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Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Parallel Edition

Robert Burton

The Anatomy of Melancholy

1651 English with a close modern English rendering

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The Anatomy of MelancholyE

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Facing Pages · Branch 1074 of 1495

E

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1651 English

unnumbered Table

E

Earths motion examined, 252. compass, center, &c. 253. an sit animata 253

Education a cause of mel. 144

Election misconceived, cause of despair, 713,714,715

Element of fire exploded 251

Effects of love 537,540

Envie and malice cause of melancholy, 100 their antidote 347

Epicurus vindicated 289

Epicurus medicine for mel. 303

Epicures, Atheists, Hypocrites, how mad, and melancholy 682

Epithalamium 589

Eunuches why kept, and where 611

Evacuations how they cause mel. 78

Excentricks and Epicicles exploded, 251

Exercise if immoderate, cause of mel. 84 before meales wholsom, ibid. exercise rectified, 267. several kinds, when fit, 278. exercises of the mind 277.279

Exotick and strange simples censured, 375

Extasis ibid.

Eyes main instruments of love, 452. loves darts, 465. seats, orators, arrows, torches, 466. how they pierce 470

unnumbered Table

The Anatomy of Melancholy: E

p. 1074

E

The earth’s motion examined, 252; its circumference, centre and so forth, 253; whether it has a soul, 253.

Upbringing as a cause of melancholy. 144

Misunderstanding divine election as a cause of despair. 713,714,715

The elemental sphere of fire rejected. 251

The effects of love. 537,540

Envy and malice as causes of melancholy, 100; their antidote, 347.

Epicurus defended. 289

Epicurus’s medicine for melancholy. 303

How Epicures, atheists and hypocrites are mad and melancholic. 682

A wedding song. 589

Why eunuchs are kept, and where. 611

How bodily evacuations cause melancholy. 78

Eccentrics and epicycles rejected. 251

Excessive exercise as a cause of melancholy, 84; exercise before meals as healthy, same page; exercise properly regulated, 267; its different kinds and suitable times, 278; exercises of the mind, 277,279.

Exotic and unfamiliar medicinal ingredients criticized. 375

Ecstasy, same page.

Eyes as the principal instruments of love, 452; love’s darts, 465; its seats, spokesmen, arrows and torches, 466; how they pierce, 470.

1074

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.