The Anatomy of Melancholy

The places. Slut and harlot form separate items in the hostile catalogue. (p. 168; DJR-055-36.) Quean contrasts with queen in the report of Heloise’s preference. (p. 521; DJR-129-62.) Slut describes slovenliness in advice against marriage. (p. 569; DJR-139-09.) Queans refers to women driven to prostitution. (p. 629; DJR-150-54.)

In this edition. “a slut” → “a slattern” (DJR-055-36); “his Quean” → “his mistress” (DJR-129-62); “if she be a slut” → “if she is slovenly” (DJR-139-09); “turn queans by compulsion” → “are driven to prostitution” (DJR-150-54). The equivalents distinguish untidiness, sexual stigma and prostitution. Mistress in the Heloise passage accompanies the stronger whore in the translated Latin; the source’s quean/queen wordplay is explained in the note.

See also. Bawd; Mistress; Sodomy; Honest; Wittal and cuckold.

Quiddity and quodlibet

Source forms: quiddities; Quodlibetaries

The word. A quiddity concerns what a thing is, its defining nature. A quodlibetary disputation takes up questions on whatever subject is proposed. Burton uses the terms contemptuously within a catalogue of argumentative refinements.

In Burton. The passage attacks theological ingenuity that produces minute distinctions, objections, solutions and interpretations to explain away difficulties. Quirks and quiddities places a technical inquiry into essence beside the charge of verbal evasion; quodlibetary names the disputational form.

The places. The catalogue joins quiddities and unrestricted disputations to other scholastic techniques. (p. 675; DJR-160-07.)

In this edition. “quirks and quiddities” → “quirks and quiddities” (DJR-160-07); “Quodlibetaries” → “disputations on any subject whatever” (DJR-160-07). Quiddities remains as a marked term explained here and in the note; the more obscure Quodlibetaries receives an explanatory phrase. Burton’s hostile assessment remains his own.

See also. Equivocation.

Radical moisture

Source forms: cambium; ros; gluten; radicall moisture

The word. Radical moisture is the innate or rooted moisture imagined to sustain natural heat. Cambium, ros and gluten are technical names in the associated historical account of nourishment; gluten here is not the modern food protein.

In Burton. The definition of humour distinguishes innate from acquired bodily liquids and describes their replenishment. The later account makes innate moisture necessary to preserve the heat supporting vegetative life, in plants as well as people. Bodily constitution and management of the six non-natural conditions affect this preservation.

The places. Cambium, ros and gluten occur in the compressed account of nourishing innate humour. (p. 14; DJR-023-28.) Radical moisture sustains natural heat and prevents its exhaustion. (p. 21; DJR-024-35.)

In this edition. “Cambium” → “cambium” (DJR-023-28); “Ros and Gluten” → “ros and gluten” (DJR-023-28); “radicall moisture” → “innate moisture” (DJR-024-35). Innate explains radical directly. The technical Latin names remain, with ros and gluten glossed as dew and glue in the note. The difficult physiological sequence is preserved rather than silently harmonized.

See also. Concoction.

Reason

Source forms: Reason

The word. Reason is the capacity to deliberate and judge, here presented in conflict with appetite and will. Recognizing what ought to be done does not guarantee doing it.

In Burton. The first sentence sets reason’s counsel against lust’s. The related moral account then gives an obstinate will the power to pervert judgement even when the right action is known. Its image of Actaeon destroyed by his own dogs makes the passions appear as forces encouraged by the sufferer.

The places. Reason and lust offer competing advice. (p. 30; DJR-026-47.) The will perverts judgement despite knowledge of the right action. (p. 97 [scan p. 197]; DJR-040-05.)