Anatomy of Melancholy

[The melancholy are] humorous beyond all measure, sometimes profusely laughing, extraordinary merry, and then again weeping without a cause (which is familiar with many gentlewomen), groaning, sighing, pensive, sad, almost distracted:multa absurda fingunt, et a ratione aliena (saith Frambesarius [Nicolas Abraham de La Framboisière]): they feign many absurdities, vain, void of reason: one supposeth himself to be a dog, cock, bear, horse, glass, butter, &c. He is a giant, a dwarf, as strong as an hundred men, a lord, duke, prince, &c. And, if he be told he hath a stinking breath, a great nose, and that he is sick, or inclined to such or such a disease, he believes it eftsoons, and peradventure, by force of imagination, will work it out. Many of them are immoveable, and fixed in their conceits; others vary, upon every object heard or seen. If they see a stageplay, they run upon that a week after; if they hear musick, or see dancing, they have nought but bag-pipes in their brains: if they see a combat, they are all for arms; if abused, an abuse troubles them long after (...).