Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Parallel Edition

Robert Burton

The Anatomy of Melancholy

Name: The Anatomy of Melancholy
Author: Robert Burton

1651 English with a close modern English rendering

Explore the Lexicon

The Anatomy of MelancholyTreatment of Despair Through Medicine, Good Counsel, Consolation, and So On.

Swipe or use the arrow keys.

1651 English Page · Branch 1057 of 1495

Treatment of Despair Through Medicine, Good Counsel, Consolation, and So On.

Book Mode

1651 English

714–715–715

Though these signes be languishing in thee, and not seated in thine heart, thou must not therefore be dejected or terrified, the effects of the faith and spirit are not yet so fully felt in thee; conclude not therefore thou art a reprobate, or doubt of thine election, because the Elect themselves are without them, before their conversion. Thou maist in the Lords good time be converted; some are called at the 11th. hour: Use, I say, the means of thy conversion, expect the Lords leisure, if not yet called, pray thou maist be, or at least wish and desire thou maist be.

Notwithstanding all this which might be said to this effect, to ease their afflicted minds, what comfort our best Divines can afford in this case, Zanchius, Beza, &c. This furious curiosity, needless speculation, fruitless meditation about election, reprobation, free will, grace, such places of Scripture preposterously conceived, torment still, and crucifie the souls of too many, and set all the world together by the ears.

To avoid which inconveniences, and to settle their distressed mindes, to mitigate those divine Aphorismes, (though in another extream some) our late Arminians have revived that plausible doctrine of universall grace, which many Fathers, our late Lutheran and modern Papists do still maintain, that we have free-will of our selves, and that grace is common to all that will beleeve.

Some again though less orthodoxall, will have a far greater part saved, then shall be damned, (as Cælius secundus stiffly maintains in his book, De amplitudine regni cœlestis, or some impostor under his name) beatorum numerus multo major quam damnatorum.

He cals that other Tenent of speciall Election and Reprobation, a prejudicate, envious and malicious opinion, apt to draw all men to desperation. Many are called, few chosen, &c. He opposeth some opposite parts of Scripture to it, Christ came into the world to save sinners, &c.

And four especiall arguments he produceth, one from Gods power. If more be damned then saved, he erroneously concludes, the divel hath the greater sovereigntie; for what is power but to protect? and Majestie consists in multitude. If the divell have the greater part, where is his mercy, where is his power? how is he Deus Optimus Maximus, misericors? &c. where is his greatness, where his goodness?

He proceeds, We account him a murderer that is accessary onely, or doth not help when he can; which may not be supposed of God without great offence, because he may do what he will, and is otherwise accessary, and the author of sin.

The nature of good is to be communicated, God is good, and will not then be contracted in his goodness: for how is he the Father of mercy and comfort, if his good concern but a few? O envious and unthankfull men to think otherwise!

13198.BurtonSource page 715, i: “See whole books of these arguments.”

13200.BurtonSource page 715, k: “Lib. 3. fol. 122. Præjudicata opinio, invida, maligna, & apta ad impellendos animos in desperationem.” “Book 3, leaf 122. A prejudiced, envious, malicious opinion, apt to drive minds into despair.”

13201.BurtonSource page 715, first dagger: “See the Antidote in Chamiers Tom. 3. lib. 7. Downams Christian warfare, &c.” See the counterargument in Chamier, volume 3, book 7, and Downam’s Christian Warfare, and so on.

13203.BurtonSource page 715, l: “Potentior est Deo diabolus & mundi princeps, & in multitudine hominum sita est majestas.” “The devil, the prince of the world, is more powerful than God; and majesty resides in the multitude of people.”

13205.BurtonSource page 715, m: “Homicida qui non subvenit quum potest; hoc de Deo sine scelere cogitari non potest, utpote quem quod vult licet. Boni natura communicari. Bonus Deus, quomodo misericordiæ pater, &c.” “One who does not help when able is a murderer. This cannot be thought of God without wickedness, since whatever he wills is within his power. It is the nature of goodness to be shared. God is good: how is he the Father of mercy?” And so on.

The Anatomy of Melancholy: Treatment of Despair Through Medicine, Good Counsel, Consolation, and So On.

p. 1057

Although these signs are weak in you and not established in your heart, you must not therefore be dejected or terrified. The effects of faith and the Spirit are not yet fully felt within you. Do not therefore conclude that you are rejected, or doubt your election, for even the elect lack these signs before their conversion. You may be converted in the Lord’s good time; some are called at the eleventh hour. Use, I say, the means of your conversion; wait for the Lord’s appointed time. If you have not yet been called, pray that you may be, or at least wish and desire it.

Despite all that might be said to this purpose to ease their afflicted minds, despite whatever comfort our best theologians—Zanchius, Beza and others—can offer in this case, this frenzied curiosity, needless speculation and fruitless meditation on election, reprobation, free will and grace, and these passages of Scripture perversely understood, still torment and crucify too many souls and set the whole world at odds.

