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Robert Burton

The Anatomy of Melancholy

Name: The Anatomy of Melancholy
Author: Robert Burton

1651 English with a close modern English rendering

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Modern English Page · Branch 1070 of 1495

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Book Mode

1651 English

unnumbered Table

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Absence a cure of love melanch. 552

Absence over long cause of jealousie 599

Academicorum Errata 141,139

Abstinence commended 236

Adversitie why better than prosperitie 338

Æquivocations of melancholy 11. of jealousie 591

Æmulation, hatred, faction, desire of revenge, causes of mel. 102. their cure 347

Affections whence they arise 25. how they transform us 5. of sleeping and waking 24

Affection in melancholy what 32

Against abuses, repulse, injuries, contumely, disgraces, scoffes 350

Against envy, livor, hatred, malice 33

Against sorrow, vain fears, death of friends 340

Aire how it causeth melancholy 82. how rectified it cureth melanch. 219. 265, aire in love 457

Aereall Divels 40

All are melancholy 33

All beautiful parts attractive in love 463

Alkermes good against melancholy 393

Aloes his vertues 378

Alteratives in physick to what use 367 against melancholy 389,398

Ambition defined, described, cause of melancholy 103,112. of heresie 647. hinders and spils many matches 579

Amiableness loves object 412

Amorous objects causes of love melancholy 481,494

Amulets controverted, approved 394

Angers description; effects, how it causeth melancholy 104

Antimony a purger of melancholy 377

Anthony inveigled by Cleopatra 476

Apology of love melancholy 406

Appetite 24

Apples good or bad how 69

Apparel and Cloaths, a cause of love melancholy 473

Aqueducts of old 233

Arteries what 16

Artificial ayr against melancholy 261

Artificial allurements of love 469

Arminians Tenents 715

Art of memory 284

Astrological Aphorisms, how available, signs or causes of melancholy 57

Astrological signs of love 447

Atheists described 683

Averters of melancholy 388

Aurum potabile censured, approved 371

The Anatomy of Melancholy: A Page

p. 1070

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Absence as a cure for love melancholy. 552

Overlong absence as a cause of jealousy. 599

Errors of scholars. 141,139

Abstinence commended. 236

Why adversity is better than prosperity. 338

Different meanings of melancholy, 11; of jealousy, 591.

Rivalry, hatred, faction and desire for revenge as causes of melancholy, 102; their cure, 347.

Where the emotions arise, 25; how they transform us, 5. The states of sleeping and waking, 24.

What kind of disorder melancholy is. 32

Against abuse, rejection, injuries, insults, disgrace and mockery. 350

Against envy, spite, hatred and malice. 33

Against sorrow, groundless fears and the death of friends. 340

How air causes melancholy, 82; how properly managed it cures melancholy, 219, 265. Air in relation to love, 457.

Aerial devils. 40

Everyone is melancholic. 33

All beautiful features attract love. 463

Alkermes as a remedy for melancholy. 393

The medicinal properties of aloes. 378

The purpose of alterative medicines, 367; their use against melancholy, 389,398.

Ambition defined and described: a cause of melancholy, 103,112; of heresy, 647. It obstructs and spoils many marriages, 579.

Loveliness as the object of love. 412

Attractive objects as causes of love melancholy. 481,494

Amulets debated and approved. 394

Anger described; its effects and how it causes melancholy. 104

Antimony as a purge for melancholy. 377

Antony captivated by Cleopatra. 476

A defence of the treatment of love melancholy. 406

Appetite. 24

How apples are beneficial or harmful. 69

Dress and clothing as a cause of love melancholy. 473

Ancient aqueducts. 233

What arteries are. 16

Air modified by human art as a remedy for melancholy. 261

Artificial attractions that awaken love. 469

The doctrines of the Arminians. 715

The art of memory. 284

Astrological rules: their usefulness as signs or causes of melancholy. 57

Astrological signs of love. 447

Atheists described. 683

Treatments that divert melancholy. 388

Drinkable gold criticized and approved. 371

13305.Equivocations here means distinct senses of a word, not deceptive or evasive speech. The index distinguishes melancholy as a passing disposition from melancholy as an established disorder.

13306.Affections can mean emotions, bodily conditions or states. The entry compresses different discussions into one heading; sleeping and waking are states rather than emotions.

13307.The source prints 33. This conspicuously short locator is retained, as are other suspect numbers in the Table. Compare the separate entry on envy and malice, which directs the reader to 347; the intended number here remains to be established.

13308.Alkermes is the historical compound confection discussed among Burton’s remedies. Its name is retained. The Table summarizes his medical authorities and does not itself supply ingredients or doses.

13309.Alteratives were medicines intended to change an unhealthy bodily quality or humour. Averters, below, are treatments intended to draw or divert the offending humour away from the affected part.

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.