The Anatomy of Melancholy

So he satirizes...

the opinions of some respected authors and their works, particularly Robert Burton, who was the author of The Anatomy of Melancholy, which was a popular book back in 17th and 18th centuries.

And he lifts whole passages from Robert Burton in order to kind of demolish them.

Robert Burton, catching strays.

Hi, I'm Erin Welsh, and this is This Podcast Will Kill You.

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If not actually the illustrious father CRC referred to in the Rosicrucian manifestos, he was certainly a high initiate of the Rosicrucian Order, and it is his activities in connection with this secret body that are of prime importance to students of symbolism, philosophy, and literature.

The title page of Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy.

From Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy.

Baconian experts declare Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy to be in reality Francis Bacon's scrapbook in which he gathered strange and rare bits of knowledge during the many years of eventful life.

This title page has long been supposed to contain a cryptic message.

The key to this cipher is the pointing figure of the maniac in the lower right-hand corner of the design.

So skipping ahead to the modern era, we start to see an obsession with categorizing the mind.

In 1621, Robert Burton writes The Anatomy of Melancholy.

He starts talking about lifestyle factors, diet, biological rhythms, passions.

Right.