Robert Burton: The Anatomy of Melancholy: Volume VI: Commentary on the Third Partition, together with Biobibliographical and Topical Indexes (Oxford English Texts)

This, the final volume of the Clarendon Press edition of Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy, contains commentary on the Third Partition, in which Burton considers two especial forms of the disease, Love and Religious Melancholy. In treating of these Burton had fewer precedents to follow than in previous sections, but he was able to draw largely on his extensive knowledge of classical literature and also on his acquaintance with English drama and poetry (including popular verse). As ever his range of reference to other authors is wide, and the volume includes an index which gives biographical and bibliographical information concerning the more than 1550 authorities cited in the Anatomy, most of whom are little known today. Also included are an index of the major topics discussed in the Anatomy, and a complete bibliography of all the works mentioned in the commentary.