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Sir Thomas Browne
- Close sectionPseudodoxia Epidemica
- TO THE READER.
- Close sectionTHE FIRST BOOK: OR, GENERALL PART.
- Chap. I . Of the Causes of Common Errors.
- Chap. II . A further illustration of the same.
- Chap. III . Of the second cause of Popular Errors; the erroneous disposition of the people.
- Chap. IIII Of the nearer and more Immediate Causes of popular errours, both in the Wiser, and common sort, Misapprehension, Fallacy, or false diduction, Credulity, Supinity, adherence unto Antiquitie, Tradition, and Authoritie.
- Chap. V . Of Credulity and Supinity.
- Chap. VI . Of adherence unto Antiquity.
- Chap. VII . Of Authority.
- Chap. VIII . A briefe enumeration of Authors.
- Chap. IX . Of the same.
- Chap. X . Of the last and common promoter of false Opinions, the endeavours of Satan.
- Chap. XI . A further Illustration.
- Close sectionTHE SECOND BOOK: Of sundry popular Tenents concerning Minerall, and vegetable bodies, generally held for trueth, which examined, prove either false, or dubious.
- Chap. I . Of Crystall.
- Chap. II . Concerning the Loadstone. Of things particularly spoken thereof evidently or probably true. Of things generally beleeved, or particularly delivered, manifestly or probably false. In the first of the Magneticall vertue of the earth, of the foure motions of the stone, that is, its Verticity or direction, its Attraction or Coition, its declination, its Variation, and also of its Antiquity. In the second a rejection of sundry opinions and relations thereof, Naturall, Medicall, Historicall, Magicall.
- Chap. III . Concerning the Loadstone, therein of sundry common opinions, and received several relations, Naturall, Historicall, Medicall, Magicall.
- Chap. IV . Of bodies Electricall.
- Chap. V . Compendiously of sundry other common Tenents, concerning Minerall and Terreous bodies, which examined, prove either false or dubious.
- Chap. VI . Of sundry tenents concerning vegetables or Plants, which examined, prove either false or dubious.
- Chap. VII . Of some Insects, and the properties of severall plants.
- Close sectionTHE THIRD BOOK. Of divers popular and received Tenents concerning Animals, which examined, prove either false or dubious.
- Chap. I . Of the Elephant.
- Chap. II . Of the Horse.
- Chap. III . Of the Dove.
- Chap. IV . Of the Bever.
- Chap. V . Of the Badger.
- Chap. VI . Of the Beare.
- Chap. VII . Of the Basilisk.
- Chap. VIII . Of the Wolfe.
- Chap. IX . Of the Deere.
- Chap. X . Of the Kingfisher.
- Chap. XI . Of Griffons.
- Chap. XII . Of the Phænix.
- Chap. XIII . Of Frogges, Toades, and Toad-stone.
- Chap. XIV . Of the Salamander.
- Chap. XV . Of the Amphisbæna.
- Chap. XVI . Of the Viper.
- Chap. XVII . Of Hares.
- Chap. XVIII . Of Moles, or Molls.
- Chap. XIX . Of Lampries.
- Chap. XX . Of Snayles.
- Chap. XXI . Of the Cameleon.
- Chap. XXII . Of the Oestridge.
- Chap. XXIII . Of Unicornes hornes.
- Chap. XXIV . That all Animals of the Land, are in their kinde in the Sea.
- Chap. XXV . Concerning the common course of Diet, in making choice of some Animals, and abstaining from eating others.
- Chap. XXVI . Of Sperma-Ceti, and the Sperma-Ceti Whale.
- Chap. XXVII . Compendiously of sundry Tenents concerning other Animals, which examined prove either false or dubious.
- Chap. XXVIII . Of some others.
- Close sectionTHE FOVRTH BOOK. Of many popular and received Tenents concerning Man, which examined, prove either false or dubious.
- Chap. I . Of the erectnesse of Man.
- Chap. II . Of the heart.
- Chap. III . Of Pleurisies.
- Chap. IV . Of the Ring finger.
- Chap. V . Of the right and left Hand.
- Chap. VI . Of Swimming and Floating.
- Chap. VII . Concerning Weight.
- Chap. VIII . Of the passage of meate and drinke.
- Chap. IX . Of Sneezing.
- Chap. X . Of the Iewes.
- Chap. XI . Of Pigmies.
- Chap. XII . Of the great Climactericall yeare, that is, sixty three.
- Chap. XIII . Of the Canicular or Dogdayes.
