Chapter 5

           "Hardstudentsarecommonlytroubledwithgowts,catarrhs,rheums,cachexia,bradypepsia,badeyes,stone,andcollick,crudities,oppilations,vertigo,winds,consumptions,andallsuchdiseasesascomebyover-muchsitting:theyaremostpartlean,dry,ill-colored...andallthroughimmoderatepainsandextraordinarystudies.Ifyouwillnotbelievethetruthofthis,lookupongreatTostatusandThomasAquainas’works;andtellmewhetherthosementookpains."—BURTON’SAnatomyofMelancholy,P.I,s.2.

           ThiswasMr.Casaubon’sletter.

           MYDEARMissBrooke—Ihaveyourguardian’spermissiontoaddressyouonasubjectthanwhichIhavenonemoreatheart.Iamnot,Itrust,mistakenintherecognitionofsomedeepercorrespondencethanthatofdateinthefactthataconsciousnessofneedinmyownlifehadarisencontemporaneouslywiththepossibilityofmybecomingacquaintedwithyou.Forinthefirsthourofmeetingyou,Ihadanimpressionofyoureminentandperhapsexclusivefitnesstosupplythatneed(connected,Imaysay,withsuchactivityoftheaffectionsaseventhepreoccupationsofaworktoospecialtobeabdicatedcouldnotuninterruptedlydissimulate);andeachsucceedingopportunityforobservationhasgiventheimpressionanaddeddepthbyconvincingmemoreemphaticallyofthatfitnesswhichIhadpreconceived,andthusevokingmoredecisivelythoseaffectionstowhichIhavebutnowreferred.