American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-02-19
Sneezing - Some Curious Supersti.
lions.

The belief in evil spirits affords the best
explanation for set of customs no less
curious than disagreeable and ridiculous.
We allude to the verdi wide superstitions
connected with splitting and sneezing.
Many Englishmen spit if they meet a
white horse, a squirting man or single
magpie, or if inadvertently they step upon
. ladder. or wash their hands in the same
basin with Q friend. In Lancashire boys
spit over their fingers before beginning 10
fight; travellers on leaving home spit on
stone and throw it away; market people
spit on the first money they receive in the
day. Swedish people spit thrice if they
cross water after dark, and even the as
thetic Athenian used to spit if he met
priest spits ON two sticks, which, accord
ing as one of them falls uppermost, are to
foreshadow the result OF coming battle.
Indeed, this unpleasant habit seems
universal charm for bringing good luck
or averting bad: but for what conceivable
reason than that the mouth was once re-
garded Is the portal by which evil spirits
got into . man, and by which alone they
could be forced 10 make their exit. The
Messalians used TO make splitting and
nose-blowing q part of their religion, for
they hoped thereby TO free themselves
from the demons with which they fancied
the air to be full. This single case con-
;tains, probably, the key to all the others.
But why should sneezing be so generally
regarded as a bad omen, and one to be
averted Ii possible by Fluctuations and
blessings, One explanation Is, that as it
was the sign of returning convalescence
during the plague at Athens, congratula-
tons were offered when the crisis was
past another, that during great plague
which ragged in Germany in the sixth CEN
tqry, and began its fatal course with fit
Of sneezing, 1t was usual to exclaim:
May God help you now" as soon as the
sad death signal was heard. But the Gus
tom is Of far wider extent and older I'm
seage Than such explanations imply; and
the only possible hypothesis is one that
adapts itself TO all races and alltimes. In
New Zealand q mother repeats q charm
when her child sneezes, lest any evil re-
suit In consequence, and English nurses
do just the same. In the Netherlands
sneeze gives Q witch power over person,
unless some one invoke Q blessing from
heaven, and in these facts probably lies
the real explanation For, taking into
account that every bodily arrangement is
regarded by savages as possession by evil
spirits, and that sneezing Is always the
precursor Of those temporary bodily de-
rangementss often very severe, which we
know As "colds," may it not be that in
those early times, when TO precede is the
zane 6 70 cause, . sneezing fit was set
down % the sign on cause of such an ap-
preaching possession, and charms en-
ployed to counteract Its effects.
II 3 cold was ever held TO be bewitch-
ment we can understand the use of charms
ard blessings at the earliest stage Of the
prcmcnitory symptoms. As an involun-
0ry act, . sneeze would, like all other
natural phenomena, be . portent signffi-
cant OF, and entailing series of conse-
quences; and in course of time, as men
Il would grow to be even suspicious under
co1nfry II h good sign on some days Of
the week, but bed one on others; and in
Heolaud an Infant 10 under fairy spells
Until II sneexes, belief apparently con-
neceed With the absurd idea of the inca
peeiiy Of idiots to sneeze.
II Greece, also, the distinctions drawn
about Il raised sneezing to an art; for
While It was unlucky in the afternoon, or
whoa food was being cleared away, or il
Il occurred three times, or more than four,
or on the left-hand side; if it occurred
among persons of elaboration, or two or
four dimes, or in the morning, or on the
side, it was accounted lucky
omen. We read that TheNistocles, by .
judicious sneeze ON the right-hand side,
peEzuaded his soldiers to fight and Keno
phon, by similar act in the middle of .
speech, was elected General. And on
another occasion . sneeAe from . lines
man just before Q baltic was considered SO |
ominous that public prayers were deemed
necessazy In consequence.-C0rnhiu Mag
asins.