- Close sectionTHE FIFTH BOOK. Of many things questionable as they are commonly described in Pictures.
- Chap. I . Of the picture of the Pelecan.
- Chap. II . Of the picture of Dolphins.
- Chap. III . Of the Picture of a Grashopper.
- Chap. IV . Of the picture of the Serpent tempting Eve.
- Chap. V . Of the Picture of Adam and Eve with Navells.
- Chap. VI . Of the Pictures of Easterne Nations, and the Jews at their feasts, especially our Saviour at the Passeover.
- Chap. VII . Of the picture of our Saviour with long hayre.
- Chap. VIII . Of the picture of Abraham sacrificing Isaac.
- Chap. IX . Of the Picture of Moses with Hornes.
- Chap. X . Of the Scucheons of the Tribes of Israel.
- Chap. XI . Of the Pictures of the Sibylls.
- Chap. XII . Of the Picture describing the death of Cleopatra.
- Chap. XIII . Of the Pictures of the nine Worthies.
- Chap. XIV . Of the Picture of Jephthah sacrificing his daughter.
- Chap. XV . Of the picture of Iohn the Baptist.
- Chap. XVI . Of the picture of S. Christopher.
- Chap. XVII . Of the Picture of S. George.
- Chap. XVIII . Of the Picture of St. Jerome.
- Chap. XIX . Of the Pictures of Mermaids, Unicornes, and some others.
- Chap. XX . Of the Hieroglyphicall pictures of the Egyptians.
- Chap. XXI . Of the Picture of Haman hanged.
- Chap. XXII . Compendiously of many questionable customes, opinions, pictures, practises, and popular observations.
- Chap. XXIII . Of some others.
- Close sectionTHE SIXTH BOOK. Of sundry common opinions Cosmographicall and Historicall. The first Discourse comprehended in severall Chapters.
- Chap. I . Concerning the beginning of the World, that the time thereof is not precisely to bee knowne, as men generally suppose: Of mens enquiries in what season or point of the Zodiack it began. That as they are generally made they are in vaine, and as particularly applyed uncertain. Of the division of the seasons and foure quarters of the yeare, according to Astronomers and Physitians. That the common compute of the Ancients, and which is yet retained by most, is unreasonable and erroneous. Of some divinations and ridiculous diductions from one part of the yeare to another. And of the providence and wisdome of God in the site and motion of the Sun.
- Chap. II . Of mens Enquiries in what season or point of the Zodiack it began, that as they are generally made they are in vaine, and as particularly, uncertaine.
- Chap. III . Of the Divisions of the seasons and foure quarters of the yeare, according unto Astronomers and Physitians: that the common compute of the Ancients, and which is still retained by some, is very questionable.
- Chap. IV . Of some computation of dayes and diductions of one part of the year unto another.
- Chap. V . A Digression of the wisdome of God in the site and motion of the Sun.
- Chap. VI . Concerning the vulgar opinion that the earth was slenderly peopled before the Floud.
- Chap. VII . Of East and West.
- Chap. VIII . Of the River Nilus.
- CHAP. IX . Of the Red Sea.
- CHAP. X . Of the Blacknesse of Negroes.
- Chap. XI . Of the same.
- Chap. XII . A digression concerning Blacknesse.
- Chap. XIII . Of Gypsies.
- Chap. XIV . Of some others.
- Close sectionTHE SEVENTH BOOKE. Concerning many Historicall Tenents generally received, and some deduced from the History of holy Scripture.
- Chap. I . Of the Forbidden fruit.
- Chap. II . That a man hath one rib lesse then a woman.
- Chap. III . Of Methuselah.
- Chap. IV . That there was no Rainebow before the Flood.
- CHAP. V. Of Sem, Ham and Japhet.
- Chap. VI . That the Tower of Babel was erected against a second deluge.
- Chap. VII . Of the Mandrakes of Leah.
- Chap. VIII . Of the three Kings of Collein.
- Chap. IX . Of the food of John Baptist, Locusts and wilde hony.
- Chap. X . That John the Evangelist should not dye.
- Chap. XI . More compendiously of some others.
- Chap. XII . Of the cessation of Oracles.
- Chap. XIII . Of the death of Aristotle.
- Chap. XIV . Of the Wish of Philoxenus.
- Chap. XV . Of the Lake Asphaltites.
- Chap. XVI . Of divers other relations.
- Chap. XVII . Of some others.
- Chap. XVIII . More briefly of some others.
- Chap. XIX . Of some relations whose truth we feare.
