Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-07-20
POPULAR SUPERsTITIONs.

If We were to initiate the style Of Thcophras-
tvs, we should thus describe the supcrstitious
man of the 10Th century - He is as anxious
as ever about tie Interpretation of his dreams.
At dinner he considers it unlucky if he happens
to spill the SALT and il such an accident befall
lin, he filings three Iinchcs Of it over his left
slo4lder lie will not pass under a ladder. He
dislkcs to meet a squirting woman. He will
not commence Il voyage by sea on Friday. He
langs charm round his child neck. lie will
not allow himself to bc weighed for if he does
he fears his shadow may be less. lie places faith
in odd numbcrs--all his remedies are swallowed
at intervals of three hours. He sets his hens on
an odd number Of eggs but will not SIT down
to dinner when thirteen persons are present.
Breaking looking-glass denotes death in his
lioqSehold. ilcfturns Nancy myseriously at the
new moon. lie puts his trust in an old horse
SHOE lie delights in the fortune teller, -&c.
However. we etop here, for it would be both te-
dious and humiating if We gave uttcrance to
all the wise dogmas of vulgar philosophers "
there is no department in creation from which
they have rot with subtle skill drawn some de-
lusvc notion--somc mode of seli-tormcnt. Like
the spider, they suck poison from the same How
cr from Which the bee extracts honey.
1t would appear, indeed that mankind arc
destined to he permanently ridden by the night
mare Of some alarming apprehension. for even
now, in the midle oil the ninetecnth century,
there are many who consult the mystic oracles
of our ancestors, and they rarely fail to extort
from their supcrstitious fears the slavsh obcdi-
ehcc cxacted by custcm and antiquity. Even
NAPOLEON the first believed, or affected to be-
lievc in the g Star of his destiny" What the
meaning of the phrase is we do not profess to
comprehend, any more. than we do the thousand
of whinls and G,nces, and cobwebs of the brain,
that have hoated over the ruins of buried ages,
and preserved form and figure that may be
recognized amid the mattcr-of-iact occupations
OF the present day.
! When we read Of the magic Of modern sell
encc, of the wonders Of steam, Of railroads, OF
that uncoasing marvel, the electric telegraph, it
is difficult to comprehend the extensive range OF
the wild supers.itions of by gone times. Many,
however. still remain; for although tho sorcer-
or, the magician, the masterfend and the necro-
mancer have faded away before the light OF
truth aud reason, still the public mind bankers
after mysteries and wonderments The gaping
crowd still runs after exciting food, and gazes
with undiminished pleasure upon " beautiful
rnermaids, performing jugglers, giants dwarfs'
and enchanted girdles. 1t Is true that the
Wizard of the North now only exerts his myste-
rious agencies to amuse our leisure and instead
of holding our minds in terror, practices his
craft for the especial delight Of the rising gcner
alton. Yet we can easy imagine that if the
mental atmosphere was a shade Of two darker,
the same species Of lcgerdemain 80 harmlossly
exercised by Monsieur Robin and other necro-
mancers, would be welded with desolating force
by DR.. Faustus md Cornelius Agrippa to en-
slave and terrily the ignorant and vulgar.
The idea of telling fortunes is very pleasant,
and the variety of "Sybil's leaves y that may
be bought at our toy-shops. shows how striking
a part in the history of human nature is the
passion of prying into futurity. 1t is found
amongst the rudest, as well as the most civil
lied and it may be some entertainment to a
! philosophic mind to see the remains Of this
thirst after hidden knowledge among the more
unenlightened of our own.