Treatise of the Passions and Faculties of the Soul, Chapter 30
CHAP. XXX. Of the Affection of Anger. The Distinctions of it. The Fundamentall Cause thereof, Contempt. Three kindes of Contempt, Dis-estimation, Disappointment, Calumnie.
I Now proceed to the last of the Passions, Anger, whereof, in it self a subject of large Discourse, yet being every where obuious, I shall not speake much. I intend not therefore distinctly to handle the severall kindes of this Passion, which Aristotle in his Ethicks hath given us, aEthic. lib. 4. cap. 11.which are a sharpe Anger, and an Hard or Knotty Anger. And Saint Paul who likewise gives us Three kindes of it. Whereof the first I may call a bforeign. Vid Domas… de O…thod. fid. lib. 2. …. 16. …ale Rhodes. lib. 12. …. 57. … … … … Inveterata plun. bea, alta mente reposta vindictae occasimem … expec… foreignclose and buried anger, which he names bitternesse, the other a violent cNo… tulin … non verbis commo tion, adeo Ivam condiderat. Yacit. de libe. Annol. l. 2.burning Anger, which he calls Wrath, and the last a Desiring and pursuing Anger, which seemeth to have it's d…derivation from a word which signifies to Desire, and therefore is defined by Aristotle to a be foreign. & by the b Stoicks foreign, words of prosecution and pursute. For these differ not Essentially or formerly amongst themselves, but onelyonly in diversity of Degrees, and in order to the diverse constitutions of the Subject wherein they lodge, and of the habitsIliad. …. 259. unde Crabr… net irritare apud Plaut. Ampbit. Nunc in Fermento to…a est, ita t…rget mib…. Plant. Casi…. wherewith they are joyned.
In which respects we might observe severall other shapes of this Affection. For there is the a Anger of a Waspe, which is an Hasty, Pettish, and Fretfull Anger, proceeding from a nature b Leavened and habituated with Choler, which is presently stirred and prouoked. And there is the Anger of a cPectora qui … ple vum que gementes nec copere I…arum fluctus in pectore possunt. … uer. l. 3. …. …. 167.Lion, which is slow, but strong & severe, thus Elegantly described by d Homer.
—foreign
He first walkes by with sk…rne, but when swift youth,
Vrge him with Darts, then with devouring mo…th
He turnes againe, and at his lips is seene
A boyling f…ame, while his stout heart within
Rouseth itselfe with aDolor … …. …. Immani… … lot insecerat Ivd Claud. Multa in Ira … & Ridicula. Pl…t.groanes: and round about
His Tayle, beating his sides and loynes, cals out
And wakeneth proud Revenge. Thus stir'd he flies
Right on with red and fierie sparkling eyes
To kill or to be kill'd—
There is further a Cowardly verball and ridiculous Anger, like that of Whelps, which barke aloud, but run away from the thing which Angers them. Which spendeth it selfe onelyonly in stormes of empty Expressions, rather pleasing then punishing those whom they light on, and rendering the person that useth it a very foreign, or Skarre▪Crow, formidable to children, but to men ridiculous, like Geta in the Comedian.
Ruerem, agerem, raperem, tunderem, prosternerem.Terent. Adelph. Act. 3. Scen. 2.
There is a grave and serious Anger, like that of Agamemnon. An insolent and boasting Anger,Iliad. …. like that of Achilles. A sullen and stubborne Anger like that of the Romanc Armie disgracefully used by the Samnitians. A cruell and raging…lv. lib 9 Val. Max. l. 9. cap 3. Act. 9. 1. 26. 11. Anger, like that of Scylla, who in an excesse of fury, vomited up blood, & died. And thus Saul is said to bHerodot. Tholi…. Val. …. l. 9.have breathed out threatnings, and bin… spirat sa…guinem Sener. Thyest. foreign. Hom. v. foreign Theocrit. Idyl. …. Ira Cadat naso vugos que Sanna Perse …. 5. exceeding mad against the Church. A Revengefull and impatient Anger, as that of c3. § 3 Plin lib. 33. cop. 1. Horay. Epo. l. O…. 4.Cambyses, who being reprooved by Prexaspes for his Drunkennesse, con…uted the reproofe with this act of Cruelty, he shot the sonne of his Reproover thorow the heart, to prove the steaddinesse of his hand. An Anger of Indignation at the honour and prosperity of unworthy persons, as that of the Roman Nobility, who seeing Cu. Flavius, a man of meane Condition, advanced to the Praetorship, threw away their golden Rings, (the signes of their honour) to testifie their just Indignation. The Poet thus Elegantly expresseth the like against Menas, made of a Slave a Freeman by Pompey.
Videsne Sacram metiente te via…
Cum bis ter …lnarum tog â
Vt or a vertal …uc & huc euntium
Liberrima Indignatio?
