The anatomy of melancholy : what it is. With all the kindes, causes, symptomes, prognostickes, and seuerall cures of it. In three partitions, with their severall sections, members & subsections. Philosophically, medicinally, historically opened and cut-vp / by Democritus Junior. With a satyricall preface, conducing to the following discourse.

Robert Burton

Date:: 1638

Credit: The anatomy of melancholy : what it is. With all the kindes, causes, symptomes, prognostickes, and seuerall cures of it. In three partitions, with their severall sections, members & subsections. Philosophically, medicinally, historically opened and cut-vp / by Democritus Junior. With a satyricall preface, conducing to the following discourse. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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25 when Jlifpocrates heard thefc words, fo readily uttered Without pre- meditation to declare the worlds vanitie, full of ridiculous contrarietie he made anrwcr,That necellltic compelled men to many fuch adions & divers wilsenfuing from divine permiflion, that we might not be idle being nothing is fo odious to them as floth and negligence. Befides men cannot forefee future events, in this uncertaintie of humane afFairesjthey wouldnotfo marrie, if th^y could foretell the caufes of their diflike and feparation j or parents if they knew the hourcof their childreHs death, fo tenderly provide forjthcm 5 of an husbandman fowci if hec thought there would be rioinefeafej or a merchant adventure to fea, if hee fore-faw fliipwrackor be a Magiftrate, if preiently to bee depofed. Alas, worthy Democritus^ everie man hopes the befl:,andto that end he doth it, and therefore no fuch caufc, 6r ridiculous occafion of laughter. Democritus hearing this poore excufe, laughed again aloud, percei¬ ving he wholly miftook him,and did not wel underhand what hee had -faid concerning pert urbations and tranquillitie df theininde. Infomuch, that if men would governe their actions by dilcretion and providence, they would not declare themfelves fooles as now they doe, and hec fhould havenocaufe of laughter 5 but (quoth Keej they Iwell in this life, as if they were immortall and demi-gods, for Want of underhan-^ ding. It were enough tomakethern v^^i fe,if they would but conlider the mutabilitie of this worldjand how it whceles about, nothing being firm and fure. He that is now above, to morrow is beneath 5 he that fate on this fide to day, to morrow is hurled on the other; and not confideiing thefe matters, they fall into many inconveniences and troubles, coveting things of no profitjand thirfting after them,tumbling headlong into ma¬ ny calamities.So that if men would attempt no n]^ore then what they can bear, they fliould lead contented liveSjand learning to know themfelves, would limit their ambition, ^ they would perceive then that Nature hath enough without feeking fuch fuperfluities, & unprofitable things, which h&beas bring nothing with them but griefe and moleftation. As afatbodic more fubjed to difeafes, fo are rich men to abfurdities and fooleries, to ^/nirrS-. manycafualtiesandcrolfeinconveniences. Therearemanythattake fjQ rem incifiat, heed what happeneth to others by bad converfation,and therefore over- iZTsmfeT thipw themfelves in the fame manner through their own fault, not fore- Hor. ’ feeing dangers manifeft. T hefe are things (O more then mad,quoth hee^ ^ ae that give m e matterof laughter, by filtering the pains of your impieties, JubpeJore as your avarice, envie, malice, enormous villanies, mutinies, unfatiablc va/few. defires, confpiracies,and other incurable vices j befides,your gdifiimula- tion and hypocrifie, bearing deadly hatred one to the other, and yet flia- vulyinarier. dowing it with a good face, flying out into all filthy lufts, and tranfgref- lions of all laws, both of nature and civilitie. Many things which theyftMe- have left ofF,after a while they fall to againe, husbandrie,navigation5and leave again, fickle and unebnflant as they are. When they are young,tliey would be old, and old, young. ^ Princes commend a private life, pri- d$dttit,feu firs vatcmen itch after honour: aMagiftrate commendsaquietlife,aquiet man would bee in his office, and obeyed as he is; and what isthecaufe^/^^,^*^^- D of ^ '

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