Chapter 10, Digression of Air Summary and Analysis

During the Cure of Melancholy section, Robert Burton digresses. Here he writes about a puzzling phenomenon. The idea that the races of man, which have often been categorized by various features, including but not limited to skin tone, emerged as an adaptation to their environment seems sound. The author shows that elevation and distance from the equator and temperature of a given region have all been surmised to have caused these differences. He then shows that there is evidence to the contrary and this is the real source of some confusion and skepticism regarding the true causes for variations in the coloring of human beings. This then proceeds into speculation about the global atmosphere. They have figured out that diseases and insects can be carried through the air, as can the necessary water and some...