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 MelancholyCauses of Religious Melancholy. From the Devil, Through Miracles, Apparitions…

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Causes of Religious Melancholy. From the Devil, Through Miracles, Apparitions…

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1651 English

648–649

and fight alone almost (for the rest are but his dromedaries and asses) then ever he could have done by garrisons and armies. What power of Prince, or pœnal law, be it never so strict, could enforce men to do that which for conscience sake they will voluntarily undergo? As to fast from all flesh, abstain from marriage, rise to their prayers at midnight, whip themselves, with stupend fasting and penance, abandon the world, wilfull poverty, perform canonical and blind obedience, to prostrate their goods, fortunes, bodies, lives, and offer up themselves at their superiors feet, at his command?

What so powerfull an engine as superstition? which they right well perceiving, are of no religion at all themselves: Primum enim (as Calvin rightly suspects, the tenor and practice of their life proves) arcanæ illius Theologiæ, quod apud eos regnat, caput est, nullum esse deum, they hold there is no God, as Leo 10. did, Hildebrand the Magician, Alexander 6. Julius 2. meer Atheists,

and which the common proverb amongst them approves. The worst Christians of Italy are the Romans, of the Romans the Priests are wildest, the lewdest Priests are preferred to be Cardinals, and the baddest man amongst the Cardinals is chosen to be Pope; that is an Epicure, as most part the Popes are, Infidels and Lucianists, for so they think and believe; and what is said of Christ to be fables and impostures, of heaven and hell, day of Judgement, Paradise, Immortality of the soul, are all,

Rumores vacui, verbaque inania, Et par sollicito fabula somnio.

Dreams, toys, and old wives tales. Yet as so many whetstones to make other tools cut, but cut not themselves, though they be of no religion at all, they will make others most devout and superstitious, by promises and threats, compel, enforce from, and lead them by the nose like so many bears in a line;

When as their end is not to propagate the Church, advance Gods Kingdome, seek his glory or common good, but to enrich themselves, to enlarge their territories, to domineer and compel them to stand in awe, to live in subjection to the See of Rome. For what otherwise care they? Si mundus vult decipi, decipiatur, ’tis fit it should be so.

And for which Austin cites Varro to maintain his Roman religion, we may better apply to them: multa vera, quæ vulgus scire non est utile; pleraque falsa, quæ tamen aliter existimare populum expedit; some things are true, some false, which for their own ends they will not have the gullish commonalty take notice of.

The Anatomy of Melancholy: Causes of Religious Melancholy. From the Devil, Through Miracles, Apparitions…

p. 970

and fight almost alone (for the rest are merely his camels and asses), than he could ever have accomplished through garrisons and armies. What princely power or penal law, however strict, could force people to do what they will voluntarily endure for conscience’s sake? To abstain from all meat, refrain from marriage, rise to pray at midnight, whip themselves, practise astonishing fasting and penance, abandon the world, choose poverty, render canonical and blind obedience, lay down their goods, fortunes, bodies and lives, and offer themselves at their superior’s feet, at his command?

What instrument is as powerful as superstition? They see this very well, yet have no religion themselves. For the first principle of that secret theology which rules among them, as Calvin rightly suspects, and the course and conduct of their lives prove, is that there is no God. They hold that there is no God, as Leo X did, Hildebrand the magician, Alexander VI and Julius II: outright atheists.

The common proverb among them confirms it: The worst Christians in Italy are the Romans; among Romans, the priests are the most dissolute; the wickedest priests are promoted to cardinal; and the worst man among the cardinals is chosen pope—that is, an Epicure, as popes for the most part are, unbelievers and Lucianists, for this is what they think and believe. They consider what is said of Christ to be fable and fraud, and everything about heaven and hell, judgement day, Paradise and the immortality of the soul to be

Empty rumours and meaningless words, A story like an anxious dream.

Dreams, trifles and old wives’ tales. Yet, like so many whetstones that make other tools cut but do not cut themselves, although they have no religion at all, they will make others exceedingly devout and superstitious. With promises and threats they compel them, extort from them, and lead them by the nose like so many bears in a line.

Their purpose is not to spread the Church, advance God’s kingdom, seek his glory or the common good, but to enrich themselves, enlarge their territories, dominate people and force them to live in awe and subjection to the See of Rome. What else do they care about? If the world wishes to be deceived, let it be deceived; it is fitting that it should be so.

What Augustine cites from Varro in defence of his Roman religion we may apply still better to them: many things are true which it is not useful for the people to know; many are false, yet it is expedient for the people to think otherwise. Some things are true and some false, and for their own purposes they will not let the credulous common people recognize them.

12201.The rest are likened to beasts of burden. Burton’s list joins voluntary ascetic disciplines and religious obedience to his charge of manipulation. Flesh means meat; wilfull poverty means poverty deliberately chosen. The argument attacks the direction and motives of these practices, not merely their physical severity.

12202.The Latin, attributed to Calvin without a precise reference, accuses the inner circle of denying God. Burton then names Leo X, Hildebrand (Gregory VII), Alexander VI and Julius II. “Magician” and “atheists” are allegations within his anti-papal polemic, not established descriptions of their beliefs.

12204.Lewd here means wicked or morally corrupt. Epicure and Lucianist are polemical labels for sensuality and religious scepticism. The proverb is attributed to Sandys; Burton then turns its attack on moral conduct into a claim of secret unbelief. The sweeping assertion remains his.

12206.Seneca, Trojan Women 405–406: the chorus calls the terrors of the underworld empty stories comparable to an anxious dream. Burton borrows the dramatic speech to describe the unbelief he imputes to church leaders. The two lines and his English restatement remain separate.

12208.The whetstone comparison comes from Horace, Art of Poetry 304–305. The margin prints cotus where Horace has cotis; that reading is retained. Horace uses it of a critic who sharpens other writers’ talents; Burton turns it into an image of leaders who make others devout while remaining irreligious themselves. “Enforce from” is understood as extract or extort from them.

12209.The Latin maxim means “If the world wishes to be deceived, let it be deceived.” Burton speaks in the voice he attributes to cynical church leaders. See of Rome means the papal office and its jurisdiction.

12211.Augustine, City of God 4.31, reports Varro’s view that some religious truths should be withheld and false popular beliefs may be expedient. Augustine criticizes this policy; Burton applies the criticism to the Roman Church. Gullish commonalty means credulous ordinary people.

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.