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In this edition. “contingence of all things” → “contingency of all things” (DJR-162-14). Contingency modernizes the noun while preserving the conceptual claim attributed to Burton’s opponents.
See also. Cause.
Conversation
Source forms: conversation; converse
The word. Conversation can mean conduct or manner of life. Converse can mean associate or have dealings with someone, a broader activity than speaking alone.
In Burton. Burton warns that people repeat the ruin caused by others’ bad conversation: their conduct, not merely their talk. In the discussion of spirits, familiar converse with humans is an alleged habitual association that includes being seen and heard. The object and accompanying actions establish the breadth of each sense.
The places. Bad conduct provides an example others fail to heed. (p. 25; DJR-008-18.) Spirits are said to associate familiarly with people. (p. 41; DJR-028-47.)
In this edition. “bad conversation” → “bad conduct” (DJR-008-18); “familiarly converse with men” → “associate familiarly with human beings” (DJR-028-47). Conduct and associate prevent the passages from being narrowed to conversation in its usual modern sense.
See also. Entertain; Carriage; Confer and conference; Custom and education; Complement; Gossip.
Cordial
The word. Cordial describes a remedy or substance thought to strengthen or cheer the heart. Its force here is medicinal rather than socially friendly.
In Burton. Burton reports that jewels and precious stones calm the emotions, then calls small pearls very cordial and explains their effect as exhilaration of the heart. The neighbouring phrase supplies the sense directly: the heart is the proposed seat and beneficiary of the action.
The places. Pearls are credited with strengthening and cheering the heart. (p. 371; DJR-100-35.)
In this edition. “very cordial” → “very strengthening to the heart” (DJR-100-35). The expanded phrase gives the intended medicinal action rather than leaving cordial open to its modern social meaning.
See also. Alteratives; Aqua vitae; Virtue; Comfortable.
Corrected medicines
The word. A corrected medicine is one prepared or combined so as to counteract properties considered harmful. Correction names an operation of medical art.
In Burton. Burton distinguishes medicines that help one person but harm another from substances harmful in themselves that become beneficial when corrected. He uses this distinction to explain why skilled physicians must manage remedies according to rules and particular purposes. The word concerns preparation of the medicine, not correction of a written prescription.
The places. Medical preparation is said to alter harmful properties. (p. 230; DJR-070-03.)
In this edition. “corrected by art” → “properly prepared” (DJR-070-03). Properly prepared supplies the pharmaceutical sense. The surrounding sentence retains Burton’s claim about the resulting benefit.
See also. Alteratives.
Corrosive
Source forms: corsives; corrosive
The word. A corrosive is something that eats away. Burton transfers the physical action to persistent trouble or mental pain; corsives is a shortened form.
In Burton. Households have corsives just as commonwealths do, extending the bodily analogy across forms of social life. In the account of injury, continual brooding turns the hurt into a perpetual corrosive. The image emphasizes distress that continues to consume the sufferer rather than a single passing blow.
The places. Household troubles are compared with those of political communities. (p. 68; DJR-017-19.) Dwelling on an injury makes it a persistent corrosive. (p. 150; DJR-051-41.)
In this edition. “corsives” → “corrosive troubles” (DJR-017-19); “perpetual corrosive” → “perpetual corrosive” (DJR-051-41). Corrosive troubles explains the abbreviated plural, while the later metaphor remains intact.
See also. Jealousy.
Costiveness
Source forms: costiveness; costivenesse
The word. Costiveness means constipation or retention of the ordinary bowel waste. Costivenesse is a spelling variant.
In Burton. Burton places costiveness first among the forms of retention discussed as causes of melancholy. In the symptom catalogue, it appears with poor digestion, undigested matter and obstructions. The same condition can thus occupy a place in the causal discussion and in the description of a patient’s bodily troubles.
The places. Costiveness is placed under retention and evacuation. (p. 78; DJR-036-05.) Constipation appears among nutritive disturbances. (p. 180; DJR-058-15.)
In this edition. “Costiveness” → “constipation” (DJR-036-05); “costivenesse” → “constipation” (DJR-058-15). Constipation gives the direct modern equivalent for both spellings.
See also. Purging.
Counterfeit
The word. Counterfeit can be a noun for a person pretending or acting a part. The particular role must be supplied by context.
In Burton. In the reported treatment of a man who believes he is dead, another person is placed nearby as a supposed corpse and made to eat. The patient addresses this counterfeit and then imitates him. The noun identifies the staged performer, not the patient or a forged object.
The places. A man acts the part of a corpse in a therapeutic deception. (p. 298; DJR-084-37.)
In this edition. “the counterfeit” → “the pretended corpse” (DJR-084-37). Pretended corpse names the role and keeps the two people in the anecdote distinct.
See also. Abraham men; Mountebank; Habit and disposition.
Crased
Source forms: crased; crasie; crazed
The word. Crased, crasie and crazed can describe impairment, infirmity or broken bodily health. The word family is not confined to mental derangement.
In Burton. A sustained habit of imagining ends with fancy crased: the Latin phrase immediately calls the imagination injured. The portrait of unhappy wealth describes people as crasie among other bodily complaints. In consolation for bereavement, crazed accompanies sickly and the image of an exhausted traveller. The affected subject determines whether impaired or frail is appropriate.
The places. Fancy is described as injured or impaired. (p. 196; DJR-061-18.) The outward splendour of wealth conceals infirmity. (p. 321; DJR-089-40.) The deceased is imagined remaining frail and sickly. (p. 345; DJR-095-05.)
In this edition. “crased” → “impaired” (DJR-061-18); “crasie” → “infirm” (DJR-089-40); “crazed and sickly” → “frail and sickly” (DJR-095-05). The equivalents keep the bodily senses from becoming unintended claims of mental illness.
Cure
The word. Cure can mean a pastoral charge: the care of a congregation entrusted to a clergyman. Here it identifies the church appointment or parish so served.
In Burton. Burton concludes a satirical account of patronage with the matching pair of patron and clergyman, like a lid fitted to a dish. The declaration that the cure is well supplied belongs to that irony. It concerns filling a pastoral office, not curing a disease.
The places. A patron and clergyman are matched in a satirical conclusion. (p. 142 [printed 128]; DJR-049-30.)
In this edition. “the cure is well supplied” → “The parish is well provided for” (DJR-049-30). Parish makes the institutional sense clear, while the apparently satisfied conclusion retains the satire.
See also. Church patronage.
Curiosity
Source forms: nice; curious; curiously; curiosity; curious Wroks
The word. Curious and curiosity range from painstaking attention and elaborate workmanship to excessive scruple or misplaced inquiry. The word family does not always carry the modern neutral sense of wanting to learn.