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

Robert Burton

The Anatomy of Melancholy

1651 English with a close modern English rendering

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The Anatomy of MelancholyMember 4 Subsection 1 Symptoms or Signs of Love Melancholy in Body and Mind…

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Facing Pages · Branch 824 of 1495

Member 4 Subsection 1 Symptoms or Signs of Love Melancholy in Body and Mind…

Book Mode

1651 English

541

But I conclude there is no end of Loves Symptomes, ’tis a bottomless pit. Love is subject to no dimensions; not to be survayed by any art or engine: and besides I am of Hædus mind, no man can discourse of love matters, or judge of them aright, that hath not made tryal in his own person, or as Æneas Sylvius adds, hath not a little doted, been mad or love-sick himself. I confess I am but a novice, a Contemplator only,

Nescio quid sit amor nec amo——

I have a tincture; for why should I lye, dissemble or excuse it, yet homo sum, &c. not altogether inexpert in this subject, non sum præceptor amandi, and what I say, is meerly reading, ex aliorum forsan ineptiis, by mine own observation, and others relation.

541

The Anatomy of Melancholy: Member 4 Subsection 1 Symptoms or Signs of Love Melancholy in Body and Mind…

p. 824

But I conclude that love’s symptoms have no end: they are a bottomless pit. Love admits of no dimensions and cannot be surveyed by any art or instrument. Besides, I agree with Haedus: “No one can discuss matters of love, or judge them rightly, without having tried them in person”; or, as Aeneas Sylvius adds, without having been a little infatuated, mad or lovesick himself. I confess that I am only a beginner, only an observer:

I do not know what love is, nor am I in love—

I have a touch of it—for why should I lie, conceal it or make excuses? Yet “I am human,” and not altogether inexperienced in this subject. “I am no teacher of the art of love.” What I say comes merely from reading, “perhaps from other people’s follies,” from my own observation and from others’ reports.

824

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.