The Passions of the Mind in General

vnto the Reader.

and consequently, very politique and craftie. For great Cirties (specially Emporiall) affoord vnto them all sorts of politique prudence, eyther for vniversall governement of the State, or particular regiment of the Cittie, or private oeconomie for a family, or common conversation with men: all which Cirties, as open Schooles, teach abundantly; villages and townes, eyther nothing, or very sparingly. The most of our Englishmen contrariwise, eyther dwell in the Countrie; or in Cirties not so populous, wherein they may enioy such meanes, as enable other Nations vnto the attaintment of wit, policy, and prudence, wherefore this defect of conversation impeacheth greatly the warines of our Countriemen with other Nations: where-by sundry of our rurall Gentlemen, are as well acquainted with the civill dealing, conversing, and practise of Cirties, as many Kockneis cockneys; city-dwellers, with the manuring of lands, and affayres of the countrey. Our English youth also, for most part, are brought vp, with too much feare and terrour: for eyther their Parents or Schoole-masters passe the borders of mediocritie in this part: because they eyther punish them too extreamely, or threaten them too severely: whereby the passions of pusillanimitie & feare specially when any matter of moment is to be attempted, so distract their present attention, that they cannot almost possibly vpon a sudden consider the circumstances, weigh the matter, and resolve aright: for these restraining Passions withdraw a great part of their soules consideration. The Italians and Spaniards contrariwise, by bringing vp their children with more libertie, enlarge their hearts with boldnesse and audacitie, in such sort, as vsually you shall see them at sixteene or seventeene yeeres of age, as bold and audacious as ours at thirtie: and contrariwise ours at sixteene or seventeene, drooping with feare and timiditie, as if they were so many chickens drawne out of a Well.

The third cause is, a certaine naturall complexion and constitution of body, the which in very deed inclineth and bendeth them of hotter Countries more vnto craftinesse and warinesse, than them of colder Climates; This we may perceyve in Italy it selfe, where the Lombards are more simple than the Romanes, and these not so craftie as the Neapolitanes, nor these comparable to the Sicilians: The like we finde in Spaine, where the Biskains are not so subtle as the Castilians