Quote by Ben Jonson
A new disease? I know not, new or old, but it may well be called poor mortals plague for, like a pestilence, it doth infect the houses of the brain till not a thought, or motion, in the mind, be free from the black poison of suspect.
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Summary
This quote implies that the speaker is uncertain whether the mentioned "disease" is newly emerged or has always existed. However, the speaker suggests that this disease can be considered a widespread affliction for human beings, like a devastating epidemic. It infects the very core of one's thoughts and mental processes, bringing forth a constant sense of suspicion. The analogy of a plague emphasizes how this affliction spreads and contaminates the mind, leaving no room for pure and uncontaminated thoughts or actions.
Topics
Doubt
By Ben Jonson