The Anatomy of Melancholy

In Burton. The fearful hare supplies a reported emblem of melancholy. A woman falling from a form begins an anecdote about uncontrollable laughter. In praise of marriage, the Latin comparison of matter desiring form applies Aristotelian language to the relation between woman and man. The shared spelling must not collapse these different objects and concepts.

The places. A hare sits in its resting place. (p. 188–190; DJR-059-49.) A woman falls from a bench. (p. 192; DJR-060-21.) Matter and form provide a comparison for marriage. (p. 443; DJR-115-06.)

In this edition. “an Hare sitting in her form” → “a hare sitting in its form” (DJR-059-49); “fall off from a form” → “fall off a bench” (DJR-060-21); “ut materia appetit formam” → “As matter desires form” (DJR-115-06). Form is retained for the animal’s named resting place and for the philosophical concept, with explanation. Bench removes ambiguity in the anecdote.

See also. Matter.

Friction and embrocation

Source forms: frictions; embrocations

The word. Frictions are rubbings of the body. Embrocations are applications of liquid remedies. Both name physical procedures in the historical bathing regimen.

In Burton. The first recommendation follows bathing with rubbing all over the body. The next joins baths to head washes, anointing and applications of liquid preparations. These are successive kinds of bodily treatment; the vocabulary should not reduce them all to bathing or confuse the application of a remedy with swallowing it.

The places. Frictions follow the prescribed baths. (p. 238; DJR-071-35.) Embrocations accompany anointing and head washes. (p. 238; DJR-071-36.)

In this edition. “frictions all over the body” → “rubbing all over the body” (DJR-071-35); “embrocations” → “applications of liquid remedies” (DJR-071-36). The English phrases identify the actions directly while preserving the order in which the sources recommend them.

See also. Chirurgery.

Fulsome

Source forms: fulsome; fulsomeness

The word. Fulsome can mean foul, offensive or disgusting. Fulsomeness names the corresponding offensiveness or foulness. These senses do not imply abundance or lavish praise.

In Burton. The reported vomiting case describes fulsome stuffe, emphasizing the repulsiveness of the expelled matter. The discussion of public baths speaks of the fulsomeness of sweat and suggests washing it away. The second account marks its explanation as conjectural through belike.

The places. Fulsome describes the matter in a reported vomiting case. (p. 53–54; DJR-031-25.) Fulsomeness describes offensive sweat in the discussion of baths. (p. 238; DJR-071-39.)

In this edition. “fulsome stuffe” → “foul matter” (DJR-031-25); “that fulsomeness of sweat” → “the offensive sweat” (DJR-071-39). Foul and offensive make the unfavourable sensory meaning clear. Presumably elsewhere in the bath sentence retains the qualification of Burton’s proposed explanation.

See also. Air; Homely.

Fustian and bombast

Source forms: bumbast; fustian

The word. Bombast, printed bumbast, evokes stuffing or padding and can describe inflated pretension. Fustian here names grandiose, empty language. The terms connect verbal display with exaggerated social importance.

In Burton. Competitive households spend beyond their means to win bumbast titles. The attack on patrons who profit from church property turns padding into a verb: they bumbast themselves. The supposedly accomplished gentleman talks big fustian, one more showy qualification offered in place of governing ability.

The places. Bumbast titles reward ruinous competition. (p. 102–103; DJR-041-17.) Church spoils are said to pad out patrons’ greatness. (p. 137; DJR-048-23.) Fustian forms part of the gentleman’s empty display. (p. 315–316; DJR-088-33.)