A third volume of text and two volumes of commentary will follow. Mar 02, 2012 dr neel burton is a psychiatrist, philosopher, and writer who lives and teaches in oxford, england, where he also runs the oxford wine academy and the meaning of madness course. The authors abstract of melancholy when i go musing all alone. Free download or read online the anatomy of melancholy pdf epub book. In three maine partitions with their several sections, members, and subsections. The anatomy of melancholy can depression be good for you. The anatomy of melancholy is a book by robert burton, first published in 1621. Dr neel burton is a psychiatrist, philosopher, and writer who lives and teaches in oxford, england, where he also runs the oxford wine academy and the meaning of madness course. Philosophically, medicinally, historically, opened and cut up is a book by robert burton, first published.
The anatomy expanded relentlessly in burtons lifetime, since he constantly reworked the text and added extra material to each new edition. 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. In the first part of the treatise, burton defines the inbred malady of melancholy, discusses its causes, and sets down the symptoms. Burtons anatomy and the intellectual traditions of melancholy. It will be followed by two further volumes of text with textual apparatus, and two volumes of. The second volume of burtons masterful work, the anatomy of melancholy, this edition includes the text and textual apparatus for the second partition. Being extracts from the anatomy of melancholy chosen to interest the psychologist in every man by burton, robert and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Jan 01, 2004 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg.
The second volume of burton s masterful work, the anatomy of melancholy, this edition includes the text and textual apparatus for the second partition. I wouldnt call burton s anatomy of melancholy the literature of emotion. Love melancholy is the subject of the first three sections of the third part. Sep 15, 2006 burton was an oxford scholar who had spent much of his life in christ church college of that institution accumulating quotes, ideas, and general collectible wisdom from the classics. Robert burton 15771640 was elected a student of christ church college, oxford, in 1599 and took his b. Noga arikha explores the book, said to be the favorite of both samuel johnson and keats, and places it within the context of the humoural theory so popular at the time. The anatomy of melancholy history, horoscope, heresy. May 01, 20 in 1621 robert burton first published his masterpiece the anatomy of melancholy, a vast feat of scholarship examining in encyclopaedic detail that most enigmatic of maladies. Is robert burtons anatomy of melancholy literature of the emotion. What it is, with all the kinds, causes, symptomes, prognostickes, and seuerall cures of it. Burton s learned and satirical the anatomy of melancholy first published in 1621 is one of the last great works of english prose to have remained unedited. Burtons learned and satirical the anatomy of melancholy first published in 1621 is one of the last great works of english prose to have remained unedited.
Robert burton the anatomy of melancholy backlisted. The anatomy of melancholy, in all of its distracting confusion, is finally something of a mercy, and it is the only mercy to be found within its confines. On its surface, the book is a medical textbook in which burton applies his large and varied learning in the scholastic manner to the subject of melancholia which includes what is now termed clinical depression. The anatomy of melancholy by burton, robert, 15771640.
This article discusses the ways in which robert burtons anatomy of melancholy 1621 inherited and transformed the various european traditions of thinking about melancholy. Anatomy of melancholy, the work by burton britannica. In the anatomy of melancholy 162151, robert burton describes melancholy as a disease of the soul, stating that he will address his subjectmatter both as a divine and a physician. Pdf the anatomy of melancholy book by robert burton free. He recommended healthy living, involvement in life, purgatives cleansers that purge the body of toxins, bloodletting, herbal remedies, marriage, and even music therapy as treatments. The first edition of the novel was published in 1621, and was written by robert burton. The anatomy of melancholy is, quite selfconsciously, the book to end all books. He was also the incumbent of st thomas the martyr, oxford, and of seagrave in leicestershire. The anatomy of melancholy by robert burton, first published in 1621, but republished five more times over the following seventeen years with substantial alterations and expansions. Burton s anatomy of melancholy is a valuable book, said dr. Burton furnishes the full spectrum of cures for melancholy, outlining and analyzing the symptoms and causes of the disorder in the same format as in the first partition. Bbc radio 4 in our time, the anatomy of melancholy.
The main characters of this philosophy, psychology story are. In 1621 robert burton first published his masterpiece the anatomy of melancholy, a vast feat of scholarship examining in encyclopaedic detail that most enigmatic of maladies. Robert burton was the son of ralph burton, of an ancient and genteel family at lindley, in leicestershire, and was born there on the 8th of february, 1576. Frontispiece of an early edition of robert burtons the anatomy of melancholy. Burton considers melancholy to be an inbred malady in all of us and admits that he is not a little offended by it himself p. It may properly be called the first psychiatric cyclopaedia for nearly one thousand authors are cited, about half of them medical. But there is great spirit and great power in what burton says when he writes from his own mind. Anatomy of melancholy, the, exposition by robert burton, published in 1621 and expanded and altered in five subsequent editions 1624, 1628, 1632, 1638, 165152.