Sectus flagellis hic trium viralibus
Praconis ad fastidium,
Arat falernimille fundi jugera
Et appiam mannis terit.
When thou pacest up and downe
In thy long Gowne,
Seest thou how the people fret
To see thee Iet?
How with Indignation bold,
They cannot hold
To see a man, so lately plow'd
With scourges low'd,
Vntill at length the weary Cryer,
Began to Tyre,
Dressing a thousand Acres now
With Horse and Plow?
Lastly, an Anger of Emulation, or a displeasure against our selves for comming short by our negligence of the perfections of other men whom haply by industry we might have equalled. As Themistocles professed that the TrophiePlutarch. …. of Miltiades would not suffer him to sleepe. And Caesar wept wh… he read the atchiements of Alexander, as having not at his age done any memorablePlutarch. in caesare. thing. And Thucydides hearing Herodotus recite a History which he had written, brake forth into a strange passion of weeping which the Historian espying thus comforted his Father you are a happy man to be the Father of such a Son, foreign. Who is carriedSuidas in …. with such a vehement affection unto Learning.
But to passe over these particulars, I shall in the generall content my selfe with a briefe Consideration of the Causes and Effects of this Passion.
The Fundamentall and Essentiall Cause ofDespect… … sum, … qu… s…m qu…ru Alexi. A… Ego qu… D…t ùm … Regina, Iovu que E… S… & Conjux und …umgente … annot. Bellagero, & quisquam nu men Iunonu adore…. Praeterea Aentad. 1. Anger, is Contempt from others meeting with the love of our selves. Whether it be disestimation and undervaluing of a mans person, or disappointment of his purposes, or slandering his good name, or any other way of casting injury on him. or any of these particulars being impaired (if by such on whom we may hope to receive revenge) doe worke not only Anxiety and Griefe (which is a motion of slight) but hope also and desire to ease it selfe, if not in the recovery of its own losse, yet in the comfort of another mans: For CalamityQ. Curt. foreign So…. Ajex, … foreign …. (as the Historian speaks) is ever either querulous or malignant, Cum suo malo torquetur, quiescit dien…. When it feels it selfe wrung and pinched, it quickly proceeds either by justice or revenge to please it selfe in † retaliation.
For the former of these, as it is the common property of Man with all other Creatures to love himselfe: so it is his particular desire also, being Animal Sociale & Politicum, to be Loved by others; because hereby that Love of himselfe, which proceedeth from Iudgement and Reason, is confirmed. For every man doth more willingly beleeve that, whereunto he hath farther authority to persuade him. And therefore though Love be not sinisterly suspitious, nor too envious in interpreting a mans owne, or a friends actions and beha…iour; yet that Love, which is not blind and furious, will be ever ready to submit it selfe unto the opinion of stayed and indifferent judgements, because it is conscious to it selfe, how easily it may miscarry, if it r…ly upon its owne censure, wherein Reason, Affection, and Prejudice are mixed together.
Now then when a man already strongly possessed with a love of his owne or his friends person or parts, shall find either of them by others sleighted and despised; from whose joynt-respect he hoped for a confirmation of his judgement▪ there hence ariseth not onelyonly a †… ▪ I… d… dolor ossibu… a…. Aeu…ad. 9. Affectus nunquam sine torment… sul violentm, qui… dolorem cum inferre …, pa…, &c. Val. Max. l 9. c. 3. Dolor addidi… Iram. Ovid. Met. 12.Griefe to see his Expectation deceived, and his Opinion undervalued▪ but withall a *…pes addita suscitat Iras. Aenead. 10.Desire to make knowne unto the persons, who thus contemne him by some manner of face or tongue, or hand, or heart, or head, Revenge, (for all these may be the instruments of our Anger) that there is in him more courage, power and worth than deserves so to be neglected. Which Passion in a word, so long as it submits it selfe to the government of Reason, is then alwaies allowable and right, when it is grounded on the Pride and Insolency of others, who unjustly contemne us. And then Irregular and Corrupt, when it proceeds from the root of Pride and Ambition in our selves, which makes us greedy of more honour from others, than their judgements or our owne worth suffers them to afford us.
To this branch of Contempt may bee referred Forget fulnesse of friends and acquaintance, whereby we upbraid them with obscurity and distance, as well from true worth, as from our affection: For Omnia quae curant, meminerunt, saith Tully: and Aristotle to the same purpose. Those things which wee doe respect, doe not lye hid and out of our sight.
