Anatomie melancholie – Burton Robert (2023)

Robert Burton's book on melancholy was first published in 1621 and is among the most famous and widely read works of its time. However, its theme is ancient, as Aristotle was the first to address it. At the core of the doctrine of the four temperaments lies the theory of the elements in Greek pre-Socratic philosophy and medicine (Hippocrates, Galen). Burton's treatment is unique despite dozens of others, precisely because it is a true 'anatomy,' a detailed analysis of all the connections of the given phenomenon. In accordance with the literary conventions of the 17th century, it follows and captures analogies, starting with the fundamental one, which is the analogy of the microcosm and macrocosm, or the projection of the doctrine of the four temperaments onto a cosmic scale. The book itself, however, is not 'melancholic' – it aims to educate and entertain the reader. The author has a lively interest in astronomy, which is not yet strictly separated from astrology, presents the thinking characteristic of Shakespeare's heroes in a popular manner, and explores the influence of music on the human mind, among other topics. Burton's work on melancholy, which is a fundamental source for most subsequent treatments of this theme, is now being released in a new edition in the Střed series.