The Anatomy of Melancholy

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