Robin Robbins (ed.), Sir Thomas Browne's Pseudodoxia Epidemica, Vol. 1
Contents
- Close section Front Matter
- Close sectionPseudodoxia Epidemica
- TO THE READER.
- Close sectionTHE FIRST BOOK: OR, GENERALL PART.
- Chap. I . Of the Causes of Common Errors.
- Chap. II . A further illustration of the same.
- Chap. III . Of the second cause of Popular Errors; the erroneous disposition of the people.
- Chap. IIII Of the nearer and more Immediate Causes of popular errours, both in the Wiser, and common sort, Misapprehension, Fallacy, or false diduction, Credulity, Supinity, adherence unto Antiquitie, Tradition, and Authoritie.
- Chap. V . Of Credulity and Supinity.
- Chap. VI . Of adherence unto Antiquity.
- Chap. VII . Of Authority.
- Chap. VIII . A briefe enumeration of Authors.
- Chap. IX . Of the same.
- Chap. X . Of the last and common promoter of false Opinions, the endeavours of Satan.
- Chap. XI . A further Illustration.
- Close sectionTHE SECOND BOOK: Of sundry popular Tenents concerning Minerall, and vegetable bodies, generally held for trueth, which examined, prove either false, or dubious.
- Chap. I . Of Crystall.
- Chap. II . Concerning the Loadstone. Of things particularly spoken thereof evidently or probably true. Of things generally beleeved, or particularly delivered, manifestly or probably false. In the first of the Magneticall vertue of the earth, of the foure motions of the stone, that is, its Verticity or direction, its Attraction or Coition, its declination, its Variation, and also of its Antiquity. In the second a rejection of sundry opinions and relations thereof, Naturall, Medicall, Historicall, Magicall.
- Chap. III . Concerning the Loadstone, therein of sundry common opinions, and received several relations, Naturall, Historicall, Medicall, Magicall.
- Chap. IV . Of bodies Electricall.
- Chap. V . Compendiously of sundry other common Tenents, concerning Minerall and Terreous bodies, which examined, prove either false or dubious.
- Chap. VI . Of sundry tenents concerning vegetables or Plants, which examined, prove either false or dubious.
- Chap. VII . Of some Insects, and the properties of severall plants.
- Close sectionTHE THIRD BOOK. Of divers popular and received Tenents concerning Animals, which examined, prove either false or dubious.
- Chap. I . Of the Elephant.
- Chap. II . Of the Horse.
- Chap. III . Of the Dove.
- Chap. IV . Of the Bever.
- Chap. V . Of the Badger.
- Chap. VI . Of the Beare.
- Chap. VII . Of the Basilisk.
- Chap. VIII . Of the Wolfe.
- Chap. IX . Of the Deere.
- Chap. X . Of the Kingfisher.
- Chap. XI . Of Griffons.
- Chap. XII . Of the Phænix.
- Chap. XIII . Of Frogges, Toades, and Toad-stone.
- Chap. XIV . Of the Salamander.
- Chap. XV . Of the Amphisbæna.
- Chap. XVI . Of the Viper.
- Chap. XVII . Of Hares.
- Chap. XVIII . Of Moles, or Molls.
- Chap. XIX . Of Lampries.
- Chap. XX . Of Snayles.
- Chap. XXI . Of the Cameleon.
- Chap. XXII . Of the Oestridge.
- Chap. XXIII . Of Unicornes hornes.
- Chap. XXIV . That all Animals of the Land, are in their kinde in the Sea.
- Chap. XXV . Concerning the common course of Diet, in making choice of some Animals, and abstaining from eating others.
- Chap. XXVI . Of Sperma-Ceti, and the Sperma-Ceti Whale.
- Chap. XXVII . Compendiously of sundry Tenents concerning other Animals, which examined prove either false or dubious.
- Chap. XXVIII . Of some others.
- Close sectionTHE FOVRTH BOOK. Of many popular and received Tenents concerning Man, which examined, prove either false or dubious.
- Chap. I . Of the erectnesse of Man.
- Chap. II . Of the heart.
- Chap. III . Of Pleurisies.
- Chap. IV . Of the Ring finger.
- Chap. V . Of the right and left Hand.
- Chap. VI . Of Swimming and Floating.
- Chap. VII . Concerning Weight.
- Chap. VIII . Of the passage of meate and drinke.
- Chap. IX . Of Sneezing.
- Chap. X . Of the Iewes.
- Chap. XI . Of Pigmies.
- Chap. XII . Of the great Climactericall yeare, that is, sixty three.
- Chap. XIII . Of the Canicular or Dogdayes.
