Remedy by diversion

Use in the book

Scriptural reading is called a present diverter, an immediate means of turning the mind from worldly cares. The surrounding study counsel distinguishes beneficial occupation from excessive study that caused the illness, while allowing a change of subject for readers absorbed in romances. Burton’s devotional comparison and its cited authorities remain historical claims.

The friends’ role begins with keeping a sufferer occupied by exercise and recreation, so that thoughts do not continually return to themselves. Where the sufferer cannot recognize or correct the difficulty, Burton proposes counsel, comfort and persuasion. Ingenious devices, an opposing argument, removal of distressing objects or company, accommodation of the person’s wishes, and changes in the way of life all enter the same programme. Its methods expressly range from gentle to harsh. These are historical proposals, including coercive elements, rather than a current prescription.

Redirection works alongside the attempt to discover and settle the troubling belief. Friends are told to infer concealed grievances from expression, gestures, movements and imagination. Burton makes the result conditional when he seeks security and reassurance if possible, although he also reports that many are cured immediately when their minds are satisfied. The following account of an anxious wife relieved by her husband’s return illustrates the removal of the feared circumstance, rather than mere distraction from a fact that remains unchanged. Alexander’s following conclusion limits this method to disordered imaginings that have not become deeply rooted, especially when the trouble arises from such a cause. Burton nevertheless goes on to assert categorically that reassurance completes the cure and a changed way of life needs no other medicine; these remain his historical claims.

The same discussion gives gentleness priority: mild words and methods must be tried first, aggressive treatment is condemned, and change should be gradual. Accommodating wishes is also limited by what can reasonably be done; friends should discourage harmful solitary brooding even when the sufferer enjoys it.

Elsewhere, when passions cannot be moderated directly, Burton recommends diverting the passions by doing something else or thinking about another subject. The argument includes preparation for expected adversity, as well as historical examples of recreation, drinking and sleep. The latter should retain their attribution to his account.

A separate physical use makes the lexical mechanism clear. Averters and purgers are said to cooperate in diverting a rebellious humour and turning it another way, away from the brain and heart. Averting redirects; purging evacuates. The verbal resemblance does not make this humoral procedure identical with redirecting attention, though both constructions involve turning an object away.

Related entries

Mirth: Recreation and social relief.

Intention and remission: Directing and relaxing attention.

Imagination: The operation of troubled imagination.

Sorrow: The grief and distress to be moderated.

Places to read

1. Member 4 Exercise of Body and Mind Regulated · paragraphs 25–28Qualified study counsel and Scripture as an immediate means of diversion.
2. Subsection 2 Help From Friends Through Counsel and Comfort Gentle and Harsh… · paragraphs 4–12Occupation, reassurance, the returned husband, limits to Alexander’s cure claim and the priority of gradual, gentle treatment.
3. Subsection 2 Help From Friends Through Counsel and Comfort Gentle and Harsh… · paragraphs 17–18Discouraging harmful solitary brooding and accommodating wishes where reasonably possible.
4. Member 5 Against Sorrow Over the Death of Friends or Other Causes, Groundless… · paragraphs 28–30Alternative activity and thought when direct moderation fails.
5. Subsection 4 Remedies That Divert the Humours · paragraphs 1–3The distinct physical object of humoral diversion.

In this edition

‘to alienate his mind’ becomes ‘turn his mind elsewhere’, avoiding a misleading suggestion of social estrangement. ‘security and satisfaction’ becomes ‘security and reassurance’: reassurance renders satisfaction, while security remains separate. ‘by fair or foul means’ becomes ‘by gentle or harsh means’, preserving the historical breadth of the proposal. ‘some artificial invention’ becomes ‘some ingenious device’, bringing out contrivance rather than an opposition between natural and synthetic substances.

diverter

Printed “diverter” (English; lemma).

Something that turns attention away or provides diversion.

Here: Scriptural reading is the means of redirection; present means immediate, and the surrounding counsel limits beneficial study rather than removing its over-study warning.

