DiotimosReading Desk

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

Robert Burton

The Anatomy of Melancholy

1651 English with a close modern English rendering

Explore the Lexicon
The Anatomy of MelancholyMember 3. Air Corrected. With a Digression on Air.

Swipe or use the arrow keys.

Modern English Page · Branch 483 of 1495

Member 3. Air Corrected. With a Digression on Air.

Book Mode

1651 English

265

But I rove: the sum is this, that variety of actions, objects, aire, places, are excellent good in this infirmity and all others, good for man, good for beast. Constantine the Emperour lib. 18. cap. 13. ex Leontio, holds it an only cure for rotten sheep, and any manner of sicke cattel.

Lælius à fonte Ægubinus that great Doctor, at the latter end of many of his consultations (as commonly he doth set down what success his Physick had) in melancholy most especially approves of this above all other remedies whatsoever, as appears consult. 69. consult. 229. &c. Many other things helped, but change of aire was that which wrought the cure, and did most good.

265

The Anatomy of Melancholy: Member 3. Air Corrected. With a Digression on Air.

p. 483

But I wander. The sum of it is this: variety in activities, sights, air, and places is exceedingly good for this illness and all others, good for human beings and good for animals. The Emperor Constantine, in book 18, chapter 13, quoting Leontius, considers it a sovereign cure for sheep suffering from rot and for every kind of sick livestock.

Laelius a Fonte of Gubbio, that great physician, particularly recommends this above every other remedy for melancholy at the end of many of his consultations, where he usually records the success of his treatment, as in consultations 69 and 229, and elsewhere. Many other things helped, but the change of air brought about the cure and did the most good.

483

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.