The Anatomy of Melancholy Blog Archives

August 1, 2022August 1, 2022devonisadevon

Anatomy of Melancholy, 287-292 — Pt. I, Sec. 2, Mem. III, Subsect. 14 — Philautia, or Self-love, Vainglory, Praise, Honour, Immoderate Applause, Pride, overmuch Joy, etc., Causes

Whatever you call it, “overmuch Joy” and love of “immoderate applause” being my personal favorites, pride is no good thing: “This acceptable disease, which so sweetly sets upon us, ravisheth our senses, lulls our souls asleep, puffs up our hearts as so many bladders.” I really wanted to draw a puffed up bladder for this […]

January 23, 2021January 23, 2021devonisadevon

Anatomy of Melancholy, 269-271 — Pt. I, Sec. 2, Mem. III, Subsect. 9 — Anger a Cause

“Look into our histories, and you shall almost meet with no other subject, but what a company of harebrains have done in their rage. “

January 15, 2020January 15, 2020devonisadevon

Anatomy of Melancholy, 245-249 – Pt. I, Sec. 2, Mem. II, Subs. 6 – Immoderate Exercise a Cause, and how. Solitariness, Idleness (cont.)

We have covered idleness, so now on to solitude. In brief, unless you are freaking Socrates – and let’s be honest about this, because it is important, we are none of us Socrates – excessive solitude is bad for you and bad for everyone around you. This section had me thinking about those pro-introvert comics […]

November 19, 2019November 19, 2019devonisadevon

Anatomy of Melancholy, 225 – 229 – Pt. I, Sec. 2, Mem. II, Subs. 2 – Quantity of Diet a Cause

Are we done with this interminable “meats” section yet? Oh no. No we are not. Now that Burton has cataloged the different kinds of foodstuffs, he is on to just how much of these foodstuffs one should consume: As a lamp is choked with a multitude of oil, or a little fire with overmuch wood […]

March 5, 2019March 5, 2019devonisadevon

Anatomy of Melancholy, Squids in Socks – Our style betrawes us.

I drew another squid. “It is most true, stylus virum arguit,—our style bewrayes us.” — The Anatomy of Melancholy, Robert Burton

November 7, 2017devonisadevon

Anatomy of Melancholy, 170-172: Memb. III, Subsect. II – Of the Part Affected. Affection. Parties Affected.

Were you born under Saturn? Do you live in a climate that is too cold? Too hot? Too moist? Are you too moist generally? Is your head unusually small? These are just a few of the many sources of a saturnine temperament. Here Burton also addresses the hotly debated topic of whether melancholy affects […]