The Anatomy of Melancholy

Name: The Anatomy of Melancholy
Author: Robert Burton

1651 English with a close modern English rendering

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The Anatomy of MelancholySubsection 5 Compound Alteratives Criticism of Compounds and Mixed Medicines

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1651 English Page · Branch 624 of 1495

Subsection 5 Compound Alteratives Criticism of Compounds and Mixed Medicines

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1651 English

375

Cerotes, are applyed to several parts, and Frontals, to take away pain, grief, heat, procure sleep. Fomentations or spunges, wet in some decoctions, &c. Epithemata, or those moist medicines, laid on linnen, to bath and cool several parts misaffected. Sacculi, or little bags of herbs, flowers, seeds, roots, and the like applied to the head, heart, stomack, &c. odoraments, balls, perfumes, posies to smell to, all which have their several uses in melancholy, as shall be shewed, when I treate of the cure of the distinct Species by themselves.

The Anatomy of Melancholy: Subsection 5 Compound Alteratives Criticism of Compounds and Mixed Medicines

p. 624

Wax-based dressings are applied to various parts, and forehead dressings used to relieve pain, distress and heat, or to bring on sleep. There are fomentations, or sponges soaked in decoctions and similar liquids; epithems, moist medicines laid on linen to bathe and cool the affected parts; and sacculi, little bags of herbs, flowers, seeds, roots and the like, applied to the head, heart, stomach and other parts. There are also scented substances, scent balls, perfumes and bouquets to smell. Each has its particular use in melancholy, as I will show when I discuss the treatment of its distinct kinds separately.

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.

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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.