Sketches of Imposture: Deception and Credulity |
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Page 7
... circumstance , that their superstition was compromised by the metamorphoses of their favourite heroes and deities into saints and martyrs . As an instance of which , it will hereafter be shown , that the statues of the ancient gods ...
... circumstance , that their superstition was compromised by the metamorphoses of their favourite heroes and deities into saints and martyrs . As an instance of which , it will hereafter be shown , that the statues of the ancient gods ...
Page 8
... circumstances of her story were after- wards , according to the genius of those ages , turned into a fable , which was commonly told , in the time of Herodotus , by the Dodonæan priests . A black pigeon , they said , flew from Thebes in ...
... circumstances of her story were after- wards , according to the genius of those ages , turned into a fable , which was commonly told , in the time of Herodotus , by the Dodonæan priests . A black pigeon , they said , flew from Thebes in ...
Page 10
... circumstance of fire being so frequently an object of veneration amongst pagans , is thought to have arisen thus : the sun , as a source of light and heat , was the most evident and most benignant of the natural agents ; and was ...
... circumstance of fire being so frequently an object of veneration amongst pagans , is thought to have arisen thus : the sun , as a source of light and heat , was the most evident and most benignant of the natural agents ; and was ...
Page 11
... circumstance with respect to it . The Chal- deans asserted that their god was the strongest and most powerful of all gods ; since they had not met with any one that could resist his force ; so that when- ever they happened to seize upon ...
... circumstance with respect to it . The Chal- deans asserted that their god was the strongest and most powerful of all gods ; since they had not met with any one that could resist his force ; so that when- ever they happened to seize upon ...
Page 12
... circumstance the in- genuity of the priests would no doubt be sure to avail themselves ; and this may also account for the hour of sunrise being chosen for the oracular responses . To confirm the probability of this solution of the ...
... circumstance the in- genuity of the priests would no doubt be sure to avail themselves ; and this may also account for the hour of sunrise being chosen for the oracular responses . To confirm the probability of this solution of the ...
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Common terms and phrases
afterwards Albert Durer alchemy ancient appeared asserted astonishing astrologers became believed Bezoar blood body called Casilinum celebrated CHAPTER character Charles circumstance concealed credulity cure curious death deception delusion discovered diseases divine doubt Duke Duke of Mantua emperor enemies England engraved excited extraordinary favour forgery fraud French gave gold hand Heaven honour hundred imposture Iron Mask Jews Joanna Southcott John of Leyden king lamps Lauder learned letters Lord magnetism manner Mary Tofts Matthioli medicine ment Milton miracle mystery nature never oracle original painted painter patient Paul Veronese performed persons poems Polong Pope possessed practised pretended priests prince prophet proved received royal Sabatai says secret seems sent Shakspeare Shaman soon South Sea South Sea Company stone superstition supposed sword temple thou thought thousand tion took trick Tuju Vampyres woman wonderful Xenophon
Popular passages
Page 299 - gainst that season comes Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated, The bird of dawning singeth all night long...
Page 288 - ... but could not, by the nicest scrutiny, discover the least symptom of life in him. We reasoned a long time about this odd appearance, as well as we could, and...
Page 211 - The moon on the east oriel shone, Through slender shafts of shapely stone, By foliaged tracery combined ; Thou would'st have thought some fairy's hand, "Twixt poplars straight, the osier wand, In many a freakish knot, had twined ; Then framed a spell, when the work was done, And changed the willow wreaths to stone.
Page 350 - So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
Page 296 - Look, where he comes ! Not poppy, nor mandragora, Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world, Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep Which thou ow'dst yesterday.
Page 121 - ... (For they will come out after us,) till we have drawn them from the city: for they will say. They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them.
Page 288 - ... examined his Arm, Heart, and Breath, but could not by the nicest Scrutiny discover the least Symptom of Life in him. We reasoned a long Time about this odd Appearance as well as we could, and...
Page 281 - This correction made his description more striking than it had been without it, since Lord Nelson generally had his empty sleeve attached to the breast of his coat, but it was the right arm that he had lost. Without saying that I suspected the boy had made a mistake, I asked the magician whether the objects appeared in the ink as if actually before the eyes, or as if in a glass, which makes the right appear left. He answered that they appeared as in a mirror. This rendered the boy's description...
Page 288 - Skrine held a clean looking-glass to his mouth. I found his pulse sink gradually, till at last I could not feel any, by the most exact and nice touch.
Page 199 - Travels in the Interior of Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to Morocco, from the Years 1781 to 1797; through Caffraria, the Kingdoms of Mataman, Angola, Massi, Monoemugi, Muschatio, &c.