289 examples of impostures in sentences

Indeed, the austerity of their lives was well calculated to strengthen the impression which their cunning had already made on the multitude, and to prepare the way for whatever impostures they might afterwards practise.

Were it not authenticated by the most undeniable testimonies, it would appear incredible that the impostures of the disciples of Aesculapius, and the common faith in his regenerative powers, should have survived with equal potency and acceptation during the ages immediately succeeding the Christian era.

" The success with which the Priests of Aesculapius carried on their impostures, and the popularity which their dexterous management, no less than the vulgar credulity obtained for them, will cease to surprise us on maturer consideration.

Is not a fact the complete and unanswerable refutation of its impossibility?" "A good many facts to which I could testify," he replied, "are in this world confessed impossibilities, and if my neighbours witnessed them they would pronounce them to be either impostures or illusions.

He gives curious instances of his literary impostures.

Collect thy soul unto one sphere Of light, and 'bove the earth it rear; Those wild scattered thoughts that erst Lay loosely in the world dispersed, Call in:thy spirit thus knit in one Fair lucid orb, those fears be gone Like vain impostures of the night, That fly before the morning bright.

Our power is mockt by magicall impostures; They shall not mock our tortures.

He penetrated through all shams and impostures.

The Egyptian priests hastened to execute Gaumata's orders, with greater zeal from their fear of me, because they were afraid that I would reveal their impostures to the people.

That head was talking of priestly intrigues and impostures, and although referring to another age and other creeds, all the friars present were annoyed, possibly because they could see in the general trend of the speech some analogy to the existing situation.

How was it that the generation which saw the last genuine miracles performed could not distinguish them from the impostures which followed?

" We can most part foresee these epidemical diseases, and likely avoid them; Dearths, tempests, plagues, our astrologers foretell us; Earthquakes, inundations, ruins of houses, consuming fires, come by little and little, or make some noise beforehand; but the knaveries, impostures, injuries and villainies of men no art can avoid.

Sometimes by the devil's help as magicians, witches: sometimes by impostures, mixtures, poisons, stratagems, single combats, wars, we hack and hew, as if we were ad internecionem nati, like Cadmus' soldiers born to consume one another.

" Venus had so ordered the matter, that when her son [5509]Aeneas was to appear before Queen Dido, he was "Os humerosque deo similis (namque ipsa decoram Caesariem nato genetrix, lumenque juventae Purpureum et laetos oculis afflarat honores.") like a god, for she was the tire-woman herself, to set him out with all natural and artificial impostures.

Many such tricks and impostures are acted by politicians, in China especially, but with what effect I will discourse in the symptoms.

As well may witness their intolerable covetousness, strange forgeries, fopperies, fooleries, unrighteous subtleties, impostures, illusions, new doctrines, paradoxes, traditions, false miracles, which they have still forged, to enthral, circumvent and subjugate them, to maintain their own estates.

It is true, that the malevolence of Lauder, as well as the impostures of Archibald Bower, were fully detected by the labours, in the cause of truth, of the reverend Dr. Douglas, the late lord bishop of Salisbury, "Diram qui contudit Hydram Notaque fatali portenta labore subegit.

Her sons malicious clemency shall spare, To form new legends, sanctify new crimes; To canonize the slaves of superstition, And fill the world with follies and impostures, Till angry heav'n shall mark them out for ruin, And war o'erwhelm them in their dream of vice.

We are secretly conscious of defects and vices, which we hope to conceal from the publick eye, and please ourselves with innumerable impostures, by which, in reality, nobody is deceived.

Of these pretenders it is fit to distinguish those who endeavour to deceive from them who are deceived; those who by designed impostures promote their interest, or gratify their pride, from them who mean only to force into regard their latent excellencies and neglected virtues; who believe themselves qualified to instruct or please, and therefore invite the notice of mankind.

We are going to write about business and finance and politics and precedence and pretentiousness and decorum and indecorum, until a thousand pretences and ten thousand impostures shrivel in the cold, clear air of our elucidations.

Johnson cites Irene under impostures, and Lord Lyttelton under twist.

It has been often observed that the fictions of impostures and illusions of fancy, soon give way to time and experience; and that nothing keeps its ground but truth, which gains every day new influence by new confirmation.

It is not readily or speedily that the prodigalities of Toreno, or the unscrupulous, but more patriotic financial impostures of Mendizabal, can be retrieved, and the national faith redeemed.

In most cases the exhibitions, in the dark, or in a very bad light, were impudent impostures, and were so regarded by the savants who looked into them.

289 examples of  impostures  in sentences