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 MelancholySection 3 Member 1. Subsection 1 a Digression on Consolation, Containing…

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Section 3 Member 1. Subsection 1 a Digression on Consolation, Containing…

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1651 English

308

Most men will here except, trivial consolations, ordinary speeches, and known perswasions in this behalf will be of small force; what can any man say that hath not been said? To what end are such parænetical discourses? you may as soon remove mount Caucasus, as alter some mens affections. Yet sure I think they cannot choose but do some good, comfort and ease a little, though it be the same again, I will say it, and upon that hope I will adventure.

Non meus hic sermo, ’tis not my speech this, but of Seneca, Plutarch, Epictetus, Austin, Bernard, Christ and his Apostles. If I make nothing, as Mountaigne said in like case, I will mar nothing; ’tis not my doctrine but by study, I hope I shall do nobody wrong to speak what I think, and deserve not blame in imparting my mind. If it be not for thy ease, it may for mine own; so Tully, Cardan, and Boethius wrote de consol. as well to help themselves, as others; be it as it may, I will essay.

Discontents and grievances are either generall or particular; generall are wars, plagues, dearths, famine, fires, inundations, unseasonable weather, Epidemical diseases which afflict whole Kingdoms, Territories, Cities: or peculiar to private men, as cares, crosses, losses, death of friends, poverty, want, sickness, orbities, injuries, abuses, &c. Generally all discontent, homines quatimur fortunæ salo. No condition free, quisque suos patimur manes.

Even in the midst of our mirth and jollity, there is some grudging, some complaint; as he saith, our whole life is a Glucupicron, a bitter sweet passion, hony and gall mixt together, we are all miserable and discontent, who can deny it? If all, and that it be a common calamity, an inevitable necessity, all distressed, then as Cardan infers, who art thou that hopest to go free? Why dost thou not grieve, thou art a mortall man, and not governor of the world?

Ferre quam sortem patiuntur omnes, Nemo recuset, If it be common to all, why should one man be more disquieted then another? If thou alone wert distressed, it were indeed more irksome, and less to be indured; but when the calamity is common, comfort thy self with this, thou hast more fellows, Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris, ’tis not thy sole case, and why shouldst thou be so impatient?

I, but alas we are more miserable then others, what shall we do? Besides private miseries, we live in perpetuall fear, and danger of common enemies; we have Bellona’s whips, and pittifull out-cryes, for Epithalamiums; for pleasant musick, that fearfull noise of Ordnance, Drums, and warlike Trumpets still sounding in our eares; instead of nuptiall Torches, we have firing of Towns, and Cities, for triumphs, lamentations; for joy, teares.

6401.BurtonPrinted page 308, l: “Hor.” Horace, Satires 2.2.2; Burton abbreviates and alters the phrase.

6402.BurtonPrinted page 308, m: “Lib. 2. Essays cap. 6.” Montaigne, Essays, book 2, chapter 6, Of Exercise or On Practice.

6404.BurtonPrinted page 308, n: “Alium paupertas, alium orbitas, hunc morbi, illum timor, alium injuriæ, huic insidiæ, illum uxor, filii distrahunt, Cardan.” Poverty distracts one, bereavement another; illness troubles this man, fear that one; injuries trouble another, plots this one, a wife and children that one. Cardano.

6405.BurtonPrinted page 308, o: “Boethius, l. 1. met. 5.” Boethius, Consolation of Philosophy, book 1, poem 5.

6407.BurtonPrinted page 308, p: “Apuleius 4. florid. Nihil homini tam prosperè datum divinitus, quin ei admixtum sit aliquid difficultatis, in amplissimâ quâque lætitiâ subest quædam querimonia, conjugatione quâdam mellis & fellis.” Apuleius, Florida 4: no divine gift brings a person such good fortune that some difficulty is not mixed with it; beneath every great joy lies some complaint, a mingling of honey and gall.

6408.BurtonPrinted page 308, q: “Si omnes premantur, quis tu es qui solus evadere cupis ab eâ lege quæ neminem præterit? cur te non mortalem factum & universi orbis regem fieri non doles?” If everyone is oppressed, who are you to wish alone to escape a law that passes no one by? Why do you not grieve at being made mortal and not becoming king of the whole world?

6410.BurtonPrinted page 308, r: “Puteanus ep. 75. Neque cuiquam præcipue dolendum eo quod accidit universis.” Puteanus, letter 75: no one should grieve especially over what happens to everyone.

