The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-04-07

! prevails IN Thibet, and in all the countries
protesting the religion of Buddha or Fo.
The Jews expected, from the West, the es-
Enlistment of their new kingdom; it is not
extraordinary, therefore, that the nations of
Europe, whose languages bear positive evil
dence of derivation from the same family
OF mankind, as the Hindoos, should retain,
IN popular superstition, the same opinion,
couched uniformly in similar expressions.
Wherever the Indo-Teutonic nations. as
they are called, have fixed themselves, we
md white islands still looming in the West,
and surrounded by White Seas. Thus in
the westward of the Samoyeds, adjoining
.ne Northern Ocean, is White Sea, so
Jots, race of giants, as tradition testifes,
of kindred origin with the Scandinavian
Asia. They were totally exterminated by
pestilence and famine. The Caspian has
been always called the White Sea by the
nations inhabiting its eastern shores, and it
bears among them, at present, the Turkish
name Akdingis, which has that suspicious
Specification. The Turks also from their
first entrance into Asia Minor, gave the
name Of the White Sea to the Egean. The
word Baltic. likewise, in the Lithuanian
tongue, signifies the White Sea: and it
deserves to be remarked, that the Sarma-
tian nations, while occupying position be-
tween it and the Euxine, gave to the latter
the natural correlative name of Mormori, or
the Black Sea. This designation has been
subsequently translated and adopted by 9th
er European nations, as we'll as by the Turks;
and the original Scalvonian expressions be-
! ing at present confined to the Propontis, or,
as it is corruptly called, the Sea of Marmo-
ra. The persuasion that the dwelling place
of happiness is in the West, may have ex-
ercised an important influence on the early
migrations of mankind. The existence and
| the. wide diffusion of such an opinion are
clearly established nor is there any reason
to believe that it was grounded in positive
| tradition. But then, it will be asked, why
was Paradise supposed to be in the West
! An answer to this question may be found in
the constitution of the human being, who is
| always more disposed to receive profound
| Impressions at the hour when the natural
day is coming to close, and contemplates,
with the finest sensbilities, that most glori-
Gus of celestial phenomena. the setting sun.
The Hindoos retain to the present day, their
old belief The chalk with which the Brah-
minis mark their fUreheads, is from the West !;
they even pretend that it is brought over
( land from Britain. Yogees, followed by
their trains of pilgrims, have attempted in
modern times, to reach the Hyberborean
regions across Europe, and have even adj
! - - E n s'-ssiS.5 lSS~s- sis0 iSupurIu-
nate curiosity by which they were assalIed,
efectnally subdued, in every instance, their
piety and courage. In the West the prim-
tive tradition is still remembered. The
lakes and seas of Scotland and of Ireland,
have all their floating and holy islands. The
| I119e Tale oe1 al -. L
the Yffys y Cedeirn, or island of the mighty
ones of the Welch. are still objects of hope
and veneraton. The most westerly group
of the Hebrides, the Flannan islands, which
are devoutly believed to be seven in num-
Der, and are even laid down as seven in our
maps, though only six are visible to the eyes
of the sceptical, are said to have the virtue
OF dlsposlng to prayer and religious medita-
ton, all who land upon them. The A5ran
islands, on the west Of Ireland, are entitled,
the isles of the living, that is TO say, of those
who have returned to life; but the language
OF this general superstition was carried far
beyond the shores of Europe. 1t is found
among the Indians of North America, who
fervently believe in the existence of land
of happiness in the West, beyond the ocean F.;
but, whether it belongs to them originally,
or was introduced among them by the Scan
dinavian adventures of the 18th and 18th
centuries, it is impossible to determine.
DIR. Ldrdner's Cabinet Encyclopedia.
H. UNPLEASANT MISTAKE. The anti-tem-
perance people represent that those grocers
who have relinquished the sale of ardent
spirits, still continue to sell the article under
the name of oil. A man who verify believed
ance grocer for gill of rum. The grocer
very promptly told him, he sold NO rum.
I Very well, said the anti, let me have gill
of your OIL The grocer took gill measure
filled it with oil and gave it to him. II
being evening, and not doubling that ii
: was the very thing he wanted, he drank a
! considerable portion of it, before he discov-
ed his mistake. When he found he was
drinking oil instead of rum, he manifested a
good deal of anger towards the grocer, and
used some harsh words. The company
burst into a roar Of laughter. The grocer
told him, he had given him the very thing
he called for, and therefore he ought not to
, be angry with him. The fellow finally con-
} cluded it was best to jein the company in
the laugh, and so let it pass off pleasantly.
The above is from so respectable a source
that we cannot doubt It's correctness.
National Pkiianthropist.
) AERIAL BARRIER. The extreme rarity
, of the air on high mountains must, Of course
/ affect animals A person breathing on the
summit Of Mont Blanc, although expanding
) his chest as much as usual, really takes il
, at each inspiration only half as much air a.
) he does below, exhibiting n contrast to ;
: man in a diving-bell, who, at thirty-fou
D feet under water, is breathing air of doubl,
: density at sixty-eight feet, of triple, ant
D so on. Ii is known that travellers, and ever
! their practised guides, often fall down sud.
f. denly, as if struck by lightning, when ap.
preaching lofty submits, on account chiefly
of the thinness Of the air which they ore
q breathing, and some minutes elapse before