Skip to content

Robert Burton on Character

1577–1640 England

← All quotes by Robert Burton

9 quotes

The fear of some divine and supreme powers keeps men in obedience.

The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621)

They have cheveril consciences that will stretch.

The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621)

Be fearful only of thyself, and stand in awe of none more than thine own conscience.

Hannibal, as he had mighty virtues, so had he many vices; he had two distinct persons in him.

The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621)

A good conscience is a continual feast.

The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621)

Melancholy and despair, though often, do not always concur; there is much difference: melancholy fears without a cause, this upon great occasion; melancholy is caused by fear and grief, but this torment procures them and all extremity of bitterness.

The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621)

What physic, what chirurgery, what wealth, favor, authority can relieve, bear out, assuage, or expel a troubled conscience? A quiet mind cureth all them, but all they cannot comfort a distressed soul: who can put to silence the voice of desperation?

The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621)

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.

The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621)

From their folded mates they wander far,
Their ways seem harsh and wild:
They follow the beck of a baleful star,
Their paths are dream-beguiled.

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Robert Burton (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.