Anatomy of Melancholy, 292-300 — Pt. I, Sec. 2, Mem. III, Subsect. 14 — Philautia, or Self-love, Vainglory, Praise, Honour, Immoderate Applause, Pride, overmuch Joy, etc., Causes (Monks)

You know who else is mad with vainglory and philautia? Monks! Hypocritical monk self-love is one of the most vexing problems facing the modern world. Monks are “insensibly mad, and know not of it, such as contemn all praise and glory, think themselves most free whenas indeed they are most mad.” I’m mostly kidding about […]

Anatomy of Melancholy, 159-160: Subsect. VII – Of the Inward Senses

  In this section Burton discourses on common sense, phantasy (or imagination), and memory. On imagination he writes: In melancholy men this faculty is most powerful and strong, and often hurts, producing many monstrous and prodigious things, especially if it be stirred up by some terrible object, presented to it from common sense or memory. In […]