Robert Burton (8 February 1577 – 25 January 1640) was an English writer and scholar at Oxford University (at Christ Church), known chiefly for writing The Anatomy of Melancholy.
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Who cannot give good counsel? 'Tis cheap, it costs them nothing.
See one promontory (said Socrates of old), one mountain, one sea, one river, and see all.
Our conscience, which is a great ledger book, wherein are written all our offenses...grinds our souls with the remembrance of some precedent sins, makes us reflect upon, accuse and condemn ourselves.
Though it rain daggers with their points downward.
All my joys to this are folly Naught so sweet as melancholy.
Everything, saith Epictetus, hath two handles,—the one to be held by, the other not.
Hinc quam sic calamus sævior ense, patet. The pen worse than the sword.
Rob Peter, and pay Paul.
Almost in every kingdom the most ancient families have been at first princes' bastards.
Diogenes struck the father when the son swore.
The Chinese say that we Europeans have one eye, they themselves two, all the world else is blinde.
Aristotle said melancholy men of all others are most witty.
Where God hath a temple, the Devil will have a chapel.
To these crocodile tears they will add sobs, fiery sighs, and sorrowful countenance.
I had not time to lick it into form, as a bear doth her young ones.