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Robert Burton

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 MelancholySubsection 5 Compound Alteratives Criticism of Compounds and Mixed Medicines

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1651 English Page · Branch 620 of 1495

Subsection 5 Compound Alteratives Criticism of Compounds and Mixed Medicines

Book Mode

1651 English

372–373

SUBSECT. 5. Compound Alteratives, censure of Compounds, and mixt Physick.

Pliny lib. 24. c. 1. bitterly taxeth all compound medicines. Mens knavery, imposture, and captious wits have invented these shops, in which every mans life is set to sale: and by and by came in those compositions and inexplicable mixtures, far fetcht out of India and Arabia; a medicine for a botch must be had as farre as the red sea, &c.

And ’tis not without cause which he saith; for out of question they are much to blame in their compositions, whilst they make infinite variety of mixtures,

as Fuchsius notes. They think they get themselves great credit, excel others, and to be more learned then the rest, because they make many variations; but he accounts them fools, and whilst they brag of their skill, and think to get themselves a name, they become ridiculous, bewray their ignorance and error.

A few simples well prepared and understood, are better then such an heap of nonsense confused compounds, which are in Apothecaries shops ordinarily sold. In which many vain, superfluous, corrupt, exolete things out of date are to be had (saith *Cornarius) a company of barbarous names given to Syrrops, Julips, an unnecessary company of mixt medicines: rudis indigestaque moles.

Many times (as Agrippa taxeth) there is by this means more danger from the medicine then from the disease; when they put together they know not what, or leave it to an illiterate Apothecary to be made, they cause death and horror for health. Those old Physitians had no such mixtures; a simple potion of Hellebor in Hippocrates time, was the ordinary purge;

and at this day, saith Mat. Riccius, in that flourishing Commonwealth of China, Their Physitians give precepts quite opposite to ours, not unhappy in their Physick: they use altogether roots, hearbs, and simples in their medicines, and all their Physick in a manner is comprehended in an herbal: no science, no schoole, no art, no degree, but like a trade, every man in private is instructed of his Master. Cardan cracks that he can cure all diseases with water alone, as Hippocrates of old did most infirmities with one medicine.

Let the best of our rational Physitians demonstrate and give a sufficient reason for those intricate mixtures; why just so many simples in Mithridate or Treacle, why such and such quantity; may they not be reduced to half or a quarter? Frustra fit per plura (as the saying is) quod fieri potest per pauciora; 300 simples in a julip, potion, or a little pill, to what end or purpose?

7589.BurtonPrinted page 372, m: “Fraudes hominum & ingeniorum capturæ, officinas invenêre istas, in quibus sua cuique venalis promittitur vita; statim compositiones & mixturæ inexplicabiles ex Arabia & India, ulceri parvo medicina à rubro mari importatur.” Human fraud and intellectual trickery invented these shops, in which each person is promised his own life for a price; immediately there are compounds and inexplicable mixtures from Arabia and India; for a little sore medicine is imported from the Red Sea.

7591.BurtonPrinted page 372, n, below the body: “Arnoldus Aphor. 15. Fallax medicus qui potens mederi simplicibus, composita dolose aut frustra quærit.” Arnoldus, Aphorism 15. A physician is deceitful who, though able to cure with simples, seeks compounds fraudulently or needlessly.

7592.BurtonPrinted page 372, o, continued across the foot: “Lib. 1. Sect. 1. cap. 8. Dum infinita medicamenta miscent, laudem sibi comparare student, & in hoc studio alter alterum superare conatur, dum quisque, quo plura miscuerit, eo se doctiorem putet, inde fit ut suam prodant inscitiam, dum ostentant peritiam, & se ridiculos exhibeant, &c.” Book 1, section 1, chapter 8. While mixing innumerable medicines, they strive to win praise, and each tries to surpass the other in this pursuit, thinking himself more learned the more ingredients he mixes. Thus, while displaying their expertise, they reveal their ignorance and make themselves ridiculous, and so on.

7595.BurtonPrinted page 373, p: “Multo plus periculi à medicamento quam à morbo, &c.” There is much more danger from the medicine than from the disease, and so on.

7597.BurtonPrinted page 373, r: “Expedit in Sinas lib. 1. c. 5. Præcepta medici dant nostris diversa, in medendo non infelices, pharmacis utuntur simplicibus, Herbis, radicibus, &c. tota eorum medicina nostræ herbariæ præceptis continetur; nullus ludus hujus artis, quisque privatus à quolibet magistro eruditur.” Expedition to China, book 1, chapter 5. Their physicians give rules different from ours and are not unsuccessful in healing. They use simple medicines, herbs, roots and so on. All their medicine is contained in the precepts of our herbal learning. There is no school for this art; each individual is taught privately by a master of his choice.

