The Anatomy of Melancholy

The word. Plethora is excessive bodily fullness or an excess of humours. Repletion and inanition name opposed conditions of overfilling and depletion. Cacochymia concerns corrupt humours, while cachexia names a poor or wasted bodily condition.

In Burton. The first catalogue places excess, corruption and wasting together among harmful consequences. The account of study emphasizes wasting and digestive trouble. The dietary discussion then warns against both too much food and complete fasting: opposite extremes can harm.

The places. Plethora and related terms occur in a catalogue of bodily disorders. (p. 72; DJR-035-04.) Cacexia is associated with excessive study and sitting. (p. 128; DJR-046-26.) Repletion and inanition describe the opposed dietary extremes. (p. 235; DJR-071-04.)

In this edition. “Cacochymia” → “corrupt humours” (DJR-035-04); “Plethora” → “an excess of humours” (DJR-035-04); “Cachexia” → “a wasted constitution” (DJR-035-04); “Cacexia” → “wasting ill health” (DJR-046-26); “repletion and inanition” → “overfilling and emptying the body” (DJR-071-04). The equivalents distinguish excessive quantity, corrupted quality and wasted condition. Emptying the body retains the opposition to overfilling, with depletion explained in the note.

See also. Humour.

Policy

Source forms: policy; policie; politick

The word. Policy or policie can mean government and public order. Politick can describe skill or shrewdness in affairs of state. The noun need not denote one particular rule or programme.

In Burton. The debate about spirits’ mortality extends their supposed changes to religion and government. The polemic against forced celibacy invokes good government alongside religion and humanity. Commines’s political experience then lends weight to advice for distressed rulers, including prayer and the help of friends.

The places. Policy names government in the reported claim about mortal spirits. (p. 42; DJR-029-10.) Policie names public order within the attack on enforced celibacy. (p. 204–205; DJR-063-13.) Politick praises the historian’s skill in state affairs. (p. 223; DJR-068-13.) Politick again characterizes Commines’s counsel. (p. 294; DJR-083-43.)

In this edition. “religion and policy” → “religion and government” (DJR-029-10); “policie” → “good government” (DJR-063-13); “politick historiographer” → “historian skilled in affairs of state” (DJR-068-13); “politick Commineus” → “politically shrewd Commynes” (DJR-083-43). Government, public order and political skill keep the institutional and personal senses distinct. Apparently retains Burton’s belike in the first Commines account.

See also. Commonwealth; Temporize.

Precise

Source forms: precise; Precisians; preciseness

The word. Precise can describe religious strictness, often with a polemical reference to Puritans. Precisians are religious rigorists; preciseness is excessive scrupulosity in religious observance.

In Burton. The dependent chaplain must conform to the patron’s strictness or Catholic allegiance. Burton later attacks rigorists within his own religious camp. In the proposed response to disturbed prophets and dreamers, preciseness appears among causes to be addressed through changes of life and medical management.

The places. Precise identifies the patron’s religious position. (p. 142 [printed 128]; DJR-049-33.) Precisians names the rigorists attacked within Burton’s own camp. (p. 676; DJR-160-14.) Preciseness is included among the causes assigned to particular sufferers. (p. 682; DJR-161-24.)