Quotes from book
The Anatomy of Melancholy

The Anatomy of Melancholy

The Anatomy of Melancholy is a book by Robert Burton, first published in 1621, but republished five more times over the next seventeen years with massive alterations and expansions.


Robert Burton photo

“England is a paradise for women and hell for horses; Italy a paradise for horses, hell for women, as the diverb goes.”

Section 3, member 1, subsection 2.
The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621), Part III

Robert Burton photo

“Isocrates adviseth Demonicus, when he came to a strange city, to worship by all means the gods of the place.”

Section 4, member 1, subsection 5.
The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621), Part III

Robert Burton photo

“Let me not live," saith Aretine's Antonia, "if I had not rather hear thy discourse than see a play.”

Section 1, member 1, subsection 1.
The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621), Part III

Robert Burton photo

“Diogenes struck the father when the son swore.”

Section 2, member 2, subsection 5.
The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621), Part III

Robert Burton photo

“All our geese are swans.”

Section 2, member 3, subsection 14.
The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621), Part I

Robert Burton photo

“Seneca thinks the gods are well pleased when they see great men contending with adversity.”

Section 2, member 1, subsection 1.
The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621), Part II

Robert Burton photo

“Diogenes struck the father when the son swore, because he taught him no better.”

Section 2, member 1, subsection 5, The last and best Cure of Love-Melancholy, is to let them have their Desire.
The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621), Part III

Robert Burton photo

“Why doth one man's yawning make another yawn?”

Section 2, member 3, subsection 2, Of the Force of Imagination.
The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621), Part I

Robert Burton photo

“Were it not that they are loath to lay out money on a rope, they would be hanged forthwith, and sometimes die to save charges.”

Section 2, member 3, subsection 12, Covetousness, a Cause.
The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621), Part I

Robert Burton photo

“Marriage and hanging go by destiny; matches are made in heaven.”

Section 2, member 2, subsection 5.
The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621), Part III

Robert Burton photo

“The miller sees not all the water that goes by his mill.”

Section 3, member 4, subsection 1.
The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621), Part III

Robert Burton photo

“The commonwealth of Venice in their armory have this inscription: "Happy is that city which in time of peace thinks of war."”

Section 2, member 6, Perturbations of the mind rectified. From himself, by resisting to the utmost, confessing his grief to a friend, etc.
The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621), Part II

Robert Burton photo

“The Devil himself, which is the author of confusion and lies.”

Section 4, member 1, subsection 3.
The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621), Part III

Robert Burton photo

“Melancholy and despair, though often, do not always concur; there is much difference: melancholy fears without a cause, this upon great occasion; melancholy is caused by fear and grief, but this torment procures them and all extremity of bitterness.”

Section 4, member 2, subsection 3, Causes of Despair, the Devil, Melancholy, Meditation, Distrust, Weakness of Faith, Rigid Ministers, Misunderstanding Scriptures, Guilty Consciences, etc.
The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621), Part III

Robert Burton photo

“Cookery is become an art, a noble science; cooks are gentlemen.”

Section 2, member 2, subsection 2.
The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621), Part I

Robert Burton photo
Robert Burton photo

“Like him in Æsop, he whipped his horses withal, and put his shoulder to the wheel.”

Section 1, member 2, Lawful Cures, first from God.
The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621), Part II

Robert Burton photo
Robert Burton photo

“No cord nor cable can so forcibly draw, or hold so fast, as love can do with a twined thread.”

Section 2, member 1, subsection 2, How Love tyranniseth over men. Love, or Heroical Melancholy, his definition, part affected.
The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621), Part III

Robert Burton photo

“I may not here omit those two main plagues and common dotages of human kind, wine and women, which have infatuated and besotted myriads of people; they go commonly together.”

Section 2, member 3, subsection 13, Love of Gaming, &c. and pleasures immoderate; Causes.
The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621), Part I