Burton, Robert

Robert (1577-1640), an English clergyman. He spent his life in study and the writing of one book, The Anatomy of Melancholy. He was educated at Oxford and was appointed fellow at the age of twenty-two. From that time he lived in libraries. He says of himself, "I have read many books, but to little purpose, for want of good method. I have confusedly tumbled over divers authors in our libraries with small profit, for want of art, order, memory, judgment." See Anatomy Of Melancholy

Doctor and poet, man of letters and savant, he is all at once; for want of dams, ideas pour like different liquids into the same vat, with strange spluttering and bubbling, with an unsavory smell and odd effect.--Taine.

That fantastic great old man.--Lamb.

To whom melancholy gave life and death.--Epitaph by Burton himself.