The Anatomy of Melancholy

The places. Distress is followed by impaired digestion and crudity. (p. 13; DJR-023-16.) Concoction appears in the account of acquired humours. (p. 14; DJR-023-28.) Natural heat supplies the model for digestion. (p. 20; DJR-024-27.) Boiling, roasting and incomplete roasting are distinguished. (p. 20–21; DJR-024-29.) A fourfold sequence includes conversion into blood. (p. 21; DJR-024-30.) Exercise is discussed in relation to undigested matter. (p. 84–85; DJR-037-17.)

In this edition. “crudity” → “indigestion” (DJR-023-16); “concoction” → “digestive processing” (DJR-023-28); “Elixation” → “Boiling” (DJR-024-29); “Assation” → “Roasting” (DJR-024-29); “Semiustulation” → “incomplete roasting” (DJR-024-29); “Sanguification” → “sanguification” (DJR-024-30); “crudities” → “undigested matter” (DJR-037-17). The cooking terms remain literal equivalents of Burton’s analogy. Sanguification is retained with its explanation in the surrounding sentence.

See also. Radical moisture; Chyle; Oppilation; Excrements; Diet and regimen; Distillation and rheum.

Concupiscence

Source forms: concupiscence

The word. Concupiscence is disordered desire in the theological passage cited here. Its scope is broader than sexual appetite alone.

In Burton. Burton describes the unregenerate will as turned away from God and its powers as confused. Eating, drinking and sexual desire appear together among the natural matters into which temperament and unruly appetite drive people. Concupiscence supplies the wider name for this disorder of desire.

The places. Natural concupiscence enters the account of the will and spiritual disorder. (p. 29; DJR-026-38.)

In this edition. “natural concupiscence” → “natural concupiscence” (DJR-026-38); “inordinate appetite” → “unruly appetite” (DJR-026-38). The theological term remains, while the surrounding examples and unruly make its force intelligible.

See also. Appetite; Venery; Impotent.

Concupiscible and irascible

Source forms: concupiscible; irascible; irascible appetite

The word. Concupiscible and irascible name two powers of appetite. The concupiscible seeks pleasant or desired goods and recoils from the unpleasant; the irascible concerns resistance or struggle, including anger and indignation.

In Burton. The initial account gives the pair the English names coveting and anger that attacks or resists. The later discussion of passions reports a division into six passions of the desiring faculty and five of the faculty of struggle. Burton places sorrow first within the irascible appetite, showing why irascible cannot be reduced to ordinary bad temper.

The places. Appetite is divided into two powers. (p. 24–25; DJR-025-27.) The Thomist elevenfold division is reported. (p. 97 [scan p. 197]; DJR-040-02.) Sorrow is placed within the irascible appetite. (p. 96 repeated [scan p. 198]; DJR-040-07.)

In this edition. “Concupiscible” → “concupiscible” (DJR-025-27); “Irascible” → “irascible” (DJR-025-27); “Coveting” → “desiring faculty” (DJR-040-02); “Invading” → “faculty of struggle” (DJR-040-02); “Irascible appetite” → “irascible appetite” (DJR-040-07). The technical names remain linked to explanatory English. Concupiscible is not confined to sexual desire, nor irascible to anger alone. Burton’s placement of sorrow does, however, differ from the Thomist classification he has just reported.

See also. Appetite.

Confection

Source forms: confection; confections

The word. Confection means a compounded medicinal preparation. The word concerns the combining or preparation of medicines, not necessarily a sweet food.

In Burton. Burton cites Ecclesiasticus to justify medicines made from the earth and the apothecary’s production of a confection. Later chemical confections include preparations associated with potable gold and mercury. The two passages place compounding within both a scriptural defence of medicine and a debate over chemical practice.