Skip to content

Tobacco, divine, rare, superexcellent tobacco, which goes far beyond all the panaceas, potable gold, and philosopher's stones, a sovereign remedy to all diseases...but as it is commonly abused by most men, which take it as tinkers do ale, 'tis a plague, a mischief, a violent purger of goods, lands, health, hellish, devilish and damned tobacco, the ruin and overthrow of body and soul.

— Robert Burton The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621)

Another quote →

More quotes by Robert Burton

The Chinese say that we Europeans have one eye, they themselves two, all the world else is blinde.

The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621)

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

The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621)

He that will not when he may,
When he will he shall have nay.

Anatomy of a Melancholy (1621)

Every man for himself, his own ends, the Devil for all.

The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621)

As clear and as manifest as the nose in a man's face.

The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621)

All Robert Burton quotes →

Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Robert Burton (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.