easily conceived than observed. The affects we are beset by daily are mostly referred to some part of the body that is affected more than the rest, and so they generally run to excess. They fix the mind in contemplation of one object so that it cannot think of anything else. Though people are subject to many affects — and very few are found who are always assailed by one and the same — there are still those in whom one and the same affect stubbornly persists.
We see people so absorbed in one object that, even when it is not present, they believe they have it before them. When this happens to someone who is not asleep, we say they are delirious or insane. Those who burn with love and dream day and night of nothing but their beloved or a mistress are thought no less insane, though they generally provoke laughter. But when a miser thinks of nothing but profit or money, or when the ambitious man thinks of nothing but glory, they are not considered delirious — because they tend to be troublesome, and are thought worthy of hatred. In truth, however, avarice, ambition, lust, and the like are species of madness, even if they are not counted among the diseases.