St. Landry democrat., 1879-04-19
NE1RROR WORSHIP.

uttered sounds.

Professor Ayrton lectured last week
at tie Royal institution, his subject BE-
ing 'The Magic Mirror of Japan.' In
Japan there is be said, an absence of
house walls, interior and exterior, the
houses consisting Of Roof supported
only by few posts, inclosing very little
but empty space, and sliding screens
alone divide off compartments. Why,
in this comparative absence of all that
we should call furniture, does one arts
Gle pertaining to the ladies' toilet--the
bronze mirror with its stand-holt 30
prominent position? This mirror is
usually circular, from three inches to
twelve inches in diameter, made of
bronze, and with bronze handle covered
with bamboo. The rejecting face is gen
orally more or less convex, polished with
mercury amalganl, and the back is
beautiful :ly ornamented With gracefully
executed raised design. Some for the
rustic population have also polished le-
tars.
The explanation of the fact that the
mirror is almost par excellence the en-
tire furniture is found partially in the
elaborate head.dresses of the japanese
ladies and the painting of their faces,
and partly from the belief that as the
sword was the "soul Of the Samouri,"
go is the mirror the soul OF woman"
It therefore constitutes the most valua-
BILE of all her possessions, and two MIR
rors form pat Of the trosseau OF every
bride. TIE characteristic qualities of
the mirror must, it is believed, be in
accordance with the constitution OF the
possessor, and "second sight is resorted
to IN the selection of g mirror. But
why is the mirror so important an article
in the Imperial palace, where the
Court ladies, still preserving the fashion
of old days, comb back their hair in the
simplest style? Why does the fortune
teller, instead Of looking at girls palm,
regard the reflection in mirror? Why,
instead of referring to the book of the
recording angel, does the japanese Plato
bring before the boatman his evil deeds
reflected in mirror? TIE mirror ranks
far higher in japanese history than has
been supposed; it, in fact, takes the place
of the cross in Christian countries.
Professor Ayrton read the myth OF
the origin OF the worship of the magic
mirror. The main points in it are that
when gods alone inhabited the earth the
Sun Goddess one day hurt her hand
with her shuttle, having been suddenly
frightened by a practical joke of her
brother, the Goo OF the Sea. She indig-
nantly retired to cave. Darkness fol-
lowed: and the goddess had to be ap>
peased. The wisest Of the gods sugges-
ted making al image of her more beauti-
full than herself. TIE japanese Vulcan
fashioned mirror in the shape of the
sun, and all the gods laughed and shout
ed, g. Here is deity vino surpasses even
your glory" Woman's curiosity could
net stand this. Tne goddess peeped cut,
and, while sdmiring herself in the mir
ror, WIS caught and dragged out by
rice r0pe. Tie national traditions have
it that this Sun Goddess (Amaterasu
nj Kan1i), sending her adopted grand
son, who was also the ereat-grandfather
OF the first Emperor of Japan, TO subdue
the world, made him three presents: the
mags-tama (the precious stone, emblem~
atical OF tue spirit of woman), the sword
(enlblematical of the spirit of many, and
the mirror (emblem OF her own sou6.
" Look" she said, "on this mirror as
my spirit; Keep it in the same house and
on the came floor with yourself, and
worship it as if you were worshiping my
a4 o!