One of the major documents of modern european civilization, robert burtons astounding compendium, a survey of melancholy in all its myriad forms, has invited nothing but superlatives since its publication in the seventeenth century. The anatomy of melancholy, robert burton, 1621 ad this great book was destined to become the most frequently reprinted psychiatric text. Robert burton lived and died for his anatomy of melancholy. Today is the birthdate of bob hope, physicist peter higgs, and composer danny elfman. Melvyn bragg and his guests discuss robert burtons masterpiece the anatomy of melancholy. The book under discussion is one of sir philips favourites. Publication date 1883 topics melancholy publisher philadelphia, e. Up for sale is a vintage 1941 the anatomy of melancholy by robert burton. This is part of my ongoing project to read maximalist fiction really, to read the longest, most complex books i can find. I have finally finished a careful reading of robert burtons anatomy of melancholy, along with a wonderful book by ruth fox, the tangled chain. Nov 25, 2017 the anatomy of melancholy is, quite selfconsciously, the book to end all books. Anatomy melancholy by robert burton, first edition abebooks.
I have finally finished a careful reading of robert burton s anatomy of melancholy, along with a wonderful book by ruth fox, the tangled chain. The article continues on to say in 1621, robert burton published anatomy of melancholy. The anatomy of melancholy by robert burton 1086 words. First published in 1621, and hardly ever out of print since, it is a huge, varied, idiosyncratic, entertaining and learned survey of the experience of melancholy, seen from just about every possible angle that could be. Librivox recording of the anatomy of melancholy, volume 1, by robert burton. The anatomy of melancholy can depression be good for. Is robert burton s anatomy of melancholy literature of the emotion. The accuracy of burtons summary of renaissance thinking about melancholy has been more asserted than properly proved in modern scholarship, and often it is simply assumed. The anatomy of melancholy robert burton oxford university. The anatomy of melancholy by robert burton free ebook. The structure of disorder in the anatomy of melancholy. With all the kinds, causes, symptomes, prognostickes, and several cures of it.
Johnson said, was the only book that ever took him out of bed two hours sooner than he wished to rise. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 1424 pages and is available in paperback format. Robert burton english author, scholar, and clergyman. The immensely widely read robert burton compiled it from the books that existed in a 17thcentury library in order to explain and account for all human emotion and thought. Burton was educated at oxford, elected a student life fellow of christ church one of the colleges of. This is the third edition 1628 of burtons increasingly comprehensive text, first published in 1621 and expanded from 1624 to 1651.
It divides these traditions into four categoriesmedical, naturalphilosophical, moralphilosophical, and theologicaland surveys their conceptual contents from antiquity to the late renaissance. The anatomy of melancholy by robert burton contents. His selfstyled anatomy of the causes of melancholy is both ponderous and wittyquite in tune with burton s styling himself as democritus junior. Burtons anatomy of melancholy is a valuable book, said dr. Fish, in selfconsuming artifacts i write of melancholy, by being busy to avoid melancholy, explained robert burton, author of that rollicking compendium the anatomy of. Editions of the anatomy of melancholy by robert burton. The anatomy of melancholy is one of the most remarkable books ever written.
This article explores the significance of this combined method, showing how contemporary english religious writers use it and how burton himself develops it. I wouldnt call burtons anatomy of melancholy the literature of emotion. Aug, 2018 melvyn bragg and his guests discuss robert burton s masterpiece the anatomy of melancholy. Then the book covers the causes, symptoms, prognostics, and treatment of this disease and its various subdivisions including love melancholy, jealousy, religious melancholy, and despair, reflecting the year old humoral theory of disease, which already in burtons time was beginning to be discredited. Aug 17, 2001 the anatomy of melancholy by robert burton nyrb classics. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. First published in 1621, and hardly ever out of print since, it is a huge, varied, idiosyncratic, entertaining and learned survey of the experience of melancholy, seen from just about every possible angle that could be imagined. Whether or not this was the same man, the author of what is now called the anatomy it was burtons melancholy in the 17th century claimed to know the disease through personal experience. The anatomy of melancholy appeared in five editions during the authors lifetime and has been reprinted countless times since. This volume inaugurates an authoritative edition of the work, which is being prepared by a team of scholars from both sides of the atlantic. He served as a vicar in oxford and then as the rector of seagrave. The anatomy of melancholy audiobook by robert burton.
The anatomy of melancholy, burton, robert, good book. How could it be that i am just learning that pee wees big adventure was a tim burton movie, and not only that but his first. Robert burton 8 february 1577 25 january 1640 was an english scholar at oxford university, best known for the classic the anatomy of melancholy. The authors abstract of melancholy, d i a l o g v z. Burtons the anatomy of melancholy, which was first published in 1621 and reissued in several subsequent editions in the 17th century, was a vast, erudite behemoth of a book. Burtons anatomy of melancholy, 1628 the british library.
Aug 18, 2007 then the book covers the causes, symptoms, prognostics, and treatment of this disease and its various subdivisions including love melancholy, jealousy, religious melancholy, and despair, reflecting the year old humoral theory of disease, which already in burtons time was beginning to be discredited. The anatomy of melancholy poem by robert burton poem hunter. Nicholas lezard celebrates the anatomy of melancholy by robert burton, a 17thcentury compendium of human thought that is funnier than it sounds. It is hardcover and in good condition with yellowing, marks, light stains and rub wear to. In 1621 the priest and scholar robert burton published a book quite unlike any other. A checklist of a part of the collection in memory of sarah bixby smith 18711935. Robert burton, english scholar, writer, and anglican clergyman whose anatomy of melancholy is a masterpiece of style and a valuable index to the philosophical and psychological ideas of the time. Interestingly, they all incorporate and refer to the work of robert burtons the anatomy of melancholy to support their argument. The anatomy of melancholy by burton, robert book the fast free shipping.