The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-04-03

= aFORT BAYARD, New Mexico. Jan. IA !,
1879.-Popular Science Monthly.
roa aE--4-o- = - = Ill +-+4-seo0
Mirror Worship in Japan.
r Href. Ayrt6dh lecturad TAFT H Week atthe
Royal Institution, his subject being
"The Magic Mirror Of Japan, In ia
pan sSheR AZ, hes said, zah Esbssace of
house walls, interior and exterior, the
houses consisting of roof supported on
oAlyta Few post4eneIo sinE Nery li4lsb0t
empty space, and sliding screens alone
divide off compartments. Why, in this
comparative Nabsence { 81 a that ne
shouldtcaf Nfurfiiture, toes one aftfe1e
pertaining TO the ladies' toilette-the
bronze mirror with its stand-hold so
prominent q position 2 This mirror is
usually circular, from three inches to
twelve inches in diameter, made of
bronze, and with br6hze handle sdver-
ed with bamboo. The rejecting face is
generally more or less convex, polished
with mercury amalgam, and the back
is beautifully ornamented with g. grace
fully executed raised design. Some for
the rustic population have also polished
letters.
The explanation of the fact that the
mirror is almost par excellence the en-
tire furniture is found partly in the elab-
CRATE head dresses Of the Japanese
ladies and thepainting of their faces, land
partly from the belief that as the sword
was "the soul of the Samouri," so is
the mirror the soul of woman" It
therefore constitutes. the most vaIuable
of all her possessions, and two mirrors
form part of the. trousseau of every
bride. The characteristic qualities OF
the mirror must, it is believed, be in ac-
cordance with, the ,constitution of the
possessor, and esecond sight" is re-
sorted to in the selection of a mirror.
But why is the mirror SO important in
the Imperial palace where the Court
ladies, still preserving the fashion of old
days, comb back their hair in the sim
plest style assNlhy does stfla f6ihne-td.
Ter, instead of looking at a girls palm,
regard the rehection irs Mirror2 Why
instead of referring to the book of the
recording angel, does The, Japanese Pla-
to bring before the boatman his evil
deeds reflected in a mirrorp. And why
does the mirror hold so Important a
place in Japanese history. than has, been
supposed; it, IN fact, takes the place of
the cross in Christian csuatries.
Prof. Ayrton read the myth of the
origin of the worship of the mirror.
The main 2points in. itEare that, when
gods alone Inhabited the earth, the sun
goddess one day hurt her hand with her
shuttle, having been suddenly fright
ened by q practical joke of her brother,
the god OF the sea. She Indignantly re-
tired to cave. Darkness followed, and
the goddess had to be appeased.. The
wisest of the gods suggested making an
image of her more beautiful than her,
self. The Japanese Vulcan fashioned a
mirror in the shape of the sun, and all
the gods laughed, and shouted, I" Here
is a deity who msurpnsses even your
glory" Woman's curiosity could not
stand 'this.s The goddess speeped eue,
and while admiring herself in the mirror
was caught, and dragged out by rice
rope. The national traditions have it
that this sun goddess (Aniaterasu b fai
.KamD, sending her adopted grandson,
who was also she geat. grandfather of
the first Emperor of Japan; to asnbdue
the world, made him three presentsE
the n'oga-taaro (the precious stone, iema
blematical of the spirit Of woman, the
sword (emblenlatical of, the. spirit OF
man,, and the mirror (emblem of her
own soul). Look" she said, son this
mirror of my spirit, keep it III the same
house and on the sau5e fsoaswahyS 0ur-
sell, and worship it asif youawsre sxers
Shipping my actt1ai presence. !Trond5sas
Times. 81 TlslE 81 es.k
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A VERY singular sl1of,t; "A o., sarp;Sp,,t