Of Moral Philosophy and Moralists – Margaret Cavendish's Poems and Fancies

¹
Moral philosophy is a severe school, for there is no arithmetician so exact in his accounts, or doth divide and substract² his numbers more subtly, than they the passions; and as arithmetic can multiply numbers above all use, so passions may be divided beyond all practice. But moralists live the happiest lives of mankind, because most contented—for they do not only subdue the passions, but can make the best use of them, to the tranquility of the mind: as for example,³ fear to make them circumspect, hope to make them industrious,⁴ hate to evil, desire to good, love to virtue, jealous⁵ of indiscretions, angry at follies, and so the like of⁶ all the rest. For they do not only subdue the fiercest of them, making them slaves to execute several works in several places, but those passions that are mild and of gentle nature they make perfect friendship with. For the passions are like privy counselors, where some counsel for peace, others for war, and some, being bribed with the world and appetite, persuade to mutiny, which causes⁷ a rebellion. But moralists are like powerful monarchs, which can make their passions obedient at their pleasure, condemning them at the bar of justice, and cutting off⁸ their heads with the sword of reason; or, like skillful musicians, making the passions musical instruments, which they can tune so exactly, and play so well and sweetly, as every several note shall strike the ears of the soul with delight, and when they play concords, the mind dances in measure, the saraband⁹ of tranquility. Whereas when they are out of tune, they do not only sound harsh and unpleasant, but when the notes disagree,¹⁰ the mind takes wrong steps, and keeps false time, and the soul is disquieted with the noise. But there is no humour or passion so troublesome as desire, because it yields no sound satisfaction, for it¹¹ is mixed most commonly with pleasing hopes, and¹² hope is a greater pleasure than enjoyment, just as eating is a greater pleasure to the hungry than when the stomach is fully satisfied. Yet¹³ desire and curiosity make a man to be above other creatures: for, by desiring knowledge, man is as much¹⁴ above a beast as want of perfect knowledge makes him less than God; and man, as he hath a transcending¹⁵ soul to outlive the world to all eternity, so he hath a transcending¹⁶ desire to live in the world’s memory, as long as the world lasts, that he might not die like a beast and be forgotten, but that his works may beget another soul, though of shorter life—which is fame: for¹⁷ fame is like the¹⁸ soul, an incorporeal being.¹⁹

Of Moral Philosophy and Moralists] TO MORALL PHILOSOPHERS. 1653
“substract” is, roughly, a synonym for subtract
as for example,] As 1653
circumspect, hope to make them industrious,] Circumspect, 1653
jealous] Hope makes Industry Jealous 1653
the like of] of 1664, 1668
causes] uses 1653
and cutting off] cutting of 1653
saraband] Sarabrand 1653. A “saraband” is, according to the OED, “A slow and stately Spanish dance in triple time.”
disagree,] disagreeing, 1653
it] all it 1653
and] but 1664, 1668
Yet] But 1664, 1668
as much] much 1664, 1668
transcending] Transcendent 1668
transcending] Transcendent 1668
for] and 1653
the] a 1653
being.] Thing. 1653