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 MelancholyDemocritus Junior to the Reader

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1651 English Page · Branch 96 of 1495

Democritus Junior to the Reader

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1651 English

I will have several orders, degrees of nobility, and those hereditary, not rejecting yonger brothers in the mean time, for they shall be sufficiently provided for by pensions, or so qualified, brought up in some honest calling, they shal be able to live of themselves. I wil have such a proportion of ground belonging to every Barony, he that buyes the land, shall buy the Barony, he that by riot consumes his patrimony, & ancient demeans, shall forfeit his honours.

As some dignities shall be hereditary, so some again by election, or by gift (besides free offices, pensions, annuities) like our Bishopricks, Prebends, the Bassa’s palaces in Turky, the Procurators houses, & offices in Venice, which like the golden Apple, shall be given to the worthiest, & best deserving both in war and peace, as a reward of their worth and good service, as so many goals for all to aim at, (honos alit artes) and encouragements to others.

For I hate these severe, unnatural, harsh, German, French, and Venetian Decrees, which exclude Plebeians from honors, be they never so wise, rich, vertuous, valiant, and well qualified, they must not be Patritians, but keep their own rank, this is naturæ bellum inferre, odious to God and men, I abhor it. My form of government shall be Monarchical. — nunquam libertas gratior extat, Quam sub Rege pio, &c. few lawes, but those severely kept, plainly put down, and in the mother tongue, that every man may understand.

Every city shall have a peculiar trade or priviledge, by which it shall be chiefly maintained: and Parents shal teach their children, one of three at least, bring up and instruct them in the mysteries of their own trade.

In each town these several tradesmen shall be so aptly disposed, as they shall free the rest from danger or offence: Fire-trades, as Smiths, Forge-men, Brewers, Bakers, Metal-men, &c. shall dwell apart by themselves: Dyars, Tanners, Fel-mongers, and such as use water in convenient places by themselves: noysom or fulsome for bad smels, as Butchers slaughter-houses, Chandlers, curriers, in remote places, & some back lanes.

Fraternities and companies, I approve of, as Merchants Burses, Colledges of Druggers, Physicians, Musicians, &c. but all trades to be rated in the sale of wares, as our Clerks of the market do Bakers and Brewers: Corn it self, what scarcity soever shall come, not to exceed such a price.

Of such wares as are transported or brought in, if they be necessary, commodious, and such as neerly concern mans life, as corn, wood, cole, &c. & such provision we cannot want, I will have little or no custom paid, no taxes; but for such things as are for pleasure, delight, or ornament, as wine, spice, tobacco, silk, velvet, cloth of gold, lace, jewels, &c. a greater impost.

1040.Burtonp. 62, g: “So is it in the kingdom of Naples and France.” Editor: This note is printed at the foot of p. 62 without a clearly visible body anchor. It is provisionally attached to the purchase of the barony with its land on p. 63. Its precise intended placement requires further collation.

1041.Burtonp. 63, h: “See Contarenus and Osorius de rebus gestis Emanuelis.” Editor: Contarini, and Osório’s account of the deeds of King Manuel. The precise passages remain uncollated.

1043.Burtonp. 63, asterisk: “Claudian l. 7.” Editor: Claudian, On Stilicho’s Consulship 3.114–115 is the located parallel. Burton’s printed reference is retained. Pius describes a ruler who fulfils his moral obligations; “just” conveys the political sense here.

1044.Burtonp. 63, i: “Herodotus Erato lib 6. Cum Ægyptiis Lacedemonii in hoc congruunt, quod eorum Præcones, tibicines, coqui, & reliqui artifices, in paterno artificio succedunt, & coquus à coquo gignitur, & paterno opere perseverat. Idem Marcus polus de Quinzay. Idem Osorius de Emanuele rege Lusitano. Riccius de Sinis.” Editor: “Herodotus, Erato, book 6. The Spartans agree with the Egyptians in this: their heralds, flute players, cooks, and other craftsmen succeed to their fathers’ trades; a cook is born to a cook and continues his father’s work. The same in Marco Polo on Quinzay, Osório on Manuel king of Portugal, and Ricci on the Chinese.” Herodotus’s relevant passage is 6.60; the other references remain uncollated.

1045.Burtonp. 63, k: “Hippol. à collibus de increm. urb. c. 20. Plato idem 7. de legibus, quæ ad vitam necessaria, & quibus carere non possumus, nullum dependi vectigal, &c.” Editor: “Hippolytus a Collibus, On the Growth of Cities, chapter 20. Plato likewise, Laws, book 7: no duty should be paid on necessities of life and things we cannot do without, etc.” Printed numbering retained; exact passages uncollated.

The Anatomy of Melancholy: Democritus Junior to the Reader

p. 96

I will have different orders and ranks of nobility, and these shall be hereditary. Meanwhile, younger brothers shall not be cast aside: they shall be adequately provided for by pensions, or trained in some honourable occupation so that they can support themselves. A specified amount of land shall belong to every barony: whoever buys the land shall buy the barony. Anyone who squanders his inheritance and ancestral estates through extravagance shall forfeit his honours.

While some dignities shall be hereditary, others shall be bestowed by election or grant, besides freely bestowed offices, pensions, and annuities: appointments like our bishoprics and prebends, the pashas’ palaces in Turkey, and the procurators’ houses and offices in Venice. Like the golden apple, these shall go to the worthiest and most deserving, in war and peace alike, rewarding merit and good service and setting goals for everyone to aim at—honour nourishes the arts—and encouraging others.

For I hate those severe, unnatural, harsh German, French, and Venetian decrees that exclude commoners from honours. However wise, rich, virtuous, courageous, and well qualified they may be, they must not become patricians but must remain in their own rank. This is to wage war on nature, hateful to God and humanity. I abhor it. My form of government shall be monarchical: Never is liberty more welcome Than under a just king, and so on. There shall be few laws, but they shall be strictly observed, plainly written, and in the mother tongue, so that everyone can understand them.

Every city shall have a particular trade or privilege that chiefly supports it. Parents shall teach their children—at least one in three—bringing them up and instructing them in the skills of their own trade.

In every town, the different trades shall be so carefully located that the rest of the inhabitants are spared danger or nuisance. Trades that use fire—smiths, forge workers, brewers, bakers, metalworkers, and the like—shall occupy a separate quarter. Dyers, tanners, dealers in hides, and others who use water shall have suitable places of their own. Trades offensive because of their smells—butchers’ slaughterhouses, candle makers, and leather dressers—shall be placed out of the way, in back lanes.

I approve of guilds and companies: merchants’ exchanges and colleges of druggists, physicians, musicians, and so on. But the prices charged by every trade shall be regulated, as our market officers regulate those of bakers and brewers. Grain itself shall not exceed a set price, however severe the shortage.

Goods exported or imported that are necessary, useful, and closely connected with human subsistence—grain, wood, coal, and other supplies we cannot do without—shall pay little or no customs duty, and no taxes. But goods for pleasure, enjoyment, or adornment—wine, spices, tobacco, silk, velvet, cloth of gold, lace, jewels, and so on—shall bear a heavier duty.

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.