The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1879-05-03
MIRROR WORSHIP
why the Bronze Mirror IL 80 zm p0rfans
fm Japanese Houses,
London Times.

Im @ap94hefSo HEoun68s
London Times.
Professor Ayrton lectured last week
at the Royal institution, his subject be-
ing 1.-THE Magic Mirror of Japan In
japan there is, he said, an absence OF
house walls, interior and exterior, the
houses consisting of roof supported
only ny 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-hold 80
prominent a position7 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 sgen-
orally more or less convex, polished with
a mercury amalgam, and the back Is
beautifully ornamented with gracefully
executed raised design. Some for the
rustic population have also polished lei
tiers.
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
I'd was the soul of the Samouri,"
80 is the mirror the "soul Il woman"
1t therefore constitutes the most valua.
BILE of all her possessions, and two mir
rors form part of the trosaeau OF every
bride. The characteristic qualities of
the mirror must, it ia believed, be in
accordance with the constitution OF the
possessor, and " second sight is resorted
to In the selection Of 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 rejection ia 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 mirrors The mirror ranks
far higher in Japanese history than has
been supposed; 1t, 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 practical joke of her
brother, the Goo of the Sea. She indig-
nantly retired to cave. Darkness fol-
lowed, and the godde 8 had to be ap>
peased. The wisest OF the gods sugges
ted making an image OF her more beauti-
full than herself. The japanese Vatican
fashioned a mirror in the shape OF the
sun, and all the gods laughed and shout
ed, Here is deity who surpasses even
your glory" Woman's curiosity could
not stand this. The goddess pseped out,
and, while admiring herself in the mir
ror, was caught and dragged out by a
lice rope. The national traditions have
it that this Sun Goddess (Amaterasu
mi Kami), sending her adopted grand
son, who was also the qreat-grandfather
OF the first Emperor Of Japan, to subdue
the world, made him three presents: the
maya tams 1.-THE precious stone, emblems
atical of the spirit of woman), the sword
(emblematical Of the spirit of man), and
the mirror (emblem of her own soul).
Look" she said, con this mirror as
my spirit; keep 1t in the same house apd
ON the same floor with yourself, and
worship it as if you were worshiping my
actual presence"