The Anatomy of Melancholy

In this edition. “Whose wit excel’d the wits of men” → “Whose wit surpassed the wits of men” (DJR-007-17); “the nurse of wit and valor” → “the nurse of intelligence and courage” (DJR-041-19); “happy wits” → “gifted minds” (DJR-058-13); “melancholy men are witty” → “melancholy people are intellectually gifted” (DJR-064-05); “a witty child” → “intelligent child” (DJR-095-15). Wit remains in the verse and whetstone image, where its older meaning can be heard alongside the more explicit equivalents. The article does not turn Burton’s disputed humoral explanation into an established connection between illness and genius.

See also. Reason; Conceit.

Wittal and cuckold

Source forms: wittal; wittall

The word. A cuckold is a husband whose wife is unfaithful. A wittal or wittall knows of and tolerates that infidelity. Horns are a conventional image of cuckoldry in these passages.

In Burton. The opening satire contrasts the wittal’s chosen blindness with his sharp sight in other affairs. A hostile catalogue of marriage warns a husband of horns in his absence. The later treatment of jealousy considers toleration in particular circumstances, including material advantage and a patron’s wishes.

The places. The wittal knowingly turns a blind eye to his wife’s fidelity. (p. 38; DJR-011-10.) Grafting horns describes the feared adultery during a husband’s absence. (p. 587; DJR-143-31.) The wittall tolerates infidelity instead of consuming himself with jealousy. (p. 621; DJR-149-28.)

In this edition. “a wittal” → “a willing cuckold” (DJR-011-10); “graft hornes” → “give you cuckold’s horns” (DJR-143-31); “a wittall” → “a knowing cuckold” (DJR-149-28). Willing and knowing explain the additional force of wittal. The terms belong to the passages’ gendered satire and argument about jealousy; the article preserves the difference between being deceived and knowingly tolerating infidelity.

See also. Jealousy; Quean and slut; Venery.

Zeal

Source forms: zealous

The word. Zeal is ardent commitment or religious fervour; zealous describes the person who has it. Burton’s selected use concerns fervour without knowledge, a qualification essential to his criticism.

In Burton. The phrase from Romans accompanies a polemical catalogue of communities claiming exclusive salvation and undertaking extreme practices. Related passages turn the criticism towards rigorists within Burton’s own religious camp and describe his proposed treatment of excessive strictness and disturbed minds. These latter passages supply context rather than additional occurrences of zealous.

The places. Zealous without knowledge qualifies the fervour of the groups Burton attacks. (p. 661; DJR-157-17.) The attack on religious rigorists brings the criticism into his own camp. (p. 676; DJR-160-14.) Preciseness and excessive practices appear in the account of suppression and treatment. (p. 682; DJR-161-24.)

In this edition. “Zealous” → “Zealous” (DJR-157-17); “without knowledge” → “without knowledge” (DJR-157-17). The retained word carries its qualification with it. The related evidence explains how fervour becomes, in Burton’s argument, misguided excess; his religious judgements and coercive proposals remain his own.

See also. Religion and superstition; Mortification.

Source term index

abdicate — Abdicate.

abdicated — Abdicate.

abraham men — Abraham men.

absolute — Absolute.

absolute cure — Absolute.

absolved — Absolve.

accident — Accident.

accidental — Accident.

accidentall — Accident.

accidents — Accident.

action — Action.

adamant — Lodestone and adamant.

adamantinum — Lodestone and adamant.

admired — Admire.

adust — Adust.

adustion — Adust.

adventious — Adventitious.

adventitious — Adventitious.

adventitious melancholy — Melancholy.

advousons — Church patronage.

affection — Affection.

affinitie — Affinity and consanguinity.

affinity — Affinity and consanguinity.

agent — Intellect.