The London Quarterly Review Volume 11 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1814 edition. Excerpt: ...ever invented, that of keeping the sufferer without sleep for a week or ten days together, is recommended by him as being excellently adapted to women and others of delicate habits. It was truly hazardous to oppose those judicial murders--if any one ventured to do so, the catholics burnt him as an heretic, and the protestants had a vehement longing to hang him for an atheist. Thus Vlaet was burnt alive, and the same fate would have befallen Cornelius Loos, if a natural death had not disappointed his persecutors. We may estimate the merit of his suppressed treatise by the anxiety expressed by the learned jesuit whom we have so often quoted, lest the researches of some 'malignant cacodemon' (some printer's devil, we presume) should ultimately bring it to light. Nor can we think meanly of the antagonist of Marnix de Ste. Aldegonde. The book of Reginald Scott was burnt by the hands of the common hangman. Even the pious and learned Meric Casaubon, did not blush to use the following language. 4 If a man consider what kind of men for the most part they have been who have taken upon themselves lo oppose the belief of mankind concerning witches, some notorious atheists as Pomponutius, Vaninius, &c. others, confident illiterate wretches, as Reginald Scott, and (lie like, he will think certainly that if the cause be no better than the r, atrons it cannot be very good, nor see any reason at all to embrace it.' Beza, the reformer, upbraided the parliament of Paris for its incredulity. It affords some consolation to humanity to remark that this illustrious tribunal, whose merits are not sufficiently appreciated, was almost untainted by the savage folly which disgraced every other seat of judicature. It refused to take cognizance of witchcraft as a..