The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-10-31
THE FoRTuNE-TELLER.


Of what uts are books, academies, inti.utss,
the labours of philofophy, all thoie foods OF
light which have embslliihed and which i,iil en-
bellifh our own times Thcfc rays have not
penetrated the mais of the people, they are al
ways the fame, the fame iuperititon beiets them,
nor have they ioft Jingle point OF their old err
rors.
What was called good company were the
dgpes Of Cagl;Stsro and Meilner, two <impudent
qnacts, who in:ulted the fr.t rudiments OF found
phyIics; notwithstanding which, they did not
the leis pocket the money OF good company,
while the good company were laughing at thoie
who in the fireets purchafcd for two fous the
little packets OF thole who fold orvidan. The
Canadian i,vages coniuit coniurors aad witches,
and believe in the predictions OF their iunglers.
The people of Paris are fcarccly more advanced:
Ike the tavages, they have their iunglers, whom
they alto coaiuit, and whole oracies they revere,
ofwhich ! am convinced from my own know
ledge.
In the Rue dAniou, near The trcet formerly
called Dauphine, No. 1873, in the frf floor,
lives one of our mott celebrated sortunc-tellerS.
He is Called Martin, and affects the Italian ac-
cent. There this new TrophonuIs delivers his
oracles there, III tort he has fixed his fybillite
cavern.
The entrance is by little court, which, as
well rs the fair-cafe, is filed with perions of
both fexes and all ages, who have the air Of fouls
intornent, and who form qaene to wait their
turn for the decilion of the fortune-teler.
There have iecn feathered ladies', well dref-
fed young men, with ferrous air. have con-
Gdcred with aftoniihment their countenances
ftreaked with ligns OF fear and hope, aud for a
moment thought Uyitf on the threihold of pur-
gstory.
In my turn reached, but not without forne
difficulty, the feat of the oracle. had figured
to myfelf man oflofty tature and white beard,
eyes inaamed,a prophetic tone, fi.ch as CagIi-
citro afurned, and fuch as he bad taken with
me- at Strafoourg when laughed in his face from
the groteique appearance he made in his poHp-
oYs. cettares*; but Martin, the oracle, is a man
without legs, with crutches by his iide, and who,
on the eaa movement, feizes them with an in
credible alacrity, and draws after him his two
csfed-uo tiiigs into his narrow and dirty apart
meut- lie had pack of cards in his hands, a
great geographical chart covered his table. He
has gay, firm, and ftedfal air: he fuftains your
look with the mot complete aiIrrance. Two
kinds OF clerks 60 out and IN continually to an
nounce the company. EIo one fnles in this
fauctuary, and even had loft the defre in con-
temolating 10 many figures half thundertrucs,
and who did not feem dfpofed TO icit on the
oracies which they had juif received: They
were feated in a large and old elbow chair. He
interrogates theIr,in whilpers, and mutters to
ever one his ienteilce. He places his finger on
the geographical chart, and this appeared to
me 90 be the infant OF the moi. foleInn rcveati-
onS.
Joy fpaiklee, in bis eyes at feeling 70 great a
crowd Of votariCS. He cuts and ihutlles his cards
continually, iniomuch that they are become
quite greatly. Hc ieems attentyely fixed on his
cards, waits for your frff word, and then cats
his eyes towards the floor. Meanwhile nonev
flowers on his sable. ] am certain, from the
information have received, that ne doc S not
make lcfs than fix or ieven louis a-day, Cor the
pooret becomes prodiga' when ne wi.hes 70 Pc
netrate the darl,nets of definy. when Martin
is offered only twelve fous, he throws away the
piece with contempt, aud excairns, with an air
of dignity, Go, eoRii0t tire Joyfi0e-teiiers of lie
PoHt-Nctfand THE RaPpee. The enquirer bIuih-
es, and preierts Il large piece. No, peycr did
any departed French academician os PARIS e.;
binielf 1t greater diitance from country sca-
denicidr. Though he gains great deal OF nao-
Dcy, his den has alwaysthe air of garrett. He
knows that he ihouid he no longer confuted if
he livSd in a neat and well furniltsd apartment.
He has very properly gueHed, that the people
never give faith to prophetic ipirt, ullefs it be
in place which has az air of fomething like
dilorder. He often RATES. his voice, and when
his terrible DEGREES are pronounced, he makes A
fgn and the votary withdraws.
'fhcrs no one laughs at his neighbour; with
uncovered brow and timid air each one ADVANCE
cs towards the inyfterioIs table. They come
away Ue1ltatiIlT on t0t words WHICH nave been
pronounced, aud never affect an entire diibelief
Whoever is inclined TO laugh or fmiie ende,-
YOURS to conceal the propeufty. ! was placed
at length in front of The leglcfs prophet. / did
not codfult toe oracle on fortune or paG events,
but he ip9ke 60 me, after had faid a few words
10 him, OF bic great celebrity, and Of bis nume-
rous ard daily Wits which, Tor lon. time, had
been uninterrupted. He was obliged to work
at Ise6 deyqiay for two or three days, while two
minutes were fuficienf for fuch another. He
podeded this prophetic tecret from his father,
To whom it had been bccucathet, and fuccc five
ly from time imBeir0Ti1l. For what obie6 are
you mot commonly corjulted For
"-obheries," he anfVered, for marriages. FOR
GOODS lot, for affairs Of gaaitry, bu; there
" is only myf-f for robl,eries," he reioiued, with
a recommending Kind IF voice. "The police IL
" felt conlult5 ne, and J am always the frit
=" to indicate Che place where tie roOber has
fed"
"a thcr, e;;:raordin1y words ! remaine
duaLl 1'he police corfllts goa ?--Yes,"
replied he, witlf an affirmative tone, " for there
is Only pr rohbercsy" and Italianzirg his
aecens, IL entered into details which prolonged
our COVE rfation. The a1urauce of his phyh-
ogDorny did not vary, and hS had the tone and
language Of foldier, who reconnts bis prowefs.
But what MOT icrnck my obieryng eye was,
a. Il, 4