The places. Bonaventure is cited as denying even venial guilt in marrying for beauty. (p. 577; DJR-140-85.)

In this edition. “denies that he so much as venially sins” → “denies that a man commits even a venial sin” (DJR-140-85); “Non peccat venialiter” → “He does not commit a venial sin” (DJR-140:B34; margin). The modern text retains the technical term and the scope of the denial. The accompanying marginal Latin states the same proposition.

See also. Conscience.

Ventricle

Source forms: creek; Ventricle

The word. Ventricle can mean a cavity or chamber. In the anatomical passages selected here it names a cavity of the brain or the stomach; creek likewise means a chamber in the account of the brain.

In Burton. The brain’s ventricles are assigned roles in imagination, thought, memory and the movement of animal spirits. In the later discussion of melancholy, the lower opening of the ventricle is the pylorus, making the organ the stomach.

The places. The middle ventricle and fourth creek belong to the account of brain cavities. (p. 19; DJR-024-19.) The ventricle whose lower outlet is the pylorus means the stomach. (p. 177; DJR-057-38.)

In this edition. “Middle ventricle” → “middle ventricle” (DJR-024-19); “fourth creek” → “fourth chamber” (DJR-024-19); “neather mouth of the Ventricle” → “lower opening of the stomach” (DJR-057-38). Ventricle remains where the brain context is explicit; chamber explains creek, and stomach prevents the later occurrence from being mistaken for another brain cavity. They place and they say retain the attribution of the historical faculties to anatomical locations.

See also. Organical parts.

Virtue

Source forms: vertues

The word. Virtues can mean effective properties or powers, rather than moral excellences. The relevant power depends on the substance or being described.

In Burton. In this account of supernatural knowledge, herbs, plants, stones, minerals, animals, elements and heavenly bodies have virtues that the beings under discussion know how to apply. The word identifies the capacities attributed to those things.

The places. The virtues of natural things are powers that can be understood and put to use. (p. 43; DJR-029-16.)

In this edition. “vertues of Hearbs, Plants, stones, Minerals” → “properties of herbs, plants, stones, minerals” (DJR-029-16). Properties makes the non-moral sense clear. It reproduces the meaning of the claim without independently establishing the powers or the knowledge attributed to these beings.

See also. Occult; Cordial; Honest.

Voluntary

Source forms: voluntary; wilfull

The word. Voluntary may describe what happens spontaneously, without being forced, or what is deliberately willed. Wilfull can supply the latter sense without implying obstinacy.

In Burton. The spontaneous opening of haemorrhoids is contrasted with a forced intervention. Wilfull poverty is poverty undertaken by choice in the evangelical counsels. Voluntary permission concerns deliberate divine allowance in a list of doctrines that Burton thinks indiscreet preaching can make distressing.

The places. Voluntary describes a bodily occurrence that is not forced. (p. 212; DJR-065-07.) Wilfull describes chosen religious poverty. (p. 655; DJR-156-02.) Voluntary permission names divine allowance within the theological catalogue. (p. 698; DJR-164-38.)

In this edition. “so they be voluntary” → “that it happens spontaneously” (DJR-065-07); “wilfull poverty” → “voluntary poverty” (DJR-156-02); “voluntary permission” → “deliberate divine permission” (DJR-164-38). Spontaneously prevents the first occurrence from being read as a conscious decision by the patient. The other renderings preserve choice and intention, while the theological note distinguishes allowance from direct production of an event.

See also. Will and nill; Issue.

Waking

Source forms: night walking; night-waking; waking; watchings; watchfull

The word. Waking and watchings can mean wakefulness or periods without sleep. Watchfull may likewise mean sleepless. Night-waking is staying awake at night, whereas night walking in the selected passage is sleepwalking.

In Burton. Burton treats wakefulness both as a feature of conduct, especially prolonged study, and as a symptom or supposed cause of illness. The distinction from sleepwalking matters: night walking occurs among disturbed experiences during sleep, not among a scholar’s waking labours.

The places. Night walking appears among disturbances of sleep. (p. 90; DJR-038-25.) Night-waking accompanies prolonged scholarly study. (p. 127; DJR-046-17.) Waking is among the things said to produce bodily heat. (p. 175; DJR-057-14.) Watchings names the long periods of sleeplessness reported by authorities. (p. 180; DJR-058-14.) Watchfull describes the sleepless sufferer who continues to fret. (p. 198–199; DJR-062-07.)

In this edition. “night walking” → “sleepwalking” (DJR-038-25); “night-waking” → “staying awake at night” (DJR-046-17); “solitarinesse, waking” → “solitude, sleeplessness” (DJR-057-14); “Mighty and often watchings” → “long and frequent periods of wakefulness” (DJR-058-14); “watchfull” → “sleepless” (DJR-062-07). The equivalents distinguish absent sleep from disturbed sleep and avoid suggesting a guard’s vigilance. Burton’s remarkable reports of months or years without sleep remain expressly reported claims.

See also. Non naturals; Still; Intention and remission.

Will and nill

Source forms: velle; nolle; nill

The word. To nill is not to will: to refuse or be unwilling. Latin velle and nolle name willing and not willing. Will we or nill we means whether we wish it or not.

In Burton. The account of the will treats willing and refusing as its two basic acts, then distinguishes human freedom in contingent matters from necessity in relation to divine purpose. The later proverbial expression introduces an argument about adversity regardless of the reader’s preference.

The places. Velle and nolle divide the will’s acts into willing and refusing. (p. 30; DJR-026-42.) Will we or nill we means willing or unwilling. (p. 337–338; DJR-093-20.)

In this edition. “Velle and Nolle, to well and nill” → “willing and refusing” (DJR-026-42); “will we, or nill we” → “willing or unwilling” (DJR-093-20). The first rendering translates the meaning of both language pairs, while the original retains the printed well. The second gives the idiom’s force. Neither changes Burton’s stated relation between contingent choice and divine necessity.

See also. Faculty; Reason; Impotent; Voluntary.

Wit

Source forms: wit; happy wits; witty

The word. Wit can mean intelligence, understanding or intellectual capacity. Witty may mean intelligent or intellectually gifted, without implying humour. Happy wits are gifted minds.

In Burton. Wit appears in the praise of Epicurus, in a defence of honourable rivalry, and in descriptions of intellectual ability coexisting with melancholy. The intelligent child in the consolation passage is another use of witty, distinct from a judgement about the child’s future moral character.

The places. Wit in the English couplet corresponds to intellect in the translated Latin. (p. 20; DJR-007-17.) Useful rivalry sharpens wit or intelligence. (p. 103; DJR-041-19.) Happy wits contrasts intellectual gifts with outward dullness and incapacity. (p. 179–180; DJR-058-13.) The disputed connection between melancholy and intellectual gifts is expressed by witty. (p. 207; DJR-064-05.) A witty child is an intelligent child of promise. (p. 346; DJR-095-15.)