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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 MelancholyN

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1651 English Page · Branch 1082 of 1495

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1651 English

unnumbered Table and closing notice

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Natural melanch. signs 190

Natural signs of love mel. 503

Narrow Streets where in use 261

Nakedness of parts a cause of love mel. 473 cure of love mel. 559

Necessity to what it inforceth 78,159

Neglect and contempt, best cures of jealousie 616

Nemesis or punishment comes after 353

Nerves what 15

Newes most welcome 275

Non-necessary causes of melancholy 142

Nobility censured 315

Nuns melancholy 202

Nurse how cause of melancholy 142,143

unnumbered Table and closing notice

The Anatomy of Melancholy: N

p. 1082

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Signs of natural melancholy. 190

Natural signs of love melancholy. 503

Where narrow streets are used. 261

Exposure of parts of the body as a cause of love melancholy, 473; as a cure for love melancholy, 559.

What necessity compels people to do. 78,159

Disregard and contempt as the best cures for jealousy. 616

Nemesis, or punishment, follows. 353

What nerves are. 15

News is most welcome. 275

Non-necessary causes of melancholy. 142

Nobility criticized. 315

Melancholy in nuns. 202

How a nurse causes melancholy. 142,143

1082

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.