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Robert Burton

The Anatomy of Melancholy

1651 English with a close modern English rendering

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The Anatomy of MelancholySubsection 9. the Rational Soul

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1651 English Page · Branch 162 of 1495

Subsection 9. the Rational Soul

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1651 English

27

Campanella lib. de sensu rerum, is large in the same discourse, Albertinus the Schoolman, Iacob. Naclantus, Tom. 2. op. handleth it in four questions, Antony Brunus, Aonius Palearius, Marinus Marcennus, with many others.

This Reasonable Soul, which Austin calls a spiritual substance moving it self, is defined by Philosophers to be the first substantial act of a Natural, Humane, Organical Body, by which a man lives, perceives, and understands, freely doing all things, and with election. Out of which definition we may gather, that this Rational Soul includes the powers, and performes the duties of the two other, which are contained in it, and all three faculties make one Soul, which is inorganical of it self, although it be in all parts, and incorporeal, using their Organs, and working by them.

It is divided into two chief parts, differing in office only, not in essence. The understanding, which is the Rational power apprehending; the will, which is the Rational power moving: to which two, all the other Rational powers are subject and reduced.

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The Anatomy of Melancholy: Subsection 9. the Rational Soul

p. 162

Campanella treats the same subject at length in On the Sense of Things; so do Albertinus the schoolman; Jacob Naclantus, who handles it in four questions in volume 2 of his works; Antony Brunus; Aonius Palearius; Marin Mersenne; and many others.

This rational soul, which Augustine calls a spiritual substance that moves itself, is defined by philosophers as the first substantial actuality of a natural human body furnished with organs, through which a person lives, perceives and understands, acting freely and by choice. From this definition we may gather that the rational soul includes the powers and performs the functions of the other two, which it contains. All three faculties make one soul. In itself it is independent of organs and incorporeal, although it is present in every part, using the organs and working through them.

It is divided into two principal parts, differing only in function, not in essence: understanding, the rational power of apprehension; and will, the rational power of movement. All the other rational powers are subordinate to these two and fall under them.

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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.