- Close sectionTHE FIFTH BOOK. Of many things questionable as they are commonly described in Pictures.
- Chap. I . Of the picture of the Pelecan.
- Chap. II . Of the picture of Dolphins.
- Chap. III . Of the Picture of a Grashopper.
- Chap. IV . Of the picture of the Serpent tempting Eve.
- Chap. V . Of the Picture of Adam and Eve with Navells.
- Chap. VI . Of the Pictures of Easterne Nations, and the Jews at their feasts, especially our Saviour at the Passeover.
- Chap. VII . Of the picture of our Saviour with long hayre.
- Chap. VIII . Of the picture of Abraham sacrificing Isaac.
- Chap. IX . Of the Picture of Moses with Hornes.
- Chap. X . Of the Scucheons of the Tribes of Israel.
- Chap. XI . Of the Pictures of the Sibylls.
- Chap. XII . Of the Picture describing the death of Cleopatra.
- Chap. XIII . Of the Pictures of the nine Worthies.
- Chap. XIV . Of the Picture of Jephthah sacrificing his daughter.
- Chap. XV . Of the picture of Iohn the Baptist.
- Chap. XVI . Of the picture of S. Christopher.
- Chap. XVII . Of the Picture of S. George.
- Chap. XVIII . Of the Picture of St. Jerome.
- Chap. XIX . Of the Pictures of Mermaids, Unicornes, and some others.
- Chap. XX . Of the Hieroglyphicall pictures of the Egyptians.
- Chap. XXI . Of the Picture of Haman hanged.
- Chap. XXII . Compendiously of many questionable customes, opinions, pictures, practises, and popular observations.
- Chap. XXIII . Of some others.
- Close sectionTHE SIXTH BOOK. Of sundry common opinions Cosmographicall and Historicall. The first Discourse comprehended in severall Chapters.
- Chap. I . Concerning the beginning of the World, that the time thereof is not precisely to bee knowne, as men generally suppose: Of mens enquiries in what season or point of the Zodiack it began. That as they are generally made they are in vaine, and as particularly applyed uncertain. Of the division of the seasons and foure quarters of the yeare, according to Astronomers and Physitians. That the common compute of the Ancients, and which is yet retained by most, is unreasonable and erroneous. Of some divinations and ridiculous diductions from one part of the yeare to another. And of the providence and wisdome of God in the site and motion of the Sun.
- Chap. II . Of mens Enquiries in what season or point of the Zodiack it began, that as they are generally made they are in vaine, and as particularly, uncertaine.
- Chap. III . Of the Divisions of the seasons and foure quarters of the yeare, according unto Astronomers and Physitians: that the common compute of the Ancients, and which is still retained by some, is very questionable.
- Chap. IV . Of some computation of dayes and diductions of one part of the year unto another.
- Chap. V . A Digression of the wisdome of God in the site and motion of the Sun.
- Chap. VI . Concerning the vulgar opinion that the earth was slenderly peopled before the Floud.
- Chap. VII . Of East and West.
- Chap. VIII . Of the River Nilus.
- CHAP. IX . Of the Red Sea.
- CHAP. X . Of the Blacknesse of Negroes.
- Chap. XI . Of the same.
- Chap. XII . A digression concerning Blacknesse.
- Chap. XIII . Of Gypsies.
- Chap. XIV . Of some others.
- Close sectionTHE SEVENTH BOOKE. Concerning many Historicall Tenents generally received, and some deduced from the History of holy Scripture.
- Chap. I . Of the Forbidden fruit.
- Chap. II . That a man hath one rib lesse then a woman.
- Chap. III . Of Methuselah.
- Chap. IV . That there was no Rainebow before the Flood.
- CHAP. V. Of Sem, Ham and Japhet.
- Chap. VI . That the Tower of Babel was erected against a second deluge.
- Chap. VII . Of the Mandrakes of Leah.
- Chap. VIII . Of the three Kings of Collein.
- Chap. IX . Of the food of John Baptist, Locusts and wilde hony.
- Chap. X . That John the Evangelist should not dye.
- Chap. XI . More compendiously of some others.
- Chap. XII . Of the cessation of Oracles.
- Chap. XIII . Of the death of Aristotle.
- Chap. XIV . Of the Wish of Philoxenus.
- Chap. XV . Of the Lake Asphaltites.
- Chap. XVI . Of divers other relations.
- Chap. XVII . Of some others.
- Chap. XVIII . More briefly of some others.
- Chap. XIX . Of some relations whose truth we feare.
- Close section End Matter
