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HENRY G. BOHN, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
MDCCCLII.
PRINTED BY
COX (BROTHERS) AND WYMAN, GREAT QUEEN STREET,
LINCOLN'S-INN FIELDS.
CONTENTS TO VOL. I.
PREFACE.
DR. JOHNSON'S LIFE OF SIR THOMAS BROWNE
PAGE
ix
xxxvii
lxviii
lxxi
1
SUPPLEMENTARY MEMOIR BY THE EDITOR
MRS. LYTTLETON'S COMMUNICATION TO BISHOP KENNET
PSEUDODOXIA EPIDEMICA, Books I. to IV.
Editor's Preface
(The Author) to the Reader
THE FIRST BOOK; containing the general part.
Of the first cause of common errors; the common infirmity of human nature
Chap. 1.
Chap. 2.
A further illustration of the same
12
Chap. 3.
Of the second cause of common errors; the erroneous
disposition of the people
16
Chap. 4.
Of the more immediate causes of common errors, both
in the wiser and common sort; and first, of misappre-
hension and fallacy, or false deduction
Chap. 5.
Chap. 6.
Of another more immediate cause of error: viz.
obstinate adherence unto antiquity
Of other more immediate causes of error: viz. credulity
and supinity
Chap. 7. Of another of the more immediate causes of error: viz.
adherence unto authority
Chap. 8. Of authors who have most promoted popular conceit
Chap. 9. Of others indirectly effecting the same
Chap. 10. Of the last and great promoter of false opinions, the
endeavours of Satan
Chap. 11. A further illustration of the same
THE SECOND BOOK; beginning the particular part. Of popular and
received tenets concerning mineral and vegetable bodies.
Chap. 1. That crystal is nothing else but ice strongly congealed. 94
Chap. 2. Concerning the loadstone; of things particularly spoken
thereof, evidently or probably true
VOL. I.
α
112
Chap. 3. Concerning the loadstone; a rejection of sundry common
opinions and relations thereof; natural, medical, his-
torical, magical
Of bodies electrical
133
157
Chap. 5. Compendiously of sundry other common tenets concern-
ing minerals and terreous bodies, which, examined,
prove either false or dubious. That a diamond is
softened or broken by the blood of a goat; that glass
is poison, and that it is malleable; of the cordial
quality of gold; that a pot full of ashes will contain
as much water as it would without them; of white
powder that kills without report; that coral is soft
under water, but hardeneth in the air; that porcelain
lies under the earth an hundred years in preparation;
that a carbuncle gives a light in the dark;
of the eagle
stone; of fairy stones; with some others
Chap. 6. Of sundry tenets concerning vegetables or plants, which,
examined, prove either false or dubious. Of man-
drakes; that cinnamon, ginger, cloves, mace, are but
the parts or fruits of the same tree; that miseltoe is
bred upon trees, from seeds which birds let fall thereon;
of the rose of Jericho, that flowereth every year upon
Christmas Eve; of Glastonbury thorn; that Sferra
Cavallo hath a power to break or loosen iron; that
bays preserve from the mischief of lightning and
thunder; that bitter almonds are preservatives against
ebriety
Chap. 7. Of some insects and the properties of several plants.
Of the death-watch; the presages drawn from oak-
apple insects; whether all plants have seeds; whether
the sap of trees runs to the ground in winter; of the
effects of camphor; with many others
THE THIRD BOOK; the particular part continued.
received tenets concerning animals.
That an elephant hath no joints, &c.
That the horse hath no gall
166
192
210
Of popular and
220
Chap. 3. That a pigeon hath no gall
232
235
That a beaver, to escape the hunter, bites off his testicles
or stones
240
That a badger hath the legs of one side shorter than
of the other
245
Chap. 6. That a bear brings forth her cubs informous or unshaped 247
Chap. 7. Of the basilisk
Chap. 10. That a kingfisher, hanged by the bill, showeth where the wind lay
Chap. 8. That a wolf first seeing a man begets a dumbness in him 261
Chap. 9. Of the long life of the deer.
262
270
273
Chap. 12. Of the phoenix
Chap. 13. Of frogs, toads, and toad-stone
Chap. 14. That a salamander lives in the fire
Chap. 15. Of the amphisbæna
Chap. 16. That young vipers force their way through the bowels of
their dam.
Chap. 20. That snails have no eyes.
Chap. 21. That the chameleon lives only upon air
276
284
291
294
297
305
312
316
318
321
334
337
Chap. 24. That all animals of the land are in their kind in the sea 344
Chap. 25. Concerning the common course of our diet, in making
choice of some animals and abstaining from eating
others
Chap. 26. Of the spermaceti whale.
Chap. 27. Compendiously, of the musical note of swans before their
death; that the flesh of peacocks corrupteth not;
that they are ashamed of their legs that storks will
only live in republicks and free states; of the noise of
a bittern by putting the bill in a reed; that whelps are
blind nine days; of the antipathy between a toad
and a spider, a lion and a cock; that an earwig hath
no wings; of worms; that flies make that humming
noise by their mouths or wings; of the tainct or small
red spider; of the glow-worm; of the providence of
pismires in biting off the ends of corn
Chap. 28. That the chicken is made out of the yolk of the egg; that
snakes sting; of the tarantula; the lamb of Tartary ;
the swiftness of tigers; with sundry queries
THE FOURTH BOOK; the particular part continued. Of many popu
lar and received tenets concerning man.
346
353
357
373
That men weigh heavier dead than alive, and before
Chap. 10. That Jews stink
meat than after
Chap. 8. That there are several passages for meat and drink
Chap. 9. On saluting upon sneezing
. 405
. 408
410
Chap. 11. Of pigmies
. 413
Chap. 12. Of the great climacterical year, that is, sixty-three
Chap. 13. Of the canicular or dog-days
. 421
. 425
446
