Robert Burton
Robert Burton
An Oxford University scholar, he is best known for his classic 1621 work, The Anatomy of Melancholy. He was also a mathematician and an amateur astrologer.
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionTeacher
Date of Birth8 February 1577
anxiety cares fear full heart life silence
Most part of a lover's life is full of agony, anxiety, fear and grief, complaints, sighs, suspicions, and cares (heigh-ho my heart is woe), full of silence and irksome solitariness
attending bad english-writer good hath life man particular
Every man hath a good and a bad angel attending on him in particular all his life long.
deeper english-writer strikes
A blow with a word strikes deeper than a blow with a sword.
english-writer marriage
One was never married, and that's his hell; another is, and that's his plague.
gay life love nature night summer wanting
What is life, when wanting love? Night without a morning; love's the cloudless summer sun, nature gay adorning.
families
Almost in every kingdom the most ancient families have been at first princes' bastards.
hearing melancholy men pleasing present remedy therefore
Many men are melancholy by hearing music, but it is a pleasing melancholy that it causeth; and therefore to such as are discontent, in woe, fear, sorrow, or dejected, it is a most present remedy
father son struck
Diogenes struck the father when the son swore
humility proud
They are proud in humility, proud that they are not proud.
humility proud
They are proud in humility; proud in that they are not proud
bitter drink freely health indeed lies man open precious preserve purse recover restore thee undergo
Health indeed is a precious thing, to recover and preserve which we undergo any misery, drink bitter potions, freely give our goods: restore a man to his health, his purse lies open to thee
cruel pen sword
How much more cruel the pen may be than the sword
books books-and-reading fat lean works
They lard their lean books with the fat of others' works
joys naught sweet
All my joys to this are folly, / Naught so sweet as melancholy.