The Anatomy of Melancholy

The word. Soul can name the principle of life, perception and understanding, or life itself. Latin anima can also mean breath, allowing wordplay that requires different English equivalents within one passage.

In Burton. The philosophical definition unites three faculties in one rational soul that acts through organs while remaining incorporeal. The marriage satire uses soul for a husband’s life. A later Latin joke about wives’ breath is followed by Burton’s moralizing gloss about deformed souls.

The places. The rational soul contains the other faculties and works through bodily organs. (p. 27; DJR-026-22.) Ransoming the husband’s soul means saving his life. (p. 606; DJR-146-53.) Anima supports a breath/soul play between the Latin and Burton’s gloss. (p. 629; DJR-150-55.)

In this edition. “Reasonable Soul” → “rational soul” (DJR-026-22); “whose soul they would not ransome” → “they would not ransom his life” (DJR-146-53); “animæ uxorum pessime olent” → “Wives’ breaths smell very foul” (DJR-150-55); “deformed souls” → “ugly souls” (DJR-150-55). The philosophical sense remains soul; life and breaths follow the local meanings. Translating the Latin joke separately from Burton’s gloss preserves their difference.

See also. Animal and vegetal; Actuality; Matter; Metempsychosis; Ex traduce; Microcosm.

Species in perception

Source forms: species; species of objects; Species

The word. Species in the theory of perception are forms, impressions or representations through which objects are apprehended. The word does not here classify biological kinds.

In Burton. An imagined instrument multiplies sensory impressions, while melancholy imagination retains and enlarges mental images. Descriptions of an unseen beloved likewise convey images through language. The account of the sensitive soul compares their reception and retention with a seal’s impression in wax.

The places. The imagined instrument amplifies sensory impressions. (p. 39; DJR-011-16.) Imagination retains and magnifies the representations of objects. (p. 93; DJR-039-08.) A description conveys images of love without direct sight. (p. 452; DJR-117-07.) Sensory forms are received and retained like a seal in wax. (p. 21–22; DJR-025-03.)

In this edition. “multiply species” → “amplified impressions” (DJR-011-16); “species of objects” → “mental images of objects” (DJR-039-08); “species of love” → “images of love” (DJR-117-07); “Species of sensible things” → “sensory forms of things” (DJR-025-03). Impressions, mental images and sensory forms preserve the representational sense while following each passage’s emphasis. The related physical and psychological models remain historical explanations.

See also. Imagination; Catoptrics and perspectives; Sensible.

Spirits

Source forms: animal spirits; spirits

The word. Animal spirits are subtle bodily agents thought to carry sensation and movement. Spirits can also express vitality or courage, as in martial spirit; animal does not mean belonging to nonhuman animals here.

In Burton. The discussion of exercise and digestion makes corrupted bodily material disrupt the animal spirits. The polemic against excessive study connects bodily weakness, dulled spirits and reduced military courage. The physiological and figurative senses overlap without being identical.

The places. Animal spirits are disturbed in the historical account of ill-timed exercise. (p. 84–85; DJR-037-17.) Dulled spirits and martial spirits connect study with lost vigour and courage. (p. 127; DJR-046-18.)

In this edition. “animal spirits” → “animal spirits” (DJR-037-17); “dulls the spirits” → “dulls their spirits” (DJR-046-18); “martiall spirits” → “martial spirit” (DJR-046-18). The technical phrase remains with explanation. The later military expression becomes singular martial spirit, making the collective courage sense natural in modern English.

See also. Hypochondria.

Spleen

Source forms: Splenitick; Splenatick