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In this edition. “spectrums” → “apparitions” (DJR-028-40); “Ambulones” → “Ambulones, “wanderers,”” (DJR-030-34); “a Puck” → “a puck” (DJR-038-09); “spectrum” → “ghost” (DJR-051-08); “raise and lay them” → “summon and dismiss these spirits” (DJR-030-33). Apparitions and ghost give the local senses of spectrum; summon and dismiss make the paired actions clear. Puck remains a named kind of figure, with the story qualification preserved.
See also. Daemon and genius.
Despair
The word. Despair is the loss or rejection of hope and comfort. Burton reports a theological distinction between final despair, persisting to the end, and temporary despair, which may pass.
In Burton. The classification expressly allows temporary despair to afflict the best of God’s children. Its description as rejection of hope for a time is therefore essential to the argument, not an incidental qualification. The later catalogue of fatal outcomes records particular cases attributed to Platter; it does not show that every person called despairing follows that course.
The places. Final and temporary despair are distinguished. (p. 694; DJR-163-40.) Particular fatal cases are attributed to Platter. (p. 704; DJR-166-04.)
In this edition. “final and temporal” → “final and temporary despair” (DJR-163-40); “rejection of hope and comfort for a time” → “rejection of hope and comfort for a time” (DJR-163-40); “desperate as he was” → “in despair” (DJR-166-04). Temporary makes temporal clear. Despair names the condition described without supplying a present-day clinical diagnosis.
See also. Sorrow; Desperate; Faith and assurance; Grace; Salvation; Scruple.
Desperate
The word. Desperate can mean despairing, but it can also mean recklessly heedless. It does not by itself specify a suicidal act.
In Burton. In the jealousy cases, desperate describes people who have fallen into despair, with different behaviours narrated separately. The religious classification likewise calls excessively distrustful and fearful people desperate. A later denunciation joins desperate with secure and excessive pleasure: there the sense is reckless disregard rather than afflicted hopelessness. The immediate contrast governs the reading.
The places. Despair follows jealousy in several reported cases. (p. 614; DJR-148-12.) Desperate persons are excessively distrustful and fearful. (p. 683; DJR-161-29.) Desperate accompanies complacency and reckless indulgence. (p. 684; DJR-161-49.)
In this edition. “became desperate” → “fell into despair” (DJR-148-12); “desperate persons” → “despairing people” (DJR-161-29); “so desperate” → “so reckless” (DJR-161-49). Despairing and reckless preserve two different senses. Actions described in individual cases are not imported into every occurrence of the adjective.
See also. Despair; Secure; Feral; Make away.
Diet and regimen
The word. Diet can mean food or board supplied as part of someone’s maintenance. Regiment can mean a regimen, a plan or ordered account for preserving health.
In Burton. A poorly rewarded scholar receives a small wage and his diet: the food included with his employment, not a programme of restriction. In the pharmaceutical discussion, a physician’s regiment of health names the kind of work in which a remedy is reported. The first usage concerns provision; the second, the organization of health care.
The places. Food is included in a scholar’s meagre remuneration. (p. 131; DJR-047-12.) A remedy is cited from a regimen of health. (p. 375; DJR-101-23.)
In this edition. “his diet” → “his food” (DJR-047-12); “regiment of health” → “Regimen of Health” (DJR-101-23). Food states the employment benefit directly. Regimen removes the misleading association of regiment with a military unit.
See also. Concoction; Non naturals; Luxurious and riot; Meat.
Distillation and rheum
Source forms: distillation; rheume
The word. Distillation here is a downward flow of rheum or catarrhal fluid. Rheum names a bodily discharge, especially mucus. These passages concern the historical account of bodily fluids rather than the preparation of a distilled medicine.
In Burton. Burton compares neglected emotional disturbances with a recurring discharge that becomes a wasting disease of the lungs. The comparison explains how a passing disturbance can harden into an established condition. In the later description of melancholic patients, rheum is one symptom among sleepiness, spitting and a particular complexion.
The places. Repeated discharge supplies an analogy for repeated emotional disturbance. (p. 12–13; DJR-023-15.) Rheum appears in a description of melancholic patients. (p. 191; DJR-060-17.)
In this edition. “one Distillation” → “a single catarrhal discharge” (DJR-023-15); “rheume” → “rheum” (DJR-060-17). Catarrhal discharge makes the first sense explicit. Rheum remains in the later passage and is explained in its local note and here.
See also. Concoction.
Distraction
The word. Distraction can mean mental disturbance or derangement. Distracted in this passage means distraught, with a force stronger than momentary inattention.
In Burton. The first-person verse approaches madness by a hair’s breadth. Burton prints Latin lines and then an English version whose final word, distracted, describes the speaker’s present distress. Preserving both versions allows their related but not identical wording to remain visible.
The places. The Latin verse describes proximity to madness. (p. 543; DJR-133-51.) The accompanying English verse ends with distracted. (p. 543; DJR-133-52.)
In this edition. “now distracted” → “already distraught” (DJR-133-52). Distraught conveys the disturbance without turning the line into a statement about poor concentration. The neighbouring references to madness retain their force.
See also. Madness.
Divination
Source forms: metoposcopy; cheiromancy; Πυρομαντεία; ὑδρομαντεία; chiromancy
The word. Divination interprets signs to obtain otherwise hidden knowledge. The selected terms distinguish methods: metoposcopy reads the forehead, chiromancy or cheiromancy the hand, pyromancy fire, and hydromancy water.
In Burton. The synopsis and section heading group bodily signs with astrology. Elsewhere, Burton associates divination by fire and water with reported spirit worship. That association is part of his account; the word for a divinatory practice does not itself mean worship.
The places. The synopsis groups bodily signs with the stars. (p. 98; DJR-020-25.) Divination by fire appears in the survey of spirits. (p. 46; DJR-029-50.) Divination by water is associated with sacrifice. (p. 47; DJR-030-14.) The section heading retains the specialist names. (p. 57; DJR-032-01.)
In this edition. “Metoposcopy” → “reading the forehead” (DJR-020-25); “Cheiromancy” → “palmistry” (DJR-020-25); “Πυρομαντεία” → “divination by fire” (DJR-029-50); “ὑδρομαντεία” → “hydromancy” (DJR-030-14); “Metoposcopy, Chiromancy” → “metoposcopy and chiromancy” (DJR-032-01). Plain explanations in the synopsis accompany retained technical names in the heading. The two presentations refer to the same practices.
See also. Astrology.
Divine
Source forms: Divine; divine Seneca; divines
The word. As a noun, a divine is a theologian or member of the clergy. As an adjective, divine can express elevated praise. The grammatical distinction matters when Burton applies the word to himself and to Seneca.
In Burton. Burton identifies theology as his profession while describing his appetite for many subjects. His lament for poorly supported divines concerns the clergy. Calling Seneca divine, however, praises a classical writer; it does not assign Seneca a Christian clerical profession.