Next hither may be referred all Vngratefull persons, who sleight those favours which they haveEjectū, li…tore …gentem. Except, & regni dem…us in par…e lecavi. Amissam classem … a morte …duxi. Heu su… …ncensaseror, &c. Ae…ad. 4. received from other mens bounties, and out of a swelling and height of stomacke, cannot endure to acknowledge any obligations; but desire to receive benefits, as Corrupt men take Bribes in the darke, and behind their backs, that so neither others, nor (if it were possible) their owne eyes might be witnesses unto it: For as Tacitus speaks, Gratia oneri habetur,: such is the pride of some men, that they disdaine not to be overcome in any thing▪ though it be in kindnesse. And therefore Vbi multum beneficiâ antevenêre, pro gratia odium redditur, saith the same Author: When they finde themselves overloaden with Love, the best requi…all which their high minds can affoord, is hatred: which cannot but worke a double Anger; an Anger against our selves and our owne weaknesse in the choice of so unfit a subject for the placing of our benefits; and an Anger at that contemptuous Pride, which so basely entertained them.
Hither also we may referre those Locked and Close men, who even to their friends are so referred, and keep every thing so secret, as if none were worthy, to whose Iudgement or Trust they might commit themselves.
Hitherto likewise are referred Acceptation of persons in equallity of merit with unequall respect, negligence of outward ceremony and beha viour▪ and generally what ever else may worke an opinion that we are undervalued.
The second branch of this first Fundamentall Cause was an Hindering of the projects and purposes of another, which is not only a Privative (as the former) but a Positive and Reall Injury, which includes that other, and addes unto it, as being not only a sleighting, but an assault upon us; no… an Opinion only, but an Expression of our weaknesse; a course so much the more likely to insenc… nature, and make it swell, by how much violent and opposition, is more sensible in motion than in rest. So that these two former Injuries, I thinke I may well compare to a Banke, and to a Bridge, or some other stops to a River in his course: Whereof the former doth Confine the River, and not Op pose it, as not hindring it in its direct and naturall motion (which it rather helpeth by more uniting the parts) but only in a motion Laterall and indirect, which nature intended not; and therefore herein we see not any manifest fretting and noise, but only a secret swelling and rising of the water, which breaks not into outrage and violence: But the Latter resisting the naturall course of the streame in its owne Chanell, and standing directly crosse, where the Nature should passe, makes it, not only in time to overswell on all sides, but in the meane time works in it great tumult & noise.
Sp…mens, & fervens, & ab Obice Savior ibit.
It foames and boyles, and with a raging force,
Fights with all Obstacles, that stop its course.
So of these two Degrees of Contempt in Anger▪ the former as being onelyonly a Confining and Limiting Contempt, which shuts up a mans worth within too narrow and strait a judgement, works indeed a secret swelling of the Heart with Indignation at the conceipt of such disesteem; but this breaks not out into that clamour (as S. Paul cals it) that noise of Anger, as the other doth, which a…iseth out of a direct opposition against our counsels or actions.
VntoUnto which opposition may be reduced all manner of injurious proceeding, which tends to the prejudice and disappointing of any mansQuem ego credo manibus. pedibu…q, … omnia … ma…is i… ad…o nisi ut inc…mmodet quam, &c. …. A…d. Act. 1 S…. 1. ends; whether it be by closenes and undermining, as cheats and couzenages in the preventing of lawfull, or by other politicke wisedome in hindering unlawfull ends; or whether by open and prosessed Opposition, as in matters of Emulation, Competition, Commodity, and the like; or lastly, whether it be such as takes notice, and discovers ends which desired to be undiscerned. And therefore Tacitus reckoning the ambiguous and closeAnnal l. 1. speeches of the Emperour Tiberius, sayes that it was Vnicus Patrum metus si intelligere viderentar, the Senate seared nothing more than to discover that they understood him; which is the same with his judgement after: Eò acriùs accepit recludi quae premeret, nothing did more exasperate him than to see those things taken notice of, which he desired to suppresse and dissemble. Both which were true in Scaur…s; one of the Senatours, who adventuring to collect Tiberius his willingnesse of accepting the Empire, in that he did not sorbid by his Tribunitiall Authority the relation thereof by the Consuls, did thereby procure his utter and jmplacable hatred.
But of all Contempts, the last of the three is greatest; that I meane, which immediately violates our Reputation and Good name; because it is a derivative and spreading injury; not only dishonouring a man in private and reserved opinion, but in the eyes and Eares of the World; nor only making him odious in his life, but in his memory. As there is in a man a double Desire▪ the one of Perfecting; the other of Perpetuating himselfe: which two answer to that double honour of our creation, which we lost in our first Father; the honour of Integrity in Goodnesse; and the honour of Immunity from Corruption: So there may bee from the violation of these sundry degrees of Anger, or any other burthensome Passion wrought in us. But when in injury we find them both assaulted, and not only our parts and persons (which belong to our perfection) privily undervalued; but our name and memory (which belong to our prepreservation) tainted likewise, we cannot but be so much the more insenced, by how much perpetuity accumelates, either to weaknes or perfection: But of this Fundamentall cause of anger enough.