208 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [XXU. 6. 
of the affections. For as the ancient politiques in 
popular estates were wont to compare the people to the 
sea, and the orators to the winds; because as the sea 
would of itself be calm and quiet, if the winds did not 
move and trouble it; so the people would be peaceable 
and tractable, if the seditious orators did not set them in 
working and agitation: so it may be fitly said, that the - 
mind in the nature thereof would be temperate and 
stayed, if the affections, as winds, did not put it into tumult 
and perturbation. And here again I find strange, as 
before, that Aristotle should have written divers volumes 
of Ethics, and never handled the affections, which is the 
principal subject thereof; and yet in his Rhetorics, where 
they are considered but collaterally and in a second * 
degree (as they may be moved by speech), he findeth 
place for them, and handleth them well for the quantity ; 
but where their true place is, he pretermitteth them. For 
it is not his disputations about pleasure and pain that can 
satisfy this inquiry, no more than he that should generally 
handle the nature of light can be said to handle the nature 
of colours; for pleasure and pain are to the particular 
affections, as light is to particular colours. Better tra- 
vails, I suppose, had the Stoics taken in this argument, as 
far as I can gather by that which we have at second hand. 
But yet it is like it was after their manner, rather in 
subtilty of definitions (which in a subject of this nature 
are but curiosities), than in active and ample descriptions 
and observations. So likewise I find some particular 
writings of an elegant nature, touching some of the af- 
fections; as of anger, of comfort upon adverse accidents, 
of tenderness of countenance, and other. But the poets 
and writers of histories are the best doctors of this know- 
ledge; where we may find painted forth with great life, 