7598.BurtonPrinted page 373, dagger: “Lib. de Aqua.” Book on Water.

The Anatomy of Melancholy: Subsection 5 Compound Alteratives Criticism of Compounds and Mixed Medicines

p. 620

SUBSECTION 5 Compound alteratives criticism of compounds and mixed medicines

Pliny, book 24, chapter 1, bitterly attacks all compound medicines. “Human knavery, fraud and cunning have invented these shops, in which everyone’s life is put up for sale. Soon afterwards came those compounds and incomprehensible mixtures, fetched from as far away as India and Arabia; a medicine for a sore must come all the way from the Red Sea,” and so on.

He does not say this without reason. They are unquestionably much to blame for their compounds when they make endless varieties of mixtures,

as Fuchs observes. “They think they gain great credit, surpass others and show themselves more learned than the rest by making many variations. But he considers them fools: while they boast of their skill and think to make a name for themselves, they become ridiculous and reveal their ignorance and error.”

A few single medicinal substances, properly prepared and understood, are better than the heap of nonsensical, confused compounds ordinarily sold in apothecaries’ shops. “There one finds many useless, superfluous, spoiled, obsolete things, long out of date,” says Cornarius, “a collection of barbarous names given to syrups and juleps, an unnecessary mass of mixed medicines: a crude, undigested heap.”

Often, as Agrippa charges, this makes the medicine more dangerous than the disease. When they combine they know not what, or leave an unlearned apothecary to prepare it, they bring death and horror in place of health. The ancient physicians had no such mixtures: in Hippocrates’ time a simple hellebore potion was the usual purge.

Even today, says Matteo Ricci, in the flourishing commonwealth of China, “their physicians teach principles quite opposite to ours, yet are not unsuccessful in their practice. They use only roots, herbs and single substances in their medicines, and almost their entire medicine is contained in a herbal. There is no science, school, formal art or degree: each man learns privately from his master, as in a trade.” Cardano boasts that he can cure every disease with water alone, just as Hippocrates long ago treated most ailments with one medicine.

Let the best of our physicians who reason from theory demonstrate and give a sufficient explanation for those intricate mixtures. Why precisely that many ingredients in mithridate or theriac? Why these particular quantities? Could they not be reduced by half, or to a quarter? As the saying goes, “It is needless to do with more what can be done with fewer.” Three hundred ingredients in a julep, a potion or a little pill: to what end or purpose?

7590.Pliny, Natural History 24.1.4–5, attacks the sale of elaborate medicines made from costly imports. “Botch” means a sore or swelling. Burton compresses the Latin and supplies his own English account; each is retained. The marginal promittitur and importatur are preserved rather than replaced with the comparison text’s wording. This is historical medical argument, not a prescription for present-day treatment.

7593.“Simples” are single medicinal substances; compounds combine them. The n note resembles Arnald of Villanova, Medicationis parabole II.15 (Giralt, p. 83), but adds Fallax medicus qui and varies the wording. It is an independent condemnation; o supplies the Latin for Fuchs. Both foot-of-page notes are retained in full. “Bewray” means reveal.

7594.“Exolete” means obsolete or fallen out of use; “barbarous” criticizes the names as uncouth or linguistically corrupt. Juleps are sweet medicinal drinks. The phrase rudis indigestaque moles comes from Ovid, Metamorphoses 1.7, where it describes primordial chaos. An asterisk precedes Cornarius in the body, but no corresponding marginal text is visible on these two pages; the asterisk is retained without an invented source note.

7596.Compare Agrippa, Vanity, chapter 83, opening, on danger from medicine; chapter 84 attacks excessive compounding and compares mixtures to chaos (1676 English translation, pp. 285–286, 300). Burton’s Latin and intermediary remain uncollated. His Hippocratic generalization is retained. “Illiterate” means lacking learned education; “for health” means instead of health.

7599.Mat. Riccius is Matteo Ricci. The margin cites Expedition to China, book 1, chapter 5; the USTC records De Christiana expeditione apud Sinas under Ricci, Augsburg, 1615. Burton’s account is a European observer’s generalization about Chinese medicine and instruction, not an independently verified description of the entire tradition. “Cracks” means boasts. Cardano’s Book on Water remains an abbreviated, uncollated reference.

7600.Mithridate and theriac are complex compound antidotes; “treacle” has that medicinal sense here. “Rational” means proceeding by learned reasoning or theory, as opposed to relying principally on experience. The Latin maxim recommends economy of means. Burton’s figure of 300 is retained as part of his challenge, not treated as the verified composition of a particular pill.

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.