The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-03-22
OLD sUPERsT1rIoHs.
Omens, presentlmepts and Entertainments.

Even now, when every body supposes
that the superstitions Of the Middle Ages
have passed away, the belief in omens and
preseutiments is entertained with re-
markable tenacity. We find persons who
are apparently the last to heed any thing
not as palpable as MONDAY sunshine, to
be dispirited and almost oyerpowered at an
accidental occurrence for which often il
would seem not difficult to account The
finding of pin or other object with a
sharp point or edge directed toward the
finder, fills many persons with the most
dismal forebodings. A first sight of the
moon after it has changed, will occasion
dismay or stimulate hope. Many man
having occasion to return to his house after
leaving it for any business, is impressed
with the occurrence as having an unfortu-
nate influence upon the matter. A work
begun on Friday is regarded as of uncer-
tain result.
These impressions, strange as it may
seem at first sight, are traceable to sources
which are Of more or less interest. The
i'll fortune Of Friday is perhaps the least
noteworthy of oil. Our Morse and Saxon
forefathers regarded the day as sacred to
Il
Freya, the goddess Of love and good for
tune and so We ought to have inherited
an impression that its omens were propi-
tions. 1t is probable that the pernicious
practice of setting it apart to public exc
cutions, has deprived it of its older felici-
tous traditions. Certainly, to begin an
enterprise, to undertake any thing, We would
as readily select that day as any in the
seven.
The superstition in regard to returning
into the house after setting out for any
business, is probably misapplicd render,
ing of an old proverb To go back, or look
back after having begun, indicates an un-
certainty Of purpose which augurs i'll sue
cess. HE that wayereth is as a wave OF
the sea, that is driven about and tossed.
"No man putting his hand to the plough
and looking back is fit for the Kingdom Of
God By too literal application Of this
sentiment, the casual return into the house
after going forth was associated with i'll
omen.
Zoroaster enjoined man going on a
journey not to return by the road upon
which he set out. In our time this pre-.
cept would seem idle, and we are warrant.
ed in neglectiug it. But in ancient times
few persons made journeys except for bu-
siness, expecting to bring home valuable
property Of some kind, There were rob
bers in those days as well as now indeed
freebooting was often considered respecta.
bic. A man known to have gone on q
journey could easily be waylaid as he re.
turned home, risk which might be obvi-
ated by taking different route.
The foreboding created by suddenly
perceiving the edge or point of SHARP
object directed toward the person, doubt
lcssly took its origin from the old practice
at capital executions of turning the blade
of the axe or the point Of the lance toward
the individual about to suffer.
The lucky and unlucky sight of the
moon after her periodical changing is older
than all these, and the history of the su-
perstition is more curious. 1t is a.relic Of
the ancient worship Of the Great Mother,
the divinity that under thousand names
and symbols was revered in the olden
times, to whom many believed not only
creation but the male deities were subor-
dinate. One of the symbols of the god
dess was the moon, and when that planet
each month emerged from her few days Of
seclusion, the favorable falling of her rays
upon the eyes was deemed auspicious Of
propitious fortune. Similar was the omen
of a bird flying in certain direction, or a
peal Of thunder at the right hand. The
mystic. horseshoe pertains to the same
idea. Our forefathers once cherished
these beliefs, and so, by direct inheritance,
we have tho ideas which are denominated
superstitious without remembering the
former religion Of which they were an
offshoot
Akin to these ideas is the belief in pre-
sentiment. With some this is so strong as
almost to constitute a religion, while others
regard the whole phenomena as relating
exclusively to disordercd nerves and stom-
ach. As is not uncommon, both parties
are more or less correct Certain it is
that persons who are troubled with imper-
feet digestion and believe in presentiments,
have them in abundance. But they are
generally as baseless as the fabric Of any
other dream, and the disregard of them is
essential to the recovery of a healthy tone
of the corporeal system. A person yield
ing to such foreboiugs is in fair way of
becoming insane.
Nevertheless there is faculty of pre-