Context: Burton applies the phrase to reading Scripture after Hyperius’s claim of benefit. The sermon he cites under Augustine’s name is not securely authenticated by the supplied apparatus.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: present diverter

Modern rendering: an immediate diversion

Alignment scope: Corresponding noun phrase, with agent/means noun recast as an abstract noun.

Word and construction: Diverter names the means of redirection and is recast as diversion; present supplies immediate. The article an is supplied by the modern syntax.

Remedy by diversion · divert · local use 1

Printed “divert” (English; family).

To turn or direct away.

Here: Exercise and recreation are proposed to interrupt thoughts returning repeatedly to themselves.

Context: Burton gives historical counsel to friends assisting a sufferer.

Source: original body

Source and modern wording: divert his thoughts

Alignment scope: Equal-scope verb-and-object phrase.

Word and construction: Divert remains divert, and his thoughts remains his thoughts. The following modern keep his attention elsewhere renders the separate original clause still keep him otherwise intent, not this phrase.

Remedy by diversion · alienate

Printed “alienate” (English; family).

To turn away or redirect.

Here: Friends seek to shift the sufferer’s attention from distressing objects or beliefs. The later accommodation of wishes is limited to what can reasonably be done.

Context: The action is proposed when weakness prevents the sufferer from recognizing, correcting or settling what is wrong.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: to alienate his mind

Modern rendering: turn his mind elsewhere

Alignment scope: Corresponding verb-and-object construction; the original infinitive is recast within they must turn.

Word and construction: Alienate supplies turn … elsewhere; his mind remains the object. The original infinitival to is incorporated into the recast modern construction they must turn, rather than separately represented inside this excerpt.

Remedy by diversion · satisfaction

Printed “satisfaction” (English; family).

Satisfaction here means reassurance or the settling of the mind; security means a sense of safety.

Here: The intended result is relief through changes in circumstances and beliefs. Alexander’s following cure conclusion concerns imaginings not deeply rooted; Burton then asserts categorically that reassurance completes the cure and changed living needs no other medicine.

Context: If it be possible limits the proposed result; the historical passage also claims that many are promptly cured when their minds are satisfied.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: security and satisfaction

Modern rendering: security and reassurance

Word and construction: Satisfaction supplies reassurance, while security retains its separate contribution.

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention.

Remedy by diversion · fair or foul means

Printed “fair or foul means” (English; family).

Gentle or harsh methods.

Here: The phrase marks the breadth, including coerciveness, of Burton’s historical proposals. The continuation nevertheless gives gentle means priority, condemns aggression, calls for gradual change and limits accommodation to what is reasonably possible.

Context: Burton reports and recommends these methods in his period; this is not a present-day treatment recommendation.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: by fair or foul means

Modern rendering: by gentle or harsh means

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention, Alignment convention.

Remedy by diversion · artificial invention

Printed “artificial invention” (English; family).

A contrived or skilfully devised expedient.

Here: Ingenious devices accompany persuasion, changed company and changed circumstances.

Context: The proposal belongs to the friends’ efforts to relieve a sufferer, not a distinct named medical school.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: some artificial invention

Modern rendering: some ingenious device

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention, Alignment convention.

Remedy by diversion · divert · local use 2

Printed “divert” (English; family).

To turn or direct aside.

Here: The pronoun refers to passions: changing activity or the subject of thought is proposed when they cannot be moderated directly.

Context: Burton’s historical examples include drinking and sleep; they are reported proposals, not advice for a modern reader.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: divert them by all means

Modern rendering: use every means to turn them aside

Word and construction: Divert supplies turn … aside; them still refers to the passions. By all means is expanded and redistributed as use every means to, not supplied by divert alone.

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention.

Remedy by diversion · divert · local use 3

Printed “divert” (English; family).

To redirect or turn aside.

Here: The object here is a bodily humour, not the sufferer’s attention.

Context: Burton describes a historical humoral rationale for averting and purging remedies; redirecting and evacuating are distinct actions.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: to divert this rebellious humor

Modern rendering: to divert this rebellious humour

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention, Alignment convention.