Robert Burton (1577 – 1640)
English scholar at Oxford University, whose chief claim to fame is for writing The Anatomy of Melancholy.
Machiavel says virtue and riches seldom settle on one man.
Every man, as the saying is, can tame a shrew but he that hath her.
Almost in every kingdom the most ancient families have been at first princes' bastards.
Like him in ?sop, he whipped his horses withal, and put his shoulder to the wheel.
Seneca thinks the gods are well pleased when they see great men contending with adversity.
Christ himself was poor... And as he was himself, so he informed his apostles and disciples, they were all poor, prophets poor, apostles poor.
Hannibal, as he had mighty virtues, so had he many vices; he had two distinct persons in him.
The commonwealth of Venice in their armory have this inscription: "Happy is that city which in time of peace thinks of war."
Old friends become bitter enemies on a sudden for toys and small offenses.
Make a virtue of necessity.
Homer himself must beg if he want means, and as by report sometimes he did "go from door to door and sing ballads, with a company of boys about him."
We can say nothing but what hath been said. Our poets steal from Homer... Our story-dressers do as much; he that comes last is commonly best.
They lard their lean books with the fat of others' works.
A mere madness, to live like a wretch and die rich.
Like a hog, or dog in the manger, he doth only keep it because it shall do nobody else good, hurting himself and others.
As clear and as manifest as the nose in a man's face.
He is only fantastical that is not in fashion.
No cord nor cable can so forcibly draw, or hold so fast, as love can do with a twined thread.
To these crocodile tears they will add sobs, fiery sighs, and sorrowful countenance.
[Diseases] crucify the soul of man, attenuate our bodies, dry them, wither them, shrivel them up like old apples, make them so many anatomies.