Volume 1
The anatomy of melancholy / edited by Rev. A.R. Shilleto.
- Burton, Robert
- Date:
- Reprint 1896 (3 vol set)
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The anatomy of melancholy / edited by Rev. A.R. Shilleto. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)
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![as a drone, to be an unprofitable or unworthy a Member of so learned and noble a society, or to write that which should be any way dishonourable to such a royal and ample foundation. Something I have done, though by my profession a Divine, yet turbine raptus ingenii, as xhe said, out of a running wit, an un- constant unsettled mind, I had a gre.at desire, (not able to attain to a superficial skill in any) to have some smattering in all, to be aliquis in omnibus, nullus in singulis? which 3Plato com- mends, out of him 4 Lipsius approves and furthers, as fit to be im- printed in all curious wits, not be a slave of one science, or dwell altogether in one subject as most do, but to rove abroad, centum puer artium,5 to have an oar in every mans boat, to 6 taste of every dish, and sip of every cup, which saith '1 Montaigne, was well performed by Aristotle & his learned country-man Adrian Turnebus. This roving humour (though not with like success) I have ever had, & like a ranging spaniel, that barks at every bird he sees, leaving his game, I have followed all, saving that which I should, & may justly complain, & truly, qui ubique est, nusquam est? which 2 Gesner did in modesty, that I have read many books, but to little purpose, for want of good method, I have confusedly tumbled over divers authors in our Libraries, with small profit for want of art, order, memory, judgement. I never travelled but in Map or Card, in which my unconfined thoughts have freely expatiated, as having ever been especially delighted with the study of Cosmography. ™ Saturn was the Lord of my geniture, culminating &c. & Mars principal significator of manners, in par tile conjunction with mine Ascendant; both fortunate in their houses, &c. I am not poor, I am not rich; nihil est, nihil deest, I have little, I want nothing: all my treasure is in Minetva's tower. Greater preferment as I could never get, so am I not in debt for it, I have a competency (Laus Deo) from my noble and munificent Patrons, though I live still a Collegiate student, as Democritus in his garden, and lead a 1 Scaliger. [2 Somebody in everything, no authority in anything.] 3 InTheaet. IP !73- E.] 4 Phil. Stoic, li. diff. 8. Dogma cupidis et curiosis ingeniis impri- mendum, ut sit talis qui nulli rei serviat, aut exacte unum aliquid elaboret, alia negligens, ut artifices, &c. [5 Hor. Odes, iv, i. 15.] 6 Delibare gratumde quocun- que cibo, et pytissare de quocunque dolio jucundum. 7 Essays, lib. 3. [ch. 5. Cf. lib. 2. ch. 12, as to Aristotle. And as to Adrian Turnebus see Montaigne's Essays, lib. 1. ch. 24; lib. 2. chs. 12, 17.] [8 Seneca, Epist. 2. He who is everywhere is nowhere.] 9 Praefat. bibliothec. 10 Ambo fortes et fortunati, Mars idem magisterii dominus juxta primam Leovittii regulam.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21270818_001_0058.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
