 | Dugald Stewart - 1854 - 538 pages
...foundation in the nature of man. When the greatest of modern philosophers declares, that "he would rather believe all the fables in the Legend, and the...Alcoran, than that this universal frame is without mind,"2 he has expressed the same feeling which in all ages and nations has led good men, unaccustomed... | |
 | Thomas Pearson - Atheism - 1855 - 636 pages
...is as applicable to the denial of Divine Providence as to the denial of the Divine Existence — " I had rather believe all the fables in the Legend,...than that this universal frame is without a mind." l A. work producing considerable excitement, calling forth a storm of opposition from the man of science... | |
 | Literature - 1909 - 378 pages
...Alcoran,3 than that this universal frame is without a mind. And therefore God never wrought miracle to convince* atheism, because his ordinary works convince...minds about to religion. For while the mind of man looketh upon second causes scattered, it may sometimes rest in them, and go no further ; but when it... | |
 | William Blake - Literary Collections - 1966 - 964 pages
...convince atheism, because his ordinary works convince it. The devil is the Mind of the Natural Frame. It is true that a little philosophy inclineth man's...minds about to religion; for while the mind of man looketh upon second causes scattered, it may sometimes rest in them and go no farther. There is no... | |
 | Joseph C. McLelland, Canadian Corporation for Studies in Religion - Religion - 1988 - 385 pages
...to faith rather than an example of atheism. Bacon's essay Of Atheism contains the famous sentence, "It is true that a little philosophy inclineth man's...depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion."2 His reasoning turns on the chain of second causes, a form of cosmological argument in fact,... | |
 | Simon Varey - Literary Criticism - 1990 - 240 pages
...been flourishing for some time. In his essay 'Of Atheism' (1613) Francis Bacon said he preferred to believe 'all the fables in the Legend, and the Talmud,...is without a mind. And therefore God never wrought miracle to convince atheism, because his ordinary works convince it.'60 Later, opponents of Epicureanism... | |
 | Will Durant - Biography & Autobiography - 1965 - 736 pages
...philosophy is secular and rationalistic, he makes an eloquent and apparently sincere disclaimer of unbelief. "I had rather believe all the fables in the Legend,...than that this universal frame is without a mind. ... A little philosophy inclineth a man's mind to atheism; but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds... | |
 | Robert Andrews - Reference - 1993 - 1214 pages
...silence at the stars. WALT WHITMAN (1819-921. US poet. When 1 Heard the Leam'd Astronomer. ATHEISM 1 I had rather believe all the Fables in the Legend,...than that this universal frame is without a Mind. FRANCIS BACON (1561-1626). English philosopher, essayist, statesman. Essays, 'Of Atheism" (1597-1625).... | |
 | Catherine Drinker Bowen - Biography & Autobiography - 1993 - 294 pages
...stay for an answer." Or on death: "Men fear death, as children fear to go in the dark." Or on atheism: "I had rather believe all the fables in the Legend,...than that this universal frame is without a mind." Consider the opening line of the essay on gardens, in lighter vein but bearing again that touch of... | |
 | Susan Orr - Philosophy - 1995 - 268 pages
...begins by siding rather forcefully with the belief in divine order and providence. He acknowledges that "It is true that a little philosophy inclineth man's...philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion. . . ."59 The entire essay is an attempt to persuade the reader that philosophy is harmless, that it... | |
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HAD rather believe all the fables in the Legend, and the Talmud, and the Alcoran, than that this universal frame is without a mind. And therefore God never wrought miracles to convince atheism, because his ordinary works convince it. It is true, that... 
