The anatomy of melancholy : what it is, with all the kinds causes, symptomes, prognostickes, & seuerall cures of it in three partitions, with their severall sections, members & subsections, philosophically, medicinally, historically, opened & cut up / By Democritus Junior [pseud.] With a satyricall preface, conducing to the following discourse.

  • Robert Burton
Date:
1628
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The anatomy of melancholy : what it is, with all the kinds causes, symptomes, prognostickes, & seuerall cures of it in three partitions, with their severall sections, members & subsections, philosophically, medicinally, historically, opened & cut up / By Democritus Junior [pseud.] With a satyricall preface, conducing to the following discourse. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    adions by difcrctioa and prouidence^they would not declare themfelues Fooles as now they doe^ and hee fhould haue no fuch caufe of laughter, but (quoth hee ) they fwell in this life, as if tliey were immortal], for want of vndcrftanding.lt were enough to make them wife,if they would but confider the mutabilitie of this worId,and how it whceles about,'no- thing being firme and rurc,hee that is now aboue3to morrow is beneath ' he that fat on this fide to day, to morrow is hurled on the other: and not confidering thefc matters,they fall into many inconueniences & troubles coueting things of no pro&,and thurfting after them,tumbling headlong /i/ into many calamities. So that if men would attempt no more then what they can bcare, they fhould lead contented Hues, and learning to know piufy^iu^nem themreIiies,woiild limit their ambition, f they would pcrceaue then that Nature hath enough without feeking fuch fuperfluities, and vnprofitable inaptMyutrtU thingSjWhich bring nothing with them but griefe and moleftation. As a fatbody is more ilibiedf to difeafes, fb are.rich men : There are many that take no heed what hapneth to others by bad conuerfation, and there- fore overthrow themfelues in the fame manner through their owne fault, y»ipe not fore-feeing dangers manifeft. Thefe are things (6 more then mad, ■ quoth he) that giue me matter of laughter,by fulfering the p'aines of your creuziand»m impieties,as your Auarice,Enuie,Mutinics,vnfatiable defires3Confpira- cies, and other incurable Vices ^befides your s Difrimulacion,and Hypo- crific, bearing deadly hatred one to the other, and yet fliadowing it with TeT,Ic7tZ' 3 good facc,flyingout into all filthy lufts,and tranfgrelTions of all Lawes, both of Nature and Ciuilitie.Many things which they haue left off,aftef TucZZZl a while they fall to againe. Husbandry, Nauigation, and leaiic againe, fickle and vneonftant as they are j When they are young, diey would bee J old, and old vouns. ^ Princes commend a oriuare life, priuare’ men itch after honour: a Magiftrate commends a quitt life,a quiet man would be tem in his office ,and obeyed as he is,and what is the caufe of alUhis;but that they know not themfelues,Some delight to deftroy.jOne to buiidjanodicr ehts AurtAnui tofpoyleoneCountrey to enrich another and himfelfe. ^ In ajl thefe thin£rs they arc like Children, in whortvis no iudgement or couniell, and k^^ydyu/r- Bull contend for a better Palturc ? when a.Bore is thirftie,he drinks what will feme him,andjiomore,and when his belly 1$ full,hceceafeth to eat; cjuu:tj’4tA ftp But men are immoderate fii both; as in Luftjthey couet carnall copulati- on at fet times,men alwaies,ruinating thereby the health of their bodies, i idemP'ut. And doth it not deferue laughter,to lee an amorous Foole torment him- felfe for a Wench ^ wcepe, howle for a mif-fliapcn l3ut, a dowdy, fome- times that might haue his choyce of the fineft beauties ? Is there any remedy for this in Phyficke ? I doe anatomize and cut yp thefe poorc Beaftsto fee thefe diftempers,vanities,and follies,yet fuch proofe were better made on mans body, if my kind nature would endure it: “ Who tiuitatemcri>«s from the houre of his birth is moft mifeble, weake, and fickly; when 7rn<i\ptref,p. he fucks, he is guided by others, when he is growne great,pra(5i:ifeth vn- happineffe,® aixi is fturdy, and when old, a child againe, and repenteth Zllvll d him