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Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Parallel Edition

Robert Burton

The Anatomy of Melancholy

1651 English with a close modern English rendering

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The Anatomy of MelancholySource Record

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English Introduction · Branch 1206 of 1495

Source Record

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The Anatomy of Melancholy: Source Record

p. 1206

Opening words: MEMB. 2. SUBSECT. 1. Symptomes of Head-Melancholy.

Closing words: and is not so permanent as other melancholy.

Passages DJR-063-01 to DJR-063-26

Source page labels: 202–206 (sequence206–210). Scan pages: 306, 307, 308, 309, 310.

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Opening words: But to leave this brief description, the most ordinary symptomes be these, pulsatio juxta dorsum, a beating about the back, which is almost perpetuall,

Closing words: or him that is wounded, not to feel pain.

Passages DJR-064-01 to DJR-064-30

Source page labels: 206–211 (sequence210–215). Scan pages: 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315.

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Opening words: Suspicion follows Fear and Sorrow at heels, arising out of the same fountaine, so thinks Fracastorius, that Fear is the cause of Suspicion, and still they suspect some treachery, or some secret machination to be framed against them,

Closing words: a reason of which Blancanus in his Echometria gives, and mathematically demonstrates.

Passages DJR-065-01 to DJR-065-34

Source page labels: 211–215 (sequence215–219). Scan pages: 315, 316, 317, 318, 319.

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Opening words: So that the hearing is as frequently deluded as the sight, from the same causes almost, as he that hears bels, will make them sound what he list.

Closing words: for so doth Lilius Geraldus interpret it, of anxieties, and those griping cares, and so ought it to be understood.

Passages DJR-066-01 to DJR-066-23

Source page labels: 215–217, 454 (sequence219–222). Scan pages: 319, 320, 321, 322.

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Opening words: In all other maladies, we seek for help, if a leg or an arm ake, through any distemperature or wound, or that we have an ordinary disease, above all things whatsoever, we desire help & health, a present recovery;

Closing words: FINIS.

Passages DJR-067-01 to DJR-067-53

Source page labels: unnumbered synopsis;216,220–221 (sequence 223–229). Scan pages: 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329.

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Opening words: THE SYNOPSIS OF THE SECOND PARTITION.

Closing words: you shall finde many vain and frivolous superstitious formes of exorcismes among them, not to be tolerated, or endured.

Passages DJR-068-01 to DJR-068-43

Source page labels: 222–226 (sequence 230–234). Scan pages: 330, 331, 332, 333, 334.

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1206

About This Reading Edition

Robert Burton’s Anatomy ranges across medicine, philosophy, poetry, religion, and everyday life in its inquiry into melancholy. This complete parallel edition pairs the 1651 English text with a close modern English rendering, preserving the three Partitions, Democritus Junior’s address to the reader, verse, and the historical index.

Historical Text and Translation

The historical text follows the sixth edition, printed at Oxford for Henry Cripps in 1651, using the McGill University Library copy. The supplied edition documents missing printed pages 98–99 supplied from another 1651 copy at the Bavarian State Library. Historical folio labels and their irregularities remain visible; web reader numbers identify reflowed passages and do not claim to reproduce PDF pagination.

About Diotimos Editions

Diotimos Editions prepared the close modern English rendering and editorial matter. All 8,755 original and modern passage pairs remain aligned, with verse breaks, italics, continuations, and linked annotations preserved. Burton’s 6,781 historical notes retain their attribution; 6,895 editorial notes remain distinct. The introduction, Note on the Text, contextual lexicon, indexes, source documentation, and bibliography are included. The engraved frontispiece remains available in the original downloads.

Rights

Burton’s historical text is in the public domain. The modern English rendering, introduction, notes, and editorial matter are © 2026 Diotimos Editions and appear with the site owner’s permission. The complete supplied PDF, EPUB, Word, and Markdown files remain available unchanged. The PDF and Word edition preserve the original parallel page layout.