Joseph Glanvill

Joseph Glanvill FRS (1636 – 4 November 1680) was an English writer, philosopher, and clergyman.

The Vanity of Dogmatizing (London: E.C. for Henry Eversden, 1661)

• For Mathematical Sciences, he that doubts their certainty, hath need of a dose of Hellebore.
  • Ch. 21

• The knowledge we have of the Mathematicks, hath no reason to elate us; since by them we know but numbers, and figures, creatures of our own, and are yet ignorant of our Maker's.
  • Ch. 21

John Owen (ed.) Scepsis Scientifica (London: Kegan Paul, Trench & Co., 1885)

• The Woman in us, still prosecutes a deceit, like that begun in the Garden.
  • Ch. 15

• The Understanding also hath its Idiosyncrasies, as well as other faculties.
  • Ch. 15

• The Sages of old live again in us; and in opinions there is a Metempsychosis.
  • Ch. 17

• Time as a River, hath brought down to us what is more light and superficial; while things more solid and substantial have been immersed.
  • Ch. 17 — Cf. Francis Bacon

• The precipitancy of disputation, and the stir and noise of Passions, that usually attend it, must needs be prejudicial to Verity.
  • Ch. 19

• The indisputable Mathematicks, the only Science Heaven hath yet vouchsaft Humanity, have but few Votaries among the slaves of the Stagirite.
  • Ch. 19

Essays on Several Important Subjects in Philosophy and Religion (London: J.D. for John Baker ... and Henry Mortlock, 1676)

• Though we are certain of many things, yet that Certainty is no absolute Infallibility; there still remains the possibility of our being mistaken in all matters of humane Belief and Inquiry.
  • No. 2 — "Of Scepticism and Certainty"

• The belief of our Reason is an Exercise of Faith; and Faith is an Act of Reason.
  • No. 5 — "The Agreement of Reason and Religion"

Saducismus Triumphatus (London: James Collins, 1681)

• We cannot conceive how the Fœtus is form'd in the Womb, nor as much as how a Plant springs from the Earth we tread on; we know not how our Souls move the Body, nor how these distant and extream natures are united: ... And if we are ignorant of the most obvious things about us, and the most considerable within our selves, 'tis then no wonder that we know not the constitution and powers of the Creatures, to whom we are such strangers.
  • "Some Considerations about Witchcraft", sec. 3

• At their parting they say [A Boy! merry meet, merry part.]
  • "Collection of Relations", no. 3 — "Which containeth the Witchcrafts of Elizabeth Style of Bayford, Widow"

• At their parting they use to say, Merry meet merry part, and that before they are carried to their meetings, their Foreheads are anointed with greenish Oyl that they have from the Spirit which smells raw. They for the most part are carried in the Air. As they pass, they say, Thout, tout a tout, tout, throughout and about. Passing back they say, Rentum Tormentum, and another word which she doth not remember.
  • "Collection of Relations", no. 4 — "Which is the Examination and Confession of Alice Duke, alias Manning ... of Wincaunton, ... taken [27 January and 2 February 1664] before Robert Hunt"