The Anatomy of Melancholy

Felix Plater observ. lib. 1. had a baker to his patient, almost mad for the love of his maid, and desperate; by removing her from him, he was in a short space cured.

Iseus a Philosopher of Assyria, was a most dissolute liver in his youth, palam lasciviens, in love with all he met; but after he betook himself by his friends advice to his study, and left womens companie, he was so changed, that he cared no more for plays, nor feasts, nor masks, nor songs, nor verses, fine cloaths, nor no such love toys: he became a new man upon a sudden, tanquam si priores oculos amisisset, saith mine Author, as if he had lost his former eys.

Peter Godefridus in the last chapter of his third book, hath a story out of S. Ambrose, of a yong man that meeting his old love after long absence, on whom he had extreamly doted, would scarce take notice of her; she wondred at it, that he should so lightly esteem her, called him again, lenibat dictis animum, and told him who she was, Ego sum inquit: At ego non sum ego; But he replied, he was not the same man: proripuit sese tandem, as Dido fled from Æneas, not vouchsafing her any farther parly, loathing his folly, and ashamed of that which formerly he had done.

O Neæra, put your tricks, and practise hereafter upon some body else, you shall befool me no longer.

Petrarch hath such another tale of a yong gallant, that loved a wench with one eye, and for that cause by his parents was sent to travel into far Countries, after some years he returned, and meeting the maid for whose sake he was sent abroad, asked her how, and by what chance she lost her eye? no said she, I have lost none, but you have found yours:

Signifying thereby that all Lovers were blind, as Fabius saith, Amantes de forma judicare non possunt, Lovers cannot judge of beauty, nor scarce of any thing else, as they will easily confess, after they return unto themselves, by some discontinuance or better advice, wonder at their own folly, madness, stupidity, blindness, be much abashed, and laugh at Love, and call’t an idle thing, condemn themselves that ever they should be so besotted or misled; and be heartily glad they have so happily escaped.

If so be (which is seldome) that change of place will not effect this alteration, then other remedies are to be annexed, fair and foul means, as to perswade, promise, threaten, terrifie, or to divert by some contrary passion, rumour, tales, news, or some witty invention, to alter his affection, by some greater sorrow, to drive out the less, saith Gordonius, as that his house is on fire, his best friends dead, his mony stoln. That he is made some great Governour, or hath some honour, office, some inheritance is befaln him, He shall be a Knight, a Baron: or by some false accusation, as they do to such as have the hickhop, to make them forget it.