To prevent these troubles, settle distressed minds and soften those theological pronouncements—though some go to the other extreme—our recent Arminians have revived the appealing doctrine of universal grace. Many Church Fathers, recent Lutherans and present-day Roman Catholics still maintain it: that we have free will of ourselves, and that grace is available to all who will believe.

Others, though less orthodox, hold that far more will be saved than damned—as Caelius Secundus firmly maintains in his book On the Extent of the Heavenly Kingdom, or as some impostor writing under his name maintains: the number of the blessed is far greater than that of the damned.

He calls the other doctrine, of particular election and reprobation, a prejudiced, envious and malicious opinion, apt to drive everyone to despair. Against Many are called, few are chosen, and similar passages, he sets other, contrary passages of Scripture: Christ came into the world to save sinners, and so on.

He produces four principal arguments, one drawn from God’s power. If more are damned than saved, he wrongly concludes, the devil has the greater sovereignty; for what is power but the ability to protect? And majesty consists in numbers. If the devil has the greater share, where is God’s mercy, where is his power? How is he God Most Good, Most Great and Merciful, and so on? Where is his greatness, where his goodness?

He continues: We consider someone a murderer who merely assists the crime, or fails to help when he can. Such a thing cannot be supposed of God without great offence, since he can do whatever he wills; otherwise he is an accomplice and the author of sin.

Goodness by its nature is shared. God is good, and therefore will not be restricted in his goodness: for how is he the Father of mercy and comfort if his goodness concerns only a few? How envious and ungrateful people are to think otherwise!

13195.The eleventh hour recalls the labourers hired late in Matthew 20:6–9. Expect means await. This completes the response about weak signs of faith; the next paragraph turns to the continuing torment caused by speculation about election, reprobation, free will and grace.

13196.Election is God’s choosing for salvation; reprobation, exclusion from it. Burton connects private torment with public religious conflict. The scan reads minds at the opening; mindes was an earlier transcription of the continuation cue. The wording here follows the scan.

13197.Plausible means attractive or persuasive, not necessarily true. Papists is Burton’s polemical term for Roman Catholics. These are his compressed descriptions of disputed teachings, not exact definitions accepted by every theologian he groups together.

13199.Caelius Secundus is Celio Secondo Curione. Basel’s catalogue identifies De amplitudine beati regni Dei (1554) as dialogi sive libri duo, dialogues or two books. Burton’s book 3, leaf 122 locator therefore remains unexplained. Catalogue identification does not verify his attributed arguments or suspicion about the author; his shortened title and wording are retained.

13202.Prejudicate means prejudged or prejudiced. The contrasting texts recall Matthew 22:14 and 1 Timothy 1:15. The second margin recommends counterarguments in Chamier and Downam; it is Burton’s intervention in the reported dispute.

13204.Erroneously marks Burton’s rejection of the inference. The Latin divine titles are translated. Burton announces four arguments but does not set out four formally numbered divisions here; none have been supplied.

13206.Accessary means complicit or an accomplice. This continues the argument Burton is reporting; its accusation is not the editor’s conclusion. The full Latin marginal version appears in the Burton note.

13207.Communicated means imparted or shared; contracted means confined or narrowed. The argument moves from divine power to the nature and extent of divine goodness.

About This Reading Edition

Robert Burton’s Anatomy ranges across medicine, philosophy, poetry, religion, and everyday life in its inquiry into melancholy. This complete parallel edition pairs the 1651 English text with a close modern English rendering, preserving the three Partitions, Democritus Junior’s address to the reader, verse, and the historical index.

Historical Text and Translation

The historical text follows the sixth edition, printed at Oxford for Henry Cripps in 1651, using the McGill University Library copy. The supplied edition documents missing printed pages 98–99 supplied from another 1651 copy at the Bavarian State Library. Historical folio labels and their irregularities remain visible; web reader numbers identify reflowed passages and do not claim to reproduce PDF pagination.

About Diotimos Editions

Diotimos Editions prepared the close modern English rendering and editorial matter. All 8,755 original and modern passage pairs remain aligned, with verse breaks, italics, continuations, and linked annotations preserved. Burton’s 6,781 historical notes retain their attribution; 6,895 editorial notes remain distinct. The introduction, Note on the Text, contextual lexicon, indexes, source documentation, and bibliography are included. The engraved frontispiece remains available in the original downloads.

Rights

Burton’s historical text is in the public domain. The modern English rendering, introduction, notes, and editorial matter are © 2026 Diotimos Editions and appear with the site owner’s permission. The complete supplied PDF, EPUB, Word, and Markdown files remain available unchanged. The PDF and Word edition preserve the original parallel page layout.