Chap. XXXII Sixth Rule, Not to Push Drunkenness Too Far
It is certain, that to do well, we ought continually to have an eye to this maxim of Horace, viz. Est modus in rebus. And the Ne quid nimis of Terence; but especially, in this grand and most important affair of drunkenness. Seneca very well distinguishes two sorts of drunkenness, one which entirely buries our reason; and the other, which only diverts melancholy and chagrin. The last we believe to be very lawful; but we would have it go farther, even so far, as not only to divert, but to drive away our cares entirely, or else not to get drunk at all. That which is between these, if any such there can be, does one an injury, according to the poet:—
Aut nulla ebrietas, aut tanta sit ut tibi curas
Eripiat, si quæ est inter utramque nocet.a
After this manner would we have people use the juice of the grape; that is, to go so far as to make our hearts merry, gay, and sprightly, and so as to forget our cares.
It would be here useless to shew, by a great many examples, the disorders that drunkenness has caused, when pushed too far, because it was never the intention of this work, but to divert (as wine was designed to do) and make merry, I shall therefore conclude the whole with an Ode to Bacchus, as follows:—
a. Ovid, Remedium Amoris 809-810.