The Anatomy of Melancholy

The places. Body and soul affect one another by sympathy. (p. 173; DJR-056-47.) Signs are assigned to illness originating in the head. (p. 198; DJR-062-04.) The brain is said to be affected through another bodily part. (p. 202; DJR-062-30.)

In this edition. “by consent” → “through their mutual sympathy” (DJR-056-47); “by essence in the head” → “originates in the head itself” (DJR-062-04); “not in essence, but by consent” → “through sympathy with another part, rather than through a disorder originating in itself” (DJR-062-30). The expanded rendering makes the distinction legible without turning consent into a mental choice.

See also. Hypochondria; Cause.

Constancy

Source forms: constantly; constancy

The word. Constancy means firmness or steadfastness. Constantly can describe the strength of a belief or resolution rather than how often something happens.

In Burton. Elionora Meliorina constantly believes herself married to a king: the adverb marks conviction. The account of Atticus uses it for settled resolution, while the advice on calming the mind recommends constancy alongside cheerfulness and hope. Firmness can therefore qualify a mistaken belief, a determined action or a sustaining disposition; it does not itself establish that its object is sound.

The places. A reported belief is held firmly. (p. 194; DJR-061-05.) Atticus maintains a settled resolution. (p. 217; DJR-066-09.) Steadfastness is recommended in calming the mind. (p. 289; DJR-083-03.)

In this edition. “constantly beleeved” → “firmly believed” (DJR-061-05); “constantly” → “steadfastly” (DJR-066-09); “constancy” → “steadfastness” (DJR-083-03). Firmly and steadfastly preserve the manner of belief or action. Continually would suggest duration or repetition instead.

See also. Happiness and fortune.

Continence

Source forms: incontinent; inforced temperance; incontinency; contain; continency

The word. Continence is self-restraint, often specifically sexual restraint. Incontinent and incontinency can denote its absence. Contain can mean restrain more generally, as its object requires.

In Burton. The medical passages call some patients incontinent and offer bodily explanations of sexual desire. Burton’s polemic against compulsory celibacy calls it enforced temperance. Elsewhere authority fails to contain people in general, while the story of Abdolominus praises continency among qualities fitting a ruler. The term therefore extends beyond sexual abstinence to command of conduct.

The places. Incontinent qualifies sexual conduct. (p. 201; DJR-062-21.) Enforced temperance names compulsory sexual restraint. (p. 205; DJR-063-15.) Incontinency receives a humoral explanation. (p. 208; DJR-064-10.) Authorities fail to restrain people. (p. 313–314; DJR-088-14.) Self-restraint is praised in a future king. (p. 422–423; DJR-110-32.)

In this edition. “incontinent” → “sexually unrestrained” (DJR-062-21); “inforced temperance” → “enforced continence” (DJR-063-15); “incontinency” → “Sexual incontinence” (DJR-064-10); “contain us” → “restrain us” (DJR-088-14); “continency” → “self-restraint” (DJR-110-32). The sexual qualification is stated where the context requires it. General restraint remains general in the passages about conduct and kingship.

See also. Venery.

Contingence

Source forms: contingence

The word. Contingence denotes events that need not occur as they do. In the cited polemic it is set against providential government.

In Burton. Burton accuses a group of thinkers of attributing everything to natural causes and contingency while treating religion as fiction. The phrase reports the position he attacks, alongside hostile descriptions attributed to Melanchthon and Vanini. It should not be detached from that argumentative setting and treated as a neutral survey of those writers’ philosophies.

The places. Contingency is invoked in the attack on denials of providence. (p. 687; DJR-162-14.)