, 1870-08-07

amined, the announcement was 10 the effect
that, IN 251 years after 1904, tho downfall 1t
the Mahomedan power in Turkey would TAXA
the defeat Of Russia by the sllles In 1855 could
hardly be thus interpreted. William Hunting
ton. in the Last century, in one OF his set-
,mous. foretold that, before 1870 the papal
Sec would be turned into darkness, and tho
TutkiEh moon into blood: words elastic enough.
certainly, 10 meet very varied modes OF fulfil
mept. Hartley. in his Observations on Man,
said: It is probable that all the civil govern
menta will be overturned; nnd that the pres
ent forms Of church government will be dis
solved, :" leaving the year and even tie century
quite undetermined The mother OF the first
Napoleon, Madame Letitia Bouapafte, when
the star Of the houso had sunk, often e1-
pressed confidence that her grandson would
cne Gay be Emperor; but it was known that
the stn OF Napoleon wAs the youth whom sae
had in her thoughts, and not tho son Of Louis.
who is now Emperor. 4 manuscript OF old
date says that
When siuae shall come that II and
With its own dit shall tUJnel bc,
And followed by All an,l c.
TEsn Britain shall .sernble at the Ilue Lilly.
Omlnous, this but then, when QUO interpreter
makes ii out to mean the year 16so. Anoshsr
prefers 1900. An old nlmansc il said thoush
Mo know not on wha. authority to contain
| the prediction
.! tns pox1s to see the way through Heaven.
! III eIEh!ceu hundred and ih!ftI-sesen,
| And on Enrlands throne shall not 81. King.
| Only half true, At most, seeing that William
the Fourth reigned the fret hall OF that year.
The Caledonidn Mercury stated, sono years
ago, that Scottish minister, Named Lunn.
predicted public events which took place in
1as7, 1880, ls43, and 1913; but, irrespective
tor made quite hobby OF foreselling: and hs
then
, That predictions, acting on the in:asnat;on,
, tend sometimes to bring about their fultt-
, 1oent. is evident in viriaus ways. end haa, in
more countries than one. engaged the s.sen-
: tion Of the ruling powers. At one tinac tic
| Roman law forbade the practising OF fc-eseu-
/ ing, il likely to influence the eonauct Of the
person for or against whom the forecast Was
j. directed. "when person receiyes prophe-
4 cr, promising him some great elevation Ut
I dignity, his disposition is mt to sit quiet,
{ aWaiting. the spontaneous fuld1meut OF his
i deatiuy, but to resort to active neaas for
/. | bringing about the event." Our Tudor sovcr-
@ egns did not lose sight OF this matter. Stat
utes were passed by Henry the Eighth end By
Elizabeth, imposing pcnaltics OF punishments
for the utterance OF predictions Of evil
~ marked on this subject: He that hath
= read our histories shall find what lament
- aLle and fatal events have fallen ont upon
Io seme prophecies carried out by the invention
a OF wicked men, pretended TO ba accurate, but
= merely framed to deceive; and wishal, how
n credulous and inclinahlo our counttytneu in
y, previous times to these have beenr Shaka-
ssr Teare had his thoughts in this direction when
* he dew the character Of Macbeth: the pro-
~ phecy having been uttered that he should be
;ys King he could not wait for its spontaneous
~ fulflment, but killed Duncan in order to e1re-
dite and render certain the result The pre-
~ dict1on Of death is known to be often d,sas.
n trous In its effect upon the Imagination Of the
~ person to whom it applies- And draaI
~ sometimes acts in tiIuilar vay. On ont
m occasion. in the last century. man dream
Il. ell that he would die on certain day; Il.
ar mentioned the dream to Others, hut with
hs passed. and lie commented iaughinely OF
a1 ~. The failure OF the prediction. 'AOh," sri,
:! mischief-maker near him, - this is new style
III dreams and ghosts reckon By old style: ther
~ arc eleven days moro yet" During thos
~ 'u eleven days the imagination Of the ma,
~. brooled over the matter, and he diet1- Holiu
H. H. shed speaks Of an early Scottish King, VIII
10 sent one of his courtiers to consult witch, o
% wise woman about tie result Of 4 war Il
nr which he we engaged. Tue witch declare'
~ ~ that IT,. King wond shortly be murdered. SD
~ t,v On: cf ..s CIVIL adserenta. Tic prediction
.t, (eeec,,ng to the chroniclcrl brought about it
I'a osn fnlflment. The courticr argussl with liul
self, iii tell this to tho King, he will thin
ID, that am the preilcstinsd agent. and will Ii
" me- to prevent me from, killing him. II l d
~ rot tell him, but lie learns it Of some cne cls
10y he will still more surely suspect ME: TheS'
~ ~ fore, tho courtIcr, to make sure so far. k,c
~ the hing. The famous sfolE OF i-osu AS1!e
in r t!l ~ w ne" 1' ~ ~~ W. ~ee @1"4
A. Many predictions can only be regarded :
.ss fulfilled by ltttle twisting Of names an
~ words. Tho Empress JoscEhiuc, il IS sait
l. believed n prediction to the effect that al
ar- would fall from her high estate, and dia in
"a. hospital; she died at 1Illmaisoa, uanl
,er merely indirectly dcnoting hospital IT
NJ Duko OF Suffolk, in 1450. was warned to b.
in ware of the Tower, which would be fatal I
nd him he died on shipboard, Lut the iatcrrr
ts terH dwelt On the fact that tho chip u:
'S' named St. Nicholas OF the Tower. MI
ma was warned TO beware OF the scvcnt
.ve third year; as his death occurred at anoth
m age, the interpreters took refuge III the r.
n. that Galba was "a When ho Fuccceded Nor
- Tho Affair OF Birnam Wood and Dunsinane,
sat Macbeth, IS = vcry good illustration Of Il
nf mode in which prediction may tc acceptt
II. ard verified, il those who interpret it temp
be- ea q sopese'1non 10 plaJ lase anu loodo WI