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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 MelancholyI

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I

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1651 English

unnumbered Table

I

Idleness a main cause of mel. 85 Of love mel. 450. of jealousie 598

Jealousie a symptome of mel. 185. defined, described 591. of Princes, 593. of brute beasts 594, causes of it 596,599, symptomes of it 608, prognosticks 613, cure of it 615,622. &c.

Jests how and when to be used 151

Jews Religious symptomes 661

Ignorance the mother of devotion 655

Ignorance commended 361

Ignorant persons still circumvented 656

Imagination what 25. his force and effects 91,92,93,94

Immateriall mel. 34

Immortality of the soul prov’d, impugned by whom 27,690

Importunity and opportunity cause of love melan. 480 of jealousie 607

Imprisonment cause of melancholy 152

Impostures of Divels 648 of politicians 647 of Priests 649

Impediments of lovers 583

Impotency a cause of jealousie 598

Impulsive cause of mans misery 2

Incubi and succubi 438

Inconstancy of lovers 563,564

Inconstancy a sign of mel. 185

Infirmities of body and mind, what grievances they cause 173

Inner senses described 23

Injuries and abuses rectified 353

Instrumental causes of diseases 3

Instrumental cause of mans misery 3 & 4.

Interpreters of dreams 24

Inundations fury 4

Joy in excess cause of mel. 126

Irrigations for mel. 403

Issues when used in mel. 383

Inward causes of mel. 172

unnumbered Table

The Anatomy of Melancholy: I

p. 1078

I

Idleness as a principal cause of melancholy, 85; of love melancholy, 450; of jealousy, 598.

Jealousy as a symptom of melancholy, 185; defined and described, 591; in princes, 593; in beasts, 594; its causes, 596,599; symptoms, 608; prognosis, 613; cure, 615,622 and following.

How and when jokes should be used. 151

The religious symptoms of Jews. 661

Ignorance as the mother of devotion. 655

Ignorance commended. 361

Ignorant people are continually deceived. 656

What imagination is, 25; its power and effects, 91,92,93,94.

Immaterial melancholy. 34

The soul’s immortality proved; those who dispute it. 27,690

Persistent solicitation and opportunity as causes of love melancholy, 480; of jealousy, 607.

Imprisonment as a cause of melancholy. 152

The impostures of devils, 648; of politicians, 647; of priests, 649.

Obstacles faced by lovers. 583

Impotence as a cause of jealousy. 598

The impelling cause of human misery. 2

Male and female demons that have intercourse with humans. 438

The inconstancy of lovers. 563,564

Inconstancy as a sign of melancholy. 185

The distress caused by infirmities of body and mind. 173

The internal senses described. 23

Injuries and abuses redressed. 353

The instrumental causes of diseases. 3

The instrumental cause of human misery. 3 and 4.

Interpreters of dreams. 24

The fury of floods. 4

Excessive joy as a cause of melancholy. 126

Irrigation treatments for melancholy. 403

When issues are used for melancholy. 383

Internal causes of melancholy. 172

1078

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.