CENTURY IX. 103 



small volumes, and reading of small letters, do hurt 

 the eye by contraction. 



872. It hath been observed that in anger the eyes 

 wax red ; and in blushing, not the eyes, but the ears, 

 and the parts behind them. The cause is, for that in 

 anger the spirits ascend and wax eager ; which is most 

 easily seen in the eyes, because they are translucid ; 

 though withal it maketh both the cheeks and the gills 

 red ; but in blushing, it is true the spirits ascend like 

 wise to succour both the eyes and the face, which are 

 the parts that labour ; but then they are repulsed by 

 the eyes, for that the eyes, in shame, do put back the 

 spirits that ascend to them, as unwilling to look abroad: 

 for no man in that passion doth look strongly, but de 

 jectedly ; and that repulsion from the eyes diverteth 

 the spirits and heat more to the ears, and the parts 

 by them. 



873. The objects of the sight may cause a great 

 pleasure and delight in the spirits, but no pain or great 

 offence ; except it be by memory, as hath been said. 

 The glimpses and beams of diamonds that strike the 

 eye ; Indian feathers, that have glorious colours ; the 

 coming into a fair garden ; the coming into a fair room 

 richly furnished ; a beautiful person ; and the like ; do 

 delight and exhilarate the spirits much. The reason 

 why it holdeth not in the offence is, for that the ajght 

 is the most spiritual of the senses ; whereby it hath 

 no object gross enough to offend it. But the cause 

 (chiefly) is, for that there be no active objects to offend 

 the eye. For harmonical sounds and discordant sounds 

 are both active and positive : so are sweet smells and 

 stinks : so are bitter and sweet in tastes : so are over- 

 hot and over-cold in touch : but blackness and dark- 



