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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Modern English Page · Branch 98 of 1495

Democritus Junior to the Reader

Book Mode

1651 English

64–65

No controversie to depend above a year, but without all delays and further appeals to be speedily dispatched, and finally concluded in that time allotted. These and all other inferior Magistrates, to be chosen as the Literati in China, or by those exact suffrages of the Venetians, and such again shall not be eligible, or capable of magistracies, honours, offices, except they be sufficiently qualified for learning, maners, and that by the strict approbation of deputed examinators:

first Scholars to take place, then Souldiers; for I am of Vigetius his opinion, a Scholar deserves better then a Souldier, because Vnius ætatis sunt quæ fortiter fiunt, quæ vero pro utilitate Reipub. scribuntur, æterna: a Souldiers work lasts for an age, a Scholars for ever.

If they misbehave themselves, they shal be deposed, and accordingly punished, & whether their offices be annuall or otherwise, once a year they shall be called in question, and give an account; for men are partial and passionate, mercilesse, covetous, corrupt, subject to love, hate, fear, favor, &c. omne sub regno graviore regnum: like Solons Areopagites, or those Roman Censors, some shall visit others, and be visited invicem themselves,

they shall oversee that no proling officer, under colour of authority shall insult over his inferiors, as so many wild beasts, oppresse, domineer, flea, grinde, or trample on, be partial or corrupt, but that there be æquabile jus, justice equally done, live as friends & brethren together;

and which Sesellius would have and so much desires in his kingdom of France, a diapason and sweet harmony of Kings, Princes, Nobles, and Plebeians so mutually tied and involved in love, as well as laws and authority, as that they never disagree, insult or incroach one upon another. If any man deserve well in his office he shall be rewarded. — quis enim virtutem amplectitur ipsam, præmia si tollas? —

1054.Burtonp. 64, s: “Mat. Riccius expedit. in Sinas l. 1. c. 5. de examinatione electionum copiosè agit, &c.” Editor: “Matteo Ricci, Expedition into China, book 1, chapter 5, treats examinations and selections at length, etc.”

1055.Burtonp. 64, t: “Contar. de repub. Venet. l. 1.” Editor: Contarini, On the Republic of Venice, book 1; exact passage uncollated.

1056.Burtonp. 64, u: “Osor l. 11. de reb. gest. Eman. Qui in literis maximos progressus fecerint maximis honoribus afficiuntur: secundus honoris gradus militibus assignatur, postremi ordinis mechanicis, doctorum hominum judiciis in altiorem locum quisq; præfectus, & qui a plurimis approbatur, ampliores in rep. dignitates consequitur. Qui in hoc examine primas habet, insigni per totam vitam dignitate insignitur, marchioni similis, aut duci apud nos.” Editor: “Osório, Deeds of Manuel, book 11. Those who have made the greatest progress in learning receive the highest honours; the second rank is assigned to soldiers, the lowest to artisans. Each is promoted to a higher position by the judgement of learned men, and whoever wins most approval receives higher public dignities. Whoever comes first in this examination is distinguished for life by an eminent rank, like a marquis or duke among us.” The report and comparison are Burton’s cited account, not an independently established description of Chinese institutions.

1057.Burtonp. 64, x: “Cedant arma togæ.” Editor: “Let arms yield to the toga”: military force to civil authority. Compare Cicero, On Duties 1.77, quoting his own verse.

1059.Burtonp. 64, y: “As in Berna, Lucerne, Friburge in Switzerland, a vitious liver is uncapable of any office; if a Senator, instantly deposed. Simlerus.” Editor: A vitious liver is a person who lives viciously. The reference to Simler remains uncollated.

1060.Burtonp. 64, z: “Not above three years, Arist. polit. 5. c. 8.” Editor: The printed z follows “annuall,” before “or otherwise”; the note is attached there. It concerns the length of office, which Burton distinguishes from the annual review that follows. The Aristotle reference is retained; its exact passage remains uncollated.

1061.Burtonp. 64, a: “Nam quis custodiet ipsos custodes?” Editor: “For who will guard the guardians themselves?” Compare Juvenal, Satire 6.347–348. Burton answers with reciprocal inspection.

1063.Burtonp. 65, b: “Cytreus in Greisgeia. Qui non ex sublimi despiciant inferiores, nec ut bestias conculcent sibi subditos authoritatis nomini confisi, &c.” Editor: “Who should not look down on inferiors from on high, or trample on their subjects as if they were beasts, relying on the name of authority, etc.” The printed citation and the irregular nomini are retained; the work remains unidentified.

1064.Burtonp. 65, c: “Sesellius de rep. Gallorum lib. 1. & 2.” Editor: Claude de Seyssel, on the French commonwealth, books 1 and 2; exact passage uncollated.

The Anatomy of Melancholy: Democritus Junior to the Reader

p. 98

No dispute shall remain pending for more than a year: without delays or further appeals, it shall be swiftly dealt with and finally settled within that time. These and all other lower magistrates shall be selected like the learned officials of China, or by the Venetians’ scrupulous voting procedures. No one shall be eligible for magistracies, honours, or offices without sufficient learning and good character, confirmed by a rigorous examination conducted by appointed examiners;

scholars shall take precedence, then soldiers. For I share Vegetius’s opinion: a scholar deserves more than a soldier, because brave deeds belong to a single age, but writings for the benefit of the commonwealth endure for ever. A soldier’s work lasts for an age, a scholar’s for ever.

If they misconduct themselves, they shall be removed from office and punished accordingly. Whether their appointments are annual or otherwise, they shall be examined and required to render an account once a year. For people are biased and passionate, merciless, covetous, corrupt, swayed by love, hatred, fear, favour, and so on: every sovereignty is subject to a greater sovereignty. Like Solon’s Areopagites or the Roman censors, some shall inspect others and in turn be inspected themselves;

they shall see that no predatory official, using authority as a pretext, treats his subordinates like wild beasts, oppressing them, lording it over them, fleecing, grinding down, or trampling on them, or acts with partiality or corruption. There shall instead be equal justice—justice impartially administered—and people shall live together as friends and brothers;

there shall be what Sesellius so earnestly wishes for in his kingdom of France: a full and sweet harmony of kings, princes, nobles, and commoners, so closely bound together by affection as well as by law and authority that they never fall out, lord it over one another, or encroach on one another. Anyone who serves well in office shall be rewarded. For who embraces virtue for its own sake If you take away the rewards?

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.