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Robert Burton

The Anatomy of Melancholy

1651 English with a close modern English rendering

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The Anatomy of Melancholy♉ Jealousy. Section 3

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Modern English Page · Branch 666 of 1495

♉ Jealousy. Section 3

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1651 English

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♉ Jealousie. Sect. 3.

His name, definition, extent, power, tyranny, Memb. 1. Division, Æquivocations, kinds. Subs. 1. Improper To many beasts: as Swans, Cocks, Bulls. To Kings and Princes, of their subjects, successors. To friends, parents, tutors over their children, or otherwise. or Proper Before marriage, corrivals, &c. After, as in this place our present subject.

Causes Sect. 2. In the parties themselves, Idleness, impotency in one party, melancholy, long absence. They have been naught themselves. Hard usage, unkindness, wantonness, Inequality of years, persons, fortunes, &c. or From others Outward inticements and provocations of others.

Symptomes, Memb. 2. Fear, sorrow, suspition, anguish of mind, strange actions, gestures, looks, speeches, locking up, outrages, severe laws, prodigious tryals, &c. Prognosticks Memb. 3. Despair, madness, to make away themselves, and others.

Cures Memb. 4. By avoiding occasions, always busie, never to be idle. By good counsel, advice of friends, to contemn or dissemble it. Subs. 1. By prevention before marriage. Plato’s communion. To marry such as are equal in years, birth, fortunes, beauty, of like conditions, &c. Of a good family, good education. To use them well.

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The Anatomy of Melancholy: ♉ Jealousy. Section 3

p. 666

♉ Jealousy. Section 3

Sections: 3.3.

Its name, definition, extent, power and tyranny. Member 1. Divisions, different senses of the word, kinds. Subsection 1. In an extended sense: In many animals, such as swans, cocks and bulls. In kings and princes, concerning their subjects and successors. In friends, parents and guardians concerning their children, or in other cases. Or in the strict sense: Before marriage: rivals in love, and so on. After marriage, as in our present subject.

Sections: 3.3.1.1.

Causes. Member 1, Subsection 2. In the people themselves: Idleness, impotence in one partner, melancholy, long absence. Their own previous misconduct; harsh treatment, unkindness, sexual licence, inequality in age, person, fortune and so on. Or from others: External enticements and provocations by others.

Sections: 3.3.1.2.

Symptoms. Member 2. Fear, sorrow, suspicion, mental anguish, strange actions, gestures, looks and speeches; confinement, violence, harsh laws, extraordinary trials, and so on. Prognosis. Member 3. Despair, madness, killing themselves and others.

Sections: 3.3.2.1; 3.3.3.

Treatments. Member 4. Avoid occasions; always be busy, never idle. Through good counsel and friends’ advice, disregard it or conceal it. Subsection 1. Prevention before marriage. Subsection 2; Plato’s community of partners. Marry people equal in age, birth, fortune and beauty, with similar dispositions, and so on. From a good family, well brought up. Treat them well.

Sections: 3.3.4.1; 3.3.4.2.

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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.