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 2 Love’s Origin, Object, Definition and Divisions

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Modern English Page · Branch 681 of 1495

Subsection 2 Love’s Origin, Object, Definition and Divisions

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1651 English

416

Not that we are fair, nor for any merit or grace of ours, for we are most vile and base; but out of his incomparable love and goodness, out of his divine Nature. And this is that Homers golden chain, which reacheth down from Heaven to Earth, by which every creature is annexed, and depends on his Creator. He made all, saith Moses, and it was good, and he loves it as good.

The love of Angels and living souls, is mutuall amongst themselves, towards us militant in the Church, and all such as love God; as the Sun beams irradiate the earth from those celestiall thrones, they by their well wishes reflect on us, in salute hominum promovenda alacres, & constantes administri, there is joy in heaven for every sinner that repenteth; they pray for us, are solicitous for our good, Casti genii.

Ubi regnat charitas, suave desiderium, Lætitiaq; & amor Deo conjunctus.

Love proper to mortall men, is the third Member of this subdivision, and the subject of my following discourse.

The Anatomy of Melancholy: Subsection 2 Love’s Origin, Object, Definition and Divisions

p. 681

Not because we are beautiful, nor for any merit or excellence of our own—for we are utterly vile and lowly—but from his incomparable love and goodness, from his divine nature. This is Homer’s golden chain, reaching down from heaven to earth, by which every creature is linked to and depends upon its Creator. He made everything, says Moses, “and it was good”; and he loves it as good.

Angels and living souls love one another, and also us who still struggle in the Church on earth, and everyone who loves God. As sunbeams shine upon the earth from those heavenly thrones, so their good wishes shine upon us: “eager and steadfast ministers in advancing human salvation.” There is joy in heaven over every sinner who repents. They pray for us and care for our welfare, “pure spirits”:

Where charity reigns, sweet longing, And joy and love united with God.

Love belonging to mortal human beings is the third part of this subdivision, and the subject of the discussion that follows.

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.