6411.BurtonPrinted page 308, s: “Lorchan. Gallobelgicus lib. 3. Anno 1598. de Belgis. Sed eheu inquis euge quid agemus? ubi pro Epithalamio Bellonæ flagellum, pro musicâ harmoniâ terribilium lituorum & tubarum audias clangorem, pro tædis nuptialibus, villarum, pagorum, urbium videas incendia; ubi pro jubilo lamenta, pro risu fletus aërem complent.” Lorchan, Gallobelgicus, book 3, on the Belgians in 1598: “But alas,” you say, “well then, what shall we do?” Instead of a wedding song there is Bellona’s scourge; instead of musical harmony you hear the clangour of terrible horns and trumpets; instead of wedding torches you see houses, villages, and cities burning. Lamentation instead of rejoicing, weeping instead of laughter fills the air. The note continues across the foot of the page.

The Anatomy of Melancholy: Section 3 Member 1. Subsection 1 a Digression on Consolation, Containing…

p. 537

Most people will object here that trivial consolations, ordinary speeches, and familiar arguments can have little effect in such a case. What can anyone say that has not already been said? What use are such exhortations? You might as easily move Mount Caucasus as change some people’s feelings. Yet I am sure they must do some good, and bring a little comfort and relief. Even if it is the same thing again, I shall say it, and venture on in that hope.

“This is not my own speech”: these words are not mine, but Seneca’s, Plutarch’s, Epictetus’s, Augustine’s, Bernard’s, Christ’s, and his Apostles’. If I make nothing, as Montaigne said in a similar case, I shall spoil nothing. This teaching is mine only through study. I hope I wrong no one by saying what I think, and deserve no blame for sharing my thoughts. If it does not ease your mind, it may ease my own. Cicero, Cardano, and Boethius likewise wrote on consolation to help themselves as well as others. Be that as it may, I shall make the attempt.

Discontents and grievances are either general or particular. General ones include wars, plagues, shortages, famine, fires, floods, unseasonable weather, and epidemic diseases that afflict whole kingdoms, territories, and cities. Others belong to individuals: cares, setbacks, losses, the death of friends, poverty, want, sickness, bereavements, injuries, abuses, and so on. Everyone, in general, is discontented: “We human beings are tossed on Fortune’s sea.” No condition is exempt: “Each of us suffers his own torments.”

Even amid our merriment and good cheer there is some murmuring, some complaint. As he says, our whole life is a “sweet-bitter” experience, honey and gall mixed together. We are all miserable and discontented: who can deny it? If everyone suffers, if this is a common calamity and an unavoidable necessity, then, as Cardano concludes, “Who are you to hope to escape? Why not grieve that you are mortal and not the ruler of the world?”

“Let no one refuse to bear the lot that everyone suffers.” If it is common to all, why should one person be more troubled than another? If you alone were distressed, it would indeed be more burdensome and harder to endure. But when the calamity is shared, take comfort in this: you have companions. “It comforts the miserable to have companions in their sorrow.” Yours is not the only case; why, then, should you be so impatient?

Yes, but alas, we are more miserable than others: what shall we do? Besides our private miseries, we live in constant fear and danger from our common enemies. Instead of wedding songs we have Bellona’s whips and pitiful cries; instead of pleasant music, the terrible noise of cannon, drums, and military trumpets sounding continually in our ears. Instead of wedding torches we have towns and cities on fire; instead of triumphs, lamentations; instead of joy, tears.

6403.Non meus hic sermo adapts Horace, Satires 2.2.2, which begins nec meus hic sermo est. Montaigne, Essays 2.6, presents his writing as personal study that may benefit others. The 1651 text reads “but by study,” not “but my study”; the translation follows that printed construction. “Essay” means try or attempt, and also resonates with Montaigne’s title. Burton ends by acknowledging that writing consolation may console its writer.

6406.“Orbities” means bereavements, especially the loss of children. The first Latin quotation is Boethius, Consolation 1, poem 5, line 45; the second is Virgil, Aeneid 6.743. “Manes” literally denotes the spirits of the dead; here it refers to the punishment or purgation each soul must undergo.

6409.“Glucupicron” represents Greek for sweet-bitter. Apuleius, Florida 18, likewise describes joy mixed with complaint and honey with gall; Burton cites an older book division, “4. florid.” Cardano’s question is deliberately ironic: demanding exemption from suffering is like demanding exemption from mortality itself.

6412.Bellona is the Roman goddess of war; “epithalamiums” are wedding songs. Burton’s margin locates the lament in a narrative of the Low Countries under 1598. Its wedding imagery turns celebration into war and mourning. The abbreviated Lorchan reference still requires bibliographical collation.

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.

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