The Anatomy of Melancholy

Name: The Anatomy of Melancholy
Author: Robert Burton

1651 English with a close modern English rendering

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The Anatomy of MelancholyMember 3 Subsection 1. the Definition of Melancholy Its Name and Distinctions

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Member 3 Subsection 1. the Definition of Melancholy Its Name and Distinctions

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1651 English

31–32

[without an ague] is added by all, to sever it from Phrensie, and that Melancholy which is in a pestilent Fever. (Fear and Sorrow) make it differ from Madness: [without a cause] is lastly inserted to specifie it from all other ordinary passions of [Fear and Sorrow.]

We properly call that Dotage, as Laurentius interprets it, when some one principal facultie of the minde, as imagination, or reason is corrupted, as all melancholy persons have. It is without a fever, because the humor is most part cold and dry, contrary to putrefaction.

Fear and Sorrow are the true Characters, and inseparable companions of most Melancholy, not all, as Her. de Saxonia, Tract. posthumo de Melancholia, cap. 2. well excepts; for to some it is most pleasant, as to such as laugh most part; some are bold again, and free from all manner of fear and grief, as hereafter shall be declared.

The Anatomy of Melancholy: Member 3 Subsection 1. the Definition of Melancholy Its Name and Distinctions

p. 168

All add “without fever” to distinguish it from delirium and from the melancholy found in a pestilential fever. “Fear and sorrow” distinguish it from madness. Finally, “without a cause” distinguishes it from all the ordinary emotions of fear and sorrow.

Properly speaking, as Laurentius explains it, we call a condition mental derangement when one of the mind’s principal faculties, such as imagination or reason, is impaired—as it is in all melancholic people. It occurs without fever because the humour is usually cold and dry, qualities opposed to putrefaction.

Fear and sorrow are the defining marks and inseparable companions of most melancholy, though not all, as Hercules de Saxonia rightly points out in chapter 2 of his posthumous Treatise on Melancholy. For some it is very pleasant, as with those who spend most of their time laughing. Others are bold and free from every kind of fear and grief, as I shall explain later.

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.