The Philosophy of WitchcraftG. G. Harrap & Company Limited, 1925 - 218 pages |
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ancient attitude beautiful became belief Bishop of Noyon body Bronze Age castle challenge Christ Christendom Christian civilization condemnation cure dancing dancing green dark death demons Devil Dianic cult disease divine doctor doctrine early earth eternal ethical Europe evidence evil fairy faith G. G. Coulton hand heaven herbs historical witch human hypothesis IAN FERGUSON ideal innocent intellectual Kirk knowledge magic manse material medicine medium Middle Ages mind minister modern moral mystery natural never nineteenth century pagan parish passion patient peasantry persecution person phenomena philosophy of witchcraft practical preached priest primitive produced Professor Richet progress psychic records Reformation religion religious revelation rites ritual Roman sabbaths Satan scepticism scientific Scotland Scots Scots Kirk séances sense sickness simply Sir Oliver Lodge social spiritual values spiritualist subconscious supernatural superstition surgery telepathy theology things thought tion to-day trance conditions wise woman women words worship
Popular passages
Page 98 - Farewell, rewards and fairies, Good housewives now may say, For now foul sluts in dairies Do fare as well as they ; And though they sweep their hearths no less Than maids were wont to do, Yet who of late for cleanliness Finds sixpence in her shoe ? " Lament, lament, old abbeys, The fairies' lost command ; They did but change priests...
Page 205 - It were better to have no opinion of God at all, than such an Opinion as is unworthy of him : for the one is unbelief, the other is contumely : and certainly superstition is the reproach of the Deity. Plutarch saith well to that purpose :
Page 65 - Of ill-shaped fishes; and about his shelves A beggarly account of empty boxes, Green earthen pots, bladders and musty seeds, Remnants of packthread and old cakes of roses, Were thinly scattered, to make up a show.
Page 101 - It is said, you remember, that mediaeval philosophers debated such vital questions as how many angels could stand on the point of a needle.
Page 153 - Thus equipped, and night and day waked and watched by some skilful person appointed by her inquisitors, the unhappy creature, after ' a few days of such discipline, maddened by the misery of her forlorn and helpless state, would be rendered fit for confessing anything, in order to be rid of the dregs of her wretched life. At intervals fresh examinations took place, and these were repeated from time to time, until her " contumacy," as it was termed, was subdued.
Page 158 - It is true likewise, that the English in general, and indeed most of the men of learning in Europe, have given up all accounts of witches and apparitions, as mere old wives' fables. I am sorry for it; and I willingly take this opportunity of entering my solemn protest against this violent compliment which so many that believe the Bible pay to those who do not believe it. I owe them no such service.
Page 98 - Of limitours,* and other holy freres, That searchen every land and every stream, As thick as motes in the...
Page 60 - Some medicines are to be exploded, that consist of words, characters, spells, and charms, which can do no good at all, but out of a strong conceit, as Pomponatius proves ; or the devil's policy, who is the first founder and teacher of them.
Page 135 - Duff, a rank witch, burnt in Inverness. This Paterson came up to the church of Wardlaw, and within the church pricked 14 women and one man brought thither by the Chisholm of Commer, and 4 brought by Andrew Fraser, chamerlan of Ferrintosh.
Page 75 - A new sponge is soaked by them in these juices and left to dry in the sun; and when they have need of it they put this sponge into warm water and then hold it under the nostrils of the patient until he goes to sleep.