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Some who are far from atheists, may make themselves merry with that conceit of thousands of spirits dancing at once upon a needle's point.

— Ralph Cudworth

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Source, in full

True Intellectual System of the Universe, Volume III, p. 497. Ed. 1829. Isaac D'Israeli in Curiosities of Literature. Quodlibets, quotes from Aquinas, "How many angels can dance on the point of a very fine needle without jostling each other." The idea, not the words, are in Aquinas—Summa and Sentences. Credited also to Bernardo de Carpino and Alagona.

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Atheism

More quotes by Ralph Cudworth

Truth is the most unbending and uncompliable, the most necessary, firm, immutable, and adamantine thing in the world.

Treatise Concerning Eternal and Immutable Morality (1731)

If this be not atheism, to acknowledge no other deity besides dead and senseless matter, then the word hath no signification.

Knowledge is not a passion from without the mind, but an active exertion of the inward strength, vigour and power of the mind, displaying itself from within.

Treatise Concerning Eternal and Immutable Morality (1731)

The golden beams of truth and the silken cords of love, twisted together, will draw men on with a sweet violence whether they will or not.

The true knowledge or science which exists nowhere but in the mind itself, has no other entity at all besides intelligibility; and therefore whatsoever is clearly intelligible, is absolutely true.

Treatise Concerning Eternal and Immutable Morality (1731)

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Ralph